Female Sexuality
Female sexuality intertwines with Possessing the Secret of Joy by illustrating its power and those who fear it.
History
In the early nineteenth century, heightened female sexuality was considered a disorder (Studd, 2006). Doctors and psychiatrist sought ways to prevent “masturbation and decrease libido”. Issac Baker Brown- a gynecological surgeon removed the clitoris of a women who sought to use the Divorce Act of 1857 and leave her husbands as well as young women who read books and failed to follow their mothers’ rules. Women received operations to remove their clitoris preventing sexual stimulation as a way of controlling their sexual desires. Applying of leeches to the vulva and the anus also destroyed the outer portions of the vagina. In the medieval times, men were fearful of the female sexuality and the madness they believed came along with heightened states of arousal (Studd, 2006).
Current
Dr. Kimberly Russell says culture influences control women by saying women are less interested in sex than men, and that women prefer monogamy. Women did not say that, but women believe it (Cavanaugh, 2013). Creating an environment where women control their urges to be sexual with more than one person, is called “slut shaming.” This is an example of societal control over the libido of women. As evidence of this theory, Russell used other species who mate with several different mates to ensure procreation. More partners greater the chances for pregnancy. Women
Alike gender, sexuality is also a social construct, especially when looking at the period before the 18th century, when one’s sexual orientation did not matter, hence there being no need for justification, just as pointed by Foucault: “Sexual practices had little need of secrecy; words were said without undue reticence, and things were done without too much concealment; one had a tolerant familiarity with the illicit.” (3). And the 19th century came and brought with it a big change, and not only did people become engulfed by social norms, whom they should abide at all costs, but they also had to keep their sexual preferences under lock and key: “But twilight soon fell upon this bright day, followed by the monotonous nights of the Victorian
Freedom, opportunities, and information are some features of this modern society. Clearly, humans are now having a very different life compared to the past. Along with this well-developed world, people get more chances to express how they think, do what they want, and love who they love. Especially young people, they become more independent and are capable of living their own lives. However, while society provides people a lot of benefits, it actually makes their lives even more complex at the same time by leaving them pressures and confusions of who they really are. In her essay, “Selections from Hard to Get:Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Freedom,” Leslie Bell mentions that while in this new-in between developmental period American twenty-something women have more freedom and opportunities about their sexual lives than previous generations, they are struggling with the paradoxes of their relationships and desires. Bell suggests that social expectations and culture guidelines, which are conventions of female sexuality and stereotypes of being a good girl, prevent these young women from pursuing their sexual desires and limiting their relationships with men. However, even these women have chosen the way they live and what kind of sexual life they want in order to be bad girls to break those old rules, they ended with losing their identities. In general, female sexuality is impacted more by establishing a women’s identity rather than clinging on
Kinsey, Masters, and Johnson all tested the presence of vaginal orgasm, and contended for a comprehension of sexuality that was situated in joy, not proliferation and consequently, they concentrated on clitoral orgasm. They found that vaginal intercourse was not what was most pleasurable for most ladies, and that truth be told, woman act sexually like men, and appreciate clitoral reproduction (461-462). Both women's activists and sex progressives found these discoveries valuable, yet women's activists likewise censured the sexologists for being engaged exclusively on the body, not on mental reactions, and being unconcerned with governmental issues, and both condemned their support of the norm, as Kinsey, Masters, and Johnson were for the most part worried with enhancing conjugal sex. Women's activists in this period, settled upon objectives were to underline the significance of the clitoris, see woman's sexuality as "female sexuality", and to reprimand the two fundamental developments of woman's sexuality in a way that would take into account the improvement of woman's sexual strengthening and office. Koedt, in her content, underscores that these developments of female sexuality brought about woman encountering sentiments of blame, deficiency, and disgrace, and were continually getting messages how they ought to be acting, sexually, all over, and particularly from the advisors who they swung to for help. She argued that if woman were miserable with their sexual experiences, it was not due to anything they were doing or not doing, but rather as a result of sexism, homophobia, and required heterosexuality (466). She needed woman to have the capacity to "full sexual specialists" who could be in charge of their own sexual delight, and she trusted that the clitoris was indispensable in this situation, in light of the fact that anybody, the woman herself, or an accomplice of any sex, could joy her by
Human sexuality plays a major role in everyone's life. Regardless, whether we are young or old, man or woman, American or Japanese, it is an integral part of what we do and who we are. There has been much done by way of research and scholarly writing examining human sexuality (e.g., Abramson & Pinkerton, 1995; Beach, 1976; Diamond, 1997; Reinisch et al., 1990; Stalcup, 1995; Tiefer, 1995). This paper will explore the topic of human sexuality as a motivation. Of course, there are many emotions associated with human sexuality, but the primary aim of this particular paper will be a general overview of sexuality with special attention to the various perspectives, including the:
Human sexuality is a common phrase for all, and anything, pertaining to the feelings and behaviors of sex for the human race. Sexuality has been a topic that has been discussed and studied for as far back as 1000 years B.C. and is still being studied today. As the discussion of sexuality has progressed through history, theories have been created based on research and experiments that scholars have implemented, based on their own perceptions of human behavior. Out of the many theories that pose to explain sexual behavior, Sexuality Now explained ten that are seemed to be the most overlapped, and built off of theories. Of these theories, two that were discussed in the text were the behavioral and sociological theory. These two theories cover some of the basic ideas of what could possibly influence a person’s sexuality.
