Rico72, Cixous

"We have turned away from our bodies. Shamefully we have been taught to be unaware of them, to lash them with stupid modesty; we've been tricked into a fool's bargain: each one is to love the other sex. I'll give you your body and you will give me mine."


Well I was at least glad to see I wasn't the only one who was slightly lost. When reading this I started to think about how our society functions today. The quote can be related to homophobia in our society today. From the moment we are born, we are expected to pursue the opposite sex, and if we are attracted to the same sex, some people feel the need to make you feel like an outcast. The debate has gone on for years whether it is "normal" for someone to be gay. Religion always preaches that two men can not be married, and should not be together. Gay marriage is still illegal in states who "believe" in equal rights. People define marriage as love between a man and a woman. Why is this?

During my freshman year I did a semester long report on the subculture that follows The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I attended several live screenings that were shown every other weekend at a nearby movie theatre. I don't think I have ever been in a more sexually charged environment with me being the minority as a straight male. Everyone would dance with one another, and it even got to the point of some eating Twinkies off other peoples stomachs/chests. It was a different experience to say the least.

However, it was amazing to see just how comfortable everyone was with everything. No one was judging one another, they were simply having fun. It didn't matter whether you were straight, bi, or gay because everyone was comfortable with their own bodies. I was slightly envious in the sense that I wish I could be free of everything I was taught about what it means to be straight. I'm not saying I want to eat a twinkie off of some strangers stomach, but instead live in a society where people love their bodies and can live with out fear of being an "other." What would the world be like if everyone could be as open and free as those who participate at the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Would we still look down on gay, bisexual, and lesbians or instead embrace them?