å Sunday, October 29th, 2017

In chapter four, part four of Foucault book, the History of Sex, he goes into an idea he calls, “a technology of sex”. During the 19th century, sex was considered a taboo and was only spoken about in private. Sex was also somewhat connected to the church as those that committed sexual acts had to tell their sins (sexual acts) in explicit detail to a priest to be cleanse of their sins. The study of medicine began increasing as more and more people were interested in one’s sexuality and the activities they’ve engaged in. This increased study  of medicine lead to the development of the idea that sex was hereditary. Many believed the one’s sexual drive was passed down from one generation to another and this idea further the separation between bourgeoisie and the commoners. Being very sexual or having a sex drive was considered somewhat unhealthy and it was best to eradicate these traits and bloodlines. The bourgeoisie wanted to solidified they’re power and place in society by making their people seem like the superior race or group. The higher ups ensure they stayed in power generations forward by making offspring that consisted of other bourgeoisie. Those in the higher class with certain traits that were considered favorable were placed with others like them to produced offspring’s that had all of the traits, this method ensured that the bloodline was going to be preserved and pure, not mixing with others (commoners). They viewed those below them as inferior and without class and needed to clearly show the difference between them and the others. By making sure these babies that were produced were pure they’re able to extended their rule generations forward. Foucault makes the point of how sexuality is used to divided the masses and make a few selective ones on top; it is used as a method to control the people.

In part four chapter four of Foucault’s text he brings up the “technology of sex” which he explains to be the transformation of the treatment of sex through the centuries. By the “technology of sex” Foucault means that the discussion of sex has stepped out into the spotlight. People are asking more questions, being more open about it and to the extent that the state is even involved in it. Through pedagogy, medicine, and economics sex had stopped being a private manner and become something that should be discussed. Foucault also states that sex had stop being mostly about religion in which it was almost treated as a sin. No one was to talk about it, it was supposed to stay in the dark and was only to be known by the two people in the relationship. In the chapter he says that it had been put under surveillance and that new questions and research of the topic expanded in three areas. It opened questions of of child sexuality, in medicine how it functioned particularly in women and its relation to birth. For centuries sex had been repressed and no one was to talk about it since it was viewed as a sin. Foucault calls it the technology of sex since during this time from the 18th century to the 19th century it was really being explored and made better by better understanding it. I believe that since technology is always something that it explored to help our world Foucault relates it to sex in this way. I believe that it is important to bring this subject into the light and that it should not be avoided by the people. To help us understand it he writes about the different ways it was explored and how the state went about handling it.

In Part 4, Ch. 4: Periodization of his book, Foucault introduces the “medical technologies of sex” (1978:119). This is a technique that is considered new in the time-period of the 19^th century, contrary to the technique used during the 17^th century, which consisted majorly of many prohibitions and restrictions. There is less focus on repression, and more focus on the analysis of sexuality in terms of the organism and how it fails to conform to its normalcy. Foucault brings to focus the great shift in the general attitude of society concerning sexuality from death and punishment to life and illness. This explains how the power of Christianity in controlling the sexuality of its people through fear of being punished has now lost its vast influence. Instead, there exists a rise of the medical theory that claims sex is hereditary, further suggesting that sex that does not conform to society’s expectation is unhealthy, not just in the physical sense, but as a concern for the whole state and its individuals. This technique of comparing sexuality as a disease that can be possibly transmitted to other people, especially within families, though it is hard to prove scientifically, is a central “technology of sex” that is used to deter people from unproductive pleasure-seeking behaviors during the 19^th century. When there is a certain disease or defects experienced by relatives, there is a deficit in that family’s strength and health, and the lack thereof is considered as a vulnerability that can prevent the continuation of generations. There is a treat to the “biological responsibility” because the end result not only effects the current generation, but goes on to the future generation as well. There is an aspect of utilitarianism, in that there is a strive to benefit the whole bourgeoisie; for the better good of the people, everyone should be “healthy.”

