History Main / EuropeansAreKinky

[[quoteright:254:[[WebComic/ScandinaviaAndTheWorld https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/grpmxri_9087.png]]]]

* Most of the countries in ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' are European, and the author plays on European-kinkiness a lot. There was even a strip where mostly-European countries were arguing over who invented the condom and was therefore most perverted. In particular, France is the most openly perverted character in the series, to the point of outright sexually harassing people. Meanwhile, according to Italy, even the extremely straitlaced Germany has a hell of a hidden PornStash that includes things like bestiality.

As a narrative trope, Europeans Are Kinky has been around since the 1960s. Earlier examples are rare, at least in mainstream audio-visual media, since before that decade cinema (excluding porn) and TV didn't address sexuality with the level of candour the trope requires. In the 1960s, the [[UsefulNotes/{{Sweden}} Swedish]] movies ''I Am Curious (Yellow)'' (1967) and ''Language of Love'' (1969) were among the first films with explicit sex scenes to get a wide international distribution, thus contributing to the stereotypical image of the "kinky Swede". Even earlier, the [[UsefulNotes/{{France}} French]] film ''The Lovers'' (1958), which includes a short (and not particularly explicit) sex scene, was the subject of a famous American court case. A screening of this film in Ohio resulted in the theater manager being convicted for public depiction of obscene material. The manager appealed, and the Supreme Court eventually overruled the conviction, stating that the movie was [[ItsNotPornItsArt not pornography]], and therefore not obscene.

As a narrative trope, Europeans Are Kinky has been around since the 1960s. Earlier examples are rare, at least in mainstream audio-visual media, since before that decade cinema (excluding porn) and TV didn't address sexuality with the level of candour the trope requires. In the 1960s, the [[UsefulNotes/{{Sweden}} Swedish]] movies ''I Am Curious (Yellow)'' (1967) and ''Language of Love'' (1969) were among the first films with explicit sex scenes to get a wide international distribution, thus contributing to the stereotypical image of the "kinky Swede". Even earlier, the [[UsefulNotes/{{France}} French]] film ''The Lovers'' (1958), which includes a short (and not particularly explicit) sex scene, was the subject of a famous American court case. A screening of this film in Ohio resulted in the theater manager being convicted for public depiction of obscene material. The manager appealed, and the Supreme Court eventually overruled the conviction, stating that the movie was not pornography, and therefore not obscene.

* The origin of the old aphorism "Paris in the bedroom, Boston in the parlor." Playing on this trope and [[NewEnglandPuritan New England's puritan roots]].

* "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS15E1TreehouseOfHorrorXIV Treehouse of Horror XIV]]" of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the "Frinkenstein" segment, Frink is an American scientist about to get his Nobel Prize. The traffic warden in Stockholm is an attractive woman, slim and blonde, and completely naked. She has just a whistle, white gloves and a police officer's cap.

* In the movie version of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' there's the porn film starring Cartman's Mum and some Germans that the kids find on the internet.
** Not just any porn film, but something called "German Scheißeporn" which translates to... well, German shit-porn. [[http://the-american-catholic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/europe-by-usa.jpg Parodying Germany's reputation as the land of dirty porn.]]

* SexyScandinavian

* SpicyLatina

* FreestateAmsterdam

* In ''Literature/TheMilleniumTrilogy'', set in Sweden, Erika Berger is HappilyMarried, yet in an on-again, off-again, FriendsWithBenefits situation with Mikael Blomkvist. It's quickly made clear that hers is an open marriage and that her husband is completely accepting of this. The third book in the trilogy gets even more detailed, with descriptions of them engaging in threesomes with a male friend of theirs. This is all discussed completely matter-of-factly.

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Note that the word "kinky" is used here to refer to general sexual liberality and/or promiscuity. [[CasualKink Kinky]] is often associated with unconventional sexual practices, such as UsefulNotes/{{BDSM}}, but they aren't necessarily a part of this trope. For related tropes about specific parts of Europe (or Europeanised continents), see EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench, EveryoneLooksSexierIfFrench, SexyScandinavian, GorgeousGreek, SpicyLatina, LatinLover, SensualSlavs, and FreestateAmsterdam.

