SEX IN THE STREETS: THE SEXUALIZATION OF NASHVILLE’S PUBLIC SPHERE DURING WORLD WAR II

Abstract

World War II was a critical time in the personal lives of women. The loss of men to war propelled women into the workforce, allowing them to earn money and exercise greater autonomy away from fathers and husbands. Sexual mores were also transitioning, and women were recognized as willing participants in sexual encounters outside of marriage. Women’s sexual contact with soldiers attracted significant attention, and the high rates of venereal disease within the armed forces created an environment in which women’s sexuality was deemed immoral and dangerous. Newspapers and military records of the time vilified these women, referring to them as “khaki-wackies,” “good time Charlottes,” “patriotutes,” and other demeaning terms. While historians have thoroughly documented the regulation of women’s sexuality during World War II, they have stopped short of making the connection between women’s sexuality and the public sphere. This research examines how regulations targeting sexually active women during World War II sexualized Nashville’s public sphere and cast all women active in public as promiscuous and potentially dangerous, leading to their forced removal from society.