Cutting the Gordian Knot

A Billion Wicked Thoughts and Sexing the Body are two books that address issues involving sexuality and desire, but both take on an entirely different approach, and this leaves the reader with conflicting perspectives on the issues of sexuality and desire.  After reading A Billion Wicked Thoughts there is a clear, succinct argument made for the dualism of male sexual desire and female sexual desire.  A Billion Wicked Thoughts claims that male desire is deeply intertwined with physical and psychological attributes.  Males have distinct physical desires that can trigger immediate arousal, leaving men powerless to curves, breasts, tiny feet, and other "desirable traits".  Women have a dichotomous relationship between physical arousal and psychological arousal.  It simply is not enough for women to visually see attractive bodies, rather, they need to investigate the potential for a relationship as well as factors that make an ideal partner.  Women have a lot at stake, and from an evolutionary perspective, they need a stable partner who can help raise children, provide food and shelter, and support a family.  A Billion Wicked Thoughts provides a stance on the issue of sexuality through intriguing statistics and logical reasoning that gives the reader a satisfying, assured sense of self.

"I look to cut through the Gordian knot of dualistic thought.  I propose to modify Halperin's bon mot that "sexuality is not a somatic fact, it is a cultural effect," arguing instead that sexuality is a somatic fact created by a cultural effect (Fausto-Sterling 21)."

Sexing the Body accesses the issue of sexuality and human desire with a comprehensive, wholesome approach that takes past research, anecdotes, and ideas to provide a broad discussion.  This book does not seek to give facts or an ultimate truth.  Fausto-Sterling claims that sex has been put into two broad physical categories of male and female, but that sex is not just based solely on what sex organ or genetic material a person has.  These broad categories are social decisions supported by scientific knowledge that creates cultural understandings of how sex and gender define a person.  With the definition of man and woman there are also constructed gender differences that define typical behaviors and attributes of men and women.  Men are better at math and science while women excel in language and literature.  Men have higher physical capabilities while women have physical limits and boundaries.

These two books have an entirely opposite procedure for discussing the issue of sexuality and human desire.  Reading these two books will only strengthen my conflicts with sexuality and give me different feelings and reactions.  A Billion Wicked Thoughts will provide me with the crutch of the scientific method to suspend my disbelief, restrain my uncertainty, and quickly read through enticing data with bold claims as if it was another Harry Potter book.   Sexing the Body will create a stimulating discussion on human sexuality with no final objective thought, statement or idea.