Reading Response – The Traffic in Women by Gayle Rubin

Reading Response – The Traffic in Women by Gayle Rubin

“After reading Gayle Rubin’s article The Traffic in Women, I can confidently say that I now fully understand the meaning of the term kinship from both a biological perspective and an anthropological viewpoint. Although I can attest that I was at first surprised by the anthropological meaning and use of kinship, which defines kinships on the basis of social statuses rather than a genetic relationship, this article has erased any doubts about the existence of socially defined kinships in some communities. For example, I no longer find it strange to explain why Indian women pay a dowry to get married to men. This article has also made me learn why ancient societies often took kinship as an idiom for sexual, political, economic, and social activities, as well as why it was perhaps associated with certain privileges, responsibilities, and duties. In truth, this has helped me understand why gender roles, values, and rules conflict widely across different cultures. For example, Rubin’s article has given me all the answers to the reasons why the Arab world is so cold and oppressive to women but accords men all the freedom. Hire our assignment writing services in case your assignment is devastating you. Our team of experts is ready to help.

In addition, I have also learned the genesis and foundation of certain social theories underpinning not only key family structures and issues, such as marriage and sex in relationships, but also ethnicity, feminism, human behavior, gender roles, taboos, incest, gift offering, and so on. I now understand the power of gifts in influencing relationships. Rubin’s article has taught me that gift-giving is used to create, affirm, and express social ties between participants exchanging the items. Most importantly, gifts instill upon its partners a unique connection of mutual aid, solidarity, and trust. As such, I think the article has helped me understand the feminist argument against dowry payment for women because of its objectification.”

Reference

Rubin, G. (1975). Kinship (on the part played by sexuality in the transition from ape to “man”). Retrieved from https://summermeetings2013.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/rubin-traffic.pdf

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Please read the article and provide feedback. Below is a classmate’s response. Please read theirs and use it as an example of how the feedback should look.

Classmates response: “After reading Gayle Rubin’s essay, “The Traffic in Women,” I feel more informed about the “kinship” system. Her article helped me overview certain norms and customs, such as “father giving away the bride” and why such practice might still find in today’s society. Like Rubin, such a custom made me questioned if “the norm of giving away brides comes from ancient traditions? And if this might be related to misology slant?” (slide #6) I also agree with Rubin by not believing in Levi Strauss’s theory of women being exchanged as a necessity for the creation of human culture because although it is a helpful tool to Rubin’s feminist theory, but not as profound. The background of misogyny is so deep and variable that it might need further analysis and study before it could be concluded.”