Spreading Shame

Spreading Shame

How the West brought sexual shame to the East


Sexuality has long been a diverse and culturally embedded aspect of human life. In many Eastern traditions, it was once seen as sacred, creative, and connected to health, spirituality, and natural rhythms. But during the colonial era and rise of Western imperialism, these views were challenged and ultimately suppressed. The introduction of Western religious and moral frameworks led to a profound transformation in how Eastern societies viewed sex, pleasure, gender, and the body. This post explores how and why the West imposed sexual shame on the East, and how these imposed beliefs continue to influence modern attitudes and behaviors.

tldr; 

  • A bad apple ruined the bunch. The West spread sexual shame to the East, which continues to be the dominant force.

Note this is best read after more context from Eras of Sexuality →

Pre-Colonial Sexual Norms in Eastern Cultures

Eastern traditions celebrated sexuality as a natural, even essential, part of human life—something to be cultivated, not controlled. Before Western influence, many Eastern societies had integrated views of sexuality:

  • India: Hindu and Buddhist texts like the Kama Sutra and Tantric scriptures emphasized pleasure, connection, and the spiritual dimensions of sex.
  • China: Daoist philosophy promoted sexual alchemy, energy exchange, and balanced intimacy between yin and yang.
  • Japan: Heian and Edo-era literature depicted a fluid and poetic approach to love and desire, often embracing bisexuality and eroticism without shame.

Western Imperialism and the Rise of Sexual Control

Beginning in the 16th century and accelerating in the 18th and 19th centuries, Western colonial powers imposed Christian and Victorian moral standards upon colonized peoples.

  • 16th Century: Early European explorers, particularly the Portuguese and Spanish, brought Christian missionary zeal to colonized regions, seeking to convert and "civilize" through religious instruction. The Inquisition extended its influence globally, condemning indigenous practices including sexual rites and rituals.
  • 18th Century: The Enlightenment period fostered a rationalist and hierarchical worldview that framed non-Western cultures as inferior. During this time, British and French colonial powers expanded into South and Southeast Asia. Alongside trade, missionary societies proliferated. Schools and churches were established with curricula rooted in moral discipline and sexual restraint.
  • 19th Century: Victorian Britain epitomized sexual repression, and its empire exported those ideals globally. Colonial administrators codified morality into law—criminalizing indigenous sexual practices and expressions. Anti-sodomy laws, dress codes, and bans on erotic art and literature were introduced, many of which remain in place today.

These centuries saw a convergence of commerce, conquest, and Christianity—all enforcing a worldview that cast indigenous sexualities as deviant and in need of regulation.

  • Religious Doctrine: Missionaries viewed non-Western sexual practices as immoral and sought to "civilize" native populations by imposing Christian ideals of chastity, modesty, and monogamy.
  • Legal Systems: Colonial administrations enacted laws criminalizing indigenous sexual behaviors, from same-sex relationships to public displays of affection to traditional dress.
  • Medicalization of Morality: Western science pathologized non-procreative or non-monogamous sex, framing Eastern sexual practices as deviant or primitive.

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors

The imposition of Western morality resulted in widespread shifts:

  • Shame and stigma became attached to bodies, desire, and pleasure.
  • Traditional sexual knowledge was silenced, erased, or dismissed as taboo.
  • Women’s sexual autonomy was particularly targeted, with new norms enforcing obedience, modesty, and silence.
  • Queer and nonbinary expressions, once integrated or accepted in various forms, were criminalized and erased from mainstream culture.

Even after decolonization, many Eastern nations retained conservative sexual values, now interwoven with nationalism, religious revival, and global capitalism. Western-style shame persists through:

  • Education systems that avoid or distort sexual health information
  • Media censorship and taboos
  • Laws that restrict LGBTQ+ rights
  • A continued association of sexual openness with moral degradation.

Why This Matters

Understanding this history allows us to see sexual shame not as inherent to any one culture, but as a result of imposed power structures. Healing from sexual repression requires untangling these colonial legacies and reclaiming ancestral wisdom. For many, especially women and queer people, this means recognizing that their desire is not sinful, but sacred.

Final Thoughts

Sexual liberation is not about mimicking Western liberalism, but about restoring balance—returning to ancient traditions that honored sex as part of wholeness. By decolonizing our understanding of the body, we create space for joy, intimacy, and power rooted in cultural resilience and embodied truth.

Return to Sexual Winter → 

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