VII Conclusion
.
. . these pleasures which we lightly call physical . . . (Colette [*93])
Like gender, sexuality is political
It is organized into systems of
power, which reward and encourage some individuals and activities, while
punishing and suppressing others. Like the capitalist organization of
labor and its distribution of rewards and powers, the modern sexual
system has been the object of political struggle since it emerged and as
it has evolved. But if the disputes between labor and capital are
mystified, sexual conflicts are completely camouflaged.
The legislative restructuring ...
... that took place at the end of the
nineteenth century and in the early decades of the twentieth was a
refracted response to the emergence of the modern erotic system. During
that period, new erotic communities formed. It became possible to be a
male homosexual or a lesbian in a way it had not been previously.
Mass-produced erotica became available, and the possibilities for sexual
commerce expanded. The first homosexual rights organizations were
formed, and the first analyses of sexual oppression were articulated.
[*94]
The repression of the 1950s ...
... was in part a backlash to the expansion
of sexual communities and possibilities which took place during World
War II. [*95]
During the 1950s, gay rights organizations were
established, the Kinsey reports were published, and lesbian literature
flourished. The 1950s were a formative as well as a repressive era.
The current right-wing sexual counter-offensive ...
... is in part a reaction
to the sexual liberalization of the 1960s and early 1970s. Moreover, it
has brought about a unified and self-conscious coalition of sexual
radicals.
In one sense, what is now occurring is the emergence of a new
sexual movement, aware of new issues and seeking a new theoretical
basis. The sex wars out on the streets have been partly responsible for
provoking a new intellectual focus on sexuality. The sexual system is
shifting once again, and we are seeing many symptoms of its change.
In Western culture, sex is taken all too seriously
A person is not
considered immoral, is not sent to prison, and is not expelled from her
or his family, for enjoying spicy cuisine. But an individual may go
through all this and more for enjoying shoe leather. Ultimately, of what
possible social significance is it if a person likes to masturbate over
a shoe? It may even be non-consensual, but since we do not ask
permission of our shoes to wear them, it hardly seems necessary to
obtain dispensation to come on them.
[Sexual persecution]
If sex is taken too seriously,
sexual persecution is not taken seriously enough. There is systematic
mistreatment of individuals and communities on the basis of erotic taste
or behavior.
Specific populations bear the brunt of the current
system of erotic power, but their persecution upholds a system that
affects everyone.
The 1980s ...
... have already been a time of great sexual
suffering. They have also been a time of ferment and new possibility.
It
is up to all of us to try to prevent more barbarism and to encourage
erotic creativity. Those who consider themselves progressive need to
examine their preconceptions, update their sexual educations, and
acquaint themselves with the existence and operation of sexual
hierarchy. It is time to recognize the political dimensions of erotic
life.
