Namrata Goswami Week 4

Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality by Gayle S. Rubin talks about the how sex is a political concept and is used as a tool of dominance- even though it is not considered as important as a concept. The author goes on to explain how sexuality is not a private affair, but a political one- this is because how there are power dynamics going on over sexuality and how people use it to dominate or oppress other people. The author talks on the topic of homosexuality and how it was deemed to be something that is very unnatural, to the extent of calling homosexuals 'sex offenders' or 'child molestors'. They were also put behind the bars and beaten up in public in mid 1900s. However such oppressive behaviour led to the rise of activism which began to make a positive impact in society. There has been a mention of the 'erotic pyramid' in the essay where the top of the pyramid is occupied by heterosexual marries people and are considered as superior, and below them are people who have sexual identities like transsexuals and sex workers. The people towards the end of the period were subjected to exploitation because politically they held a lower status in society. Thus from this article we can perceive how society has viewed sexuality over a period of time, how more than the biological features, societal contruction has been more important at a period ofttimes, how societal view has progressed since then and how it still has a long way to go.