The Diplomat
let’s talk about sex
spring 2017
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maastricht’s best kept secrets feminism’s new formation maastricht syndrome not just sex: nudity as a form of protest the equality champions from the far north
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sex in western literature “Are you 18?� beyond the binaries social-killer: sex unsa Agony Aunt
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From the Editor Sex! - when I first heard the idea of making the whole Spring Edition of The Diplomat revolve around this concept, I approached it as a rather unsophisticated and eccentric proposal. We are the voice of the United Nations Student Association, therefore, a theme of our magazine should somehow relate to the most important global issues of the world we live in, I was thinking. So I asked a question - what would we even write about if it was a theme? And there it was, suddenly it turned out that if we approach the word “sex” in the same way as we previously approached the word “post-truth” back in the Winter Edition, suddenly there is a myriad of amazing topics current as any others. We might have even hit the jackpot for the second time in a row. While recent political events around the world may contradict this statement, we live in the world of growing tolerance. Whether in the United States, the Netherlands or especially in Poland where I come from, every generation seems to bring more and more diversity to the society. And with real diversity comes the freedom to decide one’s fate. This is why today the word “sex” is as important as never before. You may be a feminist who fights for gender equality. You may be a transgender battling for your recognition or a revolutionary using your body to protest. You may as well be a local student suffering from Maastricht Syndrome. Either way, the word “sex” is important to you, as it is to the society. This is why I consider this issue of The Diplomat to be one of the most diversified ever and this is why I recommend you a lecture of the magazine you are holding in your hands – you will surely find something for yourself among many amazing articles that we prepared. Enjoy!
Jakub Biernacki
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Maastricht’s best kept secrets March has rolled around and spring has finally sprung, bringing the glorious city of Maastricht the first rays of sunshine, the birds, the bees and, perhaps most prominently, heightened student libidos. For its sex-themed edition, The Diplomat briefly considered providing you, dear readers, with a list of original hook-up spots, not being the library’s suppliance room, to do it like they do on the Discovery Channel. However, in fear of being accused of aiding and abetting public indecency, we decided to support your spring awakening by opting for a slightly more discrete approach, and hook you up (get it?) with an indefinite list of cool hubs for that first Tinder-date, to meet that insanely good-looking person you found through the Spotted page, or to take your long-time partner the morning after some action. Enjoy ‘Maastricht’s best kept secrets’, the rubric under which we help you explore our beloved city’s hidden gems and upcoming hotspots.
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KafeThéa This brand new coffee bar offers organic break-
fast, lunch and other vegan bites, as well as a relaxed environment to get some studying done. Not as crowded as Alley Cat (yet), so ideal for that awkward first coffee date, as chances you run into some vague acquaintance are blissfully low. Mariastraat 6
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Lize De Potter Trader’s Pop
It is a truth universally acknowledged that first dates are a special level of awkward. Thankfully, you can take some of the stress away by at least making sure you look and feel your best. So stop by Trader’s Pop, one of the coolest clothing stores Maastricht has to offer, and treat yourself to a new outfit. Both vintage and new, for him and for her, classy or cool, … Successful shopping is guaranteed. Heggenstraat 16
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Sushi Centre
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Planning on some Netflix and chill and not leaving your room, or let’s face it, bed, all day? Order in some ridiculously delicious sushi from Sushi Centre, kick back and relax! Hoenderstraat 13a
TEFAF
Once a year, the MECC opens its doors to the world’s top art dealers and experts, who fly in from across the globe just to attend this famed one-week event. Tickets are high, undoubtedly taking an enormous bite out of your meagre student budget, but well worth it, as TEFAF prides itself in displaying works from the most celebrated artists to ‘inspire lovers and buyers of art everywhere’. Why not take your long-time guy- or girlfriend for a decadent date? 10-19 March, MECC Maastricht
Museumnacht Maastricht
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TEFAF too expensive or uptight? Then Museumnacht might be more up your alley. 1 night, 13 different art venues. Enjoy the wide range of expositions, workshops, concerts and exclusive tours with a single, very reasonably priced, ticket. 21h – 01h 7 April, various locations
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Feminism’s New Formation The first wave began with the Suffragettes, Suffragists and (maybe) with John Stuart Mill, the second wave brought unshaven armpits, flaming bras and Gloria Steinem. Now the third wave has arrived, and some claim it is Beyoncé Carter-Knowles, one of the most powerful female entertainers in the world, that is leading the way, like Lady Liberty leading the French revolutionaries into a better world. Beyoncé is the epitome of Black Girl Magic, a successful singer and producer who is not afraid to show off her sexuality that she has claimed control over. However, this is where opinions divide; as Beyoncé proclaims that it is girls who run the world, a main focus of her performances are the sexual dancing and costumes, and this seems to be a contradiction of what feminism means for many contemporary commenters. Of course, there are critics claiming that Beyoncé would only truly be a feminist if she was successful while “leaving her clothes on”, since women’s sexuality should not only be kept from exploitation by others, but since women themselves carry a responsibility for presenting themselves in a non-sexual way on order to be taken serious (a particularly difficult task viewing what men can interpret as sexual, seriously). This criticism is very constructive in revealing a prevailing misogynistic pattern of blaming women for their discrimination, but other than that, it can hardly be called a valid feminist argument.
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The discussion began during Beyoncé’s performance of “FLAWLESS” at the 2014 MTV VMAs, a song that describes women claiming back their sexuality from men and using it any way they please, the sexy performance all unfolded in front of a massive lit “FEMINIST” sign. Beyoncé claimed she did not want to make an abrupt political statement, but she wanted to clarify the meaning of feminism and get rid of the negative connotations it carries, but, many were quick to point out the problems that women, especially black women, have when it comes to the sexualisation of their bodies. We all see pictures of half-naked women used to advertise certain products, or as “decoration” in the background of music videos and movies, so why is it any different when they are the supporting act in a Beyoncé music video?
