Three Themes In James Dyer's Essay On Male Sexuality

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Three themes that Dyer develops in his essay on male sexuality are patriarchal power, violence, and the female gaze. Firstly, Dyer mentions that “the penis is also the symbol of male potency, the magic and mystery of the phallus, the endowment that appears to legitimate male power” (Dyer 2013, 113). That is to say, the penis is considered the ultimate force of dominance for men, although it is said that the penis is “far more commonly the soft, vulnerable charm of male genitals” (Dyer 2013, 113). As a result, men tend to play the dominant roles in society, while women are portrayed as inferior and patriarchal power is created. In addition, situated with patriarchal power is violence. Dyer emphasizes violence as an element of male sexuality …show more content…

Gay reminds us that, “womanhood feels more strange and terrible now because progress has not served women as well as it has served men” (Gay 2011, 132). In other words, women have been portrayed as degrading and inferior to men due to the inevitable consequence of patriarchal western societies, in which women have traditionally been correlated with a less status than men. Women’s Realities, Women’s Choices demonstrates this theory as a conventional view of sex and gender by emphasizing that “women have been associated with the body and nature and men with ‘self, ’soul,’ and culture, profoundly affecting how women have been valued, treated, and constrained in their opportunities and choices” (Hunter College Women 's Studies Collective 2014, 152). In addition, an origin myth for Christians is that Eve was made as a companion to Adam, and by defying God, eating the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge and convincing Adam to do the same, she brought evil into the world. This suggests that “it is men, not women, who engage in productive labor and that women deserve the pain of childbirth” (Hunter College Women 's Studies Collective 2014, 28).This myth originated from Christianity is generally held to be acceptable at the expense of individuality and has had influence on society, which has lead the authors to question views of sex and gender. Therefore, in the film Coffy, men played a role of dominance in demanding women to satisfy their sexual

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