Constructing Masculinity.
Berger M. & Wallis B. & Watson, (1995), Constructing Masculinity, New York.
QUOTES
“I would argue that masculinity, however defined, is, like capitalism, always in crisis”. S. Godeau
“The basic purpose of obscenity laws is and always has been to reinforce cultural taboos on sexuality and suppress feminism, homosexuality, and ther forms of sexual dissidence…In a male super-mascisist society the only obscenity law that will not e used against women is no law at all.” Ellen Willis.
“Some women find a penis distasteful, others can take penises or leave them, but many of us find penises rather vulnerable and endearing. It’s the rest of men that scare us.” female wag´s comment on Lorena Bobbitt case.”
I am a Wo-Man who is afraid.
I am afraid of what I am
I am afraid of what I am not
I am afraid that I don’t know who I am
I am afraid that I do know that I don’t know who I am
I am what I am afraid to be
I know that I am afraid to be
I am afraid that the Others tell me of what I have to be afraid.
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Notes from the chapter> Male trouble by Abigal Solomon-Godeau p. 69-76
Main topics of this paper are the construction of masculinity, the subjectivity of the contemporary man, the visual re-presentation of the male body in
painting (“feminized” masculinity of the 19th century: Pierre Narcisse-Guerin or Girodet Trioson)
Aurora and Cephalous(1810), Morpheus and Iris (1811) Sleep of Endymion (1793)
and in mass media ( ads of 90s: Joe camel, Marlboro Man
- The masculinity is seen under the same lenses that is seen the femininity in feminist theory.
“Masculinity is, like femininity, a concept that bears only an adventitious relation to biological sex and whose various manifestation collectively constitute the cultural , social, and psychosexual expression of gender” (Godeau A. S., 1995, p.71)
- Masculinity becomes something that has to be: ACQUIRED, ACHIEVED, INITIATED (through painful ritual/mutilation etc)
- “crisis in masculinity” within the different expressions of idealized masculinity. According to author the “crisis” of masculinity is a veritable and venerable topos that we can contest already in the French art of late 18th and beginning of 19th century: large swords- diminutive genitalia, passive, beautiful, young man, poses and facial expressions.
Paintings of Pierre Narcisse-Guerin> reversal roles morphological effeminacy of idealized male figure, male sensuality and voluptuousness, feminized imagery of heroic masculinity. The female figure is phallicized (Aurora).
Girodet’s painting: androgynous, feminized, passive male figure that embraces: castration/ alterity / specularity
- Silverman: Nonphallic masculinity (“perverse”, “deviant”) vs classical masculinity (phallic, virile, martial, intensively Oedipalized).
- BUT The expression of nonphallic masculinities does not constitutes a particular problem in the patriarchal system of law and order.
- Physical Organ – Symbolic Phallus
ALEX POTTS: FEMINIZED MASCULINITIES of POST-REVOLUTIONARY CULTURE:
-represents the ultimate flight from sexual differences,
-is an extention of the woman’s expulsion from public sphere
-is the refelction of the chainging status of artists in the emerging free market of cultural production
-repudiation of a previous oppressive model of masculinity not appropriate to the needs of a new collective imaginary and symbolic order.
- Eroticized androgenous representation of masculinity does not necessary transgress the patriarcal privilege of masculinity.
- Homosexual desire and narcissistic identification.
- 2 options: feminized masculinity pr masculinized masculinity
EPHEBE: as masculine representation of Beauty ideal
as feminized image of masculinity: fantasy of possession and mastery
as unstable image of ambiguous gender: a phantasmatic free play
The “masculinity” is interrogated, analysed, destabilized but “Patriarchy” doesn’t relinquishes of the privilege and the power that denotes. And on the other hand has nothing to do with the female emancipation, empowerment and liberation.
Notes form the chapter>Marjorie Heins. Masculinity, sexism and censorship law. pp 223-239
CASE FRASER (1986) At a school assembly of approximately 600 high school students, Matthew Fraser made a speech nominating a fellow student for elective office. In his speech, Fraser used what some observers believed was a graphic sexual metaphor to promote the candidacy of his friend. As part of its disciplinary code, Bethel High School enforced a rule prohibiting conduct which “substantially interferes with the educational process . . . including the use of obscene, profane language or gestures.” Fraser was suspended from school for two days. http://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1985/1985_84_1667
CASE ROTH (1957) a case which redefined the Constitutional test for determining what constitutes obscene material unprotected by the First Amendment. Samule Roth was convicted under a federal statute criminalizing the sending of “obscene, lewd, lascivious or filthy” materials through the mail for advertising and selling a publication called American Aphrodite (“A Quarterly for the Fancy-Free”) containing literary erotica and nude photography. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roth_v._United_States
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LAW and Obsenity in America
- LAW: judges inject their moral values/attitude about sexuality.
- The student-goverment campaign speech of Matthew Frase : “glorifying male sexuality” and “insulting “ to females according to Justice Steven.
- Penis: symbol of sexual dominance and rape.
- power relatioship
- indecency
- sexist attitude
- order and morality
- control of lascivious thoughts
- censcorship and nudity
- “protection” of woman and children> those whose minds are open to such immoral influences.
- Women were assumed to be frail, asexula creatures who had to be kept in ignorance and protected from the threateninf effects of erotic awakening for their sake and for the good of society. (case Regina v. Hicklin)
- Obscenity law and First Amendment protection (F.P.A): the idea that art or entertainment about sex is not entitled to full First Amendment protectionj because it is “no essential part of exposition of ideas”.#
- One of the function of the F.A.P is the moral judgment about correct gender roles and healthy sexual desires.
- Political control of female sexuality- bscenity laws.
- “healthy” lust standards.
- “Normal”- “abnormal.
- No empirical base to believe that pornography induces sex crime or antisocial behaviour.
- Catharine MacKinnon does not distinguish between raoe and intercourse; she sees them as epxressing “ the same power relation”, sees sexualitz as “violating” and pornography as bas because it shoes that woman (or some of us at least) “desire to be fucked”. Nadien Strossen.
Homophobia and Censorship
- Robert Mapplethrope
- Hpmophobia has been driving library censcorship battles,the main target is usually gay-positive literature.
- Fear of emasculation or vulnerability may also account for the oddly disparate responses to art containinf male and female nudity. Penis: threat in this culture more that vagine.
- Nudity= vulnerability