However, this trope is sometimes used in some European works too, to illustrate perceived cultural differences within the continent. It can appear in British and Irish works, since the British rarely tend to think of themselves as Europeans, and usually use the term "Europe" to mean "continental Europe", and the Irish still have the whole "Catholic guilt" thing going on. Also, while American works generally lumo UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} in with the rest of Europe in regards to this trope, Russian authors usually distance themselves from it. Instead, kinkiness in Russian culture is often associated with the UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion. And in works from Catholic European countries (such as France or Italy), the same trope exists about the women from Northern and Protestant Europe ([[SexyScandinavian Scandinavia]], Germany, the Netherlands), who are described as more promiscuous than the local ones.

However, this trope is sometimes used in some European works too, to illustrate perceived cultural differences within the continent. It sometimes appears in British and Irish works, since the British rarely tend to think of themselves as Europeans, and usually use the term "Europe" to mean "continental Europe", and the Irish still have the whole "Catholic guilt" thing going on. Also, while American works generally lumo UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} in with the rest of Europe in regards to this trope, Russian authors usually distance themselves from it. Instead, kinkiness in Russian culture is often associated with the UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion. And in works from Catholic European countries (such as France or Italy), the same trope exists about the women from Northern and Protestant Europe ([[SexyScandinavian Scandinavia]], Germany, the Netherlands), who are described as more promiscuous than the local ones.

A stereotypical example of this trope is the [[EveryoneLovesBlondes blonde]] [[NorseByNorsewest Swedish]] [[ReallyGetsAround nymphomaniac]], though other European nationalities can also be used. The only exceptions tend to be Britain and Ireland: British people are commonly portrayed as [[BritishStuffiness more repressed]] than everyone else on the planet, while the Irish are considered [[MoralGuardians too intensely Catholic]] for sex.

Even though the aforementioned movies helped establish the image of the sexually straightforward European in the US, they are not examples of this trope as such. Europeans Are Kinky doesn't usually appear in works produced in Europe itself, as a vital part of the trope is that the European character is seen from an outside perspective as an exotic [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other Other]]. The exceptions are, again, British and Irish works, since the British rarely tend to think of themselves as Europeans, and usually use the term "Europe" to mean "continental Europe", and the Irish still have the whole "Catholic Guilt" thing going on. Also, while UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} is generally lumped in with the rest of Europe in regards to that trope in American works, Russian authors usually distance themselves from it, owing to the socially conservative policies of UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin, and the general desire of Russia to stay apart from the rest of the continent. Instead, kinkiness in Russian culture is often associated the UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion. In works from Catholic European countries (France, Italy...), the same trope exists about the women from Northern Europe ([[SexyScandinavian Scandinavia]], Germany, the Netherlands): they are described as more promiscuous than the local females.

This trope can sometimes be TruthInTelevision, as in many European countries nudity and sexuality are indeed considered less taboo than in the United States, making them look kinkier in the eyes of Americans. The "kinkiness" of Europeans also has some scientific proof: in [[https://web.archive.org/web/20111027071531/http://psych.mcmaster.ca:80/dalywilson/commentary_schmitt.pdf a study published in 2005]], citizens of 48 different countries across the world were asked about their attitudes towards multiple sex partners and casual sex. When these countries were put in order based of how promiscuous they are, 13 of the top 20 countries were in Europe, and the United States placed 22nd. The European countries in the top 20 were mostly [[SensualSlavs former Eastern Bloc states]] and Protestant countries, whereas most Catholic countries in Europe, such as Italy, Spain, and Portugal, actually placed lower than the US. A more truthful way of formulating this trope would therefore be "non-Catholic Europeans are kinkier than most other nationalites", but the ancient LatinLover trope means that people from Catholic countries are often characterised as kinky too.

