October 21 st Attendance Lecture 6: The Gendered Body Homework: Research Project #2: The Sexual...
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Transcript of October 21 st Attendance Lecture 6: The Gendered Body Homework: Research Project #2: The Sexual...
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