Lena Bunselmeyer
Fiona O’Hara
It has been argued that Beyoncé’s presentation still depicts the “male gaze”, meaning a performance of sexuality which is not authentic to the woman herself, but which instead replicates and projects male fantasies onto her that are objectifying and reassuring men’s power position, and thereby inherently sexist. It is said that the male gaze can most times be identified as such by one simple thought experiment: Would the thing be ridiculous if there was a man instead of a woman in it? This question has not only created a set of hilarious fake commercials, but it could also be used to prove a point regarding music videos such as “Partition”. Then again, the latter song in particular is said to be about a strip club visit in France, therefore rather representing Beyoncé’s gaze at the strippers. In addition, the question of how far men’s and women’s candid expressions of sexuality are different by nature or just created through a sexist view of women, is yet to be answered. The debate re-emerged with the release of Beyoncé’s ground-breaking visual album Lemonade, which depicts her struggle with her husband’s infidelity, and celebrates black culture in America. While most of us were completely mesmerised, it certainly got people talking, both celebrating and condemning. One condemnation came from famous and celebrated author and black feminist Bell Hooks, who’s scathing critique of Lemonade included, amongst other things, the one-dimensional portrayal of black women as the constant victim. Hooks has also criticised the focus on sexual liberation and body positivity, calling this the commodification of bodies and believing the focus should be on female empowerment through un-aesthetic measures. No matter the intent Beyoncé had in her visual album, black women are still used to sell her story, they help boost her success and bring in the money. Similarly, there has been uproar about Chimamanda Adichie’s statement on Beyoncé’s feminism, especially since Beyoncé extensively used quotes from Adichie’s speech “We should all be feminists”. Adichie said: “Her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men. I think men are lovely, but I don’t think that women should relate everything they do to men.
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Did he hurt me? Do I forgive him? Did he put a ring on my finger? We women are so conditioned to relate everything to men.” As Hooks criticism, Adichie is about where the focus in activism should lie, and both criticisms are certainly to some extent valid arguments from the point of view of someone who finds sexualized images of women tiring whether or not they depict it from a male or a female perspective, just because one is constantly flooded with them. However, Adichie has equally made remarks supporting the argument that the aforementioned criticisms are more of a concern for white women, since black women are way more frequently attacked for displaying their sexuality than white women. This is why it is widely acknowledged that, despite the difficulty of assessing in which ways display of sexualized images and performances is helping or harmful, Beyoncé’s style of activism is exactly the type of liberation that was needed for black women in America. Of course, views criticizing Beyoncé’s feminism or claims that she is not really supporting this cause have been met with vicious backlash (I wouldn’t mess with the Beehive, that would be signing your own death warrant). Many are pointing out that the message Beyoncé is putting out into the world is one of empowerment, the power and ability to be comfortable and confident in your own skin, whether you want to flaunt it or not, and not be judged for it.
We can all agree that the question whether Beyoncé is “really a feminist” can be discarded with - as Beyoncé herself declared in Adichie’s words, a feminist is a person who beliefs in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes. Nothing more and nothing less than that. We also need to acknowledge that feminism can look different for women depending on age, sexuality, or race. Women can have different styles for activism and both bring forward the feminist idea. Words used by the Queen Bee herself in “FLAWLESS”: “women are taught that we cannot be the sexual beings then men are.” There should be nothing wrong with presenting yourself in a sexual way, as long as they are in control. But at the end of the day, the question remains: In a male dominated industry like the media, how much control do artists really have when it comes towards their own presentation? Record companies know that sex sells, so would happily encourage women to sexualise themselves, whether they believe it is empowering or not. Plus, empowered female artists who enjoy a sexual image are making the male CEOs of the big record companies very very rich, this sexual empowerment is still keeping the men on top of the glass ceiling and dressing them in solid gold. This is thereby the last thing we can definitely settle upon: It is a huge success that the Queen herself has made the word “feminist” her own, but yet, we can see all around that there is much more to be done.
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Maastricht Syndrome Paddy Bruell I am the reason for your despair, And for the your unfocused mind, thanks to me people stop and stare, Whenever it’s a hot person they find.
This of course excludes FASOS, Because as we all know, The work there never gets done, It’s all parties, games and fun.
I am present in your studies, And make the deadlines close in, But your mind is elsewhere, So all work ends in the bin.
Another reason are the people, Tall, short, fat and thin, No matter who walks by, You never fancy her or him.
To say that I am not real, Is simply not true. You will all come to fear me, Like countless others before you.
Excuses and complaints, That is all that’s ever heard, From the students living in Maasi, Cause no-one looks good enough. Word.
Yes, I have claimed many victims, All of them brave and young, None have withstood me, Eventually they all succumb.
‘Too much this’ or ‘too little that’, you’ll gossip to your mate, as you sigh with deep frustration, ‘de Alla’ suddenly seems great.
There are many different things, that can enable my life. But no matter the original reason, In the end, I will cause strive.
And it is all thanks to me, That Tinder does so well. To escape that deep frustration, That all of you need to quell.
Work is one such reason, All of you work so long. So once the day is over, All the energy is gone.
