Sara O'Rourke

Womens' Journey



Posted: Tuesday, September 22, 2009

by Sara O'Rourke

In mild preparation for my degree course, reading up on the fascinations of Gender and Sexuality - of course, I went straight to these as my starter chapters - I found an emotional, intense and desperate journey. It has only been in recent years that women in the UK have celebrated their right to vote and now, learning what discrimination and inequity gave womens' rights such blazing propulsion, I am full of thoughts; what new goals and rights will we achieve tomorrow?

The facts stare blankly - black as blackest ink on the fresh white pages of this brand new text book: ' In the summer of 1810, Londoners who could afford the steep 2s. 6d. entrance fee could view in the flesh the woman the papers were calling the 'Hottentot Venus', shipped for display from the Cape of Good Hope.' As one reads on, the story of victimized Saartje Baartman is heart-breaking and I feel in myself, as a woman, violated.

Saartje, or Sara Baartman was displayed by white entrepeneurs in Piccadilly (and later Paris) to symbolize colonial sexuality. Her condition of sinus pudoris of the labia (which causes them to become 3-4 inches elongated) as well as her large 'fertile features' attracted huge European fascination and her display illuminated the way in which women were subordinate to men in this period.

Further, it was the enlightening read that British men took advantage of the so-called 'freer' or more 'fluid' sexual customs in the colonies, all the while depreciating them, that was laughable. This period of time was one of ' deep Christian orthodoxy', which in itself depicts sexual activity as both procreative and sinful, and therefore added to the blatant hypocrisy of these ongoings.

What an interesting experience it would be to travel back in time and first-hand communicate and interact with nineteenth century society and its many ridiculous values. I feel very fortunate to be growing up and coming into womanhood with a generation that appears to be more open-minded, ignorant of the idea of 'separate spheres' for men and women and all the jazz that comes with the concept.

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Debra Botting
from Tavernier, Florida Keys 2 years 228 days ago.
Sara O'Rourke, It has always boggled my mind about the double standards set for men and women. Thanks for the article. I could go on for hours on this subject.
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