One of the things that has become clear while doing these podcasts is that our backgrounds, the cultures we grew up in and our early sexual experiences have given us a certain privilege when it comes to discussing matters of sexuality. In many countries around the world these discussions would not be possible and particularly women remain in a subordinate role for most of their lives. Female genital mutilation, for example, is still a widespread practice in many parts of Africa. It is important, therefore, to acknowledge our own privilege as well as hope that more liberated conditions can be be spread universally as well as extended at home.
In this podcast we discuss the ways in which our own upbringing and the restrictions and taboos that are reinforced by our cultural and religious backgrounds are often at the root of our sexual difficulties. Our postwar generation is perhaps the last one that still has one foot in Victorian values – with all its hypocrisies – and the need to communicate our desires and fantasies is still quite a difficult task for many.
At base we come to the conclusion that sexual liberation is primarily about the liberation of women from cultural and religious values which hold back and prevent the unfolding of their sexual pleasure. However, this is not just the responsibility of women. Men, too, have to be fully on board with women's rights. Rape will only end when men cease to rape and when they stop seeing women as property or objects, to be done with as they will.
Episode 8: Sex, Desire and Privilege