(no subject)

[beachlass]

I don't know whether to laugh, or bang my head against the wall.

"Thanks largely to the feminist and gay and lesbian movements, few of us can now hold to rigid notions of gender. We have not only been challenged to stretch the boundaries of traditional gender roles, but many of us have discovered new, often unexpected possibilities. For example, many women report the delight of learning how to bring themselves to orgasm, thus shattering the myth of the frigid, nonorgasmic female dependent on the male for sexual climax..." Marvin Ellison

I mean, I know, and the whole 70's thing with circles and mirror and speculum... and the doctors who used to 'manipulate' 'hysterical' women to 'paroxysm' for relief... but are we really so hopeless that we couldn't figure out how to get ourselves off? Is it really a "new and unexpected possibility"?

But... how much fanfic does this remind you of: "patriarchal sex depends on a dynamic of conquest and surrender, of winning control over or of being placed under someone else's control. Opposites attract. Inequality is sexy.

Kakashi, Colonel Mustang.... I'm looking at you.

Comments

[na-no-nai.livejournal.com]

And here I thought blurred gender roles were responsible for more stay at home dads, but clearly, I was wrong. >.>

[eshala.livejournal.com]

See - I didn't ever realize it was that simple.
Find your clit = no gender role rigidity

Huh. Guess all of the stress that M. faced when he transition from being female to male was just a throw-back to before the sexual revolution.

Why is it that folks still insist on equating/conflating gender with sex/sexual orientation????

ps - are you saying that power-play/bdsm = patriarchal sex??? Cause ... um... I'm not workin' for the man when I write... or when I play...

*love to you*

[eshala.livejournal.com]

Argh! Marvin... Marvin... Marvin...
1. I do not believe that people have, in fact, been able to let go of rigid notions of gender -- Having been with my long-time partner during his female to male transition, I can certainly attest to the fact that there are LOTS of rigid gender role clingers out there.
2. Gender does NOT = sex/sexual orientation.
3. I believe the shattering was of the notion that it was only penile penetrative sex that could provide sexual 'fulfillment' for women -- but even that is/was a very narrowly held western notion.
4. I know that 'touching oneself' has been such a negatively disciplined thing that my mother (and many of her generation) did not have words to describe body parts,or menstruation, let alone masturbation. She would not even use tampons, she was so dis-located from her body. I think that the notion of being able to be proud/comfortable enough to touch yourself, to bring yourself pleasure has actually been very revolutionary - even if it doesn't seem like it right now. But I also think that it is more about making space within societal discourse for the discussion of masturbation that was revolutionary (one can only hope that *we* have always had the *ability* to find our clits)
5. There is a huge difference between patriarchal sex and sex that involves power-play/ bdsm negotiations... or at least there *should* be...

(Great questions/reaction inspiring quote, by the way)

[thursday-kat.livejournal.com]

awww...but mustang is so sexy ;D

i think that there must be a lot of cultural stereotypes that play out in fanfic, though i can't for the life of me think of any at the moment...too tired...must sleep...

but...

ummm...i can't really see how masturbation is a "new and unexpected possibility" either, it certainly shouldn't be for anyone born in the last fifty years or so...

brain hurts, kitty no make sense, off to bed now...*zzzz*