https://makingqueerhistory.tumblr.com/post/791676550982598656
This is fascinating, because the post in question said:
"When three of the biggest controversies on social media have been about punishing women for expressing their sexuality, it starts to look a lot like a pattern."
The interesting bit is people are all referencing different recent scandals, when I thought everyone would immediately click on to what I was thinking of. To be more specific, I was writing about two major celebrities coming out as bisexual, and the backlash to a female artist having an album cover that references kink.
I stand by my annoyance at all three of these events, but I couldn't think of a better illustration of my overarching point than people thinking it was a completely unrelated occurrence.
It's interesting that first the upset was over children being exposed to any type of sexuality or gender expression, now the new upset is over women expressing any kind of sexuality or gender expression. It's almost like there is a concerted effort from the right to remove sexuality and gender expression from public discourse entirely and children and women just happen to be the first targets. If that were the case, it would be extremely frustrating when people on the left fall for this barely disguised outrage politics again and again.
If I'm not being obvious enough, let me be perfectly clear, if you are genuinely upset over someone you don't know expressing a new facet to their sexuality/gender, you're a part of the problem.
If you are mad at women for reading books with sex scenes, you are a part of the problem.
If you think two women coming out as bisexual is a "betrayal" to the queer community, you are a part of the problem.
If a woman expressing interest in kink scandalizing you, you are a part of the problem.
The fact that I can think of more examples of public outrage over stuff like this is exhausting. I'm tired of people expecting me to be angry over a woman enjoying her sexuality.
I'll leave you with this from the Wiki page for The Mass Psychology of Fascism:
"Reich argued that the reason why German fascism (i.e., Nazism) was chosen over communism was that of increased sexual repression in Germany – as opposed to the somewhat more liberal (post-revolutionary) Russia. As children, Reich believed that members of the (German) proletariat learned from their parents to suppress nearly all sexual desire and – instead – expend the repressed energy into authoritarian idealism. Hence, in adults, any rebellious and sexual impulses experienced would cause fundamental anxiety and – therefore, instead – social control is used to reduce anxiety. Fear of revolt, as well as fear of sexuality, were thus "anchored" in the 'character structure' of the masses (the majority). This influenced the 'people' and allowed (what Reich thought as irrational) 'populistic' ideology to flourish."
https://makingqueerhistory.tumblr.com/post/791676550982598656
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making_queer_history_feed) wrote2025-08-13 03:54 am
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