Sgt. Pepper, Irigaray

Ok, so wow. I just sat myself down in the library, and curled up in one of those big leather chairs thinking I was about to read some critical theory that I most likely wouldn't understand. Little did I know, I was about to read some soft porn. I actually had to look over my shoulder to make sure no one was close enough to see what I was reading.

So the fact that I was being shy about such a sexual text, does that prove Irigaray's point exactly? What I got out of his article "The Sex Which Is Not One" is that ultimately women are forced to act inferior to men. It's this hegemonic practice that dates back a long way. "For when "she" says something, it is already no longer identical to what she means. Moreover, her statements are never identical to anything" (257). I think this idea of women bowing down to men definitely surrounds us in society. In advertisements and other media sources, the "shy, sexy woman" can be found everywhere one looks. And this propaganda is so well put out there that people hardly notice their acceptance of it. For one to truly be numb to gender stratification, practices really need to be taught (or not taught) from birth because the second a child steps into a classroom, girls are expected to stay quiet and boys are excused simply because of the saying "boys will be boys." My CMC 100 teacher, Dr. Cavanaugh, is actually putting this method of teaching gender equality into practice with his toddler-aged son. He told us that he does not give his son just "boy" toys, but Dr. Cavanaugh and his wife make sure to show no favoritism toward what our society sees as "masculine."

Though while I do agree with Irigaray that gender stratification is a problem, it seemed a little extreme when he compared women to slaves in the last paragraph. Of course, as a woman, I believe in equal rights for men and women, but I don't think 100% equality is what we need. I think we're different for a reason, and should be able to embrace our femininity.