An Internet Adventure!

Since I have nothing in particular that I should be doing or want to do at midnight I usually browse the interwebs until I'm tired or find something more amusing to occupy myself with.  Some of my friends have gotten a giggle out of some of these late night "adventures" and learned a thing or two along the way.  So since it's twelve in the morning and once again I find myself without entertainment you're welcome to go on an adventure with me through the scary portals of the interwebs. 

Topics for this particular adventure:

1. Feminism
2. Vagina Dentata 
3. Subjugation of Women
4. The Gorean way of Living

I read an article about Feminism which lead me to an article about misogyny which lead to more articles that were more or less about the subjugation of women.  One of those articles lead me to a page all about "Vagina Dentata" which at first just made me giggle and think about Pillow Pants, but after reading a few articles became interesting. One of those lead me to some articles we'll ignore, but eventually I stumbled upon the history of the "Goreans."  After looking up a ton of stuff on these people and generalising them with an amped up version of your average kink I decided I was done for the night.  In the next few paragraphs I'll explain the basics of each of these things as well as giving some background history, my opinion, and a link or two.  I literally mean only a little of each of those things.  So if you have time to waste and would like to rot your brain with some knowledge you may never use...read away! :D

FEMINISM

Feminism is literally defined by http://www.dictionary.com/ as:

1. A doctrine that advocates equal rights for women.
2. An organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.

However "Feminism" is actually pretty complicated.  There are many different movements and ideologies which span the entire globe not just the united states.  I won't go into all that because it would take up an entire day if not more to read and explain all of it.  If you're interested in learning more than my little tidbits below then you're welcome to follow the links listed below that.  For now you just get to read this though. 

Basically women got tired of being treated like pets and baby making machines.  Making sammiches, birthing and raising children, and doing the dishes wasn't cutting it anymore.  They simply did not want to "get back in the kitchen" and who can blame them!  Being confined to domestic duties essentially made a lot of women feel useless and unappreciated. Since they didn't have television, gaming consols, and the internet they were reeeally bored.

The word "Feminism" was introduced in 1851, but originally it simply meant to be in a state of being feminine.  It wasn't until 1872 that it was first used in France and The Netherlands to represent advocacy of female rights.  Of course it was in French which is "Féminisme," but it means the same thing.  It found it's way to Britain in 1890 where  it was first introduced to the English language and dubbed dangerous.  Then found its way across the sea to the USA in 1910.  

Most kids learn about The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, sometimes they get some info on The Syracuse Convention of 1852, and the primary focus is generally women gaining the right to vote in July 1920.  What teachers tend to neglect in their information is that Feminism did not start in the USA and it didn't end with us either.  Small strides were made by others like the philosopher Plato in his Socratic dialogue entitled "The Republic" (http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.6.v.html).

"Are dogs divided into hes and shes, or do they both share equally in hunting and in keeping watch and in the other duties of dogs? Or do we entrust to the males the entire and exclusive care of the flocks while we leave the females at home under the idea that the bearing and suckling of their puppies is labour enough for them?"

The Republic states that women in Plato's ideal state should work alongside men, receive equal education and share equally in all aspects of the state. The sole exception was that women were to work in capacities which did not require as much physical strength.

Many other people of both genders stood for the equality of women long before "Feminism" was used to define it. Protofeminism is usually the word used to define the period prior to the 20th century. Apparently the precise usage is widely disputed. 

Links:

http://www.feminist.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protofeminism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Feminism

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/724633/feminism

Not the best links, but they'll lead you to better ones if you're interested.  

To end this section my personal opinion of feminism is that it killed chivalry, but I don't mind the fact that it took the men of today aside and said, "If you beat your wife for not making a sandwich she can make a stand against you."  I can do with not being told what to do by men simply because they are men.  Men aren't simply branded as better because of their sex 
anymore and we aren't just dolls for them to play with.

   

VAGINA DENTATA

Vagina Dentata is the Latin word for "Toothed Vagina." Yup...that is exactly what it is. It's actually the topic of a ton of myths and folklore in many different parts of the world. Apparently it's rather prevalent in aboriginal myths and legends, but can also be found in Egyptian, Indo-European, Greek, Native American, and African ones.  

Many psychologists claim that the myths sprang up from man's simple fear of the "mysteries" of women.  Also most of the sites and reference material I've viewed say that it was used to discourage rape and sex without commitment in certain parts of the world.  

According to most of my sources the stories tend to end with the woman marrying the man that detoothed her and as such made her "Safe."  The opinion of the "Toothed Vagina" myths to psychologists and the general public can be summed up by the following statement:

"The classic symbol of men's fear of sex, expressing the unconscious belief that a woman may eat or castrate her partner during intercourse."

My opinion? I don't even know how to word it. Also...this was really hard to find suitable photos for without getting graphic. All I know is that if anyone really has teeth in there they might want to look into getting that fixed.  I understand why men would be horrified of women if raised on these stories.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagina_dentata

http://www.goddesscafe.com/yoni/dentata.html

http://healthcentral.com/drdean/408/13198.html

I decided to exclude some of the more graphic content and website links.  

However! I'm sure that if you're really interested in figuring out more details the internet will eventually lead you in the right direction. However I will not be linking that stuff simply because I'm trying to be as unoffensive as possible. Some of the myths are pretty funny though so I suggest checking them out if you aren't freaked out by this topic. I know someone that likes to pretend it doesn't exist.

