The changes of sexual habits in Budapest in the light of a 20th century worker's life story

Abstract

Abstract In the study I intend to present through a case study how women’s status changed in a peripheral society, also touching upon the transormations of the representation of women and the female ideal in the light of the social and economic changes after WWII, and due to the employment of women becoming general. On the other hand, the article analyses how sexual habits changed in private life due to the urban social environment. The study is mainly based on the memoirs of a working woman, later a barwoman, Erzsébet Király. The process of a prudish country girl changing into an adventurous, cool woman of the city is evident from the memoir. Her memories present the new representation of women, the male-female relationships and the sexual habits of the second half of 20 century. Keywords: representation of women, sexual life, man–woman relationships