In Western culture, we have a very specific understanding as to what it means to be male and masculine, or at least in terms of societies definition of masculinity. In our culture, gender and sex are understood as different, but co-existent and complimentary. Gender and sex together are used to create ones gender ideology; their personal understanding of gender. Just as the female/feminine has been socially constructed and implemented through norms attitudes and beliefs, so have the ideas or expectations of the male, masculinity. Within our culture and society, we have created norms and expectations of what it is to be male. Strong, powerful, stoic and brave- these are all traits of masculinity that are not only important in western culture,
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Literature Review
Two resources I found when researching were: Sambia Sexual Culture: Essays from the Field, and Clinical Ethnography and Sexual Culture, both of which were written by Gilbert Herdt. In Clinical Ethnography and Sexual Culture, Herdt discusses the “constructs of sexual culture, clinical ethnography, and sexual subjectivity”, and mores specifically the problems that arise for Western communities when trying to understand sexual cultures of non-Western peoples ( Herdt; Clinical Ethnography, p. 100). In his work Sambia Sexual Culture, Herdt looks more closely at the sexuality as a cultural construct of the Sambia people, specifically focusing on the male/masculine and their rites of passage. His work is a collection of nine essays, which focus on gender, sexuality, homosexuality, and ideologies of both Western and Sambian culture (Herdt; Sambia Sexual Culture, p.2). Herdt’s writings focus specifically on the initiation and rite of passage into manhood. He states that the ways in which we view Sambian culture and rites of passage are created by the ways in which we define sexual culture, and that how the Sambia conceptualize their reality is …show more content…
In the movie, Guardian of the Flutes, individuals recounting their experiences of performing felatio expressed their dislike for the act, and the shame that they felt (Herdt; film). But the movie failed to address their understanding of the act, other than their dislike of it. They were not asked if they felt the act was necessary or important, only how they felt about it. There are many things in our lives that we do not enjoy doing, but do because we feel it is necessary or important. In a westernized society, our views of these acts would be that they are exploitative, but that is because of our understanding of sexuality. Sexual acts of the men are not supposed to be an enjoyable experience, but are to be done to ensure the survival of their society through reproduction. This is not to say that they do not enjoy them when they are occurring- but the act itself isn’t done out of desire for pleasure. Sambia men are fearful of being in close quarters with their wives as they are polluted and will deplete their strength, which is needed for battle(Herdt; Sambia Sexuality…p.9). The sexual culture of the Sambia does not include ideas of romance, kissing, or sexual deviance as a form of eroticism (Herdt; Sambia Sexuality…p.4). Sex is viewed as a natural urge that needs to be satisfied, but that
Literature Review
Two resources I found when researching were: Sambia Sexual Culture: Essays from the Field, and Clinical Ethnography and Sexual Culture, both of which were written by Gilbert Herdt. In Clinical Ethnography and Sexual Culture, Herdt discusses the “constructs of sexual culture, clinical ethnography, and sexual subjectivity”, and mores specifically the problems that arise for Western communities when trying to understand sexual cultures of non-Western peoples ( Herdt; Clinical Ethnography, p. 100). In his work Sambia Sexual Culture, Herdt looks more closely at the sexuality as a cultural construct of the Sambia people, specifically focusing on the male/masculine and their rites of passage. His work is a collection of nine essays, which focus on gender, sexuality, homosexuality, and ideologies of both Western and Sambian culture (Herdt; Sambia Sexual Culture, p.2). Herdt’s writings focus specifically on the initiation and rite of passage into manhood. He states that the ways in which we view Sambian culture and rites of passage are created by the ways in which we define sexual culture, and that how the Sambia conceptualize their reality is …show more content…
In the movie, Guardian of the Flutes, individuals recounting their experiences of performing felatio expressed their dislike for the act, and the shame that they felt (Herdt; film). But the movie failed to address their understanding of the act, other than their dislike of it. They were not asked if they felt the act was necessary or important, only how they felt about it. There are many things in our lives that we do not enjoy doing, but do because we feel it is necessary or important. In a westernized society, our views of these acts would be that they are exploitative, but that is because of our understanding of sexuality. Sexual acts of the men are not supposed to be an enjoyable experience, but are to be done to ensure the survival of their society through reproduction. This is not to say that they do not enjoy them when they are occurring- but the act itself isn’t done out of desire for pleasure. Sambia men are fearful of being in close quarters with their wives as they are polluted and will deplete their strength, which is needed for battle(Herdt; Sambia Sexuality…p.9). The sexual culture of the Sambia does not include ideas of romance, kissing, or sexual deviance as a form of eroticism (Herdt; Sambia Sexuality…p.4). Sex is viewed as a natural urge that needs to be satisfied, but that