Laughter Out of Place: Chapters 6 & 7by Natasha Ayers
1. Virginity Double Standard
1.1. For young men, virginity was expected to be lost by a certain time. A man who can exhibit his sexual prowess is a premium. It is also believed that men NEED to have sex or they will go insane. Gloria spoke of arranging her son Lucas' loss of virginity with a prostitute because he was advancing in age, and at 18 he need to get laid.
1.2. For young women, virginity is expected to be maintained as long as possible. Gloria expected her daughters to remain virgins for as long as possible to avoid unnecessary pregnancies, STI's, and her daughters becoming viewed as less desirable.
2. Child Sexual Abuse & Rape are real threats. Both extremely common, feared, and protected against.
2.1. Child and adolescent rape are not uncommon by any means. It is guarded against, yet happens very often beyond the secure confines of the home.
2.2. Step Fathers are a big concern. They are considered a big threat to young women.
2.3. Mauro: Jokingly talks of sleeping with Gloria and Soneca. Gloria won't have such a joke; her daughter is off limits, and she leaves to avoid any further discussion, abuse, or any type of dangerous situation for Soneca.
2.4. Children are viewed as sexual beings, with desires.
3. Casa vs. Rua: Children of the Street, Vulnerability at Epic Levels.
3.1. Girls of the street are assumed to be loose because they are not guarded by their male family members.
3.2. Girls of street are assumed to be open for being sexually taken advantage of by other men because they are loose; not kept; wild.
3.3. Having the protection of male family members is essential to the safety of young girls and women. Without this, they are more likely to be raped and taken advantage of.
4. Black Humor &Rape: Not a Laughing Matter, but it is the Preferred Response
4.1. Anita & Claudia: Raped during Robbery
4.2. Ignacio: More concerned with his lost watch than the robbery and rape of the girls.
4.3. Anita was more afraid to tell her mother she was pregnant than the actual rapists. So much so, she allowed her mother to go to extremes in efforts to provide her an abortion.
4.4. Gloria was ready to kill the rapists.
4.5. Redemption occurred when the rapists were killed in gang violence.
4.6. So common it is not even an enforced crime, by the police at least.
4.7. Rapists & Child rape: rapists can expect to be killed for the offense.
4.8. Poor women have to prove themselves in a court of law when it comes to rape and their virtues.
5. Female-Dominated Story: Female Characters Use Sexuality to Gain Power. All are great storytellers.
5.1. Gloria: The Main Character, the protagonist
5.2. Soneca: Proud to use her beauty and youthful sex appeal to get what she wanted and to make ends meet.
5.3. Darlene: Picked and chose her lovers based on what they provided her economically.
5.4. Killer Pussy: Sarlete. All the men who consumed her died. Black Widow.
5.5. Filomena: Ran away from Gloria's home, her boyfriend's distant family member attempted to assault her, under the premise that she was a prostitute or street girl.
5.6. Marieta: Child who said little, but knew from birth to avoid the sexual advances of others who may prey on her.
5.7. Elis: Sexually abused and raped by her stepfather for years. Her mother blamed her for his actions. Threatened and blackmailed by her stepfather for his abuse.
5.8. Isadora: Grew up with a stepfather who attempted to groom her for his sexual benefit.
5.9. Marilia: Foster child, had to fend off her stepfather from his sexual advances at the age of 9. Later attempts to kill her husband, Celso.
5.10. Alzira: Single mother, recovering addict, abused by her husband for 15 years. Considered reuniting with him to protect her daughters.
6. Sacanagem: Sex is a Major Part of Brazilian Culture
6.1. Concept of sexuality in the Brazilian context. It's not just an aspect; it's THE aspect of defining the culture.
6.2. Sex-Positive: Very different context of sexuality than in America; provides a very different structure for which feminism can exist than in America.
7. "This is How Men Are" Female Power vs. Male Transgressive Sexuality
7.1. Choices to be made by women: stay with the men who are abusive, or potentially abusive, or not.
7.2. Women are powerless to male dominance and sexuality.
