Sexual Difference/ Philosophy/ Religion

The readings assigned definitely required a bit more attention than usual. At first I believed that the authors were quite ambiguous about their specific goals and interests. However, after reading each text a several times, the themes became more apparent. Helene Cixous’s “New French Feminism” and Luce Irigaray’s “Sexual Difference” perceive to contain similar interests. They both discuss the origin of gender/sexuality and also dwell into philosophical matters.

In Luce Irigaray’s “Sexual Difference” she states that “It is man who has been the subject of discourse, whether in the field of theory, morality or politics. And the gender of God, the guardian of every subject and discourse, is always paternal and masculine in the West. For women, there remain the so-called minor art-forms: cooking, knitting, sewing, and embroidery; and in exceptional cases, poetry, painting and music.” Perhaps religion plays a major role in our society and it surely can shape the way society views gender. Men automatically receive the upper hand due to the fact that the mightiest being, God, is viewed as paternal and masculine. Most individuals, from the time of birth until death, are exposed to religion quite excessively. It eventually becomes a natural aspect.

She then continues by stating that philosophy claims that “Time becomes interior to the subject, and space exterior.” Perhaps women are space and men are time. Time becomes interior more specifically natural and innate. Perhaps being a man is more commonly natural than being a woman. Additionally, it is more accepting when men exercise their rights. On the other hand, it will take more time for women to exercise equivalent rights due to the fact that they are exterior, more specifically unnatural aspects that dwell in this world. Since perceived as unnatural, an intellectual revolution is necessary in order to upgrade the status of women to natural. What is an intellectual revolution? An intellectual revolution consists of the modification of “thoughts and ethics”, more precisely religion and philosophy. Once these aspects are altered, women can be also viewed as interior and time. However, how can religion be modified? How can a God created aspect be altered? Since philosophy is man made, it can be altered effortlessly but when it comes to religion only time can tell.