ANTH 540 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Empowered, Body Image, Heterosexuality
22 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Intro
Euro-American conceptual current of sexuality
oNo single history
oResidual Judeo-Christian logic
oAugustine
oModern medicine/medicalization of sexuality
oFreud
oFocault: history of sexuality = history of sexual discourses
Sexual health
oLong-standing discourse of risk & danger
osexual satisfaction, sexual pleasure, sexual self-esteem, sexual self-efficacy
osexual activity and sexual satisfaction associated with improved physical health
outcomes (Anderson 2013)
postorgasmic release of prolactin in the brain seems to be associated with
decreased stress and anxiety (Anderson 2013: 4)
ochallenges of measurement: subjective personal reports
oquestion assumptions based on cultural norms, social agendas, and pervasive myths
about who is/should experience sexual pleasure and satisfaction (Anderson 2013: 5)
oWHO defines sexual well-being as "a state of physical, emotional, mental and social
well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or
infirmity."
Sexual well-being
oConceptual reframing that does away with "health" medicalized connotations
oStrength-based approach?
Holistic? (WHO def.)
Diffuse sexuality?
Anthropological Perspective
Sexuality of the other
oAs an argument, following contemporary debates of Western society
o1920s-30s interest in documenting diversity; sexual practices of the primitive
1927. Malinowski. Sex and Repression in Savage society.
1928. Mead. Coming of Age in Samoa.
Very popular (within anthro community & popular audiences)
Challenges notion of typical challenges of adolescence by describing
everyday life & education of Samoan teens
Clandestine love affairs, usually short, both sexes involved in multiple
relationships
Boy "soas" and casual homosexual relationships
Criticism of Mead's work & controversy (Freeman)
1929. Malinowski. The Sexual life of Savages in North-Western Melanesia.
1929. Goldenweiser. Sex and Primitive Society.
1935. Mead. Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies.
Evans-Pritchard & fieldwork notes on homosexuality among the Azande
Rediscovery of sexuality
oNot many anthro works on topic after 30s
oResurgence in 70s-80s
oSexuality as social construct
oFoucault's history of sexuality
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
oFeminism & queer anthro
oShift from "primitive" sexuality to interest in sexual subcultures
Lauren Rival (reading sent by Sam)
o"if pleasure is a matter for the mind, it is also a matter of cultural creation and
experience.” (Hull 2008: 137)
oHuaorani longhouse represents communal intimacy
o"diffuse sexuality": sexuality is not eroticized like in Western culture, but has to more
with general closeness and intimacy in multiple forms
oWestermarck effect - infidelity?
Sex Work
Views tend to diverge into workers as Exploited victim vs Empowered professional
Stigma is inevitable, divided into:
oThose that believe sex workers are exploited and more or less believe the stigma is
justified
Higher prevalence of adult sex industries comorbid with "child prostitution"
within that community - hard to measure
Nevada higher rates of sex crimes
At most radical feminist perspective: even women who “choose” sex work
coerced by patriarchy, perpetuation of violence by Johns defending sex work and
governments taking liberal stances on prostitution & sex work
oThose that resist the stigma and accept sex work, usually in the context of trying to
provide them with greater protections
Legalization/Decriminalization
oNew Zealand – only country to fully decriminalize
Decriminalized 2003: Prostitution Reform Act
Ban on <18
Offence to compel sex workers
Brother operator certification
Protections for those that refuse sex work
PRO
No growth in industry since
Better employment conditions: less coercion & exploitation
Less incidences of violence - can report conditions to police
Low sex trafficking
CON
Street workers: still overrepresented by indigenous & trans
Still assumes that prostitution is inevitable
oCanada
Bill C-36 2014: Illegal to purchase, legal to sell
However: illegal to advertise
Meant to go after third parties e.g. sugar daddies
Complaints: but penalizes non-threatening 3rd parties (e.g. other
workers) – assumes sex workers want to operate independently, even though
often work in communities; previously act of paying for sex was not de facto
criminalized
oNetherlands
Nationally Legalized in 2000, with implementation left to municipalities
Treats sex workers as a unified group, but consist of:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Euro-american conceptual current of sexuality: no single history o. Residual judeo-christian logic: augustine, modern medicine/medicalization of sexuality o o. Focault: history of sexuality = history of sexual discourses. Conceptual reframing that does away with health medicalized connotations. Sexuality of the other: as an argument, following contemporary debates of western society o. 1920s-30s interest in documenting diversity; sexual practices of the primitive: malinowski. Sex and repression in savage society: mead. Very popular (within anthro community & popular audiences) Challenges notion of typical challenges of adolescence by describing everyday life & education of samoan teens. Clandestine love affairs, usually short, both sexes involved in multiple relationships. Criticism of mead"s work & controversy (freeman: malinowski. The sexual life of savages in north-western melanesia: goldenweiser. Evans-pritchard & fieldwork notes on homosexuality among the azande. Rediscovery of sexuality: not many anthro works on topic after 30s o o o. Shift from primitive sexuality to interest in sexual subcultures. Lauren rival (reading sent by sam) o.