Now, none of what was said here, Is in any way real or true, But this is how you perceive me, When I come and haunt you. Sincerely yours, THE MAASTRICHT SYNDROME
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Not just sex: nudity as a form of protest
Gaia Lisi The female body. Society gradually built its objectification over the past years, and even figures of power (no reference needed) contribute to the continuous association of the female body with sex. The feminine figure is portrayed in commercials, magazine spreads and other forms of advertising primarily as an object of male sexual desire, rather than for what it simply is: flesh and bones. Following this perception of women’s bodies, society largely disregards one fundamental aspect of exposing your unveiled body and freeing yourself of all constraints: nudity is not only sex. Nudity is freedom. Undressing has recently gained popularity in demonstrations. From the protests following the Brexit in June to the marches organized after the US elections in November, women protesters have chosen the act of undressing themselves as a banner for their message. When 100 semi-naked protesters marched towards the Trump Tower on the 19th of November after the results of the elections came out, some exposed their naked torsos and bodies in protest against the objectification of the female body, thereby showing their dissent against the new administration. By doing so, protesters make
use of a power nobody can deprive them of. In such way, undressing does not amount to the mere act of removing clothes, but stands as a powerful gesture that perfectly expresses the shift from compliance to defiance. These recent examples flow from a long history of naked demonstrations. One that stands among all is the way in which nudity was remarkably employed by Femen, a Ukrainian women’s movement that mostly fights against sex industry, pornography, prostitution and macho culture. Its mission is specifically aimed at preventing women from being stripped of the ownership they hold on their own bodies and from being viewed primarily as an object of sexual desire, rather than human beings. These protesters exploit the power of nudity to counteract the ornamental and sexual perception of female nakedness. To view their movement as a desire to show off their naked bodies would amount to a deep misunderstanding of their mission. Contrarily, by undressing and exposing their breasts, they finally attract the attention they seek. Nudity increases the impact of the demonstration and steers the attention of who observes it towards the importance of the issues for which they fight. Their body will then be looked at not as a passive, erotic object, but as a political tool, a weapon to fight against the patriarchal culture in a mostly male dominated society.
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But what pushes women activists to are direct reactions to extreme threats or inundress themselves and go topless to justices. They draw anyone’s attention, from passers-by to abusers and politicians alike. protest? The significance of women’s nude protests is multifaceted. Bare-breasted protests are intended to ridicule mostly male voyeurism. Another aim consists in providing a new meaning to the nude female: a political tool instead of a sex object. The very act of disrobing in public, even partially, is a metaphor for vulnerability, the cry for help of people who have nothing left to lose, but also for power, the expression of the force of female nakedness. This is how stripping became a two-folded symbol: the exposure of the female vulnerability and simultaneously the demonstration of the female strength.
Nude protests make people talk, for good or bad, forcing them to observe the clash between their cultural habits and nudity. When Femen protesters first demonstrated in 2008, they dressed provocatively, but did not show their breasts. However, when one of them decided on a whim to demonstrate topless in Kiev in the same year, Femen became aware of the media attention that nudity could garner and have not stopped protesting topless ever since. However, this type of naked protests works so long as the message gets more attention than the flesh. In a time when television and media are saturated with nudity, some predict that the naked body may soon lose its power. Others predict that media interest in protests by topless feminists and activists will wane.
Nude protests additionally undermine the solid patriarchal cultural norms surrounding women’s bodies. By being naked in public on their own terms, outside of the sanctioned public cultural displays, television programmes, movies, art, or situations of sexual violence, women reclaim ownership That seems unlikely, at least in the contemporary United States, where the latest elecand power over their bodies. tion set in motion a general fear that the The high shock that nude protests generate current administration will neglect women’s within society stems both from a multitude rights. The reaction of feminist movements of cultures based on hiding nudity in daily makes us think that naked protest can raplife and from the understanding that they idly regain relevance.
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The equality champions from the far North Why Scandinavia is not only world champion in making Knäckebröd but also in gender equality.
Kristina Haarbeck It is undeniable: in every tutorial you find that one nerd who fully got the literature, is perfectly prepared and just seems to have their life sorted out. Comparing the world to a tutorial in the course “Gender Equality” the Nordic countries would clearly take over that nerd role. Take a guess who was first in the Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum in 2016? Right, it was a Viking country. Iceland on top, followed by Finland, Norway and Sweden. Just as with the tutorial nerds, one is come over by that big question: How do they do that? Why is gender equality working so well in Scandinavia and stagnating in the rest of Europe? Scandinavian history of gender equality starts in the early 20th century when Nordic countries were one of the first to introduce women’s suffrage. The early inclusion of women into politics smoothed out the path for a women-supporting policy in the subsequent years. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Nordics developed welfare states that form today´s base for gender equality´s success. Today, political inclusion of women seems to work flawlessly: in all Nordic countries the percentage of women in the parliament lies at around 50 % and Denmark and Norway are currently run by a female prime minister. Considering academic education, the gender gap has even been reversed in Scandinavia as more women than men are studying. However, it is not only equality in politics and education but in particular equality in working life that forms the bastion for fairness between genders in Scandinavia. It seems as if the north has always been one step ahead of the rest of Europe in that field. While some European countries – amongst others Germany – could only recently bring themselves to introduce a gender quota for company boards, Norway laid down a quota that demanded 40 % women in boards already in 2003 and reached this goal by 2008.
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Although gender quotas´ effectiveness and justifiability are well disputed in Scandinavia it cannot be denied that they clearly stimulated gender equality. The introduction of quotas gave women in Scandinavia the opportunity to show everyone that they were equally capable of taking over leadership roles – long before the discussion on gender quotas had even picked up speed in the rest of Europe. In the Nordic countries working moms are considered to be more than normal. On the contrary, a mom that is not participating in work life in order to follow on her role as a housewife is rather frowned at. Scandinavia takes over an exemplary function when it comes to achieving a work-family balance: Kindergartens are accessible for everyone, flexibility in working hours is widespread and in case of sickness of children, parents may stay at home for a limited time period. Sounds all like a pretty nice Bullerby idyll, doesn´t it? However, not everything is rosy in Scandinavia either. Legislation could for instance not manage to fully remove a certain income gap between men and women yet. Moreover, gender-specific job sectors are still existent: men become engineers and go into the private business sector while women rather become nurses and stay on the apparently safe side by working in the public sector. The majority of the society is open about the topic sexuality. However, there can still be observed a generational gap and some taboos when it comes to this issue. Scandinavia is no utopia and it would be presumptuous to believe that Europe´s north is the “equality heaven on earth”. However, the Nordic countries have one clear advantage over the rest of Europe: gender equality has become part of their culture and self-image. While other countries are still stuck at that point of discussing if there is a necessity of a gender equality debate there seems no doubt about that in the Nordic countries. Scandinavians are conscious about the social value of gender equality. That again forms the basis for an open discussion on measures to be taken in order to push forward improvements. The Nordic mentality centers around one principle called the “Law of Jante” that was introduced by the Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sandermose. It states that you as an individual should not think you are better than others. We are all the same. That is the spirit of Scandinavian mentality. There should not be any emphasis on individual success but on the collective. All for one and one for all. Social justice and balance are seen as the community´s pillars built on a fundament of trust. Trust in that what the law says is right, trust in politics and trust in that everyone is equally determined to fulfill his or her social duties. It is that attitude that makes the unique success of gender equality possible in Scandinavia. There is not only awareness of the existing problems but also a certain will to take initiative and create improvements. The needed motivation is gained from the way Scandinavians see themselves.
