Sexuality: A Literary Analysis
The perspective of four writers shows the intersectional relationship between race, class, gender and how they create a human’s sexuality with the influences of political and social powers. This shows that sexuality is not simply a private choice, but a public matter. Which also brings up the idea that sexuality is not only dependent on one’s sexual acts or desire but also focuses on the social, economic and political consequences that are placed on an individual. These four writers are Anne McClintock, Dean Spade, Margaret Sanger, and Audre Lorde; respectively, they wrote “Imperial Leather”, “Administrating Gender”, “Free Motherhood”, and ‘Zami: A New Spelling of My Name”. These four used their readings to express the hardships women and …show more content…
There was always a defined line between men and women when it came to power, respect, autonomy, and much more. This is also brought up in the three other readings. Furthermore, McClintock noticed how women, especially colonized women were at a large disadvantage within their society. Not only does their darker skin color bring them at a disadvantage, but their gender as well. They were not autonomous people nor did they have personal or political sovereignty. McClintock states that “feminism is as much about class, race, work, and money as it is about sex” (McClintock 7). This statement allows readers to realize that femininity and sexuality are more than just sex and sexual desires. Not every woman had power over their own …show more content…
This aligns with McClintock’s reading. It confirms the idea that they do not believe women back in the day had the ability to control their own body. People with more power or control would make women labor slaves and use the women’s sexuality to benefit them. However, Sangers reading also talks about motherhood and choosing to become pregnant or getting pregnant against their will. This shows that some women had power over their own sexuality and got to express it freely. In contrast, other women were used as “incubators” to simply bare the child and take care of them when they are born (Sanger
Differences Between The Chesapeake Culture
721 Words | 3 PagesBetween 1630 and 1670, about three to ten percent of women who gave birth died following their child’s birth. Childbirth was one of the top reasons for women’s death. Although this was dangerous towards many women, many births still followed (Berkin
First Generations: Women In Colonial America
615 Words | 3 PagesBerkin stated that she could not offer as much information on Indian or black women since there was not much presented but still did an excellent job explaining the significance of all the women. The first two paragraphs in the novel focuses on white women mainly presented as having multiple roles as housewives. The third chapter go in depth with the way women are treated in different tribes; however, most of the information presented was noted by Europeans so some biases are presented. Chapter four focuses on the European-American women with comparing marital relationships and inheritance patterns.
Examples Of Sexism In Antigone
742 Words | 3 PagesAccording to Eastern Kentucky University on women and gender studies, “feminism is the issue of equality based on gender, gender expression, gender identity, sex, and sexuality as understood through social theories and political activism”. Feminism
Summary Of Ar 'N' T I A Women By Deborah Grey White
880 Words | 4 PagesIn the book Ar’n’t I a women the author, Deborah Gray White, explains how the life was for the slave women in the Southern plantations. She reveals to us how the slave women had to deal with difficulties of racism as well as dealing with sexism. Slave women in these plantations assumed roles within the family as well as the community; these roles were completely different to the roles given to a traditional white female. Deborah Gray White shows us how black women had a different experience from the black men and the struggle they had to maintain their sense of womanhood against all odds, resist sexual oppression, and keep their families together. In the book the author describes two different types of women, “Jezebel” and “Mammy” they
Octavia Butler's Kindred As A Feminist
1563 Words | 7 PagesToday, oppressed women around the world still face difficulty regarding their personal survival, and the survival of their children in their communities. Butler, however, does a tremendous job in presenting the struggle of a woman with their limited ability to help themselves and their love ones. Another key contribution to women oppression is young men and the examples that they have in their lives. Rufus the boy/men from Kindred doesn’t respect the females slave, not even his mother. “He had spent his life watching his father ignore, even sell the children he had had with black women.
Feminism In Louise Halfe's Body Politics
459 Words | 2 PagesAs with all theories, this feminist approach to Louise Halfe’s “Body Politics” does not come without its flaws. While it can be argued that this poem criticizes the performativity of feminine gender roles in a patriarchal society, this cannot be proven definitively without knowing the author’s original intentions. Furthermore, the poem does not give its readers enough information to conclude that the society the women live in is in fact a patriarchal society. This becomes evident, as there is no reference to any masculine figure – so any assumptions about the masculine-dominant culture are purely speculative. It is possible that Halfe wrote this poem in an attempt to challenge the gender binary, however one stands to question how successfully she is in doing so.
