There are numerous works written by philosophers and scholars aimed to understand the nature of sexuality and the discourse on sex as natural elements of social life. In the context of this essay, two quotations from the works of a sociologist, Jeffrey Weeks, and a philosopher, Michel Foucault, will be analyzed. The key concepts of the quotations, as well as how they fit into the authors’ larger argument, will be discussed. Also, for each quotation, a film will be selected to be viewed in the light of the ideas and key thoughts of the statements.
The first quotation is a fragment of the work of an English sociologist, Jeffrey Weeks, which is called “The Invention of Sexuality.” In his work, Weeks discusses the historical context of sexuality, asserting that knowledge of people about it used to be insufficient in the past. However, the author points out that, nowadays, the situation has changed as there are many works dedicated to the exploration of different manifestations of sexuality.
In his research, Weeks raises various questions, such as what activities can be designated as sexual and how sexuality is shaped and articulated with economic and political structures. Also, the sociologist explores the relationships between sex and power and the role of class division and patterns of male domination and racism in defining sexual relationships. The primary purpose of Week’s work, however, is to reveal how sexuality is socially constructed. The author argues that sexuality is shaped by social forces and only exists through its social forms and social organization (Weeks 24). All further ideas and evidence provided in the work aimed to prove the argument and reveal the role of social factors in defining sexuality.
Weeks managed to introduce a lot of information related to various aspects of sexuality, which allows readers to look at the discussed subject from different perspectives. The author says that “far from being the most natural element in social life, the most resistant to cultural moulding, it [sexuality] perhaps one of the most susceptible to organization” (Weeks 24). The main idea of this quotation in the context of the Week’s work is that sexuality has a controversial nature.
On the one hand, it does not come into people’s minds when they think about social life. Many people would be surprised to know that it is one of the crucial elements of social intercourse. On the other hand, sexuality is exceptionally perceptive to social forms and structures. Therefore, the key concept of the quotation is that sexuality exists due to the process of sexual socialization, which is different from society to society.
The statement mentioned above serves as the beginning of a large fragment of the work, which contains an evidence base provided by the author to prove his argument. Thus, Weeks cites the works of other scholars who support his point of view and discusses common assumptions that demonstrate the correctness of his thoughts. Therefore, the quotation fits into the author’s larger argument as it highlights the main viewpoint of Weeks and helps him to prove his statement.
The ideas and concepts presented in Week’s work can be discussed in the light of the film Striptease, which was produced and written by an American screenwriter, Andrew Bergman. The story portrays a woman, Erin Grant, who had to quit her job in the FBI and become a stripper due to certain life circumstances. In the film, striptease is shown as a form of sexual activity that is produced by society, which correlates with the ideas of Weeks.
The author asserts that “sexuality is not given, it is a product of negotiation, struggle, and human agency” (Weeks 25). Indeed, the story about Erin can serve as an excellent example of how humans produce sexuality artificially. Sometimes, it might even happen through internal resistance, as in the case of Erin. She had to work as a stripper against her will, dealing with disgust and emotional pressure every time before her performances.
Interestingly, striptease in the film is shown in a close connection with the social activities of people. Thus, Erin is always surrounded by her colleagues, friends, and clients of the club where she works. The woman enters into social interaction with them and even makes new friends. Therefore, striptease in the movie is shown as a form of a social practice that was produced by society. It proves the main argument of Weeks that sexuality is shaped by social forces and exists due to social organization.
The second quotation that will be discussed in this essay is an excerpt from the work of a French philosopher, Michel Foucault, which is called “Scientia Sexualis.” In his writing, Foucault reflects the ideas presented in the work mentioned above, narrating about the history of sex and the increase in the number of works about it. He mentions that, in the past, people tended to be reluctant to discuss sexual discourse because sex was constituted as a problem of truth (Foucault 56).
In his research, the philosopher concentrates on confession as the primary tool of getting the truth in various areas of people’s interaction, including sexual relationships. Foucault argues that “our civilization is the only civilization that has developed over the centuries procedures for telling the truth of sex which are geared to a form of knowledge-power “(Foucault 58). The author adds that it is achieved through confession, which became one of the most valuable techniques for producing truth.
The author provides his reflections on the subject and evidence that support the argument. Thus, he says that “the confession was, and still remains, the general standard governing the production of the true discourse on sex” (Foucault 63). The main idea of the quotation is that it is not possible to have a sincere discussion on sex without confession, which is the main engine that produces truth. The key concept of the quotation is that confession connects truth and sex, which is crucial for gaining knowledge about the nature of sexual relationships. Therefore, the quotation contributes to the author’s larger argument as it supports the primary ideas of the work about the importance of confession for the discourse on sex.
Nowadays, due to the development of modern technologies, the ideas described in the multiple works of scholars, sociologists, and philosophers can be expressed through the artwork. Thus, the views, described in the work of Foucault, can be discussed in the light of the film It Wasn’t Love, which was directed by an American filmmaker, Sadie Benning. The story narrates about a teenage girl who had a fantasy of having a road trip pursuing her dream of freedom and glamorous Hollywood life. The girl is portrayed as a troubled young lesbian who has a fear that the society around her would not be able to understand her difference. One day, she meets a stranger and allows him to control her life, which results in the situation when she found herself on the road, in the middle of nowhere.
The main idea of the film It Wasn’t Love correlates with the thought of Foucault about the importance of confession for human beings. The girl is represented as a lost, sexually confused member of society, who does not have a chance to confess and demonstrate her difference. She has a fear that it will lead to troubles with parents and judgment from counterparts and teachers at school. The film can serve as a teaching tool, which shows the negative consequences of the inability of people to confess. In this case, it was not possible for the girl to produce truth and have a true discourse on sex, which was necessary for her.
As a result, it turned out that she was left alone in an empty place being confused and devastated. However, if she had a chance to overcome her fear and find the inner strength to confess, she might find some support, which would help her to avoid emotional disorder.
Therefore, it can be concluded that many philosophical ideas and academic works found their expression in the works of art. It is especially true for movies, which can both transfer philosophical ideas that are crucial for society and entertain spectators. In the frames of this essay, two quotations related to sexuality and the discourse on sex were discussed. It was revealed that sexuality is a socially constructed element of people’s lives and that the true discourse on sex is possible only when there is a confession, which is an integral part of the truth.