Cixous' Biases

"A world of searching, the elaboration of a knowledge, on the basis of a systematic experimentation with the bodily functions, a passionate and precise interrogation of her erotogeneity. This practice, extraordinarily rich and inventive, in particular as concerns masturbation, is prolonged or accompanied by a production of forms, a veritable aesthetic activity, each stage of rapture inscribing a resonant vision, a composition, something beautiful. Beauty will no longer be forbidden." (Cixous, 2040)

Despite our discussion in class today, I am having a difficult time believing that eros love and Cixous constant reference to female masturbation as liberating, goes beyond a sexual reference to other ways women can explore their bodies, such as in sports. From the above quote, I seem to get the sense that Cixous is equating eros to passion and sexual exploration. In the quote, Cixous equates the "interrogation of her erotogeneity" with "masturbation" and at the same time equates masturbation to the "beauty which will no longer be forbidden." In class today Prof. Powers explained that Eros is supposed to encompass all acts that happen with the female body, not just sex. However, from Cixous point of view, I have a difficult time believing this to be true. The rest of Cixous' essay, The Laugh of Medusa, refers to the creative ability of women in a solely sexual way. Not once does Cixous reference other ways in which women can be liberated (such as by their intelligence, wisdom, athletic ability, or compassion for the world). I feel that in equating a woman's freedom to her sexuality Cixous is actually adding to the warped culture that places men above women. Sexuality seems to define humans in this world and it is something that has gotten all of us into trouble. Instead of focusing so much of this one aspect, it would be so much more beneficial for Cixous and other feminists to focus on the true abilities that can liberate and define who women are and are to become. For a Poststructural feminist who is so interested in saying something "dynamic" in her writing, Cixous falls short by failing to look beyond the bias of Western art as being containing sexual connotations.