• Title/Summary/Keyword: Female Sexuality

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Symbolic Values of Fur in Fashion Since 1990s - An Analysis under the Theories of Fetishism -

  • Hahn, Soo-Yeon;Yang, Sook-Hi
    • Journal of Fashion Business
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    • v.5 no.5
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    • pp.49-64
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    • 2001
  • Fur is conceived as a material signifier, not only with its commodity value as luxury goods but also as its symbolic value as objects invested by one's libidinal desire. In this study, complex meanings of fur as multi-layered signs of political and sexual power focusing on fetishism shall be explored, especially on the spectacle fetishism acted by mass media during the anti-fur movement in the 1980s. In conjuction herewith, a highlight shall also be made to the symbolic value in fashion design since 1990s. In this study, first, as a theoretical investigation, fetishism, that has been traditionally considered only as sexual fetishism in fashion discourse will be explored in socio-economic level. Second, in historical context, how the meanings and values of fur have become realized in various cultural spaces, such as literature, art, film and finally, fashion will be viewed. In fashion, fur is a product of desire and power influenced by commodity fetishism as well as sexual fetishism. During the anti-fur movement, mass media has developed the concept of spectacle fetishism. Fur is a sign of animal-victim, and fur-clad women is viewed with images full of imperialsm, sexism and racism, thus act as derisive spectacles of consumerism. Since 1990s as a reflection on anti-fur movement, fetishistic characteristics, which challenge traditional operation method, are expressed by disguise, parody, and returning to the nature. First, fur as disguise is intended to hide sexually perverse, decadent characteristics and expensiveness of fur by texturing or patterning techniques. Second, fur as parody uses fake fur or dyed fur in order to satirize erotically and ethnographically fetishized meanings of fur. Third, aboriginal design of fur is adapted to use symbolic values outside the West, which can potentially mobilize antagonistic oppositions out of their fetishistic regimes. In conclusion, fur as sign of female sexuality and its libidinal profits of exchange, has significant symbolic values expressed in fashion.

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What Made Her Give Up Her Breasts: a Qualitative Study on Decisional Considerations for Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy among Breast Cancer Survivors Undergoing BRCA1/2 Genetic Testing

  • Kwong, Ava;Chu, Annie T.W.
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.13 no.5
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    • pp.2241-2247
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    • 2012
  • Objective: This qualitative study retrospectively examined the experience and psychological impact of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) among Southern Chinese females with unilateral breast cancer history who underwent BRCA1/2 genetic testing. Limited knowledge is available on this topic especially among Asians; therefore, the aim of this study was to acquire insight from Chinese females' subjective perspectives. Methods: A total of 12 semi-structured in-depth interviews, with 11 female BRCA1/BRCA 2 mutated gene carriers and 1 non-carrier with a history of one-sided breast cancer and genetic testing performed by the Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry, who subsequently underwent CPM, were assessed using thematic analysis and a Stage Conceptual Model. Breast cancer history, procedures conducted, cosmetic satisfaction, pain, body image and sexuality issues, and cancer risk perception were discussed. Retrieval of medical records using a prospective database was also performed. Results: All participants opted for prophylaxis due to their reservations concerning the efficacy of surveillance and worries of recurrent breast cancer risk. Most participants were satisfied with the overall results and their decision. One-fourth expressed different extents of regrets. Psychological relief and decreased breast cancer risk were stated as major benefits. Spouses' reactions and support were crucial for post-surgery sexual satisfaction and long-term adjustment. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that thorough education on cancer risk and realistic expectations of surgery outcomes are crucial for positive adjustment after CPM. Appropriate genetic counseling and pre-and post-surgery psychological counseling were necessary. This study adds valuable contextual insights into the experiences of living with breast cancer fear and the importance of involving spouses when counseling these patients.

A Study on Sexual Behavior and Attitudes among College Students in Seoul (일부대학생의 성의식 및 성행동에 관한 연구)

  • 문인옥
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.95-112
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    • 1997
  • This study examines knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward sexual activity among 412 college students in Seoul. An 127-item questionnaire is used in order to understand and consider alcircumstances involved in decisions about sexual activity, and to reflect to the course on healthy sexuality. The major findings are as follows: 1. ‘Books/media’ and ‘friends’ are the primary source of sexual knowledge. 2. Despite the increased number of sxeducation programs, peers apparently remain the major source of information and the counsellor of the sexual problems(71.6%). 3. About ninety percent of males and 14.2 percent of females masurbate. Although mastubation is anormal response to pleasurable bodily feelings, students feel ‘unnatural’, ‘bad’ or ‘guilty’. 4. For some students, sexual intercourse is perceived as the natural outgrowth of love. More than thirty oercent of males and 8. 1 percent of females are engaged in inter -course. 5. Asking parents or teachers to be specific in talking about sex makes it uncomfortable to discuss sex. 6. Sex education should begin in the family and in school in early childhood and continue throughout life. 7. Sexual feelings and emotions are stirred up differently between male and female by sexual sensations. 8. Half of the intimate relationship with opposite sex shows a love relationship with sexual closeness and pleasure. Unguided reading or peers remain the primary source of information about topics like masurbation and sexual technique. Thus, schools should be responsible for the more value-laden subjects (such as birth control, homosexuality, and sexual techniques). And inclusionof a peer education componebt that modified college students' perceived peer norms may be the intervention method of choice. The prevention of health problems is far more desirable than treatment. The earlier the knowledge and skill to make healthful decisions are instilled, the greater the chance a healthful lifestyle will be adopted. School is the logical place in our society to provide the college students learning opportunities essential to developing the knowledge and skills to choose a healthful life course.

