For this week’s class we are discussing Xenofeminism.org which is a website led by an anonymous group of people. The post-modern movement of xenofeminsim focuses on the advancements of technology, on gender abolition, on feminist emancipation, on societal alienation and on anti-naturalism. When you go to the website, the first thing that you see is a post:
“I Wore a Music-Activated Vibrator to the Club Instead of Doing Drugs”
– I had more orgasms than you had last weekend.
Interestingly, the concept of doing drugs while going to a dance club is replaced by the concept of having orgasms. What does this say about the ‘feminist movement’? When comparing drugs to orgasms, does this obscure or highlight the relationship a femaled body could have over their pleasure autonomy? What are some of the liberal OR progressive qualities of having sexual pleasure in a public environment by way of a technological apparatus (a vibrator)?
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I think this device is really creative for cis-females to regain control over themselves in a patriarchal society. Taking drugs allows something else to take control over them while they make themselves vulnerable to the people around them. This device is self-control and self-pleasuring while leaving the person vulnerable only to themselves. Although, I wonder, why can’t this device not be for cis-males as well. Doing such probably keep many individuals looking towards others for quick pleasure as well. As living in a patriarchal society, perhaps this will keep many people from being inappropriately touched.
There’s a silly scene in the not great movie ‘The Ugly Truth’ where the female lead wears a remote-controlled vibrator to a group dinner and the male lead has the remote and the control in the palm of his hand. I do think it can be liberal, but when another person is controlling the device, some of that freedom goes away. In this case mentioned, I do see it as an example of feminist liberalism. Comparing orgasms to drug use is interesting. I think I see it as highlighting a woman being empowered in the pleasure of her body. Drug and alcohol use is more often done in person rather than in private. These bring heightened sense of pleasure to users when done safely, so why not add orgasms to that. Although I will say… there’s a correct time and a place for all of these things when done in public 🙂
Niccole, Thank you for sharing this post. Amanda, I thought of the same movie/scene with this vibrator. I also wonder if the choice falls in the decision to wear the devise and not necessarily what comes after. I am thinking of the comparison to drugs that the author makes, even with drugs the control is in the choice to take the drugs, and then that control diminishes.
I am reminded of the scene in Tootsie where Teri Garr talks about how’s she’s responsible for her own orgasms. (Of course she’s a mess, but at least she knows what she’s supposed to want/be in control of). The concept of taking back sexual control from the patriarchy has been around for a long time. I think this idea of taking a vibrator to a club is an interesting twist on the old troupe. It still focuses on pleasure, but shifts the locus of control and type of pleasure. I’m not sure it’s actually more feminist, though.