From: gvcarter-AT-purdue.edu
Date: Mon,  2 Aug 2004 21:59:30 -0500
Subject: Re: Le doeff - derrida quote



Steve/Shawn, 

Another fine source for Derrida's take on feminism appears as an interview 
entitled "Choreographies" in Nancy J. Holland's edited collection _Feminist 
Interpretations of J.D._ (1997).  

Here, JD considers the 'sexual otherwise' that lies 'beyond the binary 
difference that governs the decorum of all codes, beyond the opposition 
feminine/masculine, beyond bisexuality as well, beyond homosexuality and 
heterosexuality which come to the to the same thing."  

He says, "...I would like to believe in the multiplicity of sexually marked 
voices.  I would like to believe in the masses, this indeterminate number of 
blended voices, this mobile of nonidentitified sexual marks whose choreography 
can carry, divide, multiply the body of each 'individual,' whether he be 
classified as 'man' or as 'woman' according to the criteria of usage."

What would Derrida w/ regards to the recent struggle for homosexuals to be 
recognized in a legal union, one wonders?  Would D put this issue on the same 
plane as racial equality, as many have maintained?  

To be sure, JD knows full well that by the innumerable, he is dreaming.  But he 
asks why not?  "Does the dream itself not prove that what is dreamt of must be 
there in order for it to provide the dream?"

Here, dreaming for JD perhaps begin to merge w/ Liebniz folds and the notion of 
compossible worlds.  

`geof   



Quoting swilbur-AT-wcnet.org:

> The quote is accurate. The context is rather difficult. Derrida is
> following a thread through Nietzsche's work, preoccupied with "the
> question of style" and, of course, working directly - if not
> necessarily simply or transparently - with what follows Nietzsche's
> opening query - "Supposing truth to be a woman - what?" - in _Beyond
> Good and Evil._ Reading a bit of the text, which i guess i've never
> read all the way through, i'm reminded more than a bit of Baudrillard's
> _Seduction_, and suspect some of the same dangerous games are going
> on. _Spurs_ is short, if you want to check it out - only 150 pages,
> of which half are the original French (at least in the U. Chicago 
> edition.)
> 
> Hope that helps.
> 
> -shawn
> 
> > Anyone
> > 
> > I don't have a copy of`the derrida text but I read the following quote 
> > of Derrida in Le Doeuff's 'The Sex of Knowing' - what I'm looking for is 
> > a confirmation that Derrida did indeed say this and perhaps a little 
> > context. Thought to be honest the context is probably irrelevant  
> > "Feminism is nothing but the operation of a woman  who aspires to be 
> > like a man. And in order to resemble the masculine dogmatic philosopher 
> > this woman lays claim- just as much as he - to truth science and 
> > objectivity in all their castrated delusions of virility. Feminism too 
> > seeks to castrate. It wants a castrated woman...' (Spurs p65)
> > 
> > can anyone confirm the accuracy of the quote ?
> > 
> > The Le Doeuff book, which I'm only 15 or so pages into as I type this 
> > seems excellent. A good corrective to our unconscious biases....
> > 
> > thanks
> > steve
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
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