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On the contrary, the debate on gender equality seems to have lost its driving power in the rest of Europe. It seems as if people would have come to terms with unfair treatment of women on the job market, with huge income differences and discriminating against single-moms. That is simply how it is – seems to be common sense. Various attempts to remove obstacles for women have not succeeded and no real efforts have been made to break up old structures. What seems to be missing is determination. It should be made sure that all citizens are on the same page when it comes to the debate on gender equality. Emancipation is not about hating men, it is not about forcing men to do the laundry and women to repair cars and it is not about driving men out of their leading positions. Emancipation is about equality in opportunities. Undoubetedly, there is a need for the debate on the effectiveness and meaningfulness on specific policies. However, for having that discussion openness and a common social consciousness about the significance of gender equality are needed first. Obviously, the society in other European countries is not as homogenous as in Iceland. Not all countries have an immense wealth at their disposal as Norway has in order to support families. Clearly, the Danish population has a much clearer structure then the French one. The rest of Europe cannot just become like Scandinavia by copying their legislation. Nevertheless, Europe should take the Nordic countries as an example of how gender equality can develop to a part of society´s identity. Culture is not fixed. Let´s make gender equality part of our culture!
Sex in Western Literature
Tara Kuijpers Of course, 50 Shades of Grey comes to mind, with the trilogy having been such a hit that it surpassed even the Harry Potter series in sales. How did literature come to a point where BDSM could be an integral part of a book, without it being shunned or banned, and instead acclaimed, even turned into three movies? How has the theme of sex evolved in literature to allow for this? There are three distinct literary devices to describe sex. The first is by simply alluding to sex, implying it through the use of other words or symbolisms, remaining nondescript as it were. An example is Howard’s End by E. M. Forster in 1910, where the protagonist is said to get married and later is seen pregnant, implying sex has occurred. The second is a concise mention of the act, simply stating that sex or a sexual act has taken place, such as in Shakespeare’s Othello in 1603, or Rabelais’ Gargantua and Pantagruel in 1532, where in both cases the characters are said to be “making the beast with two backs”. Here, sex is described in a freer, fuller manner. The third type is the elaborate description of the acts, such as in the Bible, Genesis, 38:7-10(3), or as in the earlier mentioned trilogy. Interestingly, the Bible itself contains all three types of writing, such as this example of type two: “There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission like that of horses.” (Ezekiel 23 : 20). In Ancient Greece and Rome, erotic writing was normal, and varied between hetero, homo, lesbian and multiple person sex, incest, adultery and rape. The probable reason for the large variety is greater freedom to write and say whatever pleased the author. The writing usually tends to be rather of the second literary device: factual, somewhat descriptive and with a liberal use of imagery. The Greeks and Romans however tended to focus in more detailed manner on sexuality, love and lust. Since then, society has become more civilised, with more rules, some of which included the limitation of literary expression, if only temporarily. Even comparing them, the Greeks condoned sexual intercourse with young boys and between men, where the Romans forbade this. The medieval period was marked by on one hand knights and their ladies of romance, and whores and defilers of women on the other. The writings of Chaucer, Dunbar, Malory or Dante in his Divine Comedy give us a good perspective on their view of sex: liberal, free, and written about in the third type, explicitly and shamelessly.
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Medieval times gave way to the Renaissance Period, where Giovanni Boccaccio wrote his Decameron, featuring tales of lechery by monks and seduced nuns, and was later banned in many countries, even 5 centuries later in the US and the UK, with eight orders for the destruction of the book made as late as 1954 and 1958 by English magistrates. In the same literary period, Piccolomini wrote Historia de duobus amantibus which became a bestseller in the 15th century before the author became Pope Pius II. This period’s writing was of the third type, with lengthy descriptions, to the point of being considered obscene and vulgar in later centuries. Indeed, the sexual education of naive young women by more experienced older women, or the instructions of lesbian nature, or the joys of flogging, were considered improper content for verse and prose alike. This period’s writing was of the third type, with lengthy descriptions, to the point of being considered obscene and vulgar in later centuries. Indeed, the sexual education of naive young women by more experienced older women, or the instructions of lesbian nature, or the joys of flogging, were considered improper content for verse and prose alike. During the Enlightenment, which began in the early 17th century, reason reigned over sentimentality, yet many compendiums of poetry contained obscene verses by the likes of John Wilmot, Charles Sackville and George Etherege. Wilmots’ novel, Sodom, or the Quintessence of Debauchery is a unique work of that time. These men had the reputations of being libertines, and their poems treated of buggery, rape, incest, and total debauchery. Their writing consisted of imagery and description to a rational and realistic point, without going into as much detail as certain contemporary novels do. They too were censored even in 1953 until the winds changed back to acceptance of libertine eroticism. Four rather famous erotic poems from 1763 were compiled under the title An Essay on Women, a parody of Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man. The poems, including titles like The Dying Lover to his Prick were read in the House of Lords before being proclaimed obscene and blasphemous, and their supposed author, John Wilkes, declared an outlaw! Even in the first half of the 18th century, before Romanticism settled in and drove
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sex out of the English novel, literary smut, such as Fanny Hill by John Cleland, was rising along with the quality of writing. The romanticist period considered sex to be closely linked to marriage, and rediscovered the importance of emotion and intuition. Sexual desires were acknowledged, and even though the woman was still supposed to be dominated by her husband, extramarital intercourse occurred and was written about relatively freely. Where in the 17th century people were open about sex, and sexual practices had very little need for secrecy, in the 18th century privacy became more important again, and sex was kept more to the domestic sphere. Sex is not treated all that much in Romantic literature, which is more often associated with transcendentalism (the independence and purity of an individual) and nature, with which sex did not mingle. Nonetheless, sex does come up, for instance in Keats’ La Belle Dame Sans Merci or Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Sexuality is seen as a power play, and the latter novel opens the debate on balance between the sexes, without giving actual sex any importance. The second typology was not used as often as the first literary device. Edmund Curll, for example, would describe the female body in terms of a landscape. The French were nonplussed by Romanticism, with, for instance, philosopher Diderot writing Les Bijoux Indiscrets about a ring that gets women’s vaginas to recount their sexual encounters.
