--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the nineteenth century, girls who…" description: "\"“In the nineteenth century, girls who learned to develop orgasmic capacity by masturbation were regarded as medical problems. Often they were 'treated'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/eve-ensler-1402_clitoris_in-the-nineteenth-century-girls-who-lear_2860834.jpg" --- # In the nineteenth century, girls who learned to develop… ![“In the nineteenth century, girls who learned to develop orgasmic capacity by masturbation were regarded as medical problems. Often they were 'treated' or 'corrected' by amputation or cautery of the clitoris or 'miniature chastity belts,' sewing the vaginal lips together to put the clitoris out of…” quote by Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/eve-ensler-1402_clitoris_in-the-nineteenth-century-girls-who-lear_2860834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/eve-ensler-1402_clitoris_in-the-nineteenth-century-girls-who-lear_2860834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/eve-ensler-1402_clitoris_in-the-nineteenth-century-girls-who-lear_2860834.jpg) > ““In the nineteenth century, girls who learned to develop orgasmic capacity by masturbation were regarded as medical problems. Often they were 'treated' or 'corrected' by amputation or cautery of the clitoris or 'miniature chastity belts,' sewing the vaginal lips together to put the clitoris out of reach, and even castration by surgical removal of the ovaries. But there are no references in the medical literature to the surgical removal of testicles or amputation of the penis to stop masturbation in boys. In the United States, the last recorded clitoridectomy for curing masturbation was performed in 1948-- on a five-year-old girl.”” [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical medical practices violently suppressed female sexuality, reflecting patriarchal control. **In simple terms:** Women’s sexuality was violently suppressed. Key Takeaway Support bodily autonomy. Themes gender medicine control Mood somber determined Type historical advocational When to use this quote - education - advocacy - policy reform - healthcare practice Key Concepts feminism history of medicine Questions to Reflect On - How have attitudes toward female sexuality changed? - What lessons can we learn for modern healthcare? A Different Perspective These practices are extreme and not universally representative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cautery Clitoris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cautery-clitoris-3859730/) [Clitoridectomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clitoridectomy-2663644/) [Clitoridectomy Curing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clitoridectomy-curing-2663645/) [Clitoris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clitoris/) [Clitoris Miniature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clitoris-miniature-3859731/) [Fgm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fgm-63406/) [Masturbation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masturbation/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Recorded Clitoridectomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recorded-clitoridectomy-2663643/) ## Related quotes > [In the United States, the last recorded clitoridectomy for curing masturbation was performed in 1948--on a five year old girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/in-the-united-states-the-last-recorded-clitoridectomy-for-curing/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to her: Do not cut severely as that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atiyyah-al-ansariyyah/a-woman-used-to-perform-circumcision-in-medina-the-prophet-peace-be/) [Atiyyah al-Ansariyyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atiyyah-al-ansariyyah/) > [“Circumcision is a law for men and a preservation of honor for women." (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal 5:75; Abu Dawud, Adab 167)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadith/circumcision-is-a-law-for-men-and-a-preservation-of-honor-for-women/) [Hadith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadith/) > [“A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to her: Do not cut severely as that is better for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadith/a-woman-used-to-perform-circumcision-in-medina-the-prophet-said-to/) [Hadith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadith/) > [“Circumcision is one of the Sunnahs of the fitrah, and it is for both males and females, except that is it obligatory for males…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ataawa-al-lajnah-al-daa-imah/circumcision-is-one-of-the-sunnahs-of-the-fitrah-and-it-is-for-both/) [ataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ataawa-al-lajnah-al-daa-imah/) > [“Circumcision is obligatory (for every male and female) by cutting off the piece of skin on the glans of the penis of the male,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-ibn-naqib-al-misri/circumcision-is-obligatory-for-every-male-and-female-by-cutting-off/) [Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-ibn-naqib-al-misri/) ## More by Eve Ensler > [I have been struggling to find my way back into my body my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-have-been-struggling-to-find-my-way-back-into-my-body-my-whole-life/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [When I wrote 'The Good Body,' I turned 40 and suddenly had this stomach. It seemed like the end of the world. Because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-wrote-the-good-body-i-turned-40-and-suddenly-had-this-stomach/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cherish-your-solitude-take-trains-by-yourself-to-places-you-have/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Why are women immobile? Because so many feel like they're waiting for someone to say, 'You're good, you're pretty, I give you permission'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/why-are-women-immobile-because-so-many-feel-like-they-re-waiting-for/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [What neo-capitalism does so brilliantly is that it's always subdividing and dividing, so that people are never able to be joined in their numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-neo-capitalism-does-so-brilliantly-is-that-it-s-always/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The verb that's been enforced on girls is to please. Girls are trained to please...I want us all to change the verb. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-verb-that-s-been-enforced-on-girls-is-to-please-girls-are-trained/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“De acordo com os congressistas, ouvir as experiências reais de mulheres vítimas de violência era diferente de ler as estatísticas de violência contra mulheres.