Jennifer Morgan Laboring Women
1407 Words | 6 PagesAt times the assertions in Jennifer L. Morgan’s Laboring Women: Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery can seem unexpectedly straightforward, for example when she merely states that, “African women were there” (197). At other points, the connections she proposes between race, gender, the body, colonialism, and ideology are almost overwhelmingly entangled and complex. But it is perhaps this mix of the explicit and the theoretical that make the book such an insightful and transformative work in the field of early Atlantic history. For while her topic is focused, the depth of her questioning, the scope of her research, and the attention she pays to the theoretical framework within that topic are profound. Morgan’s overall goal for the book
Planned Parenthood: The Oppression Of Women
1167 Words | 5 PagesHow does this all relate to modern day issues? While the aforementioned essay within her book was not necessarily written all too long ago, feminism has changed and adapted to fit in with younger generations. As of right now feminism is currently quite the hot topic throughout the media in both western regions as well as more conservative regions. Oppression continues to remain hidden within “chivalrous” behaviors and ideals as presented by male dominated institutions that attempt to make decisions on behalf of women. Take for example, the war on Planned Parenthood and female healthcare.
Essay On Feminism In Islam
2077 Words | 9 Pages• Feminism is about contesting systemic inequalities, and seeking equal treatment and opportunity for both genders. • Feminism is not against marriage but respect individual informed choice and does not believe in double standard in judging a person’s conduct. • Feminists acknowledge that equal rights translate into equal accountability. Although feminism continues to be non-monolithic and contentious, it has made several progress and created new worlds of possibility for working women, education, empowerment and even arts.
Female Sexuality In Eliza Haywood's Fantomina
2406 Words | 10 PagesEliza Haywood writes the cautionary tale Fantomina in order to instruct women against pursuing their sexual desires. The protagonist, an unnamed “Lady of distinguished Birth” (41), secretly pursued her desires for Beauplaisir under the guise of four different personas, ultimately leading to the ruin of her reputation and being sent to live in a monastery. I will refer to the main character when she is not disguised as the protagonist to avoid confusion. I will be discussing female sexuality, where I will be focussing on certain aspects including sexual identity, sexual behaviour, and how social and religious aspects affect this sexuality. I will argue that Haywood uses the cautionary tale in order to represent female sexuality as distinguishable
Gender And Sexuality Socially Constructed Essay
1388 Words | 6 PagesUnderstanding gender and sexuality as socially constructed categories is important because it helps people understand a certain group. Gender and sexuality is expressed in many categories and people must be careful not to mix people in the wrong category. Simply because one expresses their sexuality different from another person does not mean they should be bashed or treated differently. Sometimes it does not matter what you identify as, who you identify with, people will always judge you, so its best people just do what they want. Putting gender in a category helps others not stereotype them as something they are not.
Womanism In Alice Walker's The Color Purple
2066 Words | 9 PagesWalker exposes the patriarchy that condones male domination of women. The novel is about the trials and tribulations faced by a black woman under colonialism and black male oppression and her journey to attain knowledge, identity and freedom. Walker’s womanism stems from her mixed ancestry-
Essay On Human Sexuality
1371 Words | 6 PagesHuman Sexuality Diane Dyche Sociology 21 # 22071 The top three things in my life that have most influence my viewpoints about sex and sexuality are my family, peers, and tv and movies. My family influenced my viewpoints on sex and sexuality because that is usually what I grew up listening to. My family was very open about a person’s sexuality and sex while growing up. They talked about gender roles, sexuality, and even sex.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Feminism
1027 Words | 5 PagesIn today society Feminists ought to disagree about what sexism consists in, and what exactly to be done about it. In addition, Feminism is the belief that women should be treated as potential equals and as social equals to men. A woman should have the right to vote, when an election is approaching, a women will declare that one thing is certain, they will vote. And not only this, the selected political woman must represent the real female values such as more women in senior positions, support of the poor and marginalized in society and openness and tolerance towards other races and religions.
Social Issues In Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse
826 Words | 4 PagesThis novel is also autobiographical. Throughout history, women have been locked in a struggle to free themselves from the borderline that separates and differentiate themselves from men. In many circles, it is agreed that the battleground for this struggle and fight exists in literature. In a
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