Date

Topic

 Reading Assignments: Note: POS stands for The Philosophy of Sex: Contemporary Readings (Seventh Edition) Edited by Halwani, Soble, Hoffman, and Held

Writing assignments due

Jan. 16

Introductory Session

None

Jan. 23

Some categories and a question about what counts as ‘having sex’

Jan. 30

1. St. Augustine, selections on sex and lust from The City of God (handed out in class)
(Optional, extra reading) "How St. Augustine Invented Sex" by Stephen Greenblatt

2. Two documents from the Catholic church:

a. Declaration on certain questions concerning sexual ethics (edited)

b. "The Vocation to Chastity" from The Catechism

3. "Sexual Perversion" by Thomas Nagel (in POS)

Feb. 6

Identity and the science of sex differences

1. A selection from The Lies That Bind by Kwame Anthony Appiah (handed out in class and here)

2. “Claudia is Intersex, Let's Talk About It”

3. “Science Wills It!: The Use of Scientific Claims in ‘Anti-Gender’ Rhetoric” by Veronika Valkovičová and Pavol Hardoš (handed out in class and here)

Response paper

Feb. 13

1. Just to get some terms straight please start by reading just two pages (pages 120-121) in the Philosophy of Sex anthology.  These make up a section called “Basic Concepts” in the article “Trans 101”.  For a somewhat less academic explanation of much the same set of terms , you could look here:  https://www.healthline.com/health/sex-vs-gender
2. Then read the chapters (8 and 11) from Rikki Wilkins book Queer Theory, Gender Theory that I handed out in class last time. 
3. Finally, to see what Judith Butler looks and sounds like and to get an oral explanation of some of the philosophical ideas discussed in the chapters from Wilchins’ book, please take a look at this page: http://www.openculture.com/2018/02/judith-butler-on-gender-performativity.html  Read the words and watch the two imbedded videos.

Response paper

Feb 20

In addition to the chapter from Beyond the Binary that I handed out in class, which is here for those of you who missed it, please read:

1. “Trans 101” by Talia Mae Betcher in our class textbook The Philosophy of Sex (pp. 119-135)
2. https://medium.com/the-establishment/dont-judge-a-girl-for-what-s-between-her-legs-24f6b6c8cc6
3. http://bostonreview.net/science-nature-gender-sexuality/anne-fausto-sterling-science-wont-settle-trans-rights

Response paper;

First position paper due Saturday, February 22 by 10 am

Feb. 27

Response paper

March 5

Two ethical issues relating to gender identities

Also: getting ready to write the first position paper

1. Read through the paper-writing guide put together by Jim Pryor. Choose a paper topic and try to figure out what the thesis (main point) of your paper will be.

2. Read the article "The Negotiative Theory of Gender Identity and the Limits of First-Person Authority” by Burkay Ozturk, pp. 139-157 in POS

3. Read "The Performance of Transgender Inclusion" by Jen Manion and the reply, called "We Still Need Pronoun Go-Rounds" by Dean Spade

Response paper;

First Position Paper due Monday, March 9, by 10:00AM, by email

March 12

March 19

March 26

Response paper;

Second position paper due Saturday, March 28 by 10 am

April 2

Response paper

April 9

Please read:

1. “Racial Sexual Desires” by Raja Halwani in the Philosophy of Sex reader (pp. 181-200)
2. “Thinking Queerly about Sex and Sexuality” by Kim Q. Hall also in the Philosophy of Sex (pp. 241-256)  The section of this essay that is most relevant to our topic is the one called “Disability and Sexual Ableism” (pp. 248-251)  So, if you are pressed for time and or energy, you can just read that.
3. "How modern dating encourages racial prejudice"

Response paper

April 16

Please read:

1. “Consent and Sexual Relations” by Alan Wertheimer and
2. “The Harms of Consensual Sex” by Robin West

Both are in our class textbook The Philosophy of Sex (pp.321-346 and 371-377).

Response paper;

April 23

1. New York Times debate: "Is Legalized Prostitution Safer?" (There are eight very short articles here, please click and read them all.)

2. "Whether from Reason or Prejudice: Taking Money for Bodily Services" by Martha Nusbaum (This version is a scan I found on the open web. The original version, which may be more accessible is availble through the library here. Requires Star ID login)

Response paper

1. “Is there such a thing as ethical porn?” by Zoe Williams, https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/nov/01/ethical-porn-fair-trade-sex
2. “Make love not porn”, a four-minute TED talk by Cindy Gallop, https://makelovenotporntv.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/porn-world-vs-real-world/ 
   If you can put up with frank descriptions of sex acts, check out the slide show on this page contrasting ‘porn world’ and ‘real world’.
3. Study of young men’s understanding of porn: https://journals-sagepub-com.mtrproxy.mnpals.net/doi/pdf/10.1177/1097184X15574339 (sign in with star id and password).  This article is also attached as a pdf.
4. Word’s largest porn site allegedly does a bad job policing its content:  https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/mar/09/worlds-biggest-porn-site-under-fire-over-videos-pornhub
5. Optional:  a half-hour podcast from the BBC debating ‘ethical porn’: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b06d2g5d