Catherine Mackinnon's Sexuality

In “Sexuality”, Catherine MacKinnon paints a somber scene relating to women, their sexuality and the role men play in controlling women’s sexuality. Men set the conditions of sex, their fantasies and desires are acted out by women for their pleasure. Sex is a tool, which goes hand-in-hand with power; social, societal power is embodied by the patriarchy. There is a total disregard for women’s sexual needs; women are objects for sexual use because they are the passive figures – counterparts to male dominance.

MacKinnon believes that human sexuality is less preoccupied with a biological imperative of reproduction, and more preoccupied with male satisfaction. She also advances the idea that rape is not a sexual act, but an act of violence (most commonly perpetuated by men toward women). Such violence directed at women serves to control women, keep them in a position of inferiority, where men can easily maintain the upper hand in the power dynamic, using tools (the penis) of control.

For the seminar, I raised the question of whether feminism can liberate women, from male-dominant sexual objectification. An empowering tool today, both to promote feminism and give a voice to women, are media outlets, especially the arts such as literature and cinema. These can be used to educate or raise awareness discreetly, without a political

The plot is simple; the United States is now the Republic of Gilead, a theocratic dictatorship, where fertile women are commodities, and are “given” to high-ranking government officials (and their wives), to bear children for them. The Handmaids are stripped of their name, their personhood and any agency – effectively sexual slaves, who are continually raped until a child (which is not their own) is conceived. The 1985 novel was recently turned into a hit series and has reached a worldwide