SEDUCTI ON
Cul t ur eText s
Ar t hur and Mar i l oui se Kr ok er
Gener al
Edi t or s
Cul t ur eText s i s a ser i es of cr eat i ve expl or at i ons i n t heor y, pol i t i cs and
cul t ur e at t he f i n- de- mi l l eni um. Themat i cal l y f ocussed ar ound key
t heor et i cal debat es i n t he post moder n condi t i on, t he Cul t ur eText s ser i es
chal l enges r ecei ved di scour ses i n ar t , soci al and pol i t i cal t heor y,
f emi ni sm, psychoanal ysi s, val ue i nqui r y, sci ence and t echnol ogy, t he
body, and cr i t i cal aest het i cs . Taken i ndi vi dual l y, cont r i but i ons t o
Cul t ur eText s r epr esent t he f or war d br eaki ng- edge of post moder n t heor y
and pr act i ce.
Ti t l es
Seduct i on
Jean Baudr i l l ar d
Pani c Encycl opedi a
Ar t hur Kr oker , Mar i l oui se Kr oker and Davi d Cook
Li f e Af t er Post moder ni sm: Essays on Val ue and Cul t ur e
edi t ed and i nt r oduced by John Feket e
Body I nvader s
edi t ed and i nt r oduced by Ar t hur and Mar i l oui se Kr oker
The Post moder n Scene : Excr ement al Cul t ur e and Hy per Aest het i cs
Ar t hur Kr oker / Davi d Cook
SEDUCTI ON
J EAN BAUDRI LLARD
t r ansl at ed by Br i an Si nger
New Wor l d Per spect i ves
Cul t ur eText s Ser i es
Mont r eal
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Published by CTHEORY BOOKS in
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First published as De la seduction by Editions Galilee, 1979.
9, rue Linne, Paris 5e.
© Editions Galilee
English language copyright New World Perspectives, 1990 .
ISBN 0-920393-25-X
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Baudrillard, Jean
Seduction
(CultureTexts series)
Translation of: De la seduction.
ISBN 0-920393-25-X
1. Seduction-Psychological aspects.
(Psychology). 3 . Sex (Psychology) 4.
1 . Title. II . Series .
BF637.S36133813 1990
2 . Femininity
Postmodernism.z
V
CONTENTS
I NTRODUCTI ON
I.
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX
The Ecl i pt i c of Sex
The Et er nal I r ony of t he Communi t y
St er eo- Por no
Seduct i on / Pr oduct i on
3
12
28
37
I I . SUPERFI CI AL ABYSSES
The Sacr ed Hor i zon of Appear ances
Tr ompe l ' oei l or Enchant ed Si mul at i on
53
60
I ' l l Be Your Mi r r or
Deat h i n Samar kand
The Secr et and The Chal l enge
The Ef f i gy of t he Seduct r ess
The I r oni c St r at egy of t he Seducer
The Fear of Bei ng Seduced
67
72
79
85
98
119
I I I . THE POLI TI CAL DESTI NY OF SEDUCTI ON
The Passi on f or Rul es
The Dual , t he Pol ar and t he Di gi t al
The " Ludi c" and Col d Seduct i on
Seduct i on as Dest i ny
131
154
157
179
I NTRODUCTI ON
A f i xed dest i ny wei ghs on seduct i on . For r el i gi on seduct i on
was a st r at egy of t he devi l , whet her i n t he gui se of wi t chcr af t
or l ove . I t i s al ways t he seduct i on of evi l - or of t he wor l d. I t
i s t he ver y ar t i f i ce of t he wor l d . I t s mal edi ct i on has been unc hanged i n et hi cs and phi l osophy, and t oday i t i s mai nt ai ned
i n psychoanal ysi s
and t he ` l i ber at i on of desi r e . '
Gi v en t he
pr esent - day pr omot i on of sex, evi l and per ver si on, al ong wi t h
t he cel ebr at i on of t he of t t i mes pr ogr ammat i c r esur r ect i on of
al l t hat was onc e accur sed, i t mi ght s eempar adoxi cal t hat seduct i on has r emai ned i n t he s hadows - and even r et ur ned t her et o
per manent l y.
The ei ght eent h cent ur y st i l l s pok e of seduct i on . I t was, wi t h
val our and honour , a cent r al pr eoccupat i on of t he ar i st ocr at i c
spher es . The bour geoi s Revol ut i on put an end t o t hi s pr eoccupat i on ( and t he ot her s, t he l at er r evol ut i ons ended i t i r r evocabl y -
ever y r evol ut i on,
i n i t s begi nni ngs,
seeks t o end t he
seduct i on of appear ances) . The bour geoi s er a dedi cat ed i t sel f
t o nat ur e and pr oduct i on, t hi ngs qui t e f or ei gn and even expr essl y f at al t o seduct i on. And si nce sexual i t y ar i ses, as Foucaul t not es,
f r oma pr ocess of pr oduct i on ( of di scour se, speech or desi r e) ,
i t i s not at al l sur pr i si ng t hat seduct i on has been al l t he mor e
cover ed over . W
e l i ve t oday t he pr omot i on of nat ur e, be i t t he
good nat ur e of t he soul of yest er year , or t he good mat er i al nat ur e of t hi ngs, or even t he psychi c nat ur e of desi r e. Nat ur e pur sues i t s r eal i zat i on t hr ough al l
t he met amor phos i s of
t he
r epr essed, and t hr ough t he l i ber at i on of al l ener gi es, be t hey
2
SEDUCTI ON
psychi c, soci al or mat er i al .
