The Idea

This blog is dedicated to the modern idea of a Men and Women's Club. Though I wonder why "Men" was listed first, that is perhaps my own bias, or something that can come up as a topic of discussion. Historically, the Men and Women's club was founded by Karl Pearson in 1885 and lasted until 1889. According to Judith R. Walkowitz, he "founded the Men and Women's Club, to talk about sex." There were many things that were problematic about the club's assumptions, treatment of gender, focus on the theoretical advancement of sexuality and liberation when the actual was still taboo- I can go on and on- but I think a lot of the issues that were raised via papers and discussions, are valid topics of debate today as well. My interest in the Men and Women's club stems from this question of history and a present and the whole notion of the 1880's "New Women" as it applies today. My undergrad thesis was on New Women and New Women Novels, a paper that ended where it began, as the New Women of that time didn't exist in actuality, only in theory, as much of what was discussed about sexuality in the club was only theoretical as well.

While I search for a good starting point for discussion, I am thinking about how different things are today, living in the Bay Area of California, and yet how similar they are. In theory, sexuality is more fluid, heteronormative constraints are being protested, questioned, thrown aside for more apt constructions or the absence of construction at all, there is no longer the assumption that "heterosexual feeling and identity" is "unquestionale and inevitable" (at least in the bay), but it is also true that there is reason to have a modern dialogue about "sexual possibility" versus "sexual danger." As the Men and Women's Club arose during a time of "new sexuality... and repressive legislation against prostitution, homosexuality and pornography" I would argue that there is always a "new sexuality" on the horizon, fighting for its right to exist and express itself, as well as ways in which to turn the theoretical into actuals.

My hope, is to create a dialogue, based around questions, articles, papers and other media, that represents the struggles between theory and actuality in modern day sexuality. Just as Karl Pearson was considered " a new man" in the 1880's, "Who was critical of the patriarchal era in which he lived and heralded its end, but looked with fear towards the new feminist order," I believe there are similarly many individuals that struggle with realizing or seeing to fruition sexual desires, rights, norms, equalities that they hold dear and firm in spirit and idea. If you would like to contribute to this blog in any way, whether it be through comments, submitting a paper topic for discussion, sharing links for articles, new renderings of these questions of sexuality or discussing the topics of the original Men and Women's Club, feel free to e-mail me. I can't wait to see what everyone has to say!