Power and Themes of Sexuality in Foucault’s Perspective

Michel Foucault (hereinafter written: Foucault) is one of the great thinkers in history. He has contributed many things to the intellectual world, whether in the philosophical, cultural, social, political, or artistic fields. Foucault’s thoughts were widely discussed, criticized, and used as the basis for various groups to clarify their ideas. One of Foucault’s great contributions to philosophy and politics is his concept of power.

In contrast to other thinkers who have described the concepts of power, Foucault presents a new perspective of power. According to Foucault, power is not something that is only controlled by the state, something that can be measured. Power for him is everywhere. Because power is a dimension of relationships. It means, where there are relations, there is power. Herein lies Foucault’s quirk; he does not describe what power is, but how it functions in certain areas.

In fact, what Foucault wanted to emphasize was that we are part of the power mechanism. From this awareness will be born the ability to use power properly, meaning for the benefit of others. Anger to others is only born from awareness of one’s own place in the constellation of power. The problem in life is that many people do not realize their role in the map of power. If people are aware of this, then people will accept and appreciate the plurality of roles that exist in power relations. From this unconsciousness, various oppressive and uniform actions and systems will be born.

Power and Themes of Sexuality

The domination of power can also be seen for example in the analysis of themes of sexuality. Foucault sees sexuality as a transfer of understanding about power. How sexuality is discouraged is an expression of power. Open discussion about sex according to Foucault, is for the sake of regulating and recording the number of births. The population problem is a social problem, and it is related to sexuality. Therefore, power tries to study and intervene in the discussion of sex in order to regulate population growth. Sexuality becomes a public problem.

The perpetrators of sodomy, masturbation, necrophilia, homosexuality, masochism, sadism, and so on are defined as people who have deviant behavior. Foucault shows the relationship between sexuality and the sense of power in Christian confession. Here a secret is exposed, and at the same time, the position of him who knows the secret becomes very strong. The listeners of the confession are scientists, especially psychiatrists. In this position, the psychiatrist determines what is considered normal and what is seen as pathological in sexual behavior.

By pointing out the relationship between sexuality and power, Foucault underlines his basic thesis that power is everywhere. The intervention of power into sexuality occurs through bodily discipline and bodily science, and through population politics which regulates birth. Power began to administer the body and regulate people’s private lives. Correspondingly, resistance to that power is everywhere.