# Are the English more sexually repressed than other countries, and if so, why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797 "2004-05-30T15:46:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/21 "2004-05-30T22:46:57Z")
Judging by the sex lives of my UK friends and I, I’m going to say we’re not sexually repressed. ---
**Author:** ![Aagramn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Aagramn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aagramn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/22 "2004-05-30T22:52:00Z")
By all accounts, Queen Victoria herself was very keen on sex. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/23 "2004-05-30T22:56:42Z")
> [@AngelicGemma](#): > > Judging by the sex lives of my UK friends and I Did you mean that to sound like how it came across? 😛😉 ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/24 "2004-05-30T23:59:00Z")
> [@Meta-Gumble](#): > > The English have this reputation for being uptight and sexually repressed. So what is the origin of this reputation, and are they really any more sexually repressed than other cultures? What about Scotland/Ireland/Wales - do they fall under the same blanket? I would have said it was the exact opposite. The only country I’ve heard about being fairly up-tight about sex is the US. ---
**Author:** ![Gest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Gest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gest)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/25 "2004-05-31T02:01:01Z")
Brits are indeed ‘mucky little fuck-pigs’. However, I’ve found many American girls are just as mucky but usually claim they ‘don’t usually do this sort of thing’. Apparently people are much more uptight back home. Never having been to America, I’m not sure what to believe. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/26 "2004-05-31T09:55:59Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Did you mean that to sound like how it came across? > 😛😉 Maybe. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/27 "2004-05-31T10:17:55Z")
> [@Meta-Gumble](#): > > I haven’t met any brits, but I have met plenty of Scottish, English and Irish people (of ages with a standard deviation of 70) anyway. These days the union is just a sham, with the Welsh national assembly, and the soon-to-be-finished Scottish parliament - independance is only a matter of time. And I will not even mention N. Ireland. Oh deary me, what total crap. Great Britain is an island: it’s a geographical term; people from that island are thus British. Furthermore, despite your including them in your list, people from Ireland are _not_ British by dint of geography; however, since the nationality of the UK is also ‘British’, you’ll find a great number of Northern Irish Unionists who self-identify as ‘Brits’. > [@Meta-Gumble](#): > > I understand that some English people would like to cling onto that word - “brit” as its the final reminder they have of the former power of the empire, but no-one else inside the “UK” uses it. But I digress, and don’t want to spark a nationalist hate-fest. Again, complete bollocks. I personally refer to myself as English first; British second. But if you want to hear distinctly non-imperialist people referring to ‘Brits’, just come to Ireland for 5 minutes. As for sexual behaviour, hell yeah, very little prudery. British people are indeed mucky little fuck-pigs. Google ‘Ibiza uncovered’ to view the louche holiday behaviour of my fellow countrypeople. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/28 "2004-05-31T12:33:33Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Great Britain is an island: it’s a geographical term; people from that island are thus British. Furthermore, despite your including them in your list, people from Ireland are _not_ British by dint of geography; … Except that ‘British Isles’ is also a geograpical term. The use of ‘British’ has bugger all to do with geography (for instance Gibralter and the Falklands) and everything to do with politics. ---
**Author:** ![Aagramn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Aagramn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aagramn)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/29 "2004-05-31T12:47:15Z")
Even a lot of people from the UK get confused about all the terms we use to describe our country, which are the result of a lot of messy history. The island is called Britain, but IIRC Great Britain includes Northern Ireland. The UK also includes places like the Falkland islands. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/30 "2004-05-31T13:07:39Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Except that ‘British Isles’ is also a geograpical term. The use of ‘British’ has bugger all to do with geography (for instance Gibralter and the Falklands) and everything to do with politics. Yeah, it’s tricky with that whole ‘British Isles’ moniker, but it’s also unambiguous too. The term ‘British’ is both political and geographical. Citizens of the UK, even in NI, may call themselves British. The following statement: > [@Aagramn](#): > > The island is called Britain, but IIRC Great Britain includes Northern Ireland. The UK also includes places like the Falkland islands. …is just wrong. Great Britain is the name of the big island. The other, smaller, island is called Ireland. There’s no confusion there. The UK is specifically The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Falklands, Gibraltar, etc. are various kinds of overseas dependent territories. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/31 "2004-05-31T13:08:13Z")
> [@Aagramn](#): > > Even a lot of people from the UK get confused about all the terms we use to describe our country, which are the result of a lot of messy history. The island is called Britain, but IIRC Great Britain includes Northern Ireland. The UK also includes places like the Falkland islands. There’s a million previous threads that spell this out. NI is part of the UK, but not of Great Britain. The Falklands, Bermuda, Gibraltar etc are _overseas territories of the United Kingdom_, not part of the UK itself. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/32 "2004-05-31T13:09:55Z")
**Aagramn** , you’ve stated your opinion on the subject-time to move on and let others state theirs. All others-please comment on the OP, and not on each other. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/33 "2004-05-31T13:10:13Z")
Oh, and before anyone mentions them, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands are Crown Dependencies. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/34 "2004-05-31T13:13:46Z")
This is where you miss the ambiguity, **jjimm** : > [@](#): > > Great Britain is an island: it’s a geographical term; **people from that island are thus British** This is not automatically the case. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/35 "2004-05-31T13:16:12Z")
_Please_ get back on topic NOW. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/36 "2004-05-31T13:23:43Z")
[Petulant] Sorry, **Meta-Gumble** started it though. _Stamps little feet_ [/petulant] OK, so why do other countries (especially the US) perceive us as repressed? Does it go back to the image as portrayed by Victorian morality, that has held on (much as Americans are occasionally incorrectly portrayed as cowboys)? ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/37 "2004-05-31T13:25:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Speak for yourself pal - i’ve never met a Scot who described themselves as a “brit” to foreigners. But let us not quibble over erroneous matters of national identity. You are joking, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/38 "2004-05-31T13:34:31Z")
Since the OP asks about the English vs. “other countries”, I’d like to nominate Korea. One of the most sexually repressed countries I’ve ever heard of. I hear though, the younger generation is a little more open then previous generations, (aren’t they always). ---
**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/39 "2004-05-31T19:29:57Z")
I’m absolutely astonished that so many people said they were not aware of this reputation. Probably was the Victorians right enough, **Steve** and I suppose their influence must be all but dead. Any European dopers care to comment? I was under the impression that the French felt this way towards the English. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797/40 "2004-05-31T20:00:09Z")
> [@Meta-Gumble](#): > > Any European dopers care to comment? I have heard this stereotype about the English before, but I wouldn’t say it is a really serious common belief. It’s more like an 1950s joke stereotype of a general stiffness, comparable to the economical Scotsman, the passionate Italian… The Americans on the other hand have a reputation of being severely repressed sexually. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-english-more-sexually-repressed-than-other-countries-and-if-so-why/247797.md?page=3)