Inis Beag: A Contrast in Sexual Culture

The Inis Beag people, residing on a pseudonymous island off the Irish coast, are renowned for their conservative and repressive sexual customs, a stark departure from the more liberal and expressive sexual culture found on South Pacific's Mangaia Island.

The observations of American cultural anthropologist John Cowan Messenger, who studied the Inis Beag community in the 1960s, provide insights into their unique sexual practices. Inis Beag lacks formal sex education, where sexual intercourse is seen as a necessary but unpleasant act for procreation. Natural occurrences like menstruation and menopause are met with fear and repulsion, and breastfeeding is actively avoided.

Nudity is abhorred among the Inis Beag, and bathing focuses only on body parts beyond clothing. Even within marriage, underclothes remain during sexual activity. The husband initiates intercourse, with limited foreplay, while adopting a sole sexual position, male-on-top. This position is chosen for a quick male orgasm, followed by immediate sleep. Men are convinced that sexual activity is physically taxing and abstain from it the night before strenuous tasks. Additionally, they avoid approaching their wives sexually during menstruation and for months after childbirth.

Women among the Inis Beag seldom experience orgasm, with some unaware of what it entails. For them, sex is seen as a duty and a burden, often accompanied by discomfort or pain. Both menstruation and menopause are sources of apprehension, the latter believed to induce mental disorders. Some women even retire from active life in their mid-forties, confining themselves to bed until their passing.

The Inis Beag people engage in markedly infrequent sexual activity compared to other cultures. Messenger estimated that the average married couple had sex approximately once every two months, with some couples engaging only once or twice a year. Premarital sex, extramarital affairs, masturbation, homosexuality, and oral or anal sex are virtually unheard of or strictly taboo.

The Inis Beag people serve as a compelling example of how culture profoundly molds sexuality. Their sexual practices are deeply influenced by religious beliefs, environmental circumstances, societal norms, and historical experiences. As their exposure to external influences and information grows, their sexual culture is gradually evolving, highlighting the dynamic nature of cultural norms and beliefs.

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