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Assignment 05

In her essay “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality”, Gayle Rubin describes multiple axioms about sexuality and explains how they relate to sexual political discourse throughout the course of history. She initiates this explanation with the axiom of “sexual essentialism”. This is the theory that describes sex as individualistic, biologically natural, and unchanging despite any societal and historical deviation. This ideology was accepted and left unchallenged until the 1970s by Walkowitz and Foucault. Rubin basically argues that there cannot be political analysis on sexuality if it was merely understood as biological. Rubin explains further, “once sex is understood in terms of social analysis and historical understanding, a more realistic politics of sex becomes possible” (150).

Rubin continues with five more axioms, including sex negativity, the fallacy of misplaced scale, the hierarchal valuation of sex acts, the domino theory of sexual peril, and the lack of a concept of benign sexual variation – the most prominent being sexual negativity. According to Weeks, “Western cultures generally consider sex to be a dangerous, destructive, negative force” (1981, 22). The basis for this negativity stems from the Christian Bible, which explicitly teaches that sex is only appropriate in heterosexual marital relationships for procreation purposes. Any other form of sex is considered sinful, especially homosexuality and pleasurable sexual activity outside of wedlock. This ideology is consistent with some current political views about sex: that it is only acceptable in society when practiced in monogamous, loving relationships.

Sexual hierarchy enables oppression within all modes of society, including family life, the work place, housing, religious organizations, the military and even the government. Failure to continuously revisit these ideas over time as society changes will make it impossible to develop a radical theory about sex. “Sex is always political”, Rubin states. It’s systems of power need to be challenged as new sexual movements arise. If left unchallenged, individuals will continue to be mistreated and scrutinized for their modes of sexuality and erotic conduct.