The Sexual Child (Corse at Cornell U)

Cornell University ^

[Texaggie79]

651 The Sexual Child R 1:25-3:20 Hanson, E.

4 credits. (also WOMNS 651)

With respect to children, the American imagination today is defined by what we might call pedophile gothic. The sexual child, as a volatile emblem of trauma, has become the focus of moral panics from every point on the political spectrum–panics about cultural phenomena as various as pornography, psychotherapy, day care, parenting, the women’s movement, the Roman Catholic priesthood, access to the Internet, and every level of school curricula. But what do we think a child is or ought to be? What does it mean to love or desire a child? Who promotes the idea of child sexuality and why? How has it been constructed through theory, literature, and visual imagery? How do psychoanalysis, queer theory, and other theoretical approaches to sexuality reinscribe or challenge the dominant paradigm of trauma? This is an interdisciplinary course in American Studies and queer theory in which we will pursue a political, historical, and rhetorical analysis of the gothic language of trauma that has developed around the sexual child, especially in the United States in the past century. Theoretical readings for the course will include literary, psychological, and anthropological studies of child sexuality, child sexual abuse, trauma, moral panic, and the debate over "recovered memory" (Sigmund Freud, Bruno Bettelheim, Gilbert Herdt, Gayle Rubin, James Kincaid, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Lee Edelman, and Judith Lewis Herman, among others); we will also do close readings of fiction by Edgar Allan Poe, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov, among others, as well as controversial cinematic, theatrical, and photographic texts. Requirements for a letter grade will include a 20-25 page paper, as well as shorter assignments designed to introduce students to various forms of professional academic writing; requirements for S/U credit are three short papers or a teaching dossier.

CID 109707

[Texaggie79]

I think the reason our society gives these people a reason to teach this crap is because they are partially right. We are in a panic, as a society. A mere allegation can land a kid in a foster home. Kids are thrown into treatment where they are TOLD that they were traumatized. Even if something did happen to them, I believe that the treatment is sometimes more traumatic than the actual abuse.

[sharktrager]

Why would it take a "close reading" of Vladimir Nabokov to study "child sexuality". "Lolita" clearly paints the young title carachter as a sexual agressor, and Humbert simply stumbled upon her by accident.

[dark_lord]

Queer theory? This is now some kind to intellectual discipline? Oh, wait - I used "intellectual" and "discipline" together, can't have that, that would be an oxymoron.

[RAT Patrol]

My niece went into "treatment" and came out a lesbian. You tell me; I don't know.

[RAT Patrol]

Who can explain that blurry gray world liberals live in?

[Sender]

I think you're right that the system makes sure kids are traumatized even if they're not. Kids are told from the very beginning that the very worst thing that can possibly happen to a kid is to be touched, etc. Worse than death. End of the world. I'm not condoning any of this behavior, mind you, not at all. Just saying that we set our kids expectations for trauma and ruin to ensure maximum damage.

[RAT Patrol]

Venturing only a guess, I would say it was 50/50. The abuse made her vulnerable and fearful of men. The "treatment" opened the door and encouraged it. I can't prove it but I would put money on it if I could. She started "I hate men" and they lead her into "maybe you are not attracted to men" etc. At this point she says she hates all sex and that lesbianism is just a phase--she wanted companionship. Of course, a counselor could get into trouble if they heard that and offered her the info that she can leave the "lifestyle" if she wants to. It's sad.

[boris]

"(Corse at Cornell U)"

I presume you meant coarse at Cornell U (my alma mater [undergrad]).

--Boris

[RAT Patrol]

I guess I am unfamiliar with the NAMBLA argument that treatment is the cause of "harm."

I guess it all depends on who is supplying the treatment. Advice from fools can cause a great deal of harm.

I am only telling you what I have observed and I didn't say it was MORE harmful. You asked about what lead to her joining the lesbian lifestyle. I think it was 50% about sexual abuse and 50% about bad therapy. I have known this kid her whole life. Trust me, she would have never even THOUGHT of becoming a lesbian had someone else not put this idea in her head. You would have to know my family to understand what I am saying.

Not being a mind reader I can only tell you what I have observed and relate that to the timing of her reactions. Of course, good therapy is another story altogether.

[RAT Patrol]

I am not talking about "victim training" either, btw. I am saying that I think her so-called therapist lead her down the path to exploring lesbianism as an alternative to heterosexuality as a response to her abuse. That is where she met and hooked up with that whole social scene. She was vulnerable because of her abuse--twice--by men. But I don't think she ever would have arrived there on her own. No way.

[Billthedrill]

This is an interdisciplinary course in American Studies and queer theory...

Yeah, I had to put the touch on Mom and Dad for a couple extra kilobucks but I finally got my major changed from Electrical Engineering to Queer Theory. I figure the job market's better.

[W.C. Fields voice] "I like children. Female children, ages 18 - 25..."

Dang it. These preverts are giving us dirty old men a bad name...

[Texaggie79]

That's what I am saying. I think you would find the elders of today who were "touched" as kids when they just banished the uncle or whoever did it (or perhaps gave em a good ole @$$ whoopin) and let the kid get on with their life are far better off than those that are forced into treatment, forced to testify, ect ect.

It's a bad thing, yes.... adults that do it should be punished and/or get help.... however, if it wasn't forced rape, it ain't the worst thing that could happen to the kid.

Hell I can think of a thing or two that happened to me as a kid that I would have rather been "touched" than had to go through what I did.

[Texaggie79]

You presumed correct. My lazyness has thwarted me again :(

[GovernmentShrinker]

Even though much of this course description is the usual crock, if they manage to get across to students that "repressed memories" (which I'm glad to see they put in quotes) are almost always therapist-led fabrications, it'll be a net positive course. So many lives have been destroyed by this "repressed memory" nonsense.

[Texaggie79]

dammit boris, you got me! Course! ugh!

[GovernmentShrinker]

A year or two ago, USA Today ran an article about a study of psychologists/therapists in the U.S. It was basically a profile of the group. I don't remember the statistics now, but they were shocking -- a huge percent believe in astrology, almost as many believe in UFO/alien abductions (the kind where repressed memory "therapy" helps people remember the kinky stuff the aliens did to them while they were on the UFO), healing with crystals and similar bunk had a huge following, etc. Bottom line: there ain't much good therapy out there.