Well, You Go There to Get Off: Visiting Feminist Care Ethics Through a Women's Bathhouse

Feminist Theory, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 243-262, 2007

Posted: 26 Jan 2008

See all articles by Davina Cooper

Davina Cooper

King's College London - The Dickson Poon School of Law

Abstract

This paper examines normative feminist care scholarship through the lens of a sexual bathhouse. At first glance, a space dedicated to casual sexual pleasure amongst women seems at odds with care ethics. Drawing on Toronto Women's Bathhouse (TWB) as a case study, this paper argues that bathhouse spaces can exemplify feminist care norms. At the same time, as a casual sexual space oriented towards personal autonomy, carefree conduct, and self-care, TWB also challenges certain feminist care assumptions. Drawing on these challenges, in the light of wider problems with normative care theorizing, particularly the sanitization and idealization of personal relationships, the paper seeks to revision care along non-normative lines.

Keywords: bathhouse, care, feminist ethics, lesbian, sex

Suggested Citation

Cooper, Davina, Well, You Go There to Get Off: Visiting Feminist Care Ethics Through a Women's Bathhouse. Feminist Theory, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 243-262, 2007, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1087346

Davina Cooper (Contact Author)

King's College London - The Dickson Poon School of Law ( email )

Somerset House East Wing
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London, WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom

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