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A Study of Cut-Out Designs in Contemporary Fashion (현대패션에 나타난 컷 아웃 디자인에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Sun-Young
    • The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.36-48
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    • 2012
  • This study intends to provide fundamental data to develop creative high-value designs, proving that the cut-out technique, a decorative element of fashion design, can be used to express various visual effects. The author performed a literature review of such publications as Gap Press, Fashion News, and Mode & Mode from 2001S/S to 2010S/S, referring to Internet data to empirically analyze the cut-out technique in contemporary fashion. The study found that the cut-out design is effective overall, but is best suited for one-piece designs and for partial rather than whole items of clothing. The basic motif of the cut-out is a geometrical pattern based on a line, a tear, or is shapeless. The cut-out design is mostly shown as an overall pattern or as a symmetrical shape. Analysis shows that the characteristics of the contemporary fashion utilizing the cut-out technique are as follow: First, the cut-out technique exposes the curves of a woman's body in a direct or indirect way, thereby emphasizing her sexuality and maximizing the value of female beauty. Second, through the cut-out technique, we can highlight the various types of space formed by the technique and repeated patterns; we may also elaborate on single-patterned laser-cut designs, which will show that the particular surface effect of the material can strongly impact the attractiveness of the design through emphasis and decoration. Third, damaging or destroying clothes on purpose, showing surprising concepts through optical illusions, and expressing humor by ignoring existing clothing styles show our willingness to escape from traditional or obvious design ideas, as well as demonstrating individuality and playfulness.

Socio-cultural Meanings in Advertisement of Fashion Luxury Products -Focused on Women`s Images- (패션명품 광고에 나타난 사회문화적 의미 -여성 이미지를 중심으로-)

  • Yang, Sook-Hi;Hahn, Soo-Yeon
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.267-278
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    • 2005
  • Fashion luxury products, which used to mean high-quality, handcrafted not-so-trendy items, are nowadays regarded as expensive fashion merchandise produced under the name of imported well-known brands. People cunsuming fashion luxury products distinguish themselves from other people according to the luxury fashion brands they are using, and as a result, advertisements of fashion luxury products are taken as a kind of international language. The purpose of this study is to point out the socio-cultural meanings of consuming fashion luxury products, by analyzing images shown in advertisements of fashion luxury products focusing on women's images. To do so, this study is based on general theoretical background on fashion, consumer culture advertising and analysis advertisements of fashion luxury products shown in fashion magazines in recent three years. The result of this study is as follows; The images of the advertisements of fashion luxury products could be categorized as (1) elegance, (2) kitsch and (3) fetish. Elegance is a taste of high society, aesthetically chic and feminine. Fashion luxury products, which are merchandise of extravagance, dignity, refinement, feminity and harmony, exhibit high-quality grace through their advertisements. Kitsch represents the vulgar and popular images of trivial commodities of industrial society. In the advertisement of fashion luxury product, it is shown as inappropriateness, excessiveness, stereotyped pleasantness, exaggeration an playful satisfaction. Finally, fetish images represent erotic or perverted sexuality, based on psychoanalytic fetishism which objects are regarded s substitute of sexual orgasm. The advertisements of fashion luxury product are characterized as (1) popularization of luxury, (2) objectification of sex and body, and (3) re-aestetification of anti-aesthetics. The asvertisements of fashion luxury products are actually targeted to the middle class with successful career women's images. They objectify female bodies through fetishistic images. Also, the deviant subcultural style, represented a new kind of cultural capital, is now reproduced as a new commodity aesthetics.