These descriptions would fit within the third literary device of minutely detailed narratives of sexual acts. Sado-masochism comes from the names of the authors Marquis de Sade and Sacher-Masoch, who wrote sadistic and masochistic erotic fiction in the late 18th century, on through the 19th. There however, due somewhat to Victorian influence, and despite lesbian or homosexual intercourse, S&M or flagellation as present elements, the descriptive was no longer as explicit as it had come to be. Most works were published under pseudonyms or anonymously, though we do know about The Flogging Book of Algernon Charles Swinburne, or John Camden Horton’s Lady Bumtickler’s Revels, a pornographic comic opera. These works were also eventually prohibited from trade by British authorities. Victorian Literature laid heavy emphasis on family life and values or morality. Sexual conduct was becoming more and more a private matter, not to be publicly discussed or described. The qualities females were to possess were portrayed when a woman was the protagonist, such as in Jane Austen’s books, who mostly wrote about higher society, whereas Charles Dickens focused more on the working class in his Hard Times or Great Expectations. Sex was somewhat left by the sidelines, and social stratification remained, even in the throes of orgasm. At the turn of the century, many authors still did not lend their names to their work. Guillaume Apollinaire did, when he wrote his somewhat disturbing erotic novel Les Onze Mille Vierges in 1907, using the third type of writing. By the first half of the 20th century, codes about sexual conduct had become very rigid, explaining the prohibitions and destruction orders mentioned earlier on in this article, and the banning of many more. D. H. Lawrence, a writer of love poems, wrote also about sexual frustration and the sex act itself, and was criticised for expressing desire and lust in his work, but praised for remaining suggestive instead of explicitly descriptive. However, two of his poems were removed from publication for being too obscene.
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Another author, W. H. Smith, saw his The Pleasures of the Flesh banned from circulation as well, due to its irreverent eroticism. This very strict sense of taboo loosened up more and more the new millennium came closer, reaching its culminating point of tolerance and open mindedness in our very own 21st century. Nowadays, sex in literature has taken every and any form, and there seem to be no taboos left. As mentioned in the beginning, the trilogy concerning Anastasia and Christian Grey is a very explicit descriptive narrative of how Anastasia enters the world of BDSM, and how she struggles to pull her beloved out of the need for dominance, into a more equal sexual and emotional relationship. In 2005, Zadie Smith wrote her version of homage to E. M. Forster’s novel Howard’s End. As much as his version of the story is prude, hers is crude. Where he only insinuates that sex has happened, she explicitly details every movement and moment, leaving nothing up to the readers’ imagination. In our time, sex is everywhere: in music, on TV, in art, and of course in literature of all forms, and almost nothing is secret or taboo anymore. In conclusion, the description of sex in literature has made a rather linear progression with the temporary break in the time of Forster, brought on by the society of his time considering explicit descriptions of sex to be vulgar and improper. Indeed, the evolution of sex in literature is strongly related to the way sexual contact is viewed in society at that time. As the views on sex changed from an act purely for procreation purposes to a pleasurable act between a married couple, to an act acceptable of the unwed, and then even of two people of the same sex, the literary devices used to describe the act in fiction and poetry went from extremely prude to extremely crude. One only wonders whether literature will return to more conservative devices, if the majority of society decides the growing trend of adult fiction is no longer acceptable. The other side of the medallion is that sexual content is so open and descriptive that it is hard to imagine it becoming even more liberal! One thing that can be said with certainty, is that even though men used to be the sole emitters and main focus point of sex without condemnation, it has, especially now, been understood that women too can be interested in erotica, that they too are capable of lust and desire, and that they have just as much right as a man to relish in it.
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“Are you 18?” Bill Pemberton-Bennetts Freedom in the United Kingdom is a word that has been lightly used in recent years. Brexit was all about freedom, the freedom to choose our own rules and whom we trade with, which is a fair ask. The current Conservative government is echoing this message of economic freedom, but undermining this message through needless restrictions into age verification for pornography and its content. The debate on extreme sexual behaviour has popped up its head with the introduction of the 2016-17 Digital Economy Act, which was passed through the UK’s lower house on the 29th November 2016, and is expected to pass the upper house in Spring 2017. This bill involves the requirement for internet companies to go further in proving that their users are 18 or over, and gives more delegated powers given to the government supported independent rating agencies to ban certain types of film. The relationship between the government and rating agencies places the former in power as the government chooses the classifying agency. The first problem with this bill is that the requirement for Internet providers to be harsher on their age verification is that it is both dangerous and useless at the same time. It is dangerous because any form of identification will involve the handing over of personal information or proof of identification in order to be stricter about age verification. This creates two problems, this information will have to be passed over to a newly (and yet unnamed) government regulator to prove compliance, and the bill lacks the requirement for civil servants and intelligence services not to accrue this data. The personal data may also be accessed via illegal online hacking, meaning that the government would aid some of the largest illegal data collections seen in the present day. This build-up of information will either end up in the government’s hands for an unknown reason, or the wrong hands for data theft. This regulation is also redundant, it only works if the company providing the pornography is produced in the United Kingdom, which 93% of porn isn’t. This verification regulation doesn’t work for the majority of porn in the market today, rendering it totally useless.
