Gender and Sexuality in Nazi Germany

In this paper, I survey Nazi ideals on gender and sexuality and illustrate how these ideals affected both German men and women. I also discuss how Nazi views on gender and sexuality were developed and enforced by the regime. I highlight the general contradictions apparent in Nazi policy on gender and sexuality. Ultimately, the purpose of my paper is to show that the non-Jewish German population was also impacted by Nazi policies. It is often thought that Nazi ideology was primarily focused on removing the influence of Jews from all aspects of German society. However, Nazi ideas and attitudes towards race were far more complex. For the Nazi regime, establishing a pure and thriving Volk (community) was crucial to the survival of Germany and subsequently, the German people. 1 Therefore, the Nazis saw themselves responsible for ensuring that the German/Aryan race flourished. In order to achieve their racial ambitions, the Nazis introduced a number of reforms that redefined Germany‟s existing socia