Reflection 12

April 26, 2011

           The agenda for today was Feminism and Gender Studies which entails a great deal of soul-searching as to the legitimacy of claims registered as “pro” and “con” in view of feminism.

          According to Simone de Beauvoir, “Few myths have been more advantageous to the ruling caste than the myth of woman: it justifies all privileges and even authorizes their abuse"  (Beauvoir, Norton 1267). The issue of lessening the physiological burdens of woman is not a necessity according to the feelings of man because it is her natural duty to perform them per the “Physiology of Marriage” by Balzac. Man believes that woman should not be given any right to sexual pleasure, but should work as a beast of burden. Woman is defined by the man because she gets her identity through the male; however, it is more of like master/slave relationship in a patriarchal world of male dominance.

           Beauvoir views each sex as being mysterious to each other. Neither sex can penetrate the feelings of the other in order to offer true sympathy. This is because each gender has their unique mysteries of feelings. Sentiments are supposedly nothing because the real cannot be distinguished from the imaginary; however, behavior is the key for unlocking the imaginary from the real. A total picture of a man’s degree of affection toward a woman is seen in his attitude. In today’s society, man carries a double standard with regard to attitude which hurts woman immensely. They claim to accept woman as an equal yet require her to remain the inessential. Woman is to remain the Other. According to Arthur Rimbaud, “the infinite bondage of woman is broken, when she will live in and for herself, man—hitherto detestable—having let her go free" (Rimbaud, Norton 1273).

          In reading “The History of Sexuality” by Michel Foucault, it was interesting to learn the extent of regimentation within the Catholic Church in regard to the confession of sins, especially sexual sins and the requirement to divulge every detail of the event to the priest. Sins need only to be confessed to Jesus who is God manifested in the flesh—wherein dwells all power in heaven and earth (The Holy Bible, Mark15:38; I Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 4:5) Catholic priests have  dominated a number of people causing more mental frustration; however, I assume the people consider the priest as God. How could this be possible when there is only one God?

          

          Feminism and gender studies involve a large arena of discussion and many variables to questions.

Word Count: 443

Works Cited

Leitch, Vincent B., ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.

            New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2010. Print.

The Holy Bible King James Version. New Yordk: Oxford University

          Press. 1945.