During the 19th century, Hysteria, not only oppressed female social upliftment but it, led to a misconception of the sexual health of females. This misconception, as well as its unravelling was heavily influenced by the developments of Western medicine. The following essay will look at these developments, focusing on how the invention of the vibrator changed the perception of the female orgasm, sexual desire and pleasure. To begin with, the two-sex model and the influence of religious movements will be analysed in assessing how they created the ideal female of the 19th century. Subsequently, Hysteria will be explored in this context, focusing on how it repressed females in social and sexual modes. Lastly, the focus will shift to the
The article I am researching and analyzing is “Conflicting Paradigms on Gender and Sexuality in Rap Music: A Systematic Review” written by Denise Herd. This article was published in the academic journal “Sexuality and Culture”, on July 1st, 2000. This article is centered around rap music with its social and cultural significance for youth audiences, all around the world and how it plays a major role in shaping young adults beliefs, intentions, and attitudes that relate to sexuality. But, there are very few studies that are worried on behalf of health issues. They have researched the actual content in lyrics in relation to gender and sex. This paper compares literature in relation to gender and sexuality involved with rap music from many different perspectives, a huge base is the feminism theory, along with culture studies and relations. This review shows that conflicting paradigms, come together in this literature and that very few studies are both strong and rich, these paradigms including misogyny or sexual agency . Research in the future should approach this hardship as well as expand on changes over time in how gender relationships and sexual relationships have been chooses in this specific music category.
Sexuality and Gender are social constructs. They are more like fluid concepts. Both are on spectrums. Why could they be considered controversial topics, more specifically the spectrum? Well, the idea of sexuality being more than just heterosexuality has been challenged by conservative types and others alike for years. They may even deem anything other than heterosexuality as something abnormal and immoral. For some, it can be quite difficult to understand that sexuality is on a spectrum. Especially with identities like bisexuality and pansexuality, it can be difficult for some people to wrap their minds around that idea. In recent years, the idea of gender being more than just male and female has been getting more and more attention. It is no longer sex that defines people, but gender identity, expression, and presentation. They are not fully understood and sometimes not accepted by people; unfortunately some of that ignorance, and much to my surprise, come from people within the LGBTQ+ community. A lack of understanding about the spectrums of sexuality and gender leads to a lot of confusion, hate, and ignorance.
When England came out of the Middle Ages and entered the Early Modern era, the change served as a revival for the country. With a woman now on England’s throne, the ability to play with the idea of gender was a necessity, and thus influenced society as a whole. Like many aspects of the period, the presentation of gender and sexuality began to change with the rest of England’s Early Modern era. Conversely, gender play, and even cross-dressing, in this era were both considered alternatives that had to be contained for it disrupted England’s to social standards. Therefore, the structure of gender roles was concrete and strict, for its intention was used to keep the social order to remain in balanced and keep the general public functioning as it had for many years prior to the time.
Are issues of diversity represented fairly, realistically and accurately or problematically in Australian schools in regards to issues of gender, sexuality and sexual identity.
Sexuality has always been an issue of conflict and debate in society, especially since males and females are classified differently from the moment their gender is determined. This restraint of sexuality has been due to a heterosexual, patriarchal society’s ability to mold how men and women should and should not behave. As a result, sexuality has come to reflect society’s expectations, and throughout history, male and female sexuality has always been distinguishable, ensuring males maintain control of the power hierarchy. Yet, humans have always been having sex – either for reproductive purposes or for pleasure – and while both genders have the right to their own sexuality, it has evolved to be looked down
The uniform truth about sex is really a consistent and unique truth that is inscribed upon society as necessary to keep societies organized and controlled. These controlled systems acquire and control our sexual appetite too for effectiveness because our sexuality is the weakness point of our bodies through which multiple discourses or sources of knowledge can pervade our conduct and our existence (Foucault 69). The control of our sexual feelings is the best method to discipline our behaviors, and thru discourses of knowledge is how power is prompted. For instance, Foucault explains that through confessions power is applied. As humans, we tend to see such confessions as a way
Throughout history, definitions of sexuality within a culture are created and then changed time after time. During these changes, we have seen the impact and power one individual or group can have over others. In the Late Nineteenth Century into the Early Twentieth Century, we see multiple groups of people and or authorities taking control over the idea of sex and how they believe society is being impacted by sex. At this point in time, society had groups of people who believed they had the power to control how society as whole viewed and acted upon sex. Those particular groups and ideas changed many lives and the overall definition of sexuality within that culture.
Known as the Two Sex theory, devised by historian Thomas Laqueur, female sexuality would be characterized purely by a woman’s reproductive potential, where the concept of an innate maternal instinct would become the new prioritized ideal. The female orgasm was renounced by a new essence of masculine superiority. This notion can be asserted with the Phallocentric inclination of the late 18th century, examined by historian Tim Hitchcock, as period characterized by penetration and precedence of the phallus. This “both encouraged and made possible the denigration of female sexuality and perceived passivity.” Consequently this caused the de-emphasis of female sexual pleasure and desire. However, female sexual identity would reemerge with potency, attributed to social flux, the emerging field of sexology and disposition of the interwar years.
The movement from “a symbolic of blood to an analytics of sexuality” (148)—from a power concentrated in death to one concentrated in life—resulted in an increased concern with naming and documenting individual presentations of sexuality, in part because sex provided, and continues to provide, a way to access both the life of an individual and the life of a population.