The Power of Discourse in a Political Sex Scandal :: Politics Political Sex Gender Essays

The Power of Discourse in a Political waken ScandalOn August 12th, 2004 New Jersey Governor mob McGreevey became this nations first openly gay state governor. Several moments after he stated, I am a gay American, he succumbed to big governmental and public pressure by announcing his resignation from New Jerseys close to powerful position. This announcement and resignation came after a week of main(prenominal) allegations that McGreevey knowledgeablely harassed a male colleague whom he had appointed. magical spell American politics are not foreign to knowledgeable scandal, the political destruction and individual defeat which McGreevey presently faces is poignantly unique. Throughout his career, McGreevey has been formally investigated for unethical political practices on at least 4 occasions. unmatched of the current investigations includes allegations of fraudulent campaign finance practices and nepotism within upper supplant political appointments. Despite the severity of these allegations, it was the charge of sexual assault from a male employee that forced his resignation and retirement from politics. In order to visit the severity of the sexual harassment allegations against McGreevey, it is necessary to look at the federal agency through the eyes of Rubin and Foucault. Not only did McGreeveys actions reflect the social sexual hierarchy described by Rubin, but through his secrecy and airiness McGreevey disrupted the powerful discourse of his position with political and public realms.In her essay Thinking Sex, Gayle Rubin strictly outlines the rules of sexual conduct which currently exist in Western society. These rules have created a sexual hierarchy which places heterosexual, monogamous, married, reproductive sex at the top. Anything deterring from this position, is placed below in varying degrees. The allegations of sexual assault made against McGreevey not only announce publically his sexual preference, but according to Rubin, place hi m at the very lav of the sexual hierarchy. First and foremost, McGreevey is a married man. Any act of sexual advance towards anyone besides his wife can be seen as adulterous. Second, these sexual advances were made toward a male colleague while McGreevey remained in a heterosexual marriage. Thus, in the eyes of a bystander, he is eliciting homosexual fashion without claiming full affiliation with the gay community. Most importantly, the allegations of sexual harassment guide into question the consensual nature of his advances. As Rubin explains A democratic piety should judge sexual acts by the way partners treat one another, the train of mutual consideration, the presence or absence of coercion, and the quantity and quality of the pleasures which they provide.