Seduct i on, however , never bel ongs t o t he or der of nat ur e,
but t hat of ar t i f i ce - never t o t he or der of ener gy, but t hat of
si gns and r i t ual s . Thi s i s why al l t he gr eat syst ems of pr oduct i on and i nt er pr et at i on have not ceased t o excl ude seduct i on
- t o i t s good f or t une - f r omt hei r concept ual f i el d . For seduct i on cont i nues t o haunt t hem f r om wi t hout , and f r omdeep wi t hi n i t s f or saken st at e, t hr eat eni ng t hemwi t h col l apse . i t awai t s
t he dest r uct i on of ever y godl y or der , i ncl udi ng t hose of pr oduct i on and desi r e. Seduct i on cont i nues t o appear t o al l or t hodoxi es
as mal ef i ce and ar t i f i ce, a bl ack magi c f or t he devi at i on of al l
t r ut hs, an exal t at i on of t he mal i ci ous use of si gns, a conspi r acy
of si gns . Ever y di scour se i s t hr eat ened wi t h t hi s sudden r ever si bi l i t y, absor bed i nt o i t s own si gns wi t hout a t r ace of meani ng. Thi s i s why al l di sci pl i nes, whi ch have as an axi om t he
coher ence and f i nal i t y of t hei r di scour se, must t r y t o exor ci ze
i t . Thi s i s wher e seduct i on and f emi ni ni t y ar e conf ounded, i ndeed, conf used . Mascul i ni t y has al ways been haunt ed by t hi s
sudden r ever si bi l i t y wi t hi n t he f emi ni ne . Seduct i on and f emi ni ni t y ar e i nel uct abl e as t he r ever se si de of sex, : meani ng and
power .
Today t he exor ci sm i s mor e vi ol ent and syst emat i c. We ar e
ent er i ng t he er a of f i nal sol ut i ons ; f or exampl e, t hat of t he sexual r evol ut i on, of t he pr oduct i on and management of al l l i mi nal and subl i mi nal pl easur es, t he mi cr o- pr ocessi ng of desi r e,
wi t h t he woman who pr oduces her sel f as woman, and as sex,
bei ng t he l ast avat ar . Endi ng seduct i on .
Or el se t he t r i umph of a sof t seduct i on, a whi t e, di f f use f emi ni zat i on and er ot i ci zat i on of al l r el at i ons i n an ener vat ed soci al
uni ver se.
Or el se none of t he above. For not hi ng can be gr eat er t han
seduct i on i t sel f , not even t he or der t hat dest r oys i t .
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX
Not hi ng i s l ess cer t ai n t oday t han sex, behi nd t he l i ber at i on
of i t s di scour se. And not hi ng t oday i s l ess cer t ai n t han desi r e,
behi nd t he pr ol i f er at i on of i t s i mages .
I n mat t er s of sex, t he pr ol i f er at i on i s appr oachi ng t ot al l oss .
Her e l i es t he secr et of t he ever i ncr easi ng pr oduct i on of sex
and i t s si gns, and t he hyper r eal i sm of sexual pl easur e, par t i cul ar l y f emi ni ne pl easur e. The pr i nci pl e of uncer t ai nt y has ext ended t o sexual r eason, as wel l as pol i t i cal and economi c r eason .
The st at e of sex' s l i ber at i on i s al so t hat of i t s i ndet er mi nat i on . No mor e want , no mor e pr ohi bi t i ons, and no mor e l i mi t s :
i t i s t he l oss of ever y r ef er ent i al pr i nci pl e . Economi c r eason i s
sust ai ned onl y by penur y ; i t i s put i nt o quest i on wi t h t he r eal i zat i on of i t s obj ect i ve, t he abol i t i on of t he spect r e of penur y .
Desi r e t oo i s sust ai ned onl y by want . When desi r e i s ent i r el y
on t he si de of demand, when i t i s oper at i onal i zed wi t hout r est r i ct i ons, i t l oses i t s i magi nar y and, t her ef or e, i t s r eal i t y ; i t appear s ever ywher e, but i n gener al i zed si mul at i on . I t i s t he ghost
of desi r e t hat haunt s t he def unct r eal i t y of sex . Sex i s ever ywher e, except i n sexual i t y ( Bar t hes) .
