Kathy Acker's french twist : translating sex in the Blood and guts trilogy

Arriving on the New York literary scene in the late 1970's, Kathy Acker has been hailed as a punk beatnik virtuoso. Her style of writing has been referred to as "equal parts gossip, kinky sex and high theory." Her stylistics have been eagerly digested according to the tenets of postmodern discourse while her protagonists are held up as proof of her generation's rage against "control societies." The transgressive sexuality enacted in her texts, including sexual masochism, sexual violence and self-mutilation, is frequently interpreted as anarchic attempts to circumvent this logic. I purport to show that these tactics do not, in fact, spring from a reactionary politics. Rather, Acker is attempting to convey an abject carnal sexuality that struggles for expression within the name-of-the-father logic that structures conventional language and a lack of alternative feminist propositions. Key Words: Kathy Acker, feminism, literary criticism, French feminism, sexuality, queer theory, linguistics, translation, visuality, third wave, mode or modalities

Kathy Acker's french twist : translating sex in the Blood and guts trilogy

Arriving on the New York literary scene in the late 1970's, Kathy Acker has been hailed as a punk beatnik virtuoso. Her style of writing has been referred to as "equal parts gossip, kinky sex and high theory." Her stylistics have been eagerly digested according to the tenets of postmodern discourse while her protagonists are held up as proof of her generation's rage against "control societies." The transgressive sexuality enacted in her texts, including sexual masochism, sexual violence and self-mutilation, is frequently interpreted as anarchic attempts to circumvent this logic. I purport to show that these tactics do not, in fact, spring from a reactionary politics. Rather, Acker is attempting to convey an abject carnal sexuality that struggles for expression within the name-of-the-father logic that structures conventional language and a lack of alternative feminist propositions. Key Words: Kathy Acker, feminism, literary criticism, French feminism, sexuality, queer theory, linguistics, translation, visuality, third wave, mode or modalities

Sexual Masochism and Sexual Sadism Disorder

Sexual sadism and masochism encompass a wide range of sexual interests. The words “sadism” and “masochism” are also used to describe nonsexual situations. In this chapter, the concepts of sadism and masochism are discussed as they relate both to sexual sadism disorder and sexual masochism disorder and also to bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism (BDSM). This chapter reviews the Fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases diagnostic criteria for sadism and masochism and discusses their difference from consensual BDSM. Variations are presented. Treatments and prognosis are discussed. A review of the recent literature on these topics is presented.

Paraphilic Disorders

Sexuality and sexual medicine are important and often understudied aspects of medicine and psychiatry. Often, patients and physicians avoid conversations regarding sex. A paraphilic disorder is diagnosed when a paraphilia, defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) as “any intense and persistent sexual interest other than sexual interest in genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, physically mature, consenting human partners”, results in distress or impairment to the individual, personal harm, or risk of harm, to others. This review covers the definition, diagnostic criteria, epidemiology, etiology, phenomenology, diagnostic work-up, treatment modalities, guidelines, and prognosis of paraphilias including voyeurism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, sexual masochism disorder, sexual sadism disorder, pedophilic disorder, and transvestic disorder. The table and figure list paraphilic disorders listed in the DSM-5 and paraphilias in the Other specified paraphilic disorders section of the DSM-5. This review contains 1 figure, 1 table, and 15 references. Key Words: DSM-5, exhibitionism, fetish, frotteurism, paraphilia, paraphilic disorder, pedophilic disorder, sexual masochism disorder, sexual sadism disorder, transvestic disorder, voyeurism