Kinsmen
- Article examines the “socialization” of character and the creation of a Canadian citizen
- The criteria was classist and racist. Street culture was seen as a breeding ground for immorality and vice, thus society needed to control the “juvenile delinquents”
- School systems tool the role of disciplining and socializing children into moral Canadian citizens – ie controlling their sexuality- no masturbation, etc. Even the age of consent was under question- many outspoken religious people wanted it to be raised
- White people were considered to have “good” moral character, effectively excluding Native people, African-Canadians and Chinese immigrants. White women were continually warned against the opium-toting Chinese men seducing them, causing riots against Chinese populations
- Working women were immediately deemed immoral because male workers create an immoral work environment, and thus their morality suffers.
Bliss:
- Shows an example of the school system’s “purity” sexual education through Max Braithwaite’s memoir- a Canadian Novelist who grew up in Saskatchewan. Braithwaite discusses a teacher discussing the harmful repercussions of masturbation on a person’s character, body, and mind. He says “I was so ashamed, I couldn’t look at him. The socialization of shame is shown in all the articles as one of the main weapons to control people’s sexuality
- Arthur Beall, known for his purity lectures, was hailed “one of the best informed men on educational matters in Canada” by the Globe and Mail. Showing one example of how media also works to socialize sexuality in Canada.
Maynard
- Media’s role is further explored in Maynard’s article- which states “Journalists ability not only to describe but to determine contexts for sex scandals draws attention to the pivotal role of the media.
- Look at examples where the Media plays a key role in constructing categories such as “pedophiles” and “victims”
- Graham James vs Tornoto Maple Leaf Garden’s scandal- often lumped together in reports due to the fact that they occurred a month apart
- Fundamental differences: power, agency, representations
- Previous times of the juvenile delinquents Kinsmen discussed and “bad girls”- in the time of the Maple Leafs Scandal- discussing the sexual agency of children “seems almost entirely beyond discursive possibility”
- Foucault mentions “where children are concerned, they are supposed to have a sexuality that can never be directed towards an adult.
- While it is true there are differences of context to the Graham James/Kennedy- Feminist Kate Millet reminds us that “the main point about children and relationships between adults and children, is that children have no rights. They have no money
- Calls for society to define poverty and economic inequality as forms of “abuse” and not to judge the Garden’s boys from taking advantage of our society’s commodification of sex for their own material advantage.
Today’s example of public shaming: Saundra Fluke asking forBirth Control