I n sexual myt hol ogy, t he t r ansi t i on t owar ds t he f emi ni ne i s
cont empor aneous wi t h t he passage f r om det er mi nat i on t o
gener al i ndet er mi nat i on. The f emi ni ne i s not subst i t ut ed f or t he
6
SEDUCTI ON
mascul i ne as one sex f or anot her , accor di ng t o some st r uct ur al
i nver si on . I t i s subst i t ut ed as t he end of t he det er mi nat e
r epr esent at i on of sex, as t he f l ot at i on of t he l aw~t hat r egul at es
t he di f f er ence bet ween t he' sexes . The ascent of t he f emi ni ne
cor r esponds t o bot h t he apogee of sexual pl easur e and a cat ast r ophe r el at i ve t o sex' s r eal i t y pr i nci pl e .
And so i t i s f emi ni ni t y t hat i s gr i ppi ng, i n t he pr esent and
f at al si t uat i on of sex' s hyper r eal i xy - as i t was yest er day, but i n
di r ect cont r ast , i n i r ony and seduct i on .
Fr eud was r i ght : t her e i s but one sexual i t y, one l i bi do - and
i t i s mascul i ne. Sexual i t y has a st r ong, di scr i mi nat i ve st r uct ur e
cent er ed on t he phal l us, cast r at i on, t he Name- of - t he Fat her , and
r epr essi on . Ther e i s none ot her . Ther e i s no use dr eami ng of
some non- phal l i c, unl ocked, unmar ked sexual i t y. Ther e i s no
use seeki ng, f r om wi t hi n t hi s st r uct ur e, t o have t he f emi ni ne
pass t hr ough t o t he ot her si de, or t o cr oss t er ms . Ei t her t he st r uct ur e r emai ns t he same, wi t h t he f emal e bei ng' ent i r el y absor bed
by t he mal e, or el se i t col l apses, and t her e i s no l onger ei t her
f emal e or mal e - t he degr ee zer o of t he st r uct ur e . Thi s i s ver y
much what i s happeni ng t oday : er ot i c pol yval ence, t he i nf i ni t e
pot ent i al i t y of desi r e, di f f er ent connect i ons, di f f r act i ons, l i bi di nal i nt ensi t i es - al l mul t i pl e var i ant s of a l i ber at or y al t er nat i ve
comi ng f r om t he f r ont i er s of a psychoanal ysi s f r ee of Fr eud,
or f r om t he f r ont i er s of desi r e f r ee of psychoanal ysi s . Behi nd
t he ef f er vescence of t he par adi gm of sex, ever yt hi ng i s conver gi ng t owar ds t he non- di f f er ent i at i on of t he st r uct ur e and i t s
pot ent i al neut r al i zat i on .
The danger of t he sexual r evol ut i on f or t he f emal e i s t hat she
wi l l be encl osed wi t hi n a st r uct ur e t hat condemns her t o ei t her
di scr i mi nat i on when t he st r uct ur e i s st r ong, or a der i sor y t r i umph wi t hi n a weakened st r uct ur e .
The f emi ni ne, however , i s, and has al ways been, somewher e
el se . That i s t he secr et of i t s st r engt h . Just as i t i s sai d t hat somet hi ng l ast s because i t s exi st ence i s not adequat e t o i t s essence,
i t must be sai d t hat t he f emi ni ne seduces because i t i s never
wher e i t t hi nks i t i s, or wher e i t t hi nks i t sel f . The f emi ni ne i s
not f ound i n t he hi st or y of suf f er i ng and oppr essi on i mput ed
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX 7
t o i t - women' s hi st or i cal t r i bul at i ons ( t hough by gui l e i t conceal s i t sel f t her ei n) . I t suf f er s such ser vi t ude onl y when assi gned
t o and r epr essed wi t hi n t hi s st r uct ur e - t o whi ch t he sexual
r evol ut i on assi gns and r epr esses i t al l t he mor e dr amat i cal l y. But
by what aber r ant compl i ci t y ( compl i ci t wi t h what ? i f not , pr eci sel y, t he mal e) woul d one have us bel i eve t hat t hi s i s t he f emal e' s hi st or y? Repr essi on i s al r eady her e i n f ul l f or ce, i n t he
nar r at i ve of women' s sexual and pol i t i cal mi ser y, t o t he excl usi on of ever y ot her t ype of st r engt h and sover ei gnt y.
Ther e i s an al t er nat i ve t o sex and t o power , one t hat psychoanal ysi s cannot know because i t s axi omat i cs ar e sexual . And
yes, t hi s al t er nat i ve i s undoubt edl y of t he or der of t he f emi ni ne, under st ood out si de t he opposi t i on mascul i ne / f emi ni ne,
t hat opposi t i on bei ng essent i al l y mascul i ne, sexual i n i nt ent i on,
and i ncapabl e of bei ng over t ur ned wi t hout ceasi ng t o exi st .
