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Essay on the history of sexuality
17th century on sexuality expectations of women
Foucaults sexuality social construction
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In the book History of Sexuality: An introduction, Volume 1 by Michel Foucault, he discusses the “repressive hypothesis” which he had developed. Sexual repression was due to the rise of the bourgeois. He suggests that the repressive hypothesis is important for discourse on the revolution of sexuality. Foucault has recognized the repressive hypothesis as a form of discourse. The repressive hypothesis has power to repress the debate of sexuality. Foucault mentions that society has created control over how people talk about sex over time. In the 17th century with the rise of the bourgeoisie, there had been control on the discourse of sex. In the 18th century, sex was studied for the means of regulating the demographic of the population. Sex lives …show more content…
The controversy of sex has lead to it being thought of as dangerous. In society there is the controversy of people having sex or having any sexual activity they are considered perverted and lecherous. Then there is the other side of the spectrum where someone who does not have sex at all is considered a prude. Both being lecherous or a prude is unacceptable in society. People feel that they must lie whether they have sex or not because of the word of what opinions will formulate against them. The reason people lie about their sexual experiences is so that that are not harshly judged, criticized, or labelled by society. People can be labelled as a slut, whore, prostitute, or a prude, but it does not mean that it is entirely true because some people do not fully understand some of the meanings behind these words and just use it as hurtful slang. Therefore, sex is more secretive than it should be. Either lie or truth a person will say, other people will make a strong, rude …show more content…
When people talk about sex it is considered taboo. Not only are parents of children not open to talking about sex, but also colleagues, peers, and friends are not always open to the discussion on the topic of sex. Society has taught individuals from a young age to keep sexual experiences to themselves because other people will think of them as perversive. In modern society, the topic of sexual experiences is not as secretive or taboo. It is completely turned around to some individuals bragging about their sexual experiences with people who are attractive, or what has happened in the
During this time the works on sexual power and dominance written by Michel Foucault informed the interpretation and analysis of historians on the subject of Two-Spirit sex roles. Foucault, esteemed for writing a comprehensive history of sexuality, informed many of the analysis on this subject following his work’s publication. In his volume the History of Sexuality published in 1972, Michel Foucault discusses the many aspects of sexuality and its use as a form of power. Specifically Foucault was imminent in interpreting the role of dominance and passivity in sex and in homosexual interactions. These discussions informed many of the works that followed, especially the work Long Before Stonewall (Rifkin, 2011).
I decided to focus my paper on the first volume, the most mentioned and most known, which is a deep analysis of the last two centuries of history of sexuality, particularly oriented in finding out why and how sexuality is an object of discussion. Foucault is not interested in sexuality itself, but he is interested in how it has become an object of knowledge. Why, in the past few centuries, have we increasingly come to see our identity as bound with our sexuality?
Girls and women who are sexually active are shamed of it because of the sexual double standard presented in our society.
Subjection is a process that operates in society, and according to sociologist Michel Foucault, can be applied to a multiplicity of discourses. Foucault explains that the beginning of the nineteenth century marked the age of sexual repression and censorship, which became a time of subjection through exerting disciplinary control over a docile population. In his The Introduction to the History of Sexuality, Foucault explains how the scientification of sex came about. Specifically, it was an attempt to obtain a uniform truth about sex. However, there is no truth to it, but rather it is merely a vehicle for social control. Foucault distinguishes the discourses of sexuality from the science of sexuality, while also discussing how enforcement of the discourse on sex was made possible by various strategies of social control, such as the medicalization and scientification of sex. Further, he asserts that sex and sexuality became social issues in an effort to manage and direct the life of individuals, and this change contributed to providing society with more power over individual bodies through the “true” discourse of sex as this discourse internalized over time.
Sexuality is often looked down upon by mainstream society. Embedded into culture and tradition, sex itself has been made to be seen as a taboo of sorts. Prostitution was made illegal; pornography was made evil. Rooted deep within the teachings of the most common religious morality systems, sex and sexuality is often paired with punishments. Those who explore their sexuality is often shamed, and labeled with words that can ostracize such persons from society. Kant’s view of sexuality almost destroys his credibility as a philosopher by providing unclear and unreasonable points of sexuality and objectification, yet he remains keen on trying to prove that sex, outside of marriage, is the worst possible sin. However, there are those who believe that expressing sexuality is power, and is exercising autonomy. Many existentialists see sexuality as a means of self-expression, and to not be comfortable with sexuality shows that the person inhabits the morality of the sheep.
