Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Review and Reflection
Review and Reflection
Review and Reflection
Capitalism is referred to as the increased drive for profits through the waged labor of
others. In the article Capitalism and Gay Identity John D’Emilio argues that the gay identity was
created from the development of capitalism. He explains that the movement from the self-
sufficient household or slavery to a labor system based solely on earning wages, granted
freedom for the making of the gay identity. In this particular system, the capitalist own the
means of production, which is termed “private property,” and laborers own only their labor
that is sold to capitalist for those wages. The author claims that these capitalist wages gave self-
determination to same sex eroticism because it became an option rather than a disadvantage
to the individual’s survival in the social world. With that being said D’Emilio contends that gay
men and lesbians did not always exist, but they are only a product of history and its relation to
capitalism and the free labor system. However, this was only a basic material condition that
generated political exclusion. The manifestation of the political exclusion of individuals who
participated in homosexual behavior is what in turn laid the foundation for the assimilation of
the gay man or lesbian title that was later completely affirmed. The gay identity was not
created because of the need to broad cast sexual desire or orientation. It was created because
the people who practiced the homosexual lifestyle wanted political equality.
for something different than we have had before. Basically, sexual desire can changes over time
form what is old or previously experienced to what is new and has never been experienced
before. For example, the pleasure derived from the sexual intimacy of a new partner. In fact, I
can understand his point on gay identity with respect to capitalism, but the dilemma I began to
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face is when the author moves into, superficially, the topic regarding sexual autonomy of
children. D’Emilio states, “The rights of young people are especially critical. The acceptance of
imagine what it would mean to treat them as autonomous human beings, particularly in the
realm of sexual expression and choice.” The author asserts that until this happens, gay freedom
will remain out of reach. I want to challenge this particular idea because there is a lack of
conceptualization for terms the author in communicating. When I think of dependence I believe
this concept to mean being “reliant” on something outside of the “self” for survival, connoting
not only the material necessities, but also guidance and protection from certain social realities.
Children are dependent on their parent for their basic survival as well as the wisdom offered in
regards to the lifeworld by helping them weigh the pros and cons of their choices. I believe that
children who do not belong to parents are more likely to become vulnerable to predators in the
social world. Freedom of expression is very important and unfortunately not all parents feel this
way. What would be the cause and effect for awarding children the right of independence from
parents? Survival is learned behavior and children are humans that are learning and must be
protected and guided to make choices based on the facts of social reality. The fact is, as
D’Emilio states, gay identity was created by capitalism and the free labor system by and for
adults. I do not believe children should be autonomously responsible for making such decisions
in realizing and understanding the sexual world. That is a place for adults who have come to a
deep understanding, in a sense, of who they are in relation to eroticism. However, I do believe
that adults should support their children, as they age, in coming to such conclusions about
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sexuality by challenging their thoughts and instilling in them the power of critical thinking in
I recently became aware that my son had been sexual molested at the age of 5 and
again at 7. This was especially disturbing to me because this act involved someone he and I
knew, for a large part, rather well. At the time my son did not understand this behavior to be
misguided until he was confronted with the paradox of the event that took place between him
and this adult person. These kinds of events have the power to alter a child’s physiological state
because they are not knowledgeable about the sexual world. If we give independent rights to
children, does that make them adults in the eye of the law and can we still protect them from
such circumstances? I want to give another example, a story from a third party, regarding an
early childhood sexual experience. A young lady was asked a question in reference to a
statement she made about being bi-sexual; “Why is it, that you are bi-sexual?” she replies,
“Sometimes we, as humans, don’t want to know the truth.” She goes on to say, “As a child my
sister sexually abused me, at first I just went along with it until I understood it to be wrong and
it became awkward, but the abuse did not stop and I grew to like it.” I believe children are very
impressionable which makes it easy for them to learn and adapt to behavior, even if it is forced
upon them. My question is; would this young lady have chosen to be bi-sexual if it were not for
I received a booklet from the child advocacy organization after my son underwent an
interview relating to the sexual misconduct of his adult abuser. In the booklet, it informs
parents that children undergo stages in sexual awareness that is practiced with other children
their own age. This includes playing house, dress up and doctor. These are all forms of sexual
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expression and I believe there is no need to give children independent rights regarding this
expression because it naturally happens within the lifeworld. This idea of children’s
independent rights, to me, should not be argued in relation to gay liberation and needs further
I believe gay men and lesbians deserve and are entitled to rights that are given to all
people (citizens) including the freedom to participate in whichever adult consented eroticism
that they choose. Children should be able, as well, to express their sexuality with the support
and guidance of their parents in a healthy informed fashion. In fact, within the black or African
American community/culture sexuality is very often expressed through dance which affords
children their personal space and an outlet for their wild animal nature. Furthermore, even
without the independent rights of children, gay liberation is on the raise in American society.