Thi s st r engt h of t he f emi ni ne i s t hat of seduct i on .
One may cat ch a gl i mpse of anot her , par al l el uni ver se ( t he
t wo never meet ) wi t h t he decl i ne of psychoanal ysi s and sexual i t y as st r ong st r uct ur es, and t hei r cl eansi ng wi t hi n a psy and
mol ecul ar uni ver se ( t hat of t hei r f i nal l i ber at i on) . A uni ver se
t hat can no l onger be i nt er pr et ed i n t er ms of psychi c or psychol ogi cal r el at i ons, nor t hose of r epr essi on and t he unconsci ous, but must be i nt er pr et ed i n t he t er ms of pl ay, chal l enges,
duel s, t he st r at egy of appear ances - t hat i s, t he t er ms of seduct i on . A uni ver se t hat can no l onger be i nt er pr et ed i n t er ms of
st r uct ur es and di acr i t i cal opposi t i ons, but i mpl i es a seduct i ve
r ever si bi l i t y - a uni ver se wher e t he f emi ni ne i s not what opposes t he mascul i ne, but what seduces t he mascul i ne .
I n seduct i on t he f emi ni ne i s nei t her a mar ked nor an unmar ked t er m. I t does not mask t he " aut onomy" of desi r e, pl easur e or t he body, or of a speech or wr i t i ng t hat i t has supposedl y
l ost ( ?) . Nor does i t l ay cl ai m t o some t r ut h of i t s own. I t seduces .
To be sur e, one cal l s t he sover ei gnt y of seduct i on f emi ni ne
by convent i on, t he same convent i on t hat cl ai ms sexual i t y t o
be f undament al l y mascul i ne . But t he i mpor t ant poi nt i s t hat t hi s
f or m of sover ei gnt y has al ways exi st ed - del i neat i ng, f r om a
di st ance, t he f emi ni ne as somet hi ng t hat i s not hi ng, t hat i s never
8
SEDUCTI ON
" pr oduced, " i s never wher e i t i s pr oduc ed ( and cer t ai nl y cannot , t her ef or e, be f ound i n any " f emi ni st " demand) . And t hi s
not f r om t he per spect i ve of a psychi c or bi ol ogi cal bi - sexual i t y,
but t hat of t he t r ans- sexual i t y of seduct i on whi c h t he ent i r e
or gani zat i on of sex t ends t o r ej ect - as does psychoanal ysi s i n
accor dance wi t h t he ax i omt hat t her e i s no ot her st r uct ur e t han
t hat of sexual i t y ( whi ch r ender s i t i ncapabl e, by def i ni t i on, of
speaki ng about anyt hi ng el se) .
What does t he women' s mov ement oppose t o t he phal l ocr at i c
st r uct ur e? Aut onomy, di f f er ence, a speci f i ci t y of desi r e and pl easur e, a di f f er ent r el at i on t o t he f emal e body, a speech, a wr i t i ng
- but never seduct i on . They ar e as hamed of seduct i on, as i mpl yi ng an ar t i f i ci al pr esent at i on of t he body, or a l i f e of vassal age
They do not under st and t hat seduct i on
r epr esent s mast er y over t he symbol i c uni ver se, whi l e power
r epr esent s onl y mast er y of t he r eal uni ver se. The sover ei gnt y
and pr ost i t ut i on .
of seduct i on i s i nc ommens ur abl e wi t h t he possessi on of pol i t i cal or sexual
power .
Ther e i s a st r ange, f i er ce compl i ci t y bet ween' t he f emi ni st
mov ement and t he or der of t r ut h . For seduct i on i s r esi st ed and
r ej ect ed as a mi sappr opr i at i on of women' s t r ue bei ng, a t r ut h
t hat i n t he l ast i nst ance i s t o be f ound i nscr i bed i n t hei r bodi es
and desi r es . I n one st r oke t he i mmens e pr i vi l ege of t he f emi ni ne i s ef f aced : t he pr i vi l ege of havi ng never ac c eded t o t r ut h
or meani ng, and of havi ng r emai ned absol ut e mast er of t he r eal m
of appear ances . The capaci t y i mmanent t o seduct i on t o deny
t hi ngs t hei r t r ut h and t ur n i t i nt o a game, t he pur e pl ay of appear ances, and t her eby f oi l al l syst ems of power and meani ng
wi t h a mer e t ur n of t he hand . The abi l i t y t o t ur n appear ances
i n on t hemsel ves, t o pl ay on t he body' s appear ances, r at her t han
wi t h t he dept hs of desi r e. Nowal l appear ances ar e r ever si bl e . . .
onl y at t he l evel of appear ances ar e syst ems f r agi l e and vul ner abl e . . . meani ng i s vul ner abl e onl y t o enc hant ment . One mus t
be i ncr edi bl y bl i nd t o deny t he sol e f or ce t hat i s equal and super i or t o al l ot her s, si nce wi t h a si mpl e pl ay of t he st r at egy of
appear ances,
i t t ur ns t hem upsi de down .
