Fall Term Assignment: Sexuality And Marxism

Alexis Tandazo

April Sharkey

SXST 1600

19 October 2015

Fall Term Assignment: Sexuality and Marxism

Sexuality is often defined as the way an individual identifies their sexual orientation, desires and with whom, however human sexuality does not tend to fall into neat categories. Many philosophers such as Karl Marx have built upon theories regarding human nature, including our sexuality to further explain who is in control of power, who is being marginalized and how human sexuality intersects with other axes of power such as race, gender and class that produces societies norms. Although Marx did not have much to say in regards to sex, he believed that human nature, including our sexuality, is shaped by society and as a result changes historically.

Marx argued that there are two classes of people that exist in society, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie refer to the upper class that own the means of production and whose central concern is the value of property. On the other hand, the proletariat describes the working class wageworkers in a capitalist society. Marx argued that the bourgeoisie simply exploited the proletariat, and the physical labor produced by the proletariat generated more wealth for the capitalist, leaving laborers under payed and machine-like. During this process, Marx believed that through this system of mass production, laborers were stripped of individual imagination and as a result, left individuals feeling alienated to their own emotions and erotic feelings in order to maximize production and wealth. Although Karl Marx did not have much to say in regards to sex and sexuality, he strongly believed that the capitalist economy desexualizes human beings, because the only thing that matters is profit and making more to service the needs the economy demands. Consequently, sexuality is rigidly controlled for market success. In addition Marx stated, “ human nature including our sexuality, is shaped by society and changes historically” (Seidman 5). However, Karl Marx argues that “as we search for personal

However, because these ideas are largely molded by social standards they change historically, as Marx suggests. Although it is important to keep in mind, that regardless of how society continues to evolve, the recognition of homosexuality as natural will never exist. The only acceptable sexual behavior deemed real by capitalist society is heterosexual, because of its heavy emphasis on reproduction, as this is the easiest and most efficient way to produce offspring. It is the class division and profit motive of capitalism that is the root of who is in control and who is being marginalized. Religion and the government are two fundamental reasons why homosexuals are marginalized. For instance, according to the bible homosexuality is a sin and one that should be punished by death. The government also plays a significant role in shaping societal norms of what is considered normal and abnormal, as this is seen by same-sex marriage only becoming legal in