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Ass.7 Karla Flores

Foucault discusses the history of sex and sexuality in the 19th century. In this passage the author discusses how in different parts of the world, sex is kept private not because it was something bad but because they thought it should only be discussed privately. If it was to be discussed openly it would not be special anymore. So in these societies sex is not discussed as it is in the US. In the United States, people talk more openly about sex and discusses the truth about it. Here we do not keep it a secret, therefore breaking the rituals of confessions where people used to talk about it secretly. We do not give any power to the church which means we do not have any responsibilities to tell them everything we do. With us, we confess openly and not in an intimate way which explains why we are more open tot the ideas of sex. Sex has been turned into a discourse due to the fact that we look at it from an individual perspective. Western culture, allows for people to share their pleasures with each other but it also brings a negative side to it. Oppression on sex has served somehow to control the way we think. Older generations grew up having negative thoughts about sex. But I also think that we have a different mindset when it comes to sex, we are more open to it and we look at it with a more positive view. But even then, the media still tries to make it seem like a sin, keeping us away from our natural rights as human beings.

How do you think the discourse about sex has affected our society today?

How has some of the oppression on sex been able to control our society in some ways, if it has?