Reading Response – 9/26

Siobhan Somerville’s “Scientific Racism and the Invention of the Homosexual Body” and Judith Butler’s “Imitation and Gender Insubordination” examined homosexuality in relation to race and labels, respectively. I found it fascinating that the field I am interested in studying, sexology, had its beginnings “circulated within and perhaps depended on a pervasive climate of eugenicist and antimiscegnation sentiment and legislation”, mostly because sexology today tends to be very “sex-positive” (Sommerville, 31). Less surprisingly, Somerville makes a great point that “scientific assertions about racial difference were often articulated through gender” and she brought out the quintessential example providing evidence for this statement, the “Hottentot Venus,” also known as Saartje Baartman. Because Saartje’s genitals and overall body differed from that of the “normal” Caucasian female body, Saartje was exploited and exocticized essentially for being an “Other.”  Anytime of I think of Saartje Baartman, I am reminded of a reading, “Hottentot 2000: Jennifer Lopez and Her Butt” by Magdalena Barrera which examines how women of color to this day are still exocticized and exploited by the difference between their bodies and the bodies of “normal” Caucasian women. From personal experience, because I have a large posterior, I am usually harassed by both men AND women because they are just surprised at how large it is relative to my body and their own.  

An interesting question was posed when Sommerville asks in reference to Margaret Otis’ account, “Did the girls’ initmacy trouble the authorities because it was homosexual or because it was interracial?” (Sommerville, 34). While homosexuality was deemed as sinful and problematic, lesbianism is to a lesser extent, especially when you examine how popular lesbian pornography is for a straight, male audience today. In contrast, race is more visible, especially between an interracial couple. Because of the visibility of interracial love, it would be more problematic lesbian love than it is for that of a lesbian relationship between a same-race couple.

Switching gears a bit, I’m going to focus on Butler’s statement that “identity categories tend to be instruments of regulatory regimes” (Butler, 13). Being in the closet and coming out of the closet present their own regulations by society. For example, the ambiguity of being in the closet often leads to snooping and curiosity by others. This is evident today by celebrity and gossip magazines  that poke at the lives of people who are not overtly sexual or have ambiguous sexualities. This spotlight on the unknown sexuality is often a pressure for that person to come out of the closet and place a label on that person. Once the label is placed on that person, more than often they are known for that specific label rather for other qualities such as being talented. For example, this is currently an issue with actress Michelle Rodriguez who made a statement after nagging media statements on her sexuality.