Feminist Pub 16: where the Bluestockings develop armoured stockings to deal with the thousand paper cuts

Where does sexuality as a construct put paedophiles of pre-pubescent children?

But of course.

I have just, on the basis of your post, come up with a delightful feminist reading of Chaucer's Prioress's Tale. I'm sure that was actually all about Jewish feminists humiliating annoying small boys who refuse to learn their lessons.

Thanks for the thoughts, folks. I'm glad I'm not the only one slightly baffled by it. I certainly accept that sexuality is probably more of a spectrum than a binary, much the same as gender, and that society's default of "heterosexual" can be very damaging. But I also think it's incredibly damaging to people who are very much on the homosexual end of the spectrum to speculate that they have any choice in the matter. Especially since so many people will only view sexuality and gender issues in simple binary.

In what way staged? As in a double bluff?

Well, there is that EBearhug, yes.

Excellent plan, puffins, it'll cheer you up no end.

buffy - really? That's .... odd.

I missed it too, Puffins.

Actually, it's the sort of thing I would have received and ignored, other than briefly wondering why anyone would want to bother making Ghostbusters at all.

Oh, well, thanks for the invite....

And arf @ Petula...

I won't hang up my feminist sword until they remake the shawshank redemption with an all-female cast. Then my work will be done

Really?

The rest of us have been working non-stop fitting it in between the ritual humiliation of baby boys and the secret plan to take over the world.

It turns out that feminists have been fighting for women to take over the roles of the Ghostbusters.

I must have missed that bit of activism....

I think some of this is an overlap between the (not really) cool and (not really) edgy "I kissed a girl" thing and the post-modern queer theory that everything is constructed. I tend to bristle against that although obvs gender (as in roles and behaviours attributed to men and women on the basis of their sex ie feminine/masculine) is constructed.

I think I'm pretty much with you.

Though, I do think that, for the vast majority of people, construction has most of the influence. I think the numbers of people who're absolutely gay/straight is tiny.

I'm very ignorant on these issues. I understand that femininity is a construct and that rings true to me. I don't know about the other issues. I'm of the live-and-let-live camp. As long as nobody comes and tell me what it is or should be to be a woman.

I think in conservative communities, the "born this way" narrative is useful to gain acceptance. I personally don't care whether it is a choice or not as homosexuality or bisexuality is a positive or neutral way of life.

I have seen some heated arguments between political lesbians and real (?) lesbians on this topic where the real (?) lesbians are very offended and angry at the suggestion their sexuality is constructed. That makes sense to me however I don't feel it's for me to comment as I'm straight. (I realise I did just comment but I feel, hopefully, no-one will be too mad at me on here.)

annie, are they political lesbians? I used to be in a feminist group, which I stopped following because it wasn't for me, where they were very much of the view that sexuality is something you can choose, and women only choose to be straight because the patriarchy has brainwashed them into thinking sexuality is innate.

It doesn't sound like what you're describing, but since it's a feminist group, it might be?

Perhaps because some people used to use "born that way" to stop others being horrible (instead of calling out the horribleness for itself)

A bit like "she's somebody's daughter!" No, she's somebody.

I like a nice risotto, needs plenty of cheese. Like Nigella says, there is something very soothing about staring in to the middle distance while you stir it for 20mins. Plus, it always needs a glass of wine, which means opening a bottle...

A feminist group I follow in FB has a thread going about how sexuality is a social construct and no-one is born either homosexual or heterosexual, and that the use of "born that way" to defend the rights of those who identify as homosexual is apparently "pathetic".

I don't understand. But I don't dare ask on there cos they can be scary.

Can someone please explain using small words?

I have thought about this business of "staple" food. Potatoes, rice, pasta, noodles, bread etc. These things are easy to cook and don't take much time or effort, which makes sense, doesn't it? You don't want to spend your life chained to the stove. So can someone explain risotto and polenta? They don't fit in my theory and it's annoying.

Urgh, don't get me started on risotto. Tasteless and mushy and generally the only vegetarian option. Ick.

Lordc I like your conserving-energy-for-those-who-deserve-it style