SARTHAK SHUKLA

18010801
SECTION - A
BA/LLB 2018
WEEK 2

THINKING SEX: NOTES OF A RADICAL THEORY OF THE POLITICS OF

SEXUALITY BY GAYLE S. RUBIN

Rubin in this chapter articulates how sex is used as a political agent in today's western society as a
way of enforcing exploitation and establishing hegemony. She dissects the position of popular
society on sexuality, revealing the hypocrisy and subjugation that victimises someone of a particular
gender or sexual inclination. She concentrates in her work on homosexuals, pedophiles, children,
women, sadism, transvestitism, and voyeurism. Rubin also addresses some of the drawbacks
feminism has. She recognises how most leftists have turned to feminism for guidance in the absence
of a more coherent, revolutionary theory of sex. Yet she is also conscious of the complexities of the
connection between feminism and sex. She explains that the explanation behind this is that
sexuality is a centre of gender roles, much of women's oppression is borne by, mediated by, and
established within sexuality. The so-called feminist debate, she claims, recreates a rather traditional
sexual morality. Rubin says sex-negativity is the most important out of these five, since Western
societies typically find sex to be a violent, harmful, negative power. Religious logic has succeeded
in restricting sexual intercourse because of Christian beliefs keeping a hold over Western society.
Any sexual act is considered to be immoral, and against morality. Gayle Rubin also makes many
sub-claims to explain her point that sex is a political agent. She focuses on the drugs, gender and
location-specific repression. What strengthens her point is Foucault's use of sexual discourse and his
theory, and how it becomes more institutionalised as time goes on. In order to prove her argument
further Rubin shows the hypocrisy that surrounds sexuality in Western culture. Law prohibits sexual
activity for children, putting sanctions on what children can see in movies and the classroom. Anti-
obscenity laws are in place which prohibit almost any sex trade. Legally as well as culturally, one
can not express sexuality publicly without prosecution, and the same person may talk about religion
or politics without some kind of retaliation. How sexuality is currently viewed in Western society,
not in an abstract sense, but with evidence that it is abused for certain purposes .
 Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence by Adrienne Cecile.

In almost every aspect of their lives, women have been faced with problems, be it personally,
directly or even monetarily. Be it as it might, lesbians may still encounter their identity with
victimisation, and may be refused a career because of this. Anyway, after so many problems and
challenges, ladies work out how to take it in their turn to get alive again. Generally, becoming gay is
viewed as degenerate behaviour, the general public viewpoint 'mandatory' to be comfortable with
heterosexuality. Ideological forces often allude that gays or a network that promotes criteria being
reduced. That kind of attitude needs to change. The key topic of this analysis is to condemn these
proposals and to avoid these views. Male 'control' has various ways of imposing its predominance
and consequently stifling female sexuality, which means denying ladies their own sexuality;
convincing guys sexual influence over females; misusing ladies by offering them no choice over
their offspring; lesbians are generally said to be unfit moms; binding ladies and their characters;
guys are said to be offered a role in which to part; ladies' inventiveness is
given less significance; men retain data and stay quiet in the expert territories so as to stride
ahead. Since women have moms as their vital inner item, they don't think it's incredibly unnatural to
appeal to another lady. Nevertheless, men deny a manly lover because of socialisation and
expecting to have to endure a facade of manhood contact. Nonetheless, because people are being
taught more and more now, they are questioning their sexuality after their critical years. Given the
fact that there is an emotional inclination, there is also an inclination or decision which draws ladies
towards men. Hereto relations should likewise be concentrated as another political dimension.
Disparity in sexual orientation is the best guide for the perception of male power. Guys took
advantage of the concept of a hetero partnership, made it 'typical' and thus exerted their influence
over ladies. This idea has kept so many ladies caught in the eye of the public, and has subsequently
come into the system of their liberation. This being said, we can't say hereto partnerships aren't right
or 'terrible,' so we need an acute understanding of legislative problems, interactions, culture. That
must be spoken about all the more along these lines, from case to case premise. It is uncalled to say
that any homosexual marriage does not contain elements of strength and no hereto sexual marriage
is equivalent.