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX 9
Anat omy i s dest i ny, Fr eud sai d . One mi ght be sur pr i sed t hat
t he f emi ni st movement ' s r ej ect i on of t hi s def i ni t i on, phal l i c by
def i ni t i on, and seal ed wi t h t he st amp of anat omy, opens ont o
an al t er nat i ve t hat r emai ns f undament al l y bi ol ogi cal and anat omi cal :
I ndeed, woman' s pl easur e does not have t o choose
bet ween cl i t or al act i vi t y and vagi nal passi vi t y, f or
exampl e. The pl easur e of t he vagi nal car ess does
not have t o be subst i t ut ed f or t hat of t he cl i t or al
car ess . They each cont r i but e, i r r epl aceabl y, t o
woman' s pl easur e . Among ot her car esses . . . Fondl i ng t he br east s, t ouchi ng t he vul va, spr eadi ng t he
l i ps, st r oki ng t he post er i or wal l of t he vagi na,
br ushi ng agai nst t he mout h of t he ut er us, and so
on . To evoke onl y a f ew of t he most speci f i cal l y
f emal e pl easur es .
Luce I r i gar ay
Par ol e de f emme? But i t i s al ways an anat omi cal speech, al ways t hat of t he body. What i s speci f i c t o women l i es i n t he
di f f r act i on of t he er ogenous zones, i n a decent er ed er ot i ci sm,
t he di f f use pol yval ence of sexual pl easur e and t he t r ansf i gur at i on of t he ent i r e body by desi r e : t hi s i s t he t heme song t hat
r uns t hr ough t he ent i r e f emal e, sexual r evol ut i on, but al so
t hr ough our ent i r e cul t ur e of t he body, f r omt he Anagr ammes
of Bel l mer t o Del euze' s mechani zed connect i ons . I t i s al ways
a quest i on of t he body, i f not t he anat omi cal , t hen t he or gani c,
er ogenous body, t he f unct i onal body t hat , even i n f r agment ed
and met aphor i cal f or m, woul d have pl easur e as i t s obj ect and
desi r e as i t s nat ur al mani f est at i on . But t hen ei t her t he body i s
her e onl y a met aphor ( and i f t hi s i s t he case, what i s t he sexual
r evol ut i on, and our ent i r t cul t ur e, havi ng become a body cul t ur e, t al ki ng about ?) , or el se, wi t h t hi s body speech, t hi s woman speech, we have, ver y def i ni t el y, ent er ed i nt o an anat omi cal
dest i ny, i nt o anat omy as dest i ny. Ther e i s not hi ng her e r adi cal l y opposed t o Fr eud' s maxi m.
Nowher e i s i t a quest i on of seduct i on, t he body wor ked by
ar t i f i ce ( and not by desi r e) , t he body seduced, t he body t o be
10
SEDUCTI ON
seduced, t he body i n i t s passi on separ at ed f r om i t s t r ut h, f r om
t hat et hi cal t r ut h of desi r e whi ch obsesses us - t hat ser i ous,
pr of oundl y r el i gi ous t r ut h t hat t he body t oday i ncar nat es, and
f or whi ch seduct i on i s j ust as evi l and decei t f ul as i t once was
f or r el i gi on . Nowher e i s i t a quest i on of t he body del i ver ed t o
appear ances . Now, seduct i on al one i s r adi cal l y opposed t o anat omy as dest i ny. Seduct i on al one br eaks t he di st i nct i ve sexual i zat i on of bodi es and t he i nevi t abl e. phal l i c economy t hat r esul t s .
Any movement t hat bel i eves i t can subver t a syst em by i t s
i nf r a- st r uct ur e i s nai ve. Seduct i on i s mor e i nt el l i gent , and seemi ngl y spont aneousl y so. I mmedi at el y obvi ous - seduct i on need
not be demonst r at ed, nor j ust i f i ed - i t i s t her e al l at once, i n
t he r ever sal of al l t he al l eged dept h of t he r eal , of al l psychol ogy, anat omy, t r ut h, or power . I t knows ( t hi s i s i t s secr et ) t hat
t her e i s no anat omy, nor psychol ogy, t hat al l si gns ar e r ever si bl e. Not hi ng bel ongs t o i t , except appear ances - al l power s el ude
i t , but i t " r ever si bi l i zes" al l t hei r si gns . How can' one oppose
seduct i on? The onl y t hi ng t r ul y at st ake i s mast er y of t he st r at egy
of ' appear ances, agai nst t he f or ce of bei ng and r eal i t y. Ther e i s
no need t o pl ay bei ng agai nst bei ng, or t r ut h agai nst t r ut h ; why
become st uck under mi ni ng f oundat i ons, when a l i ght mani pul at i on of appear ances wi l l do .
