Ep. 28 ‘Sex and the Constitution’ with professor Geoffrey R. Stone

Sex and the Constitution are not two topics often thought of
together.


But University of Chicago Law School professor Geoffrey R. Stone
seeks to change that with the publication of “Sex and the
Constitution: Sex, Religion, and Law from America’s Origins to
the Twenty-First Century.”


The newly released, 700-page book is 10 years in the making.
Stone’s comprehensive review extends all the way back to the
ancient Greeks and Romans to explain how sex came to be
legislated in America.


Professor Stone is the guest on today’s episode of So to Speak.
Fittingly, we met in New York City to discuss the portions of
“Sex and the Constitution” dealing with the regulation of sexual
expression. It was, after all, in New York City where the YMCA
and Anthony Comstock began their campaigns in the 1800s to root
out what they deemed obscene, sexually explicit material.


During our conversation, Stone explains how “obscenity” came to
be regulated in America and why its legal definition constantly
shifts. We also explore other First Amendment issues surrounding
sexual expression, including nude dancing and the public funding
of art with sexual themes.


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