Schedule · Phil 130: Sex, Gender, and Love

Date	Module	Readings	Due Dates
2024-08-27	Introduction	Course overview Greta Christina, “Are We Having Sex Now or What?” (1992)	Please complete the “Getting to Know You” survey on D2L by noon the day before our first day of class (or as soon as possible if you are joining late)
2024-08-29	Part I: Sex – Pregnancy	The politics of pregnancy Lina-Maria Murillo, “Espanta Cigüeñas: Race and Abortion in the US-Mexico Borderlands” (2023), pp. 795–96, 799–809, 813–20 In-class screening: The Janes (2022), directed by Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes, 102 min
2024-09-03	Part I: Sex – Pregnancy	The law of pregnancy Roe v. Wade (1971) Geduldig v. Aiello (1974) Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1991) Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)
2024-09-05	Part I: Sex – Pregnancy	Pregnancy & gender Catharine A. MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law (1987), chaps. 2, 8
2024-09-10	Part I: Sex – Pregnancy	Pregnancy as a social position? Amy Reed-Sandoval, Socially Undocumented: Identity and Immigration Justice (2020), chap. 4 Optional: Ding, “Pregnant Persons as a Gender Category: A Trans Feminist Analysis of Pregnancy Discrimination”
2024-09-12	Part I: Sex – Sexuality	The biological analysis of sex Susan Brownmiller, Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape (1975), pp. 11–30	If you are honors student who would like to complete an honors contract with me, please meet with me by this day
2024-09-17	Part I: Sex – Sexuality	The political analysis of sex MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified, chaps. 3, 6–7
2024-09-19	Part I: Sex – Sexuality	The political analysis reconsidered I Angela Y. Davis, “Rape, Racism and the Capitalist Setting” (1978)
2024-09-24	Part I: Sex – Sexuality	The political analysis reconsidered II Joss Greene, “The Insurgent Agency of Incarcerated Trans Women of Color” (2023) Optional: Ding, “Putting Gender Back into Transgender Equality: On Iglesias v. Federal Bureau of Prisons” (2023)	Objection-reply essay I assigned
2024-09-26	Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars	The Barnard Conference & Women against Pornography (WAP) MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified, chaps. 12–13
2024-10-01	Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars	Feminism & pornography reconsidered? Amia Srinivasan, “Talking to My Students about Porn” (2021)
2024-10-03	Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars	The lesbian sadomasochism controversy Patrick Califia, Public Sex: The Culture of Radical Sex (1994), pp. 165–74 (“Feminism and Sadomasochism”), 175–82 (“Genderbending”), and 183–89 (“Gay Men, Lesbians, and Sex”) In-class screening: BloodSisters: Leather, Dykes and Sadomasochism (1995), directed by Michelle Handelman, 69 min
2024-10-05	Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars	Objection-reply essay I due	Objection-reply essay I due to D2L by 11:59pm
2024-10-08	Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars	Feminism & BDSM reconciled? Michelle J. Anderson, “Negotiating Sex” (2005)
2024-10-10	Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution	Woman as the Second Sex Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (1949), pp. xviii–xx (“Translator's Note”), 3–17 (“Introduction”), 21–26, 44–48 (“Biological Data”), 71–75 (“History,” chap. 1)
2024-10-15	Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution	Becoming woman Beauvoir, The Second Sex, vol. 2, chaps. 2 (“The Girl”) and 3 (“Sexual Initiation”) – please skim these two chapters, especially the long block quotes, but think about why they are written this way
2024-10-17	Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution	Unbecoming woman? Beauvoir, The Second Sex, vol. 2, chap. 10 (“Woman’s Situation and Character”)	You must have completed at least one shorty by this day
2024-10-19	Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution	Midterm version of course lexicon due	Midterm version of course lexicon due to D2L by 11:59pm
2024-10-22	Part II: Gender – Gendering Sex	The medical construction of sex Anne Fausto-Sterling, Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality (2000), chap. 3 In-class screening: Every Body (2023), directed by Julie Cohen, 93 min
2024-10-24	Part II: Gender – Gendering Sex	The scientific construction of sex Sarah S. Richardson, “Sexing the X: How the X Became the ‘Female Chromosome’ ” (2012)
2024-10-29	Part II: Gender – Gendering Sex	The political construction of sex Nancy Tuana, “Coming to Understand: Orgasm and the Epistemology of Ignorance” (2004)
2024-10-31	Part II: Gender – Sexing Gender	“Trapped in the wrong body” Julia Serano, Whipping Girl (2007), chaps. 5, 10 [if you prefer, audio ver here and here]
2024-11-05	Part II: Gender – Sexing Gender	Election day (no class) View at home: Framing Agnes, directed by Chase Joynt, 75 min
2024-11-07	Part II: Gender – Sexing Gender	Trapped in the wrong theory? Talia Mae Bettcher, “Trapped in the Wrong Theory: Rethinking Trans Oppression and Resistance” (2014)	Objection-reply essay II assigned
2024-11-12	Part III: Love – Eros	“Happy ever after”? Carrie Jenkins, Sad Love: Romance and the Search for Meaning (2022), chap. 2
2024-11-14	Part III: Love – Eros	Love at the drinking party I Plato, Symposium, up to 201c (start of Socrates’ speech)
2024-11-19	Part III: Love – Eros	Love at the drinking party II Plato, Symposium, 201d to the end	If you’d like to pursue your own final project idea, please meet with me by this day
2024-11-21	Part III: Love – Eros	Writing day (no class) – Ding out of town for conference talk
2024-11-23	Part III: Love – Eros	Objection-reply essay II due	Objection-reply essay II due to D2L by 11:59pm
2024-11-26	Part III: Love – Relationships	Love under patriarchy Beauvoir, The Second Sex, vol. 2, chaps. 4 (“The Lesbian”) and 12 (“The Woman in Love”)
2024-11-28	Part III: Love – Relationships	University recess (no class)
2024-12-03	Part III: Love – Relationships	Same-sex marriage Claudia Card, “Against Marriage and Motherhood” (1996)
2024-12-05	Part III: Love – Relationships	Polyamory Elizabeth Brake, “Is ‘Loving More’ Better? The Values of Polyamory” (2022)
2024-12-10	Conclusion	Futures? Audre Lorde, “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power” (1978) Serano, Whipping Girl, chap. 16 [audio ver] Amy Marvin, “Short-Circuited Trans Care, t4t, and Trans Scenes” (2022)	Last chance for shorties!
2024-12-11	Conclusion	Student Course Surveys due	Student Course Surveys close at 11:59pm
2024-12-12	Conclusion	Reading day (no class)
2024-12-14	Conclusion	Final version of course lexicon due	Final version of course lexicon due to D2L by 11:59pm
2024-12-17	Conclusion	Final project due	Final project due to D2L by 11:59pm