SUBJUGATION OF WOMEN

Of course these two topics somehow lead to others about the subjugation of women and I was going to go into that topic myself when I decided against it.  Simply put I don't feel that I need to point out that we're objectified by most men on a daily basis either unintentionally or just because they're assholes.  However I find it hard to blame men for it anymore.  So many women are making themselves dependant upon their men, intentionally dumbing themselves down, and just generally whoring around that there would be no logical reason to blame men for seeing us as toys or things that need protecting.  Granted the literally meaning of subjugation is "to bring under complete control or subjection; conquer; master; to make submissive or subservient; enslave," but that is rarely the case anymore.  Most men aren't looking to treat us like playthings, but too many of us egg that kind of treatment on by acting like idiots.  As for men who are simply jerks and treat their women like slaves simply put in my own words, "You're an asshole. Please go die now. Preferably painfully and slow. Thanks."  That's all I have to say about that.

Remember ladies and gents that stuff like this is only funny until you mean it or experience it...so don't be douches. 

GOREAN LIVING

Another topic that pertains to the subjugation of women would be this one.  The only difference is I suppose these women choose to be objectified.  This lifestyle is based off of books by John Norman.  They're books about a fantasy world in case you haven't caught on yet.  It's basically a role playing lifestyle where people live by the culture portrayed in the book. Personally I have never read any of these books in their entirety nor do I plan to.  

Below is an quote from one of these books that basically defines their men.  If this doesn't automatically call to mind a picture of some muscled barbarian man from the cover of a sleazy old romance novel then I don't know what else could.

"They are different men. They are not Earthling. They are Goreans. They are strong, they are hard, and they will conquer you. For a man of Earth, you might never be a woman. For a man of Gor, I assure you, my dear, sooner or later you will be."  - Tribesmen of Gor (Page 12)

Their general philosophy and way of life is mainly focused on women being subservient to men and I don't mean your average run of the mill male egotist who thinks he owns all women. What I'm talking about is people living as master and slave kind of subservient. Without women allowing themselves to be treated as pets this lifestyle would have nothing to build off of.  It is totally dependant upon women being completely dominated by their male counterpart. Ugh...


The women are not to question their masters.  They are not to demand loyalty.  They are not, as I see it, to act in any human fashion, but rather to live as their master sees fit and do as they're told at all times and without question.

"This harsh treatment, incidentally, when she is thought to deserve it, may even be inflicted on a free companion, in spite of the fact that she is free and usually much loved. According to the Gorean way of looking at things a taste of the slave ring is thought to be occasionally beneficial to all woman, even the exalted free woman. Thus when she has been irritable or otherwise troublesome even a Free Companion may find herself at the foot of the couch looking forward to a pleasant night on the stones, stripped, with neither mat nor blanket, chained to the slave ring precisely as though she were a lowly slave girl. It is the Gorean way of reminding her, should she need to be reminded, that she, too, is a woman, and thus to be dominated, to be subject to men. Should she be tempted to forget this basic fact of Gorean life the slave ring set in the bottom of each Gorean couch is there to refresh her memory. Gor is a mans world."  Priest Kings of Gor (Page 67)

Of course they have their "Free Women" to.  However Free Women apparently are thought to be less desirable than Slave Girls and Free Companions and as such not really looked at in a sexual light, but their respect is nothing more than a backlight to the belief that all these men share. The belief that all women are or will be a slave at some point no matter what. Gorean men honestly believe this crap?  Clearly they have no shame and, like all other people, see their life choices as right.  


I think the paragraph below which is a one of the many building blocks of the Gorean lifestyle clearly states this fact.  Even though they totally missed the FACT that not all women are attracted to males. 

"Goreans, in their simplistic fashion, often contend, categorically, that man is naturally free and woman is naturally slave, but even for them the issues are far more complex than these simple formulations would suggest. For example, there is no higher person, nor one more respected, than the Gorean Free Woman. Goreans do believe, however, that every woman has a natural master or set of masters, with respect to whom she could not help but be a complete and passionate slave girl. These men occur in her dreams and fantasies. She lives in terror that she might meet one in real life." Hunters of Gor (Page 311)

Links:

http://www.goreanliving.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorean

http://www.pantheus.com/TGV/archive62004/TGV/philosophy.shtml

My personal opinion which I allowed to permeate this entire section is that I'd kill myself before kneeling at any mans feet and announcing my lifelong devotion to his whims, but apparently there is a large group of Goreans whose women willingly devote their lives to their masters, and only his, desires.  I can't quite grasp that concept.  I'm not opposed to being girly and sweet to your man, but getting on your knees whenever he demands it is taking it a bit too far.  Unless you look like King Leonidas and can kick ass like him I won't be bowing to you anytime soon.

He sort of proved that you don't have to be an overbearing douche to be strong.  What happened to loving and respecting your woman?  I honestly think that these men are simply afraid of what it takes to have an honest relationship.  Only cowards need to dominate others to feel worthy.  I'm not saying that kinks are bad, but to live your life based entirely on one is a little much.  Goreans boast honor above all else, but there is no honor in beating one of your many women into submission.  Ah Leonidas...where have all the real men gone?