Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality by Gayle Ruben talks about that which is apparent and yet supressed. She begins her piece by talking about how masturbation in young girl was viewed as something that was deviant and must instantly be curbed. Masturbation in young children was an actual problem that demanded solving in the nineteenth century, so much so that practices such as tying children down at night to prevent them from touching themselves and clitoral burning were prevalent activities. She traces a timeline of how homosexuality began to be viewed as something that was dangerous to all people, when she says that homosexuals were looked at as sexual predators. Her thought that “sex is always political” is not incorrect and this statement alone possesses an element of irony. This is so, because the act of sex is viewed as something that must be private and contained, not being spoken of in public. Yet, the idea of two men indulging in an act of love seems like the most heinous crime to most people, even as of now.
She talks of sex laws and how certain sexual acts are severely punished , even though what two consenting adults do behind closed doors should not be something that the state gets involved in. She ends by saying that it is time to recognise the political dimensions of erotic life, which makes sense for it is only through recognition of the problem can a change be sought.
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