Kinsey film screening to honor the life of Alfred Kinsey
Kinsey movie poster detail
World-famous sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, the namesake for Indiana University's Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, passed away 50 years ago on Aug. 25, 1956. In honor of this man who forever changed the way America talks about sex, the Ryder film series will present a special showing of the film Kinsey at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington, Ind., on Monday, Aug. 21.
The event will include introductory comments from Kinsey's granddaughter, who is a local physician, a reception and an exhibit of historical photographs of the original Kinsey staff paired with photographs from the 2004 film.
Two years ago, an impressive crowd attended the Midwest premiere of Kinsey, shown during a gala benefit for the Kinsey Institute. Special guests included actress Laura Linney, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Kinsey's wife, Clara; executive producer Gail Mutrux; and writer/director Bill Condon.
In the mid-20th century, "Kinsey" became a household name across America nearly overnight, due in large part to media coverage of what became known as "the Kinsey Reports."
Kinsey was an acclaimed zoologist at IU Bloomington before turning his research interest from gall wasps to human sexuality. The findings of Kinsey and his small team of researchers first appeared in the 1948 publication Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, which became a best-seller after selling 200,000 copies. In 1953 came the much anticipated Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Despite its textbook format and $8 price, which was expensive at the time, Sexual Behavior in the Human Female flew off the shelves and, like its companion volume, was translated into several other languages and sold abroad.
The response to the findings in the United States was passionate, whether in support of the findings or in outrage. Catherine Johnson-Roehr, curator at the Kinsey Institute, said letters-to-the-editor at the time either praised or denounced the book. Even members of the clergy differed widely in their opinions, she said. Some believed Kinsey's work would benefit humanity because increased knowledge of our sexual natures could only improve people's lives. Others called the research ungodly and amoral. One prominent evangelist even declared that Kinsey "certainly could not have interviewed any of the millions of born-again Christian women in this country who put the highest price on virtue, decency and modesty."
Kinsey and his research team meticulously interviewed 18,000 people, including "bootleggers, clergymen, clerks, housewives, lawyers, marriage counselors, persons in the social register, prison inmates, teachers" (Male, p. 39) to collect the information that went into the Kinsey Reports. To this day, researchers request the original interview data -- even though it is more than 50 years old -- in order to analyze and compare it to current research findings. After Kinsey's death in 1956 at the age of 62, sex research at IU continued and expanded. Kinsey Institute Director Julia Heiman is a leading expert in female sexuality. Ongoing research at the institute focuses on contemporary issues such as understanding high-risk sexual behaviors, sexual disorders, hormonal effects on sexuality and other issues that affect millions of people in the United States and worldwide.
Here is more information about the special screening this month:
- When: Aug. 21, 8 p.m.
- Where: Buskirk-Chumley Theatre on Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington, Ind.
- Introductory remarks: Given by Dr. Kinsey's granddaughter, Dr. Wendy Kinsey Corning.
- Reception: A complimentary reception will be held at 7 p.m. with the Friends of the Kinsey Institute, along with an exhibit of historical photographs of the original Kinsey staff paired with still photographs from the 2004 film. Beer, wine and hors d'oeuvres will be provided by Lennie's.
- For whom: The public is invited to come and to learn more about the Friends of the Kinsey and how they can become involved with the Kinsey Institute.
- Cost: Tickets for the movie are $5 and are available at the theater.
To learn more about the Kinsey Institute, visit http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/about.