Now woman i s but appear ance . And i t i s t he f emi ni ne as appear ance t hat t hwar t s mascul i ne dept h . I nst ead of r i si ng up
agai nst such " i nsul t i ng" counsel , women woul d do wel l t o l et
t hemsel ves be seduced by i t s t r ut h, f or her e l i es t he secr et of
t hei r st r engt h, whi ch t hey ar e i n t he pr ocess of l osi ng by er ect i ng
a cont r ar y, f emi ni ne dept h.
.
I t i s not qui t e t he f emi ni ne as sur f ace t hat i s opposed t o t he
mascul i ne as dept h, but t he f emi ni ne as i ndi st i nct ness of sur f ace and dept h. Or as i ndi f f er ence t o t he aut hent i c and t he ar t i f i ci al . Joan Ri vi er e, i n " Femi ni t e sans mascar ade" ( La
Psychoanal yse no . 7) , makes a f undament al cl ai m - one t hat
cont ai ns wi t hi n i t al l seduct i on : " Whet her f emi ni ni t y be aut hent i c or super f i ci al , i t i s f undament al l y t he same t hi ng. "
Thi s can be sai d onl y of t he f emi ni ne . The mascul i ne, by cont r ast , possesses unf ai l i ng power s of di scr i mi nat i on and abso-
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX
11
l ut e cr i t er i a f or pr onounci ng t he t r ut h. The mascul i ne i s cer t ai n, t he f emi ni ne i s i nsol ubl e .
Now, sur pr i si ngl y, t hi s pr oposi t i on, t hat i n t he f emi ni ne t he
ver y di st i nct i on bet ween aut hent i ci t y and ar t i f i ce i s wi t hout
f oundat i on, al so def i nes t he space of si mul at i on . Her e t oo one
cannot di st i ngui sh bet ween r eal i t y and i t s model s, t her e bei ng
no ot her r eal i t y t han t hat secr et ed by t he si mul at i ve model s,
j ust as t her e i s no ot her f emi ni ni t y t han t hat of appear ances .
Si mul at i on t oo i s i nsol ubl e.
Thi s st r ange coi nci dence poi nt s t o t he ambi gui t y of t he f emi ni ne : i t si mul t aneousl y pr ovi des r adi cal evi dence of si mul at i on,
and t he onl y possi bi l i t y of i t s over comi ng - i n seduct i on, pr eci sel y.
THE ETERNAL I RONY OF
THE COMMUNI TY
Thi s f emi ni ni t y, t he et er nal i r ony
of t he communi t y .
Hegel
Femi ni ni t y as a pr i nci pl e of uncer t ai nt y.
I t causes t he sexual pol es t o waver . I t i s not t he pol e opposed
t o mascul i ni t y, but what abol i shes t he di f f er ent i al opposi t i on,
and t hus sexual i t y i t sel f , as i ncar nat ed hi st or i cal l y i n t he mascul i ne phal l ocr acy, as i t mi ght be i ncar nat ed i n t he f ut ur e i n
a f emal e phal l ocr acy.
I f f emi ni ni t y i s a pr i nci pl e of uncer t ai nt y, i t i s wher e i t i s i t sel f uncer t ai n t hat t hi s uncer t ai nt y wi l l be gr eat est : i n t he pl ay
of f emi ni ni t y.
Tr ansvest i sm. Nei t her homosexual s nor t r ansexual s, t r ansvest i t es l i ke t o pl ay wi t h t he i ndi st i nct ness of t he sexes . The spel l
t hey cast , over t hemsel ves as wel l as ot her s, i s bor n of sexual
vaci l l at i on and not , as i s cust omar y, t he at t r act i on of one sex
f or t he ot her . They do not r eal l y l i ke mal e men or f emal e women, nor t hose who def i ne t hemsel ves, r edundant l y, as di st i nct
sexual bei ngs . I n or der f or sex t o exi st , si gns must r edupl i cat e
bi ol ogi cal bei ng. Her e t he si gns ar e separ at ed f r ombi ol ogy, and
consequent l y t he sexes no l onger exi st pr oper l y speaki ng . What
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX
13
t r ansvest i t es l ove i s t hi s game of si gns, what exci t es t hem i s t o
seduce t he si gns t hemsel ves . Wi t h t hemever yt hi ng i s makeup,
t heat er , and seduct i on . They appear obsessed wi t h games of
sex, but t hey ar e obsessed, f i r st of al l , wi t h pl ay i t sel f ; and i f
t hei r l i ves appear mor e sexual l y endowed t han our own, i t i s
because t hey make sex i nt o a t ot al , gest ur al , sensual , and r i t ual
game, an exal t ed but i r oni c i nvocat i on .
Ni co seemed so beaut i f ul onl y because her f emi ni ni t y appear ed so compl et el y put on . She emanat ed somet hi ng mor e
t han beaut y, somet hi ng mor e subl i me, a di f f er ent seduct i on .
