> I have to say that the above illustrates a trope that fascinates me
> (perhaps I'm easily entertained): the effortless leap from laws about
> specific sexual acts to the claim that there are "stringent laws"
> against homosexuals. The notion that sexual activity is an expression
> of some stable, essential sexual identity is so socially entrenched
> that--it's difficult for us to recognize that the notion is socially
> created. (Marx's argument about how we created God and then bow down to
> what we created comes to mind here.)
On the BBC science fiction series Torchwood (spin-off of the current Doctor Who incarnation) the hero, Captain Jack Harkness, is from the 51st (or something) century and refers to contemporary sexual identities as "quaint".
That sexual identity is socially created is a big theme in this show - and the episodes of (traditionally family-themed) Doctor Who cross-overs in which Captain Harkness appears.
Matt
-- PGP RSA Key ID: 0x1F6A4471 aim: beyondzero123 PGP DH/DSS Key ID: 0xAFF35DF2 yahoo msg: beyondzero123 http://blogdayafternoon.com
There are only two kinds of artists: the plagiarists and the revolutionaries.
-Paul Gauguin