[Vdp] New Reading Circle on Philosophy of Sex and Sexuality

Dear All, *We are organizing a reading circle based on the topic “Philosophy of Sex and Sexuality”!* To start a conversation about /sex/, we need to be clear what is the scope of the phenomenon we are talking about. For that we need to start with /sexual desire/, which is closely linked to /sexual motivation, arousal, and activity/. That is already closely connected to issues within /politics of sex, sexual orientation, and sexual identity/. When we engage in sexual acts, we are living out our /sexual orientation/. Beyond our orientation, understanding our /sexual identity/ is equally important as part of our personal identity. On top of that, the cultural theory of queer sexual identity plays a crucial role in shaping how we understand and express ourselves in various contexts. An interesting aspect to discuss is /normativity and permissibility of sexual acts/ under the consideration of sexual orientation and non-heteronomous identities. When discussing /good or bad sex/, we usually assume that consent was given to start the encounter. Without consent, the focus shifts to the permissibility of the act itself, with the prevailing view being that consent is morally transformative from impermissible to permissible. Is having the right mental state enough, or can it be implied through certaincommunications? Additionally, to which acts are we consenting? Within the scope of the named phenomenon /objectification/ is a concept, which can be viewed from different angles. The concept of /mutual objectification/ refers to the notion when both partners may objectify each other, which may be seen as problematic because it reduces a person’s humanity to their body. On the other hand, objectification can also be viewed from a /social perspective/, as feminist philosophers argue. For instance, they claim that pornography negatively portrays women’s sexuality, reinforcing harmful stereotypes. In contrast to that, Thomas Nagel offers a different view on objectification as a complex, multi-leveled awareness between two people, where both are mutually aware of each other's desire. *If that sounds interesting to you, don’t hesitate to send me an email – I’d love to hear from you! We plan to start the reading circle next week.* Best, Kristina