Sexual Morality and Sexual Oppression

Sex is a vector of oppression because it surpasses identities; everyone can fall victim to sexual oppression. The anti-pornography movement depicts sexual behavior in a negative light, highlighting the ugly aspects of pornography. Sexual morality is another example of sexual oppression; conservatives fight to uphold the narrative of the “opposition to pornography, prostitution, homosexuality, all erotic variation, sex education, sex research, abortion, and contraception” (Rubin 166). Anti-planned parenthood laws and sex education laws are restricting individuals’ human right to sexual liberation.

Rich uses the term “lesbian continuum” because the term “lesbianism” objectifies lesbians and their experiences.

“Lesbianism” refers to women continuing to desire sexual relations with other women, providing a technical definition. The “lesbian continuum” brings life to the joint relationships of women, “including the sharing of a rich inner life, the bonding against male tyranny, and the giving and receiving of practical and political support” (Rich 118). The continuum allows for the ambiguity of relationships that women have with each other. “Compulsory heterosexuality” refers to the societal idea that women are supposed to be heterosexual, and any deviation would be a preference or choice they personally made. Compulsory heterosexuality supports this mythical norm that the patriarchy has instilled; “despite profound emotional impulses and complementarities drawing women toward women, there is a mystical/biological heterosexual inclination” (Rich 118).

Lorde explains that heterosexism “is sometimes a result of identifying with the patriarchy – a rejection of that interdependence between women-identified women which allows the self to be, rather than be used in the service of men” (Lorde 121). I interpreted this as meaning both homophobia and heterosexism are part of the mythical norm that there is an inferior sexuality and the fear of any sexual orientation differing from the perceived superior. She explains that the Black community follows the mythical norms of the white patriarchy – by doing this, there is a power complex and therefore there will always be a more oppressed group within the community.

The cases involving the five Mexican men who petitioned for asylum in the United States display discrimination based on the intersections of sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity. Cantú pointed out that the two main conflicts were that the individual “has to prove that being gay is an ‘immutable’ aspect of his selfhood,” and that “receiving asylum requires painting one’s country in a racialist light” (Luibhéid & Cantú 61). These two conflicts intersect because of these men’s experiences of oppression in the gay community as well as being from a Third World country.

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