To be a woman is to be simultaneously hypersexualized and shamed for the sexualization. It is to be called a “prude” if it is rejected while also being called a “whore” if it used as a source of empowerment. There is no middle ground because this sexualization does not stem from women, but from men. Patriarchal power has continually forced upon women what they believe a woman should be, which often is the opposite of man. Femininity is considered to be bipolar of the masculine, so they assume that to be a woman is to lack male desires and characteristics. While sex is, in fact, a primal, animalistic need that stems from the goal of reproduction and is physiologically driven, it is still a belief that women are not inherently sexual. Religious
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In modern day, hysteria is still an idea that the patriarch contributes to women, but the term was replaced with crazy, psychotic, and neurotic. Women have fought to regain their agency and teach that female sexuality and desire is simply human sexuality and desire, and while the message has in theory been accepted, in practice there is still much push back. Any woman could attest to the demeaning words coined for women when they are empowered in their bodies and sexuality. Words such as ‘slut, ' ‘whore, ' and ‘bitch’ are even said to women for rejecting male advances. Chris Kraus, in her work, I Love Dick, shows how female sexuality today still causes of dissonance. Kraus gives evidence that men still demean women and unfortunately women often internalize the message through writing “this presumes that there’s something inherently grotesque, unspeakable, about femaleness, desire” (P138), “cause shame was what we always felt, me and all my girlfriend, for expecting sex to breed complicity” (P. 169), and “all acts of sex were forms of degradation” (p178). Masculine power still represses and devalues women in the 21st Century, but it is not just in regards to sexuality anymore, it is also seen in the manner that women are shamed for simply being. Hysteria is recognized by the physical symptoms, but today women are not at liberty to be so transparent in their anguish; they would immediately be called crazy. While the female body is hypersexualized, the female mind is vilified. If a woman asks a man too many questions, or is too involved with him, or is too invested in him, or shows that she is vulnerable she is called needy or psychotic. If a man does the same to a woman, society says he is only showing her he cares. The traits that were once considered favorable in a female partner are now used against them. Even so, if a woman demands respect or
In modern day, hysteria is still an idea that the patriarch contributes to women, but the term was replaced with crazy, psychotic, and neurotic. Women have fought to regain their agency and teach that female sexuality and desire is simply human sexuality and desire, and while the message has in theory been accepted, in practice there is still much push back. Any woman could attest to the demeaning words coined for women when they are empowered in their bodies and sexuality. Words such as ‘slut, ' ‘whore, ' and ‘bitch’ are even said to women for rejecting male advances. Chris Kraus, in her work, I Love Dick, shows how female sexuality today still causes of dissonance. Kraus gives evidence that men still demean women and unfortunately women often internalize the message through writing “this presumes that there’s something inherently grotesque, unspeakable, about femaleness, desire” (P138), “cause shame was what we always felt, me and all my girlfriend, for expecting sex to breed complicity” (P. 169), and “all acts of sex were forms of degradation” (p178). Masculine power still represses and devalues women in the 21st Century, but it is not just in regards to sexuality anymore, it is also seen in the manner that women are shamed for simply being. Hysteria is recognized by the physical symptoms, but today women are not at liberty to be so transparent in their anguish; they would immediately be called crazy. While the female body is hypersexualized, the female mind is vilified. If a woman asks a man too many questions, or is too involved with him, or is too invested in him, or shows that she is vulnerable she is called needy or psychotic. If a man does the same to a woman, society says he is only showing her he cares. The traits that were once considered favorable in a female partner are now used against them. Even so, if a woman demands respect or