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  • Essay / Fire': symbolic meaning of the body, sexuality and chastity of women for Indian culture

    The film Fire presents an interwoven framework of different issues involving the myths and reality of lesbianism and lesbian desire, the sexual preferences and freedom of expression, and the symbolic meaning of women's bodies and chastity for Indian culture and tradition. These issues raised constitute the heart of the film's debate, highlighting the notion of compulsory heterosexuality, because they strongly reflect Indian culture and tradition, essentially rooted in male control over female sexuality. Introduced by Adrienne Rich, compulsory heterosexuality is the hypothesis according to which heterosexuality is imposed and made the norm by a patriarchal society. On the other hand, Gayle Rubin has made the argument that although the social construction of lesbians as deviant is a powerful force behind the principle of compulsory heterosexuality, the feminist insistence on regulated sexuality, even between women, is just as powerful and oppressive. This argument suggests that it is also important to challenge social control and sexual correction "within" the feminist movement in order to prevent the type of lesbian feminism that opposes the liberation of women of all forms of oppression. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayFirst, one of the most horrible nature of a sexual relationship that violates the symbolic meaning of a woman's body has been strongly demonstrated through Justin's sexual attitude towards his wife, Sita. The realistic depiction of their traditional marriage parallels Rich's theory that compulsory heterosexuality emerges from women's submission to men. In the film, Justin's sexual access and demanding acts are obviously protected by obligatory heterosexuality and reinforced by the expected norms of Indian culture and tradition. The Second Sex by Simone De Beauvoir presents the same idea of ​​how women's inferiority has been constructed and imposed on women by society. Throughout history, women have been viewed solely as the “object, secondary, and other” of men. She states: “The lie to which the adolescent is condemned is that she must pass herself off as an object, and a fascinating one…”. This statement by De Beauvoir suggests how a woman's power has always been linked to sexuality by being the object of sexual attraction based on her physical appearance and reproductive capacity. Secondly, the pattern of sexual preferences was represented by the relationship between Radha and Ashok who is on the opposite side of the sexual spectrum. When it was revealed that Radha was incapable of having children, Ashok turned his wife's inability to conceive into an opportunity for him to achieve spiritual freedom. As part of his practice, he forces his wife to lie next to him on the bed to prove that he can resist and detach himself from sexual pleasures. This image shows how Ashok used religion to control Radha as she consents to her husband's demands. In Chandra Mohanty's article, Feminism Without Borders, she outlined her goal of deconstructing the monolithic construct of the "third world woman" as a victim of male control and violence, but more importantly, as as a homogeneous, powerless group, exploited and sexually harassed mainly by men. . As a viewer, one can clearly feel the imbalance of equality and the emotional agony that Radha endured to fulfill her husband's request. This reflects the, 2016.