1. March 12th Sign in, deposit cards Finish Chasing Amy Discussion
Lecture 6: The Gendered Body
Film Clips:
“My Angry Vagina”
“Private Dick”
Homework:
Steinem, Gloria “If Men Could Menstruate” (CR)
Research project #2

2. Lecture 6
The Gendered Body

3. 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

4. Ancient Chinese Foot Binding
10th – 20th century
Young girls and women’s feet were bound to stop growth
4-5 “ in length

5. “Hourglass Figure”: Corset and Bustle

6. Gender, Culture, and the Body
Female Circumcision
or FGC
Clitoridotomy
Clitoridectomy
Infibulation

7. Breast Augmentation

8. American Gendered Body
One of the arguments about FGM is that it is done without consent or girls ability to chose, since it is done so young. What about when we chose – as adults – to have elective surgery?
Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery
Vaginoplasty
Labiaplasty
Hymen repair
Penis Enlargement Procedures
Self treatment
Surgery
Is there a NORMAL or perfect penis/vagina…

9. Private Dick and Vagina Monologues

10. 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

11. 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?

12. The Athletic Body: Reinforcing Standards?
Long-shot Serena Williams annihilates #1 Maria Sharapova to win Australian Open.

13. 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

14. Racialized Sexualities: Now
How does this picture compare to the one of the Hottentot Venus?
Reduced to her body parts
Animalistic
Racial sexualization