And t her e was decept i on : she was a f al se dr ag queen, a r eal
woman, i n f act , pl ayi ng t he queen. I t i s easi er f or a nonf emal e/ f emal e t han f or a r eal woman, al r eady l egi t i mat ed by
her sex, t o move amongst t he si gns and t ake seduct i on t o t he
l i mi t . Onl y t he non- f emal e/ f emal e can exer ci se an unt ai nt ed
f asci nat i on, because s/ he i s mor e seduct i ve t han sexual . The
f asci nat i on i s l ost when t he r eal sex shows t hr ough; t o be sur e,
some ot her desi r e may f i nd somet hi ng her e, but pr eci sel y no
l onger i n t hat per f ect i on t hat bel ongs t o ar t i f i ce al one.
Seduct i on i s al ways mor e si ngul ar and subl i me t han sex, and
i t commands t he hi gher pr i ce.
One must not seek t o gr ound t r ansvest i sm i n bi sexual i t y . For
t he sexes and sexual di sposi t i ons, whet her mi xed or ambi val ent , i ndef i ni t e or i nver t ed, ar e st i l l r eal , and st i l l bear wi t ness
t o t he psychi c r eal i t y of sex . Her e, however , i t i s t hi s ver y def i ni t i on of t he sexual t hat i s ecl i psed . Not t hat t hi s game i s per ver se. What i s per ver se i s what per ver t s t he or der of t he t er ms ;
but her e t her e ar e no l onger any t er ms t o per ver t , onl y si gns
t o seduce.
Nor shoul d one seek t o gr ound t r ansvest i sm i n t he unconsci ous or i n " l at ent homosexual i t y. " The ol d casui st r y of l at ency i s i t sel f a pr oduct of t he sexual i magi nar y of sur f aces and
dept hs, and al ways i mpl i es a di agnosi s of sympt oms and pr ognosi s f or t hei r cor r ect i on . But her e not hi ng i s l at ent , ever yt hi ng
cal l s i nt o quest i on t he ver y i dea of a secr et , det er mi nat e i nst ance
of sex, t he i dea t hat t he deep pl ay of phant asi es cont r ol s t he
super f i ci al pl ay of si gns . On t he cont r ar y, ever yt hi ng i s pl ayed
out i n t he ver t i go of t hi s i nver si on, t hi s t r anssubst ant i at i on of
sex i nt o si gns t hat i s t he secr et of al l seduct i on .
14
SEDUCTI ON
Per haps t he t r ansvest i t e' s abi l i t y t o seduce comes st r ai ght f r om
par ody - a par ody of sex by i t s over - si gni f i cat i on . The pr ost i t ut i on of t r ansvest i t es woul d t hen have a di f f er ent meani ng f r om
t he mor e c ommon pr ost i t ut i on of women. I t woul d be cl oser
t o t he sacr ed pr ost i t ut i on pr act i ced by t he Anci ent s ( or t he
sacr ed st at us of t he her maphr odi t e) . I t woul d be cont i guous
wi t h t he t heat er , or wi t h makeup, t he r i t ual and bur l esque ost ent at i on of a sex whose own pl easur e i s absent .
The seduct i on i t sel f i s coupl ed wi t h a par ody i n whi ch an
i mpl acabl e host i l i t y t o t he f emi ni ne shows t hr ough, and whi ch
mi ght be i nt er pr et ed as a mal e appr opr i at i on of t he panopl y
of f emal e al l ur ement s . The t r ansvest i t e woul d t hen r epr oduce
t he si t uat i on of t he f i r st war r i or - - he al one was seduct i ve - t he
woman bei ng nul ( consi der f asci sm, and i t s af f i ni t y f or t r ansvest i t es) . But r at her t han t he addi t i on of t he sexes i s not t hi s
t hei r i nval i dat i on? And doesn' t t he mascul i ne, i n t hi s mocker y
of f emi ni ni t y, r esci nd i t s st at us and pr er ogr at i ves i n or der t o
become a cont r apunt al el ement i n a r i t ual game?
