October 21 st 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 20 th 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 10 th – 20 th 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