Keshab Roy Choudhury - Week 4

In this essay, I will be summarising my thoughts on Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality by Gayle Rubin. Throughout the essay, Rubin emphasises that sex and sexuality is inherently political and has its own inequities and internal politics. The impact of historical Victorian crusades to curb sexuality has had a profound impact on the way legislations have been designed to control, and at most times, repress sexuality. Rubin also highlights how the focus of curbing sexuality has often shifted over time, from curbing homosexuality to prostitution. Citing the works of different authors, he argues that sexuality cannot be solely viewed as a product of biological factors, but the prevailing social factors are also necessary to understanding a person's sexuality. Furthermore, the necessary characterisation of certain sexual behaviours as 'abnormal' (which in turn influence our understanding of law and policy) is problematic as it often ignores the element of consent and individual preference and reinforces traditional heteronormative notions of 'good sex' and 'bad sex'. The problem becomes further compounded when medical science reinforces the same attitudes towards sex and sexuality. Intersectionality also often plays a role, with white persons who suffer from 'sexually deviant behaviour' being less affected than those who are of colour. The specific characterizations of certain groups and societal attitudes towards the same, have excluded them from availing the benefits of the market. He highlights the need for a radical theory on sex that is not constrained by traditional biases towards the same. Towards the end of the essay, he analyses the intersections between pornography and the feminist discourses around the same. While critiquing the different approaches, he also highlights the centrality of sex and sexuality in the feminist discourse, arguing that this allows us to understand notions of sex and sexuality better, without being constrained by traditional conservative thought.