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The second overarching problem is that the regulation of pornography has become increasingly vague; this bill has marked a new era in the regulation of pornography. The only thing that is officially used to regulate online sexual behaviour is the previously mentioned 58-year-old vague definition of obscene. The definition of “Obscene” in a classification context is based on the Obscene publications act 1959, obscene being anything “ if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it". This definition is used to determine what material cannot be given the R18 rating, the most extreme rating used only for pornography, the vagueness leading to any unconventional, but harmless nonetheless, behaviour being banned without parliamentary approval. The only other forms of regulation are ones proposed by the BBFC and Minister for Culture John Whittingdale, with no input by elected lawmakers. The culture Minister is currently enacting the Conservative “protect the children” policy established in their 2015 election manifesto. Despite the manifesto stating clearly that children would be protected, it mentioned nothing of Whittingdale’s current crusade to regulate fisting with more than four fingers (the Four finger rule), face sitting, and ban on female ejaculation. The reason why this comment on the lack of pre-mentioning of a ban on extreme sexual behaviour is poignant is because the timing of this ban is odd. The weirdness comes from the fact that no one called for it at all. There wasn’t even a debate about it at all during the last election; the only pornography based controversy was when the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) chose an ex-Pornstar as their candidate in a Bristol constituency. Furthermore, in an June 2016 Ipsos Mori poll of issues facing Britons at the time of the bill’s introduction, nothing relating to pornography or moral values was in the top 10, only 1% of individuals believed that “morality/individual behaviour/ lifestyle” was the most important issue facing Britain. This crusade on sexual freedom is Cromwellian in its out-dated views towards filmed sexual practice. The current government’s manifesto mentioned protecting children, but nowhere did it mention regulating substantive content for the adult population.
Furthermore, to turn a phrase of Bill Hicks, we’re getting the cart before the horse here, the video of female ejaculation didn’t create the desire to see it, there is desire to see it therefore there is pornography of it. Why regulate behaviour that is clearly already present in British citizens’ minds, it makes no sense to ban pornography of it, as desires for it will persist into the black market.
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Moreover, this bill will prove nothing but ineffective, the requirement for the providing of personal data will not apply to 93% of Pornography websites not in the UK, and when it does the data will end up in the hands of unknown government agencies or unknown hackers. The bill was produced with the best intentions, to keep kids away from porn, but in reality the best thing to do is to prevent kids from watching it through education not pretending that porn doesn’t exist to them. This bill is worrying because it’s not only poorly formulated but also does not prescribe the relationship between ministers and classifications agencies. As mentioned, there are no set guidelines to the classifications of film leaving it behind closed doors, this relationship is open to abuse where ministers can threaten classification agencies through offering another independent agency the job. The extent to which regulation can balance the can balance the needs of individual liberty and the protection of citizens is poor in the case of this age verification regulation, there will never be a way of making sure that the uses of pornography are over 18, without intrusive government measures and policymakers have yet failed to realised this. Although the bill is currently in the House of Lords, which offers expertise in the form of nonelected peers, it is a shame this poorly formulated bill has managed to get 0this far in United Kingdom’s legislative process. The United Kingdom’s government has seemed to have forgotten the line between government and the people.
Beyond the binaries A gender identification alphabet
Greta Koch When a child is born, buying a greeting card can be tricky if you don’t know which gender it will be. Stereotypical blue or rather pink? “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!”? Three years later you might want to buy a Barbie for a girl or a toy car for a boy. She will grow long hair so she needs hair ties, while he will keep his hair short and wear a baseball cap. In school, she prefers languages and art, she rides horses and does ballet. He is good at math and science, plays football and the drums. Later, she might become a make-up stylist and he will be a mechanic… Hopefully, most of you will find this narrative ridiculous. A boy can be into pink and Barbies just as much as any girl can be – most importantly: any boy or girl can do and like whatever he or she prefers. This emancipation of gender roles in the past 50 years has drawn up a very important and highly debated difference: the difference between sex and gender. Your sex is your biological state of being male or female or an intersex variation that is identified at birth. Your gender however is the identity and characteristics pertaining to, or differentiating between this masculinity or femininity. This may indeed include your biological sex, but it is also concerned with gender roles in society and the gender you really identify with. While many today openly do not want to identify with their biological sex and moreover the gender roles associated with that sex, the call for not labelling or assigning gender roles is becoming louder and louder. Of course, the associations of blue and pink are overdrawn and not valid any-
more when it comes to society’s expectations on gender roles. However, certain expectations as to how girls should act different than boys are still part of social life, even in the most open-minded societies in the world. The problem however is that, no matter how great this idea might seem to you, one cannot “unlabel” binary gender differentiation in a societal context. Your biological sex remains significant when it comes to laws and customs. Sex is indicated on government documents and laws provide different privileges for men and women. While more and more countries provide jurisdiction for same-sex marriages, to not identify with any gender can thus not fit in any category. Such categories of a third or a non-gender can be found in cultures outside of the Western sphere, for instance in Pakistan and India. However, it is still new to Western mainstream culture and more importantly its traditional school of thought. One step in the right direction might thus be to understand how people that do not identify with their biological sex or another gender - or any gender for that matter - feel and how what they would rather identify themselves with. However, this list of how people in this situation call themselves is long. The list of Facebook options is already a challenge, but people come up with the weirdest terms to express themselves, making sure they are recognised outwith the binary. You will be provided with a little alphabet that can get you a glimpse of gender identification in 2017:
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A
is for Agender, which does not identify with anything, Not boy not girl not third no transithing
b
is for Bigender – what a surprise You identify with both girls and guys
C
is for Cis and that is not complex A person who identifies with their biological sex
d
could be for Delphigender Described as mysterious, obscure and sinister
e
is for Elegender, for those who are super confused It simply cannot be explained and or in any way diffused
F
is for FTM – from female to male Born a girl but that was a fail
