polimicks | On Dworkin and all heterosexual sex as rape.

First, I would like to say that the quote about heterosexual sex being rape is ALWAYS taken out of context, and cited wrongly. She did not call it rape, she said it was coercive in nature. I understand what Dworkin was trying to say, however, I feel that she is A. wrong and B. saying it badly.

The problem with the idea of the inequalities between the genders leading to a power imbalance that means that women can never fully freely consent is that it denies women the agency of their own sexuality.

Ok, that's a little "academic speaky" even for me.

Dworkin, in her book Intercourse, posited that because men hold the bulk of power in our society as it currently stands, that women, as an underclass, could not fully be said to consent because so much of our identity/survival is dependent on some man somewhere, and that traditional heterosexual sex roles were an extension of this inequality. Or at least this is what I take away from it.

Yes, I totally think this is bullshit.

Having been raped, and having consented freely and enthusiastically to sex, I can tell you that I am WELL aware of the difference.

Not to mention, that to believe this is to deny women their own sexual agency.

And as I've said before, I no more need idealogical young prunes telling me how to express my sexuality than I need conservative old prunes telling me how to express my sexuality. Slut-shaming women in the name of liberating women is still slut-shaming them. And I don't care if you "have my best interests at heart" I don't need your patronizing bullshit, and neither does anyone else.