Comstockery (Noun)
Meaning
Censorship because of perceived obscenity or immorality.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The city's comstockery laws prohibited the sale of any literature deemed obscene or indecent.
- Many authors felt stifled by the era's pervasive comstockery, which restricted their freedom of expression.
- The society's campaign against "indecency" was characterized by comstockery, as they sought to censor anything that offended their moral sensibilities.
- In the early 20th century, comstockery led to the suppression of numerous works of literature, including those by James Joyce and D.H. Lawrence.
- Some critics argued that the government's proposed anti-pornography laws were a form of comstockery, as they overly broadened the definition of obscenity.