Wendy Doniger, history of religions professor at the University of Chicago, spoke about stereotypes and myths in a lecture entitled “Sex and Gender in the Kamasutra” presented by Humanities Without Boundaries Lecture Series.

Doniger talked about how contemporary issues such as power in politics and gender were elaborated upon in the famous “sex text,” the Kamasutra.

The Kamasutra was written in India at the end of the third century; however, it was not legal in the United States until 1962. Old as it is, this legendary book addresses many topics that are controversial in modern society.

Doniger explained the initial three aims of the Kamasutra’s readers: the balance of duty, domination and desires.

Fulfilling these aims was supposed to be the goal of one’s life.

“This book was for pleasure in the broadest sense, not just for sexual positions,” Doniger said.

According to the Kamasutra, a third of one’s life should be spent on acts such as community service and worshiping. Another third should be spent on success and having material objects. The last third was to be spent on the arts such as theatre and music, including sex.

The original reason for including sex in the Kamasutra was to distinguish humans’ sexual acts, both male and female, from those of animals. The largest difference, according to the book’s authors, was that humans think about the engagement before, during and after the action.

“Sex is an act of a culture rather than nature,” Doniger said.

The Kamasutra, therefore, was to be the guide not only for perfect sex but for increasing human pleasure as a whole. The alleged sexual boldness of the book began with a misunderstanding and an inaccurate translation of the Kamasutra into English in 1962.

In addition to the focus on sex positions, the translation also poorly portrayed other areas of the book. It completely erased the agency and voice the Kamasutra gave to females in a relationship, as well as altering the initial ideas and opinions on homosexuality.

Doniger accurately translated the Kamasutra and was amazed at the similarities it has to current views on sex.

In contrast to stereotypical gender roles — in which males are supposed to be the active, rough, “I am taking her” agent, and females are the passive, delicate, weak, “I am being taken by him” agent — the Kamasutra suggests these roles should be challenged by females acting in traditionally male ways, especially by partaking in dominant positions during sex. It was, after all, courtesans who influenced much of the book.

“[The Kamasutra] was written for the upper-class men, but it was meant for the women,” Doniger said.

The exact translation also includes other situations that females face today. It describes sexual harassment, rape and adultery.

Students at the lecture found it to be informative and engaging.

University of Wisconsin freshmen Joslin Fritz, Lauren Popko and Ashley Bieber said they thought Doniger’s lecture was interesting, especially since they have never read the Kamasutra but perceived it as the “sex text.”

“I also learned about how issues of gender are not recent,” Fritz said. “People’s perceptions of gender have been around for thousands of years.”

“It was also nice having a contemporary woman’s interpretation,” said Popko.