History of development of male prostitution in foreign countries

This article focuses on the historiography of one of the most morally controversial and therefore in some way taboo for research of social practice, which is prostitution, or rather its separate variety - male prostitution. However, ignorance of the socio-historical nature of this practice does not allow one to fully understand the life of society as a whole and to give this social phenomenon the most objective moral evaluation. The paper outlines the major milestones in the ethnographic development of male prostitution in foreign countries. The author comes to the conclusion that male prostitution as a social phenomenon has a rich and long-standing world history. It can be said that it arose from the moment of the birth of civilizations, becoming part of the ethno-cultural life of some peoples of the world. Initially, male prostitution developed in three forms: hospitality prostitution, religious (temple, cult) and mercantile (legal) prostitution. In the future, such varieties as pedophilic and soldier’s (military) male prostitution were distinguished. Particular attention is paid to the history of the development and spread of this social practice in foreign countries such as Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient East, Ancient Japan, Ancient China, medieval England, France and Italy. Contributed to the wide spread of this phenomenon in society and tolerant attitude towards it, some of the supreme rulers of these states. However, among them were those who fought against male prostitution behavior, imposing commercial sex on men, providing sexual services, heavy fines, imprisonment, exile and even death sentences. Whatever the attitude to this phenomenon at the present time, but the history of its development, the nature of its distribution and the attitude towards it by representatives of all classes, including the authorities, testifies to its acceptability for social development. Male prostitution behavior contributed to the development of culture and art. Kitchenware, vases with the image of episodes and scenes of male prostitution behavior, theatrical productions with elements of such behavior were very popular and in demand. A positive attitude to this social practice in the history of the development of civilization was also related to the fact that it provided an opportunity for the realization of intimate preferences hidden from society. Male prostitution received especially strong distribution and tolerance in foreign countries during times of military conflicts and liberal transformations. That is why the struggle with it by the state and religion was a very difficult task. Knowledge of the history of the development of male prostitution behavior allows us to develop an objective moral assessment of this social phenomenon in modern society and determine the need for its prevention.

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