HW #10

Weekday class: Due Tuesday 5/20
Friday class: Due 5/21

Part 1:
“Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” Homework Questions

Read this essay and answer the following questions.

1.  What is “the myth” of the vaginal orgasm?  Who “created” this myth and what was the reasoning behind it?

2.  Do a little bit of research on Dr. Freud and his attitudes toward women.  Summarize your findings in 6-8 sentences (remember to cite any direct quotations!).

3.  Explain women’s role in keeping this myth “alive”.   Why do they do it?  What is at risk if this myth is perpetuated?

4.  Do you consider this essay “radical” in nature?  How do you think it was received when it was written?  What was going on the U.S. when this essay was published, (don’t know when it was published?  Find out!)

Part 2:
Please read: "Towards my personal Sex-Positive Feminist 101". 

Think about the following examples from the article.  Does the article "Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm" have any of the examples?  How? 

1) Desire is complicated, and people are different.

2)  Historically, sex has usually been defined in terms of two things: (a) reproduction, and (b) the sexual pleasure of stereotypical men.

3) Women are expected to trade sex to men in exchange for support or romance.

4) Since stereotypical men have historically been much freer to explore their sexuality than people of other genders, the desires of stereotypical men have formed the pattern for “liberated sexuality”.

5).  What do YOU think of "sex positive feminism"?