Contemporary Issues in Sexuality Discussion Group

• Starts: Wednesday, 23 May 2001, 7:00-9:00pm
• Location: Asia Room (3rd floor), International Students Centre--University of Toronto, 33 St. George
• Contact: dee@anarchistu.org

10 week course plan

• All Readings are available online from blogs, ezines, internet newspapers, etc.
• Some readings are very long. Selected (shortened) passages from the online articles can be printed and handed out upon request.
• A donation to cover printing costs is appreciated.
• To save the environment, you can also email deeluvskitties@yahoo.com, and I will send you the selections by email instead of printing them out.

Week 1 - The "F" Word:

Post-Feminism Feminism

Readings:

1. excerpt from "Feminist Movement" in Solidly Average: http://niobium.tormentid.com/?p=624
2. excerpt from "The F-Word, Revisited" in Persephone’s Box: http://persephonesboxblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/f-word-revisited.html
3. excerpt from "The Feminist Blame Game" in theage.com.au: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Opinion/The-feminist-blame-game/2005/05/15/1116095850952.html

Pre-Reading Questions:

• Why has feminism become a 4-letter word?
• Is there another word that would be better to use? (i.e. "humanist")

Week 2 - Trans(gressing how we "do")-Gender

Problematizing how Trans-people Appropriate Gender Roles

Readings:

1. excerpt from "Welcome to the Transsexual Age" in Village Voice: http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0121,vincent,24911,15.html
   1. exert from Sara Says: http://www.sarahdopp.com/blog/index.php?title=how_transgender_folk_are_fixing_an_age_o&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
2. "Rethinking Sex and Gender" in Press for Change: http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/261
3. "Mutilation won’t make a man a woman: Why we shouldn’t endorse sex changes" in The Guardian: http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/832

Pre-Reading Questions:

• "Sexuality" is often considered anatomy, hormones, physiology, while "gender" has been thought of as a socially-constructed status achieved through psychological, social, cultural means. What do you think about this? How do you think people "do" gender?
• How is "doing" gender problematic? When trans-people choose to "do" gender, do they work to keep gender norms in place?
• What are the two sides of the sex reassignment surgery debate?

Week 3 - Is Porn Cock-Blocking Feminism?

An Introduction to Sex Work & Feminism

Readings:

1. excerpts from BUST magazine online forum: http://www.bust.com/lounge/index.php?showtopic=52087&mode=linearplus

Pre-Reading Questions:

• What is empowerment?
• Can "consensual" sex work be empowering?
• If it can be argued that sex work can empower some women, does that mean sex work and feminism can exist harmoniously? How?

Week 4 - Fucking, Fighting & Football: Is there More to Life Than This?

Men, Maleness & Masculinity

Readings:

1. excerpt from "Men in Skirts" in Persephone's Box: http://www.persephonesboxblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/men-in-skirts.html
2. "Fuck Football" in Gettingit.com: http://www.gettingit.com/article/384
3. excerpt from Men's Rights Group, CanLaw^?.com: http://www.canlaw.com/rights/menright.htm
4. excerpt from National Center for Men's Voluntary Fatherhood

   Project

   http://www.nas.com/c4m/

Pre-Reading Questions:

• In what ways are men disadvantaged by gender socialization?

Week 5 - Sexuality in Pop Culture: Why are Women Looking More and More Like Drag Queens?

Readings:

1. tba (informed by my Master's research. I hope!)

Pre-Reading Questions:

• tba

Week 6 - Talk Dirty to Me

ifeminism, "Pro-sex" feminism & (More!) Porn

Readings:

1. "The feminist and the Porn" in Campus Progress: http://www.campusprogress.org/page/community/post/FEM/CQ7J
2. "Introduction to the ifeminist Perspective" in

   ifeminists.com

   http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/

3. tba

Pre-Reading Questions:

• How is ifeminism different from other kinds of feminism? Do you think it is useful for women to support independence-feminism?

Week 7 - Get Yer Kink On!

Readings:

1. excerpt from "Sex for Memes' Sake" in 10 Zen Monkeys: http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/1999/08/04/sex-for-memes-sake/
2. tba
3. tba

Pre Reading Questions:

• What psychological or evolutionary role could having unconventional sexual desires fulfill?

Week 8 - Selected Topics in Pop Culture & Sexuality I

A Discussion about Neil Strauss' "The Game,"

Readings:

1. excerpt from "Downfall of the Seducer" in 10 Zen Monkeys: http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/09/13/downfall-seducer/
2. "Using Women's Autopilot to Get Them Hot" in Ross Jeffries Uncensored: http://www.seduction.com/blog/2006/03/using-womens-autopilot-to-get-them-hot.htm
3. excerpt from "Q & A with author Neil Strauss" in Macleans.ca: http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20050829_111329_111329
4. excerpt from "Ahead of the Game" in SFGate.com: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/25/LVGPHEQA941.DTL

Pre-Reading Questions:

• Would seduction techniques similar to Strauss' and Jeffries work if women did them to men? Would they apply to same-sex seduction?

Week 9 - Selected Topics in Pop Culture & Sexuality II

Readings:

1. tba (topics and readings selected by participants, and presentations may be an option)
2. tba
3. tba

Pre-Reading Questions:

• tba

Week 10 - Selected Topics in Pop Culture & Sexuality III

Readings:

1. tba
2. tba
3. tba

Pre-Reading Questions:

• tba