In The Introduction to the History of Sexuality, Foucault explains how during the 19th century with the raise of new societies, the discourse or knowledge about sex was not confronted with repulsion but it “put into operation an entire machinery for producing true discourses concerning sex” (Foucault 69). In fact, this spreading of discourse on sexuality itself gives a clear account of how sexuality has been controlled and confined because it was determined in a certain kind of knowledge that carries power within it. Foucault reflects on the general working hypothesis or “repressive hypothesis,” and how this has exercised power to suppress people’s sexuality. It has power on deciding what is normal or abnormal and ethical or unethical about sexuality. Through discourses of life and sexuality, power is exercised because humans learned how to behave in relation to sexuality, which method keep individuals controlled and regulated. This explains why people experience that sense of behaving inappropriate when we talk about sex in a different way than the whole society. Foucault points up how sexuality is not just treated in terms of morality, but it is a matter of knowledge and “truth.” However, these discourses, including sexual discourses are not true or false, but they are just understood to be the truth or falsehood to control society. As a result, sexuality begins to be explored in a scientific way, developing the “truth” science of sex (Foucault 69). For Foucault, he asserts that sexuality has developed as a form of science that keeps us all afraid of such phenomena, which people think to be true, thus this science helps society to discipline and control individuals’ behaviors.
Why is the discussion of sex and sexuality still so controversial? For example, why do so many hate crimes involve sexual orientation? Why do we react so negatively to the topic of elder sex? Why do we react so negatively to evidence that children have sexual feelings?
Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood.
It has become a negative topic to talk about, everyone started to sexualize their bodies and become more ashamed of it. As Foucault examples, “when anatomies were shown and intermingled at will, and knowing children hung about amid the laughter of adults: it was a period when bodies ‘made a display of themselves.’” Even though in the beginning of the 17th century people still talked freely about their bodies, it was not though of as bad or negative because it was not sexualized. People were free because as he explains, skin is just flesh there is nothing to hide or even sexualize. Yet, soon repression was used to silence pleasure and desires, and having sex outside of marriage or reproduce was not
Gayle Rubin’s “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality” focused on the history of sexuality and sexual persecution. Gayle Rubin recognizes the idea of sex as a natural force that exists prior to social life and which shapes institutions and society. First, Rubin, emphasizes the idea of negative sex, by showcasing views by other scholars. Rubin notes Foucault in his 1978 publication “The History of Sexuality”, as “sex as the natural libedo wearing to break free of social constraint” (Rubin, 149). This leads Rubin to her understanding of sex negativity. Sex, as Rubin depicts, is dangerous, destructive and a negative force and sex negativity is any negative sexual behaviour other than married or reproductive sex. Many Western religious believe that sex should only be for reproductive reasons and that pleasure and anything outside of martial sex should not be experienced. Third, Rubin goes on to construct the charmed circle, distinguishing good and bad sex. Resulting from sex negativity, Rubin develops an illustration of good and bas sex, better known as the charmed circle. Instances of bad sex include; casual,
Every great architect is - necessarily - a great poet. He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age- Frank Lloyd Wright
In the 1920’s the sexual revolution occurred, it gave the right for women to be looked at as sexual beings, in fact it was now a women’s expectation to be sexual. The sexual revolution started when women were starting to be seen as individuals and not as extensions of their husbands and that they were looked upon as more than just mothers. For teenagers dating changed because of the car, there was now the phenomenon of parking which led to a rise in premarital sex and premarital pregnancy (The Decline of Women’s Political Culture Slide 10). Marriage also changed drastically, husbands and wives were now supposed to be friends. With women now being looked at as sexual beings the importance of sex in the relationship rose, especially the women’s
In part two of History of Sexuality: The Will to Knowledge – Volume 1, Foucault explores what he refers to as the “repressive hypothesis.” This hypothesis, he claims, argues that the rise of the middle class created a society in which it is frowned upon to spend time on sexual acts primarily for please, as opposed to procreation. Insert quote here about repressive hypothesis. This has created a situation
I think that for society sex is a very touchy subject and because of this people are oblivious to everything about sex. Different cultures have different views on sex and how it is suppose to be done. From the time we are young the culture tha...
...e has their own personal opinions in which they are entitled to, but that doesn’t mean that we should turn our backs on our youth because we are afraid or prefer to avoid talking about sex. As a society we need to stop viewing sex as a something negative or wrong and start educating ourselves on safe sex practices. It is our responsibility as a society to help guide our children, not to stand by and watch them destroy their futures. Even if certain religious beliefs teach not having sex prior to marriage it is still wise be educated on the facts. Knowledge is power and being taught sex education could prevent adolescents from being blindsided with an unwanted pregnancy or a disease they didn’t even know existed. It all comes down to choice in the end and we must stand up and unite on the issue of teaching safe sex to our youth, in order to ensure a better future.