å Monday, October 23rd, 2017

Micheal Foucault’s History of Sexuality explores the relationship between society and sexuality. Foucault begins his discussion by exposing the negative stance we have on sex or anything sexual in nature. During the early 1600s sex was a casual matter that was not forbidden or looked down upon. The shift from an accepted perception on sex to a public matter occurred during the 1800s. The Victorian regime brought about the bourgeoisie who in turn molded sex to become this “mute” and hidden topic. Any activity that was purely for pleasure or amusement was frowned upon. This ideology lead sex to be confined to only the home. Sex was now considered taboo, it was not to be discussed. The topic became a private matter. Its sole purpose was to reproduce and bring about a new generation of laborers. Moreover, sex in conversation completely dissipated. Children were not educated on the subject as they were perceived as innocent and did not have sex. Those who conversed about sex were in mental institutions or in brothels. These civilians were labeled as the “Other Victorians” by Steve Marcus. Foucault then discussed the role capitalism played in controlling the way we perceive sex. During this time sex was not for pleasure it was simply a means of reproduction. This then confines sex to only married couples. Foucault labels the restrictions on sex as the “repressive hypothesis”.   Furthermore, in the twentieth century Sigmund Freud explored sexuality. Although Freud’s attempts made the public a bit more curious about the subject it was still a matter confined to psychiatry. This would benefit the realm academically but would never transform sex into a topic that could be discussed without shame or embarrassment. Although Foucault is aware that sex is still to this day a taboo subject to this day his interest is in the “how” and the “why”.

Questions

Does the repression of sex during the past  play a part in rape culture today?

Were men AND women both limited to treating sex as taboo? If so did capitalism play a part ?