Erotic Entitlements Part I: A Reply to Sex Therapy in the Age of Viagra: 'Money Can’t Buy Me Love'
Washington University Journal of Law and Policy, Vol. 35, No. 421, 2011
Washington University in St. Louis Legal Studies Research Paper No. 12-06-03
25 Pages Posted: 18 Jun 2012
Date Written: June 17, 2012
Abstract
This is the first of three inquiries into what might be thought of as erotic entitlement. It explores the role of the erotic in regulatory and distributive regimes. Conceived as a reply to Susan Stiritz and Susan Appleton‘s provocative and rich essay Sex Therapy in the Age of Viagra, it starts by summarizing the innovations of their argument. It next uses their paper to pose some questions. First, in this time of contentious feminist, constitutional, and human rights sexual discourse, how is the erotic defined? How is the erotic related to and distinct from desire, the sexual, and even the pornographic? Second, are men‘s and women‘s erotic interests aligned? And relatedly, does erotic interest differ according to orientation? Finally, is there a "right" to an erotic life? If so, how is such an entitlement best construed — as right, justice, or capability? This short Essay is the first step toward answering these questions, which will be subsequently taken up in two forthcoming essays.
Keywords: Erotic, Sex, Desire, Gender, Feminist Jurisprudence, Consitutional Rights, Human Rights, Masters and Johnson, Sex Therapy
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