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Danielle Edwards Assignment #8

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.