2024-08-27

Introduction

Course overview

Greta Christina, “Are We Having Sex Now or What?” (1992)

Please complete the “Getting to Know You” survey on D2L by noon the day before our first day of class (or as soon as possible if you are joining late)

2024-08-29

Part I: Sex – Pregnancy

The politics of pregnancy

Lina-Maria Murillo, “Espanta Cigüeñas: Race and Abortion in the US-Mexico Borderlands” (2023), pp. 795–96, 799–809, 813–20
In-class screening: The Janes (2022), directed by Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes, 102 min

2024-09-03

Part I: Sex – Pregnancy

The law of pregnancy

Roe v. Wade (1971)
Geduldig v. Aiello (1974)
Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1991)
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)

2024-09-05

Part I: Sex – Pregnancy

Pregnancy & gender

Catharine A. MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law (1987), chaps. 2, 8

2024-09-10

Part I: Sex – Pregnancy

Pregnancy as a social position?

Amy Reed-Sandoval, Socially Undocumented: Identity and Immigration Justice (2020), chap. 4
Optional: Ding, “Pregnant Persons as a Gender Category: A Trans Feminist Analysis of Pregnancy Discrimination”

2024-09-12

Part I: Sex – Sexuality

The biological analysis of sex

Susan Brownmiller, Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape (1975), pp. 11–30

If you are honors student who would like to complete an honors contract with me, please meet with me by this day

2024-09-17

Part I: Sex – Sexuality

The political analysis of sex

MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified, chaps. 3, 6–7

2024-09-19

Part I: Sex – Sexuality

The political analysis reconsidered I

Angela Y. Davis, “Rape, Racism and the Capitalist Setting” (1978)

2024-09-24

Part I: Sex – Sexuality

The political analysis reconsidered II

Joss Greene, “The Insurgent Agency of Incarcerated Trans Women of Color” (2023)
Optional: Ding, “Putting Gender Back into Transgender Equality: On Iglesias v. Federal Bureau of Prisons” (2023)

Objection-reply essay I assigned

2024-09-26

Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars

The Barnard Conference & Women against Pornography (WAP)

MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified, chaps. 12–13

2024-10-01

Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars

Feminism & pornography reconsidered?