In works produced outside Europe, Europeans are often depicted as more sexually free and straightforward than anything else on the planet. The sexually liberal European is typically contrasted with a more inhibited American, or with some other non-European character, who has trouble dealing with her libertine ways. Since this is usually PlayedForLaughs, the European character tends to be female, as having a woman act this way is considered [[DoubleStandard more outrageous]], and therefore more humorous. Men acting in a sexually straightforward manner is considered either [[AllMenArePerverts normal]], or at least not particularly funny.

* The origin of the old aphorism "Paris in the bedroom, Boston in the parlor." Playing on this trope and New England's puritan roots.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', Knock Out is stated early on to have taken the Alt Mode of a European sports car. Of all the Transformers, he's the one implied to be the sexually active pretty-boy.

Even though the aforementioned movies helped establish the image of the sexually straightforward European in the US, they are not examples of this trope as such. Europeans Are Kinky doesn't usually appear in works produced in Europe itself, as a vital part of the trope is that the European character is seen from an outside perspective as an exotic [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other Other]]. The exceptions are, again, British and Irish works, since the British rarely tend to think of themselves as Europeans, and usually use the term "Europe" to mean "continental Europe", and the Irish still have the whole "Catholic Guilt" thing going on. Also, while UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} is generally lumped in with the rest of Europe in regards to that trope in American works, Russian authors usually distance themselves from it, owing to the socially conservative policies of UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin, and the general desire of Russia to stay apart from the rest of the continent. Instead, kinkiness in Russian culture is often associated the UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion.

** Ramathorn and his girlfriend are on about the same level as Germans. They're perfectly fine with having a foursome with carjackers.

* In ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational'', Crimson Fox is always trying to seduce ComicBook/CaptainAtom. He replies with the "American military are [[TheStoic stoic]]" trope.

* In ''Film/BatmanBegins'', part of Bruce Wayne's MillionairePlayboy cover (suggested by Alfred so that no one will know Bruce is Batman) is a couple of women he carts around to generate the right sort of attention. This leads to a hilarious scene where they basically strip down in the middle of an upscale restaurant and start bathing in a fountain. Bruce tells the maître'd, "Well, they're....European", and when asked to leave, just writes a check and buys the hotel on the spot.
* ''Film/BitterMoon'': Mimi is a French girl and she's into kinky sex. She's a dominatrix, binds Oscar, they visit a sex shop and so on. Oscar (who is American) is bewichted with her oozing sexuality. Oscar and Mimi are also put in contrast with Brits Fiona and Nigel who appeared very prim and proper.

* ''Theatre.LegallyBlondeTheMusical'': DiscussedTrope in the musical number "Gay or European?" when the characters speculate whether Nicos Argitacos is simply MistakenForGay due to being from Europe or ArmoredClosetGay.

->"''You know America was founded by prudes. [[SourPrudes Prudes who left Europe because they hated all the kinky, steamy European sex that was going on]].''"

* Parodied in ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'' with [[MeaningfulName Areola]], the foreign exchange student who is [[MsFanservice constantly nude]].

* ''Film/WaynesWorld2'': Although none of the characters is in any way shy about sexuality, the Swedish secretary girl even dazzles Wayne with her outspoken desire to "sleep with you in the near future."

->"''You know America was founded by prudes. Prudes who left Europe because they hated all the kinky, steamy European sex that was going on.''"

* Parodied and played around with in ''Film/{{Eurotrip}}''. Scotty's friend Cooper travels with him to Europe in the hope that this trope is TruthInTelevision, providing the page quote... and sure enough, they find out just [[FreestateAmsterdam how kinky]] [[BondageIsBad Europeans can get]]. Subverted, however, when the main characters visit a nude beach in France, only to find it populated entirely by flabby, ugly male tourists who had scared off all of the women.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' (specifically ''Small Favor''), the England vs. Europe distinction gets called out specifically when Harry expects Luccio to be more sexually conservative since she grew up in the Victorian era. "Victoria was English," she explains smugly, "I'm Italian."

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