A Proposal to Increase the Value of the 'MeToo' Movement - Focused on the Performing Arts Experience in New York City - ('MeToo' 운동의 가치 제고를 위한 제안 -뉴욕 공연계 경험을 중심으로)

  • Choi, Mi-Sun
    • Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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    • v.13 no.7
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    • pp.237-245
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    • 2019
  • Entry of women into the higher positions or professions in the fields of entertainment and performing arts has been expanding gradually. Especially, women working in these fields in New York show a dynamic growth and development. As a result, women surviving in a male-dominated world have raised their voices for their human rights to live free from violence, sexuality, slavery, discrimination, etc.. In the entertainment and performing arts, women have been shouting their voices for a long time through the theme, performance process, and the shows. Their voices influenced politics, society, and culture as a whole. The 'MeToo' movement is the result of condensation from their voices. In other words, it is the result of women's voices against sexual harassment or assault in these fields. Starting in Hollywood, the 'MeToo' movement was rapidly spread out online and strongly supported by female leaders and activists in the world. It had a strong influence on the fields of theater and entertainment industry in Korea as well. By recognizing this phenomenon, the contents of this study suggest how and what to continuously increase the value of the 'MeToo' movement in Korea's entertainment industry.

Deviant Sensibility and Normality in Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice (『지성과 감성』과 『오만과 편견』에서 일탈적 감수성과 정상)

  • Son, Younghee
    • Journal of English Language & Literature
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    • v.57 no.5
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    • pp.839-870
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    • 2011
  • This study compares and contrasts Jane Austen's novels of sensibility with those of Rousseau and Goethe. In Julie, or The New Heloise and The Sorrows of Young Werther, the passionate but doomed love of the heroine and her lover is juxtaposed with her passionless marriage to the virtuous husband. In Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, Austen revises Rousseau and Goethe's novels of sensibility to accommodate them to the puritanical English literary conventions. She parodies the basic plot of Menage a trois found in their novels of sensibility and transforms her novels into British Bildungsroman, focusing on the heroines' maturation. In Sense and Sensibility, Marianne stands up against the mercenary and snobbish high society. However, Austen represses Marianne's sensibility since the indulgence in sensibility can bring about sexual fall, as is evidenced by the cases of the two Elizas. Marianne's dangerous fever following Willoughby's betrayal emphasizes that female sexual desire should be punished for her continued existence in the high society. The taming of her sensibility and body through the fever is posited as a prerequisite for the happy marriage. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth favors the deprived Wickham over the wealthy Darcy. As Wickham turns out to be a debauched lover, Darcy snatches sexual charms from him and is transfigured into one of the most virtuous and attractive husbands in Menage a trois of the novels of sensibility. Acknowledging sexuality as a vital element of a courtship, Austen embeds sexual desire in dances and glances. However, Elizabeth has to repress sensibility and desire and the complete gratification of desire is continuously deferred to some indefinite period in the future. Marriage is a synecdoche for the union of the bourgeois and the aristocracy in Austen's Bildungsroman and Marianne and Elizabeth are bestowed with happy marriage in return for repressing their sensibility and desire. Since their 'normality' and 'maturation' have been achieved at the expense of subversive sexual power of deviant sensibility, they look too impotent to gratify their desire when they finally secure comfortable but mediocre upper class life.

Cultural Politics of Gendered Schadenfreude Surrounding an Idol Focusing on the debate over IU (아이돌을 둘러싼 젠더화된 샤덴프로이데(Schadenfreude)의 문화정치학 <아이유 사태>를 중심으로)

  • Kim, Hyun Gyung
    • Korean journal of communication and information
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    • v.80
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    • pp.115-142
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    • 2016
  • This study aims to reveal the content of and logic behind a recent negative public sentiment toward female idols with the example of a debate over songstress IU's fourth album that was released late last year. While previous studies on fandom have focused on the identification process towards entertainers and making community, a recent phenomenon of "anti-fandom" or "malicious comments" implies that more research is needed on negative emotions such as hostility or schadenfreude (feelings of pleasure from others' misfortunes). Schadenfreude is a social sentiment that originated in modern liberalism, which features contradictions between public equality and private ownership, and that has been intensified in neoliberalism, which features a maximization of this contradiction centering on a meritocracy. Celebrities in Korea often become the targets of schadenfreude, which is associated with the suspicion that they gain popularity not from their abilities but from "just being popular." It should also be noted that this kind of schadenfreude operates differently between male and female entertainers. Specifically, the acquisition of money and fame by modern women whose presence used to be located in the private possessions of males is considered to be due to their unjustified use of sexuality. This is also the background of the recent online misogyny culture in Korea. In this context, IU, who had been successful at building a differentiated image of "sister-like idol artist," became a valid target. Although accusing IU of utilizing pedophilia reflects a stalemate that a current politics of sexual violence faces, it rather damages the name of an individual than attracts public attention to the structural causes of childsexualabuse. This is why I see the way that pedophilia was used in the debate over IU as a schadenfreude. Consequently, the term pedophilia here contributes to an expansion of the entertainment economy that is sustained by rises and falls of the celebrities' stock prices.