G
is for Gender questioning as you might have guessed For those of you who still need to choose from all the rest
h i
is for Horogender and sounds quite fine It means that your gender changes over time is for Invisigender, that might not be fun A gender which feels invisible to everyone
j
is for Jupiter, that is no joke or quiz One feels so large and present it is definitely not “cis”
k
is for Kynigender if this whole list is not amusing You cannot identify due to this stress of choosing
l
is for Lamingender composed of layers and slice You could be anything, just role the dice
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m n o p q
is for Mirrorgender however you see fit Just change with the people around you a bit is just for neither You cannot decide between these genders either is for Omnigay if your identification does always change You are still always attracted to the same gender, that’s not so strange is for Pan and that stands for all Be whatever you want and just stand tall is Queer and again a challenge To the binary system in its whole range Gender with R cannot be found But with times changing surely in the next round
s t u v w x z
is for Scorpifluid, which brings us to another level Changing between all these unknown genders like you travel is for Tachigender similar to the latter one But one changes genders with high speed on is for Ungender as another protest You don’t want to identify with all this mess is for Veloxigender which changes so quickly You are unable to find a gender idenitity is for Witchgender, this is not a typo It has connection to magic and people really think so is for Xirl or Xoy, that will depend You feel like a girl or boy but the binary system is nothing you defend is for Zodiacgender to make the ending rhyme When your gender is related to a zodiac sign
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Social-Killer: Sex
Giovanni Stanga The pervasiveness of the social networks in everyday life has brought to the table some thorny sex-related issues which seem increasingly difficult to manage. We live in a time where messages, pictures and videos can spread at light's speed on every social platform, such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Snapchat. As a result, the Web can become a prison, where individuals find their public image locked and damaged, following the ingenuous (over)sharing of private sexual content which within few hours goes viral and gets accessible to anyone. The phenomenon of unwanted sexual exposure on the social media is increasingly turning into a social plague, in particular among young people, victims of the harsh critics by the public and trapped into a vicious cycle of disrepute that condemns them forever. In September 2016, an episode in Naples, Italy, particularly puzzled me for the intensity of the feelings and the thoughts that struck my mind after I had heard the news. A 30 years old Italian woman named Tiziana Cantone ingenuously sent a porn video to some friends, who later had the more than brilliant idea of sharing it with other people. Needless to say, in few days the video was shared with friends, friends of friends until it became viral nationwide. For months, thousands of Facebook users addressed cruel and harsh insults to this unfortunate woman, whose life from one day to the other was irrevocably ruined and compromised forever. For some reason, hiding behind a screen makes people feel that they are entitled to judge more fiercely others and more capable of saying things they would never say in “real� life. The most striking aspect of the tragic story of Tiziana Cantone was the total absence of empathy manifested towards a person who has the same sex impulses as everyone else, and thus should not be judged for that. Indeed, she couldn’t show herself in public anymore and had to face the consequence of losing her job.
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At the end, the video that she made tormented her for months, causing her to lose the possibility to conduct a normal life and to became the chief target of public mockery. To begin a new chapter of her life, not only did she move from her hometown, she also changed her name and adopted a new identity. In vain. Indeed, nothing prevented her from committing suicide and end her life forever.
I believe it is not of crucial relevance to focus on who is to blame for this dramatic event, which became the subject of heated debates in Italy thereafter. This episode, which cannot and should not be considered an isolated event, raises some rather complex questions which are worthy a further assessment and discussion: bigotry in respect to sex and its expression in Italian society, the pressure via social networks, platforms in which the private and sexual sphere of people can be dangerously merged by the audience with their public one, and the controversial issue of the right to oblivion, or the right to be forgotten. The Catholic Church has crucially affected the historical pattern of Italy and to a great extent determined cultural resistance to the modernizing changes in society, which were destined to occur anyway. This reactionary conservatism can be detected in a wide range of topics fiercely opposed: divorce, abortion, gay euthanasia and gay marriages chronologically. Nowadays, although the population of faithful progressively decreased over time, the Catholic Church still exercises an overarching cultural influence on society, making in many ways sex a taboo, as it seems to be still demonized in Italian society. Tiziana Cantone is a victim of a cultural system for which the expression of female sexuality and sex as a topic are considered inappropriate and thus buried under the sand.
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A reliable indicator of this cultural trend is the complete lack of sexual education at every level of the Italian school system, which coupled with the unwillingness to discuss it with the parents, result in the widespread ignorance among the young about this topic and the necessity to self-inform themselves. As a result of this long-lasting religious tradition preached on decency, sex is still considered ignominious and something that should be kept intimate. This shows how Italian society is still subject to this cultural scheme imposed by the Church. Therefore, the process of sexual liberalization, as for the degree to which sex is openly accepted and freely debated in society, proceed far more slowly as compared to other European countries. Moreover, these sexual restrictions do not favor bur rather represent a hindrance to the human right to sexual freedom, which nevertheless should not be unlimited. In the case of Tiziana, however, this right was violated, since her own intimate videos were published against her will. On the side of the public, this led to the distorted identification of this woman with her sexual performances, her most private and untouchable dimension. The hypocrite morality of the people, exhibited in condemning this woman as sinful and thus worthy punishments, reveals all the cultural backwardness and close mindedness of Italian society. In fact, the latter proves to be still a chauvinist one, since sexuality is often discussed and approach from a masculine prospective. The last and most controversial issue is the right to oblivion or, in other words, the right “to be forgotten�. This right, included in the European Union’s legislation regarding privacy since 2006, states that an individual has the right to have his personal material, information or data removed from the Internet if he feels that this content no longer represents his person and/or is defamatory, offensive and damages his public reputation. It is absolutely critical that the justice system metabolizes the changes taking place in our digital society and legislates more in depth about to deal with these sex related issues. For many people, social networks can indeed turn into an unwanted spotlight, in which online users criticize and label others uniquely for their physical and sexual image.