Sexuality was defined by all of our senses, by what people said in their confessions, by what they heard and by what they saw in the physical body of others. The discourses developed from the knowledge people gained from all those observations impacted their behavior. Foucault uses class to help us understand what he calls “a technology of sex”. He argues that people were the utensils or machines to develop the knowledge of sex. As the production of new discourses was processed and modified people started to applied them in their families and children. He wants to prove that humans are the creators of all the concerns about sex. Foucault explains that a group of people during the mid-eighteen hundreds were occupied “with creating its own sexuality and forming a specific body based on it, a “class” body with its health, hygiene, descent, and race: the autosexualization of its body, the incarnation of sex in its body, the endogamy of sex and the body”(1978:123). The bourgeois dedicate themselves to apply key principle to secure their power and self-affirmation to pass on to future generations. Its was important to for them to maintain their sexual principles clear because they wouldn’t want their wealth to be distributed to other classes. By the bourgeoisie willing to keep a health and clean physical appearance the outcome will be beneficial for them but it will exclude other people. People are mostly driven by the superficial appearance and foucault uses this example to prove his point of how sexuality is a cluster of economical, political and physical factors that molds the sexuality of people. Also, we can see the limitation sexuality keeps having from having norms to prevent people to talk about sex to having divisions within a group of people were sex is highly manipulated and restrained from the poorer class.

In Part Four of Chapter Four: Periodization of “History of Sexuality” by Michel Foucault, Foucault makes claims regarding the repressive thoughts, actions, and origins of sexuality (28). Foucault describes this as a “technology of sex”. At first, sex was more privatized; it was something that was not discussed among public ears. However, this increased privatization led to a greater number of discourses regarding the topic of sexuality, such as the ones that occurred throughout the nineteenth century that Foucault examines.
The structure of sexuality was devised by the bourgeoisie, who were the ruling class at the time. They had recognized the importance of sexuality, considering it a means of continuing and protecting their lineage as opposed to being a means to repress members of other walks of life. To them, sex was closely associated with health and an individuals’ overall wellbeing. It was due to this belief that discourses regarding sex and sexuality were more promoted than before. In addition to the bourgeoisie, other areas within society were also responsible for attitudes and beliefs that were commonly held towards sexuality. This includes the pedagogy, medicinal groups, and economic associations. These groups were mainly focused on examining the sexuality of children and women, and how this function can be used to regulate the births of future generations.

Foucault’s writing reflects his belief that the church was the primary origin of sexual repression. It was when the Catholic and Christian church implemented the practice of confession that we begin to see the characterization of sexuality. Contrary to popular belief, it was the institutions and practices that were devoted to sexual cognition that were responsible for forming these types of repressions. Technologies of sex were produces in the wake of these functions.

What I am confused bout is Foucault’s reinstatement of the repressive hypothesis. It is stated that it was economically motivated, but it also regarded as a power balance.

In Part 4. Chapter 4: Periodization, Foucault says that where wa a new technology of sex in that it was independent from the holy, religious establishment it was always associated with, but remained defenseless with its connection to sin. In the 18th century, sex was not only a nonreligious concern, but a social one through interests in the medical fields, economics and people wanting to teach sex as an academic subject. In the 18th century, the advancement in the medical field was the cause for interests of the sexual lives of women, children and married couples. In the 19th century, people in the medical field who studies sex connected it to pervasion. They believed that sexual pervasion was hereditary and it was dangerous to society. They believed that is this “disease” was not contained future generations could be at risk so they were led to create pervasion medicines and eugenics programs. It was believed that by having an ancestry with numerous illness and sickness, helped produce a sexual pervert. Foucault then explains that the pervasion- heredity- degenerescence system of society at the time did not coincide with the repressive theory of the discourse of sexuality. He says that if that was the case then young men and the working class would be subjected to scrutiny, but not the bourgeoise. Foucault says that the bourgeoisie were careful in protecting their own sexualities, not for economic growth, but so that their family line was pure. This is why the aristocrats were so interested in the sexualities of women and children. They believed that their sexuality was something very valuable and important. I think Foucault is trying to show us that sexuality is somewhat of a social construct and something that can be regulated. As we see, sexuality used to be controlled by the church, but it then became a way aristocrats exerted their power over the lower and working class. The bourgeois didn’t want eliminate sex, but saw its importance in ensuring a healthy future for their ruling family. It was a source of domination for the ruling class.