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The Experience of Healing of Female Sexual Abused Victims (성폭력 피해 여성의 치유 경험)

  • Hae Soo Kweon
    • Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.53-82
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    • 2007
  • This study, driven by the question of 'what the experience of healing of female sexual abuse victims is like,' explores the process the victims undergo as they heal from the traumas. Using the methods suggested by Strauss and Corbin's Grounded theory, it analyzes nine interviews taken from victims who have received counseling. The study found that the central phenomena that take place in the process of their healing is 'mental pain due to the damage caused by sexual abuse,' the causal conditions are 'the recognition of the sexual abuse' and 'desperation,' and the contextual conditions are 'the reaction of the close ones of the victims,' 'the preconception about sexuality,' and 'the incarceration and punishment of the offenders.' The victims have been intervened in the healing process by 'being supported' and 're-interpreting the meaning of the damage caused by sexual abuse,' and are found to utilize the interactive strategy among 'facing their emotions,' 'learning new coping strategies,' and 'hoping for the future.' They are also found, as a result of the healing, to 'live unafraid as survivors' and 'have structured their lives in a new way.' This study is of significance in systematically elucidating the healing process and the related elements found through the voices of the survivors of sexual abuse in the context of the Korean society and culture. The limits of this study and suggestions about the studies that should follow this one are included as well.

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A survey on sex life behavior and factors of low back pain (요통환자들의 성생활 행태와 영향 요인 조사)

  • Nam, Chul-Hyun;Woo, Kwang-Seog
    • Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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    • v.9 no.3
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    • pp.31-49
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    • 2002
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate discomforts and sexual life and to identify the relation between the discomforts and sexual life with low back pain. The data were collected from March 2 through July 31, 2001. Four hundred forty-two questionnaires were returned (response rate=88.0%). Analysis of the data was done with SPSS PC+ and use descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA. regression. The statistics shows that over than 80% of the adults experienced lumbago at least one time in their life, and Back pain is known as one of the most common complaints made by the patients of all ages in the general hospital or local medical clinics throughout. However, in certain case it leads to a chronic condition which can cause a great deal of problems in management and in financial burden to individuals and society. The result of this study was summarized as follows: 1) It appeared that regarding the distribution of gender, male was the higher(63.6%) then that of female, the portion of forties was 28.5%. Sitting for long time was 23.1% in men and 21.7% in women. Unknown reason including sexual behaviour was 12.9% in men and 15.5% in women. Patients treated medicine and physical therapy were 36.4%. In level of educational background, the rate of high school was 31.0%, technical college was 28.5%. The highest proportion by occupation was 18.3% of office workers, occupation posture was 41.9% of sitting. 2) Men(26.0%) and most of women(34.8%) were not satisfied in the explanation satisfaction rate of sex life concerned disease. 23.8% in men and 23.6% in women considered flexibility of waist good. Man(33.3%) and most of woman(35.0%) considered that Health education is necessary. 32.7% in men and 27.3% in women did't mind educator is whoever. Preventing of lower back pain(LBP) and proper Health education of sex life are demanded in daily life. 3) 58.0% of man and 64.0% of woman mostly had a posture which is man over woman. 28.5% in men and 27.8% in women considered that proper information finding of LBP and sex life was very few and few. 37.7% in men and 42.7% in women have acquired information about sex life flung their friends. 4) The number of sex life was decreased from 2.96 0.98 to 2.61 1.63 and also the time of sex life was decreased from 3.65 1.89 to 226 1.64. The satisfaction rate of sex life changed from 3.60 0.86 to 2.77 1.10. In the number of sex life, The non correct group was 2.62 1.91 and the correct group was higher in 2.68 1.65. In the time of sex life, The non correct group was 2.02 1.47 and the correct group was higher in 229 1.65. The satisfaction rate of sex life was 2.76 0.86 in non correct group and 2.88 1.10 in correct group. So there was a difference. 5) In the satisfaction rate of sex life, Men who have a lower back pain were higher than women and no attack group was higher than attack group. As they had many sex life, the satisfaction rate was higher significantly in statistics. As the time of sex life was short, the satisfaction rate was lower significantly in statistics. As the age was low, the demand rate of Health education was high and as means of patient who had a lower back pain was high, the demand rate of Health education was high. As the patient who had a lower back pain had a long married life, the demand rate of Health education was high and as education level was high, the demand rate of Health education was high. It is necessary to provide patients with conservative treatment, educational teaching, and training to prevent further injuries in the future. In general, it is important to educate the public how to prevent back injuries and how to treat themselves in an onset period to prevent further injuries sliding into a chronic state. Sexuality is an integral part of normal and healthy relationships, but patients are unable to enjoy sex because they are riot able to get into a comfortable position due to back pain. Many conditions of the spine can make certain positions uncomfortable. Health educator should make the education program of the discomforts and the sexual pattern for low back pain in workplace and/or hospital. Further study Is needed on how to integrate the educational program on sexuality into the total rehabilitation program.

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