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Tiziana was denied the right to be forgotten, although she obtained, after a long time, the removal of her porn video. She is a victim also of a justice system, which revealed unable to keep up with the intangible and immaterial world of Internet and its hyper fastness. It is time that governments worldwide promote educational programs aimed to enhance the public awareness, especially among the young, regarding the potential risks of the misuse of Internet and the exposure on the social networks. In this way, Tiziana will teach us a valuable lesson and she will not be forgotten. The last and most controversial issue is the right to oblivion or, in other words, the right “to be forgotten�. This right, included in the European Union’s legislation regarding privacy since 2006, states that an individual has the right to have his personal material, information or data removed from the Internet if he feels that this content no longer represents his person and/or is defamatory, offensive and damages his public reputation. It is absolutely critical that the justice system metabolizes the changes taking place in our digital society and legislates more in depth about to deal with these sex related issues. For many people, social networks can indeed turn into an unwanted spotlight, in which online users criticize and label others uniquely for their physical and sexual image. Tiziana was denied the right to be forgotten, although she obtained, after a long time, the removal of her porn video. She is a victim also of a justice system, which revealed unable to keep up with the intangible and immaterial world of Internet and its hyper fastness. It is time that governments worldwide promote educational programs aimed to enhance the public awareness, especially among the young, regarding the potential risks of the misuse of Internet and the exposure on the social networks. In this way, Tiziana will teach us a valuable lesson and she will not be forgotten.
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Agony Aunt Gaby Muhlberg Dear Miss U. Nsa So, I’ve managed to get myself into a bit of a situation. See, I have quite an important job, it’s an amazing job actually, the best job. And I do it the best, really really good. I do it better than the 44 people before me. NOBODY does presidenting better than me. But for some reason lots of people just don’t seem to like me. I mean I am popular! I do being popular the best! But there are some that apparently don’t want to make America great again... I think that it’s the stupid media sprouting fake news about racism and some other nonsense (I mean it’s not my fault if I’m honest). I know that you’re a woman so you probably won’t know much, but any tips on how I get people to like me? Mr. T. Rump Dear Mr. T. Rump Firstly, you need to deal with the pesky media. Take the most important step for every relationship – be honest. Find some sort of platform to tell them how you feel and preferably in the most cringeworthy way possible. I mean there is always social media (ever heard of Twitter?) but personally I’d opt for some sort of news conference where you can publically humiliate them with Hollywood effect (Have you ever considered reality TV? You seem like a natural!). If they still don’t get the message then take it a step further and just stop inviting them to your conferences (not all of them obviously, as the model of cutting-edge, impartial journalism, make sure that Fox always has a front row seat). Now onto the more important stuff. A great place to start with getting people to like you is with the construction industry, they have a lot of influence. Maybe you could build a wall or something? Another family favourite is dismantling that silly thing called Obamacare, I mean seriously, who actually wants healthcare to be affordable? Here’s my favourite though, you’re sure to be a hit for this – how about you ban people from all those silly non-American, probably-allterrorist countries from entering the USA? Your poll ratings will definitely feel that! Just follow those tips on and keep up the good work dismantling fundamental freedoms. America will be great again in a jiffy! Hope that helps Miss U. Nsa
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Dear Miss U. Nsa I’m so lonely. I just want another world leader that I can get on with. You know, just one with the same values – a dislike of press freedom (they are so tiresome), populist sentiments, approval of nepotism, no knowledge of political correctness, and a disturbing view on world politics? Or just someone else to join the ‘world leader billionaire club’. It’s getting so dull. If I have to listen to Kim tell me one more story of his nukes I might just send one of my own over… Any ideas on how I can get a friend in power? Mr. P. Utin Dear Mr. P. Utin I know just the man! There are elections happening in the USA at the moment and there’s one candidate who definitely seems to tick the right boxes. Winning an election is all about taking down the competition. All you need to do is dig up dirt! Basically, follow Nixon, but try not to get caught… Maybe see if you can find some incriminating letters or something (wiretapping, like the hairstyles, should just be left in the 1970s). Actually, let’s be serious this is the 21st century! Let’s go digital – emails it is then. You need to invest in some top-quality hackers. If you are lucky enough to find something juicy you just need to find someone to publish them BUT you can’t look like you’re involved (Russia isn’t exactly a favourite in the USA… Most people haven’t quite realised that the Cold War has gone from cold to sub-Artic). Find a well-known website (how about Wikileaks?) and subtly pass them along and then WHAM! Instant scandal. All you need to do then is sit back and watch your future billionaire bud safely cross the finish line! But obviously try to not look took gleeful when the results are announced… Best of luck Miss U.Nsa Dear Miss U. Nsa
Dear Mrs. Month-before-June
I’m so sorry to bother you but I am in a bit of a pickle. My predecessor made rather a mess of things and ended up calling a rather foolish referendum in order to win an election a few years ago. The referendum managed to backfire spectacularly and now I’ve taken over. The problem is, I’ve promised to actually implement this blasted thing and I don’t have a clue what to do. Can you help?
Oh dear, haven’t we all ended trying to keep some ridiculous promise that we made then instantly regretted. What you need to do is come up with some sort of catchy slogan which you use to respond to all questions which will at least buy you some time! How about something like, Brexit means Brexit? See, that’s brilliant! You sound committed without actually saying anything. You also need to get yourself some friends to rely on, someone to walk hand-in-hand with… Hmm, maybe try and find someone with wildly populist beliefs, small hands and a fear of stairs? Good luck there! If you do manage to find someone make sure to invite him over for a state visit ASAP. Some may call it desperation but I think that it’s just clever. About the actual promise, not much I can advise I’m afraid. Are you sure that you definitely have to go through with it? Seems a bit absurd! Who would call a referendum just to solidify their own political position which would cause shockwaves around the world and possible political and economic disaster? How desperately did you want the job to deal with those repercussions!? You have got to do some priority searching…
Mrs. Month-before-June
Good luck Miss U. Nsa
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