October 21st

Attendance Lecture 6: The Gendered Body Homework:

Research Project #2: The Sexual Politics of Language – Slut!

Lecture 6

The Gendered Body & Gendered Sexuality

Gendered Sexuality

Sexual ideology supports the idea that men and women have naturally different: sexual desires – sexual urges and sexual pleasure. sexual roles – in the private and public realm and sexual practices – appropriate sexuality

Femininity and sexuality passive, emotional/irrational, monogamous, vaginal,

penetrated

Masculinity and sexuality aggressive/assertive, unemotional/rational, multiple

partners, penal, penetrate

Developing our Gendered Sexuality According to Freud, Children’s sexual

pleasure derives from the same erotoenic zone – penis or penis equivalent (clitoris)

“With the change to femininity the clitoris should wholly hand over its sensitivity, and at the same time importance, to the vagina…[however] the man has only to continue the activity that he previously carried out”

“Female Hysteria” at the turn of the 20th Century 25% of women were diagnosed with hysteria

Over 75 possible symptoms Nervousness, insomnia, or a "tendency to cause

trouble"

Women went to the doctor for “pelvic stimulation” until the home vibrator emerged 1902 electric vibrator was for sale in home

catalogs like Sears

“Vibration promotes life and vigor, strength and beauty “

What is the focus?

Constructing the Body

Bodies are not purely biological, but socially constructed The “ideal” male/female body

Culture affects how we understand our physical bodies and what we do to achieve the ideal form

Ancient Chinese Foot Binding

10th – 20th century

Young girls and women’s feet were bound to stop growth

4-5 “ in length

“Hourglass Figure”: Corset and Bustle

Gender, Culture, and the Body Female Circumcision or FGC

Clitoridotomy Clitoridectomy Infibulation

Breast Augmentation

American Gendered Body Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery

Vaginoplasty Labiaplasty Hymen repair

Penis Enlargement Procedures Self treatment Surgery

Is there a NORMAL or perfect penis/vagina…

Bodies and Sexual Politics

The physical body is linked to power in our society We often view men as ‘more’ powerful because of their

physical strength The biological characteristics of those in power are valued

above those with less power

Several contexts in society in which those in power use women’s bodies to: Exclude them Justify inequality

How would society be different if men could menstruate?

Race, the Body, and Gender Politics The female body is politicized as a place where race

and gender are enacted Race, ethnicity, and class are important aspects of

American beauty ideals

Society has often judged all women using the white female body as the standard Hair? Body Type? Facial Features?

The Athletic Body: Reinforcing Standards?

Racialized Sexualities: Then

Hottentot Venus (Sarah Barttman) Brought to Europe in the

1800’s Represented ‘deviant

sexuality’ thru her body Died in 1815 and she

dissected and her genitalia and buttocks were on display till 1970’s

Racialized Sexualities: Now

How does this picture compare to the one of the Hottentot Venus? Reduced to her body

parts Animalistic Racial sexualization