Final answer:
In the late 19th century, physicians were considered the main experts on sexuality, but their knowledge was not deeply empirical. It wasn't until Alfred Kinsey's research in the mid-20th century that more scientific and revelatory insights into human sexual behavior emerged.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sexuality Research in the Late 19th Century
In the late 19th century, physicians were largely considered the authorities on issues related to sexuality, despite the fact that their training in these areas was quite limited. Research on human sexuality was not as empirical and widely discussed until the mid-20th century when Dr. Alfred Kinsey initiated large-scale survey research that culminated in two groundbreaking books: Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Kinsey's research provided a novel and detailed account of sexual behaviors, overturning many contemporary notions about sexuality, such as the rarity and abnormality of homosexuality, and fostering more open conversations about human sexuality.
Kinsey's findings were controversial, leading to bans in some countries and loss of funding for further research. His work was part of a broader social context in which the boundaries of sexual mores were being tested, as reflected in the attitudes of the Jazz Age, the work of Sigmund Freud and Havelock Ellis, and the advocacy of Margaret Sanger.