essay

Open body/closed space: the transformation of female sexuality

defining females : the nature of women in societyNew York • Published In 1978 • Pages: 66-88

By: Hirschon, Renee.

Abstract
In this paper, Hirschon examines beliefs regarding the physical and symbolic attributes of women, which she argues together influence women's conduct and status. According to Hirschon, Greeks believe that women can control their sexual urges whereas men cannot and that sexuality should only be expressed heterosexually. Women's sexuality threatens family honor and social order. The control of a woman's sexuality is therefore a moral imperative, which is achieved through marriage and domestic life, with its imposed restrictions on women's movement, time, and speech. Sex is sanctified through children and women are redeemed through childbirth. The symbolic order contains the duality of auspicious 'open' and inauspicious 'closed' states. Openness for women only comes with marriage, domesticity, and childbearing; activities for which women depend on men.
Subjects
Division of labor by gender
Gender status
Household
Cosmology
culture
Greeks
HRAF PubDate
2003
Region
Europe
Sub Region
Southeastern Europe
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 2002
Field Date
1969-1972
Coverage Date
1970s
Coverage Place
Nea Ephesos, Piraeus, Greece
Notes
René Hirschon
Includes bibliographical references (p. 88)
LCCN
78016867
LCSH
Greece