Power of Suggestion
(I read Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence by Adrienne Rich first, then You’re Not the Type by Laurel Gilbert, then The Body Politic by Abra Fortune Chernik, andToward a Global History of Same-Sex Sexuality by Leila J. Rupp the last.)
When reading Toward a Global History of Same-Sex Sexuality by Leila J. Rupp, I just cannot help laughing. It was not for these witty remarks as “ “Is that a sexual act? Or akin to taking vitamins?” Is it significant that the boys swallow the semen directly from a penis rather than from a bowl with a spoon?”(295). Actually, to be honest, I laughed because I could not help wondering how good did these people feel when they simply kissing or having sex with people of the same sex. I am not suggesting that I am a homosexual myself since, after finish these readings for tomorrow’s class, I start to think that I may not be heterosexual if I was not born in a country just like the United States in which people take heterosexuality for granted and regard other sex orientation as abnormal.
In Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence by Adrienne Rich, Adrienne suggests that (though she did not point it out directly) that most people are heterosexual simply because that is the only choice we are provided with. But does that means if people of the most countries were not born to be taught about the “normal sex orientation” is heterosexual the world would become largely different from the present one? I was highly doubted about that at first. Because, then, I thought that the social suggestion about sex orientation does not play much part in people’s choices of sex partners. It may hinder “born-homosexuals” from express and follow their true feelings towards sex but it may not affect most of the people since most of the people are born-heterosexual. I thought sex-orientation is intrinsically determined. If I were a born heterosexual, then I will be what I was no matter what the social suggestion about sex orientation was. I thought in these ways because I did not realize how powerful the social suggestion can be. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I felt really fun in reading Toward a Global History of Same-Sex Sexuality. Because these people conduct homosexuality seemed really enjoyed in it. I started to think homosexuality may be fun. Remember Leila mentions something about kiss? Why do we think kissing an opposite sex must be fun and enjoyable before we have ever conduct it? Because, from movies, TV shows, and a lot of channels, we are suggested that it is an enjoyable act so we want to try it ourselves. According to sex-orientation, it may be the same thing.
Before, I would think it must take great efforts for teenage mom like Laurel Gilbert to continue there lives as “normal” teenagers. Just like Laurel’s guidance counselor, I would think that it is of primary importance of a single teen mother to be able to financially dependent and it must be really lucky for her to find a husband (79). Now I only think why I would think that way before? Why I thought that pregnancy can ruin the whole life of a teen girl? And now I doubt that whether most teen moms’ lives are ruined because they have children or because the society suggested that they can do noting after giving birth to children at young age.
Remember people congratulated Abra Fortune Chernik on her body fat percentage which was only 10%?(106) Why so many women are obsessed with diet and thinness? Because the society suggests us thinness is beauty!
Now, see, how powerful suggestions can be!
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