Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence Essays

Prescribed question: How and why is a social group represented in a particular way? Text: pilot of the TV Show “Shameless” (US) Part 2: language and mass communication: the potential for educational and ideological influence of a media, the power of a media to deliver a message, to express an opinion. Thesis: The creators of the TV show “Shameless” included homosexual characters in the show not only to make an appeal for tolerance, but also to present a realistic modern society in which differences

In a patriarchal society, heterosexuality operates as a system of power that is used to oppress women by enforcing the belief that women exist merely for male pleasure. It promotes sexual relationships between men and women exclusively. Heterosexuality profoundly affects the ways in which women live and come to understand themselves and their roles in society. Patriarchy encourages heterosexuality to the extent that it ostracizes those who do not conform to this category. Feminist theorists such

concept of how heterosexuality is not “natural” to help the audience understand that characters from anime series do not have to play by a heterosexual narrative (Rich, 1980). To accompany Rich’s article, I also found an article that talks about how Japan perception of homosexuality was different before Western influence, which also shows proof that heterosexuality is not innate, or something that one is born with (Gibney, 2004). Next, I can talk about the power of heterosexuality and how it establishes

experiences today? 1960s and 70s radical feminist thought was successful in creating the enclaves to pass the legacy of the feminist movement onto a new generation (Whittier, 1995), providing major analytical terms such as ‘patriarchy’ and ‘compulsory heterosexuality,’ however the relevance of this approach in regards to recent thought can be debated. Despite contriving a theory of power and repression, particularly in regards to men’s systematic oppression of women, their aim to distinguish and halt

norms of society, we even fail to discover our own sexuality- another principle of the society one needed to adapt to, if he/ she wants acceptability from society. Adrienne Rich expounds, in her essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence”, how it is a compulsion to accept heterosexuality as a sole sexual reality (Rich 135). Any deviance in sexual orientation becomes a stigma in the social surrounding which have closeted everyone in a specific sexual orientation. The Modern Continental

The term compulsory heterosexuality, although having been around since the eighties after being popularized by Adrienne Rich who coined it to speak about her experiences as a lesbian, is not one you may be familiar with. However despite not being familiar with the term, you are most likely familiar with the concept of it. A common “symptom” for, lack of a better word, of compulsory heterosexuality is one denying their sexual attraction to the same gender. This leads to gay men and lesbians marrying

given time and place" (BBP 144). Adrienne Rich's highly-acclaimed poetry which offers illuminating meditations on her personal experiences of womanhood has contributed to the critical acceptance of the politicization of poetry. A self-identified lesbian-feminist, Rich is a prolific writer of influential essays and poems on the position of women and their struggles. Rich's work has helped give a language to aspects of women's experiences which have been previously considered "unspeakable" and to also

A lesbian is a woman- indentified woman and Adrienne Rich calls it ‘Lesbian continuum’ she explains lesbian continuum is “Include is a range through each woman’s life and throughout history of woman indentified experience no simply the fact that a woman has had consciously desired genital sexual experience with another woman (25)”. Rich argues to embrace many more forms of primary intensity between and among women including the sharing of a rich inner life. Their Eyes were watching God is overwhelmingly

Radical Feminisms Essay Introduction “Lesbian feminism”, “Cultural feminism”, “lesbian continuum”, “woman-identified-woman”, “lesbian existence”; What do all these words have in common? Radical feminism is the link between all the above terms, as they are most commonly associated with this feminist theory. Radical feminism is primarily focused on the oppression of women through the patriarchy. More specifically, Radical feminists identify patriarchy as being “a culture of control and domination over

Abstract: This article explores and analyzes the roles of Identity, Gender and Racism as depicted by Alice Walker, mainly in her novel The Color Purple. Alice Walker has been a prolific and highly respected writer. She became internationally known in the 1980s with the publication of The Color Purple and its subsequent film release. In the novel, Walker deals with the powerful, expressive fiction about the black woman’s struggle for survival, wholeness, and sexual, political, and racial equality

How I Met Your Mother is a sitcom that follows a group of friends, narrated by the main character Ted Mosby, through flashbacks. The show overall can be viewed as problematic in a multitude of ways. While I was watching the show I thought of Allan Johnson’s article Patriarchy, because it was very clear that the patriarchy was upheld. Not only is the overall society within the show patriarchal, the environment around all of the friends also reflects the patriarchy. There are two lead female characters

Within the realm of male patriarchy is what men desire women to be. Whether it may be viewed solely as a sexual nature or a potential matriarchal creature that can raise men's children. The 19th century was cruel to women, the steel cut binary of existence killed a person’s soul, ideas, wishes just to fulfill an arbitrary societal role. The Awakening by Kate Chopin follows Edna Pontellier: painter, host, an individual trapped in a societal slumber to raise her kids and please her husband. Pontellier

prompts a critical reflection on the inclusivity and representation within the Chicano movement, urging us to recognize and amplify the marginalized narratives that have shaped Chicano history, especially Chicana Lesbians. This paper specifically explores the narratives of Chicana lesbians who faced marginalization not only within American society, but also within the Chicano movement. These individuals navigated the complicated process of identity formation while contending with the silencing effects