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/de-acordo-com-os-congressistas-ouvir-as-experi-ncias-reais-de/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is the only organ in the body designed purely for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-clitoris-is-pure-in-purpose-it-is-the-only-organ-in-the-body/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [stop fixing your bodies and start fixing the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/stop-fixing-your-bodies-and-start-fixing-the-world/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Anorexia was my attempt to have control over my body and manipulate my body and starve my body and shape my body. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/anorexia-was-my-attempt-to-have-control-over-my-body-and-manipulate/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I believe in irony. And if V-Day has taught me anything, it's that if you go out with artistic, outrageous irony and humor, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-believe-in-irony-and-if-v-day-has-taught-me-anything-it-s-that-if/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [People didn't feel so much shame around it and that they didn't feel so much humiliation around it. And the other thing that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/people-didn-t-feel-so-much-shame-around-it-and-that-they-didn-t-feel/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Cancer essentially lives in us and becomes activated at some point, and then cells begin to psychotically divide. Initially, the cancer cell looks like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cancer-essentially-lives-in-us-and-becomes-activated-at-some-point/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Today the United States has the highest prison population in the world, over 2.1 million people. ... We lock people up at a rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/today-the-united-states-has-the-highest-prison-population-in-the/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) [Explore all 241 Eve Ensler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) ## More Clitoris quotes > [The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is the only organ in the body designed purely for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-clitoris-is-pure-in-purpose-it-is-the-only-organ-in-the-body/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I didn’t hear words that were accurate, much less prideful. For example, I never once heard the word clitoris. It would be years before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-didn-t-hear-words-that-were-accurate-much-less-prideful-for-example/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The clitoris contains 8,000 nerve endings. It makes it easy to have sex. With yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannii-minogue/the-clitoris-contains-8-000-nerve-endings-it-makes-it-easy-to-have/) [Dannii Minogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannii-minogue/) > [Finally found the clitoris! Thanks to my family, friends and you guys for all the support!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/finally-found-the-clitoris-thanks-to-my-family-friends-and-you-guys/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“The clitoris not only applauds when a women flaunts her mastery; it will give a standing ovation. In the multiple orgasm, we see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/the-clitoris-not-only-applauds-when-a-women-flaunts-her-mastery-it/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [“Which is it," she asked. "Is it CLIToris or clotORis?" I didn't know. Why didn't I know? "It may depend on which you have,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/which-is-it-she-asked-is-it-clitoris-or-clotoris-i-didn-t-know-why/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Off to find the mythical clitoris! -Darald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forgetting-sarah-marshall/off-to-find-the-mythical-clitoris-darald/) [Forgetting Sarah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forgetting-sarah-marshall/) > [I'll wait until April Fools is over to inform you that obviously you have no idea where my clitoris is located.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-wait-until-april-fools-is-over-to-inform-you-that-obviously-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Delores is a gorgeous name, for a gorgeous girl. Plus, it rhymes with clitoris ...and I really know my way around them. Big fan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/delores-is-a-gorgeous-name-for-a-gorgeous-girl-plus-it-rhymes-with/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“God gave woman a clitoris--a small little bit of flesh with only one purpose--transcendent sexual pleasure. So how is it that some people believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-valdez/god-gave-woman-a-clitoris-a-small-little-bit-of-flesh-with-only-one/) [Lisa Valdez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-valdez/) > [“The proper way to eat a fig, in society, Is to split it in four, holding it by the stump, And open it, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dh-lawrence/the-proper-way-to-eat-a-fig-in-society-is-to-split-it-in-four-holding/) [dh lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dh-lawrence/) > [“The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is the only organ in the body designed purely for pleasure. The clitoris is simply a bundle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-clitoris-is-pure-in-purpose-it-is-the-only-organ-in-the-body-2/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“In hyenas, the clitoris carries urine, enables copulation, and serves as a birth canal. Yet it looks precisely like a male penis. Perhaps this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carr-george-c-kent/in-hyenas-the-clitoris-carries-urine-enables-copulation-and-serves-as/) [Robert Carr George C Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carr-george-c-kent/) > [The magic button to get a woman to behave for at least 20 minutes is called a clitoris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/the-magic-button-to-get-a-woman-to-behave-for-at-least-20-minutes-is/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The clitoris is the female sex organ, and the fact that we aren't told that when we were small children is devastating. We grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-dodson/the-clitoris-is-the-female-sex-organ-and-the-fact-that-we-aren-t-told/) [Betty Dodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-dodson/) [Browse all 18 Clitoris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clitoris/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the nineteenth century, girls who learned to develop orgasmic capacity by masturbation were regarded as medical problems. Often they were 'treated' or 'corrected' by amputation or cautery of the clitoris or 'miniature chastity belts,' sewing the vaginal lips together to put the clitoris out of reach, and even castration by surgical removal of the ovaries. But there are no references in the medical literature to the surgical removal of testicles or amputation of the penis to stop masturbation in boys. 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