The Discourse of Sexuality in Modern Times
One of the issues that I believe needs to be addressed in Michel Foucault’s The History of Sexuality is the divergence in the ways sexuality is viewed, depending on geographical region and religious pockets. As we mentioned in class, many individuals feel that barriers which bar sex from being discussed freely and without any sense of embarrassment no longer exist. I feel this statement needs to be revised. This might be true in a liberal college setting in New York City that encourages the free flow of ideas; however, if the setting were to change, would this standard still hold? Would students on a college campus in the South, which is generally regarded as a more conservative environment, agree with this statement? Would this hypothesis still hold in largely religious areas even in New York City, such as in Crown Heights, Brooklyn? I do not believe that it would.
As Foucault mentions, society has begun to talk about issues of sexuality. However, this discussion is limited in certain relationships, such as those between teacher and student, or parent and student, where the topic is still considered taboo. Although this work was translated into English in 1978, I believe that this theory still rings true. Public schools, which are run by the government and paid for by tax dollars, heavily monitor sexual education classes. It is not unusual for the issue of sexual education in public school to become a political issue, as politicians feel that students are being taught the wrong approach toward sexuality, such as those who argue that abstinence should be taught, rather than the use of contraceptives. This touches upon the notion that Foucault establishes, namely that sexuality has become not just a social issue, but a political issue. When individuals challenge the accepted laws of sexuality, they also challenge the political structure, and thus sexuality, politics, and power are all linked.
Legal decisions handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court highlight the power held by the government over sexuality, as is indicated by the recent 2003 verdict in Lawrence v. Texas, where sodomy was ruled to be legal between two consenting adults. However, sexual relations with a minor are considered rape, and jail terms are issued to those offenders the court finds guilty. As these two examples illustrate, the government is still very much involved in the monitor of sexuality in society.
Although the government’s ruling on court cases regarding sexual acts brings sexuality to the forefront of discourse, society is still not willing to acknowledge their interest in what are regarded as unusual sexual practices. For instance, the novel Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James has sold over 65 million copies; the record numbers indicate that an audience exists which has a curiosity in at least vicariously experiencing elements of the BDSM lifestyle. However, it has often been noted that the extreme popularity of James’ trilogy might have been due to the innovation of the Kindle and other electronic reading devices, which enable readers to discreetly read texts, without their neighbors on subways, for example, having the chance to glance at the cover of their reading material. This would suggest that readers are not as comfortable with the discourse of their erotic reading material as the popularity of this novel might suggest. The contradiction between the skyrocket sales of this novel, yet the reluctance of society to admit to having read this book, speaks volumes about the culture in which we live.
-Ariella Medows
Tags: Discourse, Foucault, Repression
February 4th, 2013 at 3:39 pm
Hi Ariella,
I want to highlight the important point you raise regarding the importance of looking for particular differences in regard to issues of sexuality–these can be regional, as you say, and as 2nd wave feminists pointed out in regard to Foucault’s tendency to assume a certain kind of subjectivity, also gendered and raced. That said, it also worth noting that the overriding forces of culture can also shape groups in similar ways over the course of time rather than one grand sweep. The point you make about electronic reading might make the grand sweep more likely, however, since it can prompt a larger wave of compliance all at once.
For class, will you please take up the issue of education as Foucault describes it briefly in the text? Be ready to point us to that part of the text, read it a bit, and explain how the power relations at that institutional level fit his argument.