In chapter four, “Periodization”, Foucault discusses the “technology” of sex. These “technologies” can be defined as medicine, education and demography which restricted sex and transformed it into a public matter. In past, the sixteenth and seventeenth century, sex was seen as a private matter that should be confined to the home and never mentioned in public. The topic of sexuality was then altered, it was then discussed in confusion as a Catholic church belief. During the nineteenth century sex was converted into a public matter. Many believed sex  to be of “biological responsibility” (1978:118) meaning homosexuality must be due to one’s genetics, designating as hereditary and declaring it an illness. This reasoning caused the public, more importantly the bourgeois, to fear for the future generations that could harm their standing in society. This encouraged the practice of eugenics, which enforced sterilization. Although this theory placed reforms it was never scientifically proven. This ideology turned sex from a spiritual and religious matter to a physical health concern that could effect the public, more specifically the bourgeoise. Foucault does not believe in the repressive theory. He argues that this theory could not possibly be true because if its intentions were economic, there would be strict restrictions placed upon young men who were the leading force in the working class. The restrictions were most stringent upon the bourgeoise as it was implemented to preserve their status and “eliteness”. Foucault exclaims, “The bourgeoisie’s “blood” was its sex” (1978:124). This reinforces the notion that the elite class believed sex to be heavily influential to their overall health. Although their intentions were to place restrictions on themselves to keep a healthy sexuality, their beliefs extended to the working class. This expansion lead the bourgeoisie to assert their dominance over the proletariats. The “technologies” are just methods or tools that were used to control sex.

In part one of The History of Sexuality, Michel Foucault clarifies that sexuality was not a thing that was regularly discussed due to a set of extremely strict guidelines that people had to followed regarding to their sexuality. Foucault starts to describe the sexual practices of the English people in the seventeenth century. The sexual practices were quite casual with no shame involved about what they did. Yet near the end of seventeenth century, the new Victorian regime was introduced. Many of the practices in English society had become more rigid and oppressive. One of them being sexual practices. Sexuality was no longer allowed to be practiced outside the home. In the home, those who were allowed to practice were only the married couple of the home. Sex had now become a private matter that no one could talk about aloud anymore. It had become a taboo subject. Foucault believed that the new Victorian regime had started the concept of sexuality became repressed. He then shifts the focus of part one to discuss how brothels and mental institutions had become the places where illicit and unconventional sexualities were acted upon. In these places, people were not restricted to act upon their desires unlike the chaste outside world around them. Foucault deliberates a belief that the bourgeois had order the repression of sexuality due to an emergence of capitalism that had blossomed during that period. A popular idea that was circulated around was that sex had become incompatible thru a rapidly increasing and vital work order. Foucault had disagreed with this notion, he thought that the repression of sexuality was created to be a part of a political cause. Foucault declares that the reason that we had defined the relationship of sex and power through the terms of repression. If sex is repressed, then the fact that if someone had dare to speak about it, it would make them look like they’re committing a wrongdoing. However, a person who would try to be someone different while also not conforming to social norms by disrupting the established rule. Foucault declared that people were eager to speak out sex because it was a form of rebellion to the norms.

In the chapter called “Periodization” Michael Foucault talks about the technology of sex and how it has progressed thought out different centuries. As Foucault explains before nineteenth century themes of sex and sexuality were connected to church and it was controlled by religious people in power. Sex was still considered a sin and it was still a restricted topic to talk about. Foucault also stated that there was a new technology of sex. He additionally classified these technologies into three categories such as education, medicine and economics.

Education as he stated had a function of teaching people and especially children in sexuality. Since education played a huge role in this new technology, people have been exposed to the different aspect of sexuality. In addition, children were also under control of adults. Then, medicine had a role in this technology and mostly as Foucault explained it had roots in women’s physiology. After that the demography also was a part of this new of technology of sex. Demography had maybe the most crucial part because society had to understand how to regulate and establish the birth control. All these aspects forced people to hide their sexuality and put stop talking about it. However, with a turn of a new century things started to get different, “mutated” as Foucault suggested. Technology of sex started to shape up and new subcategories appeared. Medicine divided into two parts with medicine of sex and body. So, people became more aware since everything kind of become clear. Education and economics also changed into a different testimonial.

Foucault also added that sex was repressed and people were led into obscurity with sex. Privileged people and bourgeoisie wanted to contain sex and prevent people from economical and demographical development. And, there were religious people who did not want people to understand that sex was not a sin because they would lose their power. Under this circumstances, sex was subjugated and controlled the society of people in power.