Amia Srinivasan, “Talking to My Students about Porn” (2021)

2024-10-03

Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars

The lesbian sadomasochism controversy

Patrick Califia, Public Sex: The Culture of Radical Sex (1994), pp. 165–74 (“Feminism and Sadomasochism”), 175–82 (“Genderbending”), and 183–89 (“Gay Men, Lesbians, and Sex”)
In-class screening: BloodSisters: Leather, Dykes and Sadomasochism (1995), directed by Michelle Handelman, 69 min

2024-10-05

Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars

Objection-reply essay I due

Objection-reply essay I due to D2L by 11:59pm

2024-10-08

Part I: Sex – The Sex Wars

Feminism & BDSM reconciled?

Michelle J. Anderson, “Negotiating Sex” (2005)

2024-10-10

Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution

Woman as the Second Sex

Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (1949), pp. xviii–xx (“Translator's Note”), 3–17 (“Introduction”), 21–26, 44–48 (“Biological Data”), 71–75 (“History,” chap. 1)

2024-10-15

Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution

Becoming woman

Beauvoir, The Second Sex, vol. 2, chaps. 2 (“The Girl”) and 3 (“Sexual Initiation”) – please skim these two chapters, especially the long block quotes, but think about why they are written this way

2024-10-17

Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution

Unbecoming woman?

Beauvoir, The Second Sex, vol. 2, chap. 10 (“Woman’s Situation and Character”)

You must have completed at least one shorty by this day

2024-10-19

Part II: Gender – The Beauvoirian Revolution

Midterm version of course lexicon due

Midterm version of course lexicon due to D2L by 11:59pm

2024-10-22

Part II: Gender – Gendering Sex

The medical construction of sex

Anne Fausto-Sterling, Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality (2000), chap. 3
In-class screening: Every Body (2023), directed by Julie Cohen, 93 min

2024-10-24

Part II: Gender – Gendering Sex

The scientific construction of sex

Sarah S. Richardson, “Sexing the X: How the X Became the ‘Female Chromosome’ ” (2012)

2024-10-29

Part II: Gender – Gendering Sex

The political construction of sex

Nancy Tuana, “Coming to Understand: Orgasm and the Epistemology of Ignorance” (2004)

2024-10-31

Part II: Gender – Sexing Gender

“Trapped in the wrong body”

Julia Serano, Whipping Girl (2007), chaps. 5, 10 [if you prefer, audio ver here and here]

2024-11-05

Part II: Gender – Sexing Gender

Election day (no class)

View at home: Framing Agnes, directed by Chase Joynt, 75 min

2024-11-07

Part II: Gender – Sexing Gender

Trapped in the wrong theory?

Talia Mae Bettcher, “Trapped in the Wrong Theory: Rethinking Trans Oppression and Resistance” (2014)

Objection-reply essay II assigned

2024-11-12

Part III: Love – Eros

“Happy ever after”?

Carrie Jenkins, Sad Love: Romance and the Search for Meaning (2022), chap. 2

2024-11-14

Part III: Love – Eros

Love at the drinking party I

Plato, Symposium, up to 201c (start of Socrates’ speech)

2024-11-19

Part III: Love – Eros

Love at the drinking party II

Plato, Symposium, 201d to the end

If you’d like to pursue your own final project idea, please meet with me by this day

2024-11-21

Part III: Love – Eros

Writing day (no class) – Ding out of town for conference talk

2024-11-23

Part III: Love – Eros

Objection-reply essay II due

Objection-reply essay II due to D2L by 11:59pm

2024-11-26

Part III: Love – Relationships

Love under patriarchy

Beauvoir, The Second Sex, vol. 2, chaps. 4 (“The Lesbian”) and 12 (“The Woman in Love”)

2024-11-28

Part III: Love – Relationships

University recess (no class)

2024-12-03

Part III: Love – Relationships

Same-sex marriage

Claudia Card, “Against Marriage and Motherhood” (1996)

2024-12-05

Part III: Love – Relationships

Polyamory

Elizabeth Brake, “Is ‘Loving More’ Better? The Values of Polyamory” (2022)

2024-12-10

Conclusion

Futures?

Audre Lorde, “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power” (1978)
Serano, Whipping Girl, chap. 16 [audio ver]
Amy Marvin, “Short-Circuited Trans Care, t4t, and Trans Scenes” (2022)

Last chance for shorties!

2024-12-11

Conclusion

Student Course Surveys due

Student Course Surveys close at 11:59pm

2024-12-12

Conclusion

Reading day (no class)

2024-12-14

Conclusion

Final version of course lexicon due

Final version of course lexicon due to D2L by 11:59pm

2024-12-17

Conclusion

Final project due

Final project due to D2L by 11:59pm