How Does Mama Nadi Create Sexual Objectivity In Ruined

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Sexual Objectivity in Ruined
In Lynn Nottage’s playwright Ruined, some would argue that having been previously raped and sexually tortured, the women working for Mama Nadi are comparatively more sexually empowered when working in the brothel, as they consent to sex with the men; unfortunately, that is not the case. The situation is the same, the women are still being sexually objectified and exploited, only by a different perpetrator—Mama Nadi. Thereby, Mama Nadi is the only character that embodies sexual empowerment in the play. Her sexual empowerment is derived from her ability to take active ownership over her decisions, which are ultimately self-serving. Therefore, by placing Mama Nadi in a position to benefit by treating other women as commodities without regard to their personality or dignity, Nottage creates a unique dynamic in both power relations and conventional gender roles. More specifically, Mama Nadi is advantaged despite the gender norm of women being oppressed in her society. Compared to the other girls, Mama Nadi is substantially well off, …show more content…

This, however, is not true. Activist and author Melinda Vada would respond to such a notion with, “self-interested reasons that would be offered by a woman who agrees that her treatment is sexually objectifying, but who wants the rewards that accompany such treatment (e.g., money or social status) are dismissed as generally insufficient for justification because such a woman creates a moral climate in which the violations of other women's rights to well-being and freedom become routine and acceptable” (Vadas 20). Mama Nadi is exactly the woman described in the preceding quote. Even though Mama Nadi is herself a victim, there is no explanation or excuse that negates the objectification and sexual exploitation of

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