I n any case, t hi s par ody of f emi ni ni t y i s not qui t e as acer bi c
as one mi ght t hi nk, si nce i t i s t he par ody of f emi ni ni t y as men
i magi ne and st age i t , as wel l as phant asi ze i t . A f emi ni ni t y exagger at ed, degr aded, par odi ed ( dr ag queens i n Bar cel ona keep
t hei r moust aches and expose t hei r hai r y chest s) , t he cl ai m i s
t hat i n t hi s soci et y f emi ni ni t y i s naught but t he si gns wi t h whi ch
men r i g i t up . To over - si mul at e f emi ni ni t y i s t o suggest t hat woman i s but a mascul i ne model of si mul at i on . Her e i s a chal l enge
t o t he f emal e model by way of a f emal e game, a, chal l enge t o
t he f emal e/ woman by way of t he f emal e/ si gn. And i t i s possi bl e t hat t hi s l i vi ng, f ei gned denunci at i on, whi ch' pl ays on t he
f ur t her most bounds of ar t i f i ce, and si mul t aneousl y pl ays wi t h
t he mechani sms of f emi ni ni t y t o t he poi nt of per f ect i on, i s mor e
l uci d and r adi cal t han al l t he i dea- pol i t i cal cl ai ms of a f emi ni ni t y " al i enat ed i n i t s bei ng. " Her e f emi ni ni t y i s sai d t o have no
bei ng ( no nat ur e, wr i t i ng, si ngul ar pl easur es or , as Fr eud sai d,
par t i cul ar i zed l i bi do) . Cont r ar y t o ever y sear ch f or an aut hent i c f emi ni ni t y, f or a woman' s speech, et c . , t he cl ai mher e i s t hat
t he f emal e i s not hi ng, and t hat t hi s i s her st r engt h .
Her e i s a mor e subt l e r esponse t han f emi ni sm' s out r i ght deni al
of t he l aw of cast r at i on . For t he l at t er encount er s symbol i c, not
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX
15
anat omi cal f at e, one t hat wei ghs on al l possi bl e sexual i t y . The
over t ur ni ng of t hi s l aw, t her ef or e, can onl y r esul t f r omi t s par odi c r esol ut i on, f r omt he ex- cent r i ci t y of t he si gns of f emi ni ni t y,
t he r edupl i cat i on of si gns t hat put s an end t o ever y i nsol ubl e
bi ol ogy, or met aphysi cs of t he sexes . Makeup i s not hi ng el se :
a t r i umphant par ody, a sol ut i on by excess, t he sur f ace hyper si mul at i on of t hi s i n- dept h si mul at i on t hat i s i t sel f t he symbol i c l aw of cast r at i on - a t r anssexual game of seduct i on .
The i r ony of ar t i f i ci al pr act i ces : t he pecul i ar abi l i t y of t he
pai nt ed woman or pr ost i t ut e t o exagger at e her f eat ur es, t o t ur n
t hemi nt o mor e t han a si gn, and by t hi s usage of , not t he f al se
as opposed t o t he t r ue, but t he mor e f al se t han f al se, t o i ncar nat e t he peaks of sexual i t y whi l e si mul t aneousl y bei ng absor bed
i n t hei r si mul at i on . The i r ony pr oper t o t he const i t ut i on of woman as i dol or sex obj ect : i n her cl osed per f ect i on, she put s an
end t o sex pl ay and r ef er s man, t he l or d and mast er of sexual
r eal i t y, t o hi s t r anspar ency as an i magi nar y subj ect . The i r oni c power of t he obj ect , t hen, whi ch she l oses when pr omot ed
t o t he st at us of a subj ect .
Al l mascul i ne power i s a power t o pr oduce. Al l t hat i s
pr oduced, be i t t he pr oduct i on of woman as f emal e, f al l s wi t hi n t he r egi st er of mascul i ne power . The onl y, and i r r esi st i bl e,
power of f emi ni ni t y i s t he i nver se power of seduct i on . I n i t sel f
i t i s nul , seduct i on has no power of i t s own, onl y t hat of annul i ng t he power of pr oduct i on . But i t al ways annul s t he l at t er .
Has t her e, mor eover , ever been a phal l i c power ? Thi s ent i r e
hi st or y of pat r i ar chal domi nat i on, of phal l ocr acy, t he i mmemor i al mal e pr i vi l ege, i s per haps onl y a st or y. Begi nni ng wi t h t he
exchange of women i n pr i mi t i ve soci et i es, st upi dl y i nt er pr et ed as t he f i r st st age of woman- as- obj ect . Al l t hat we have been
asked t o bel i eve - t he uni ver sal di scour se on t he i nequal i t y of
t he sexes, t he t heme song of an egal i t ar i an and r evol ut i onar y
moder ni t y ( r ei nf or ced, t hese days, wi t h al l t he ener gi es of a
f ai l ed r evol ut i on) - i s per haps one gi gant i c mi sunder st andi ng .
The opposi t e hypot hesi s i s j ust as pl ausi bl e and, f r oma cer t ai n
per spect i ve, mor e i nt er est i ng - t hat i s, t hat t he f emi ni ne has
never been domi nat ed, but has al ways been domi nant . The f emi ni ne consi der ed not as a sex, but as t he f or mt r ansver sal t o ever y sex, as wel l as t o ever y power , as t he secr et , vi r ul ent f or m
16
SEDUCTI ON
of i n- sexual i t y. The f emi ni ne as a chal l enge whose devast at i on
can be exper i enced t oday t hr oughout t he ent i r e expanse of sexual i t y And hasn' t t hi s chal l enge, whi ch i s al so t hat of seduct i on, al ways been t r i umphant ?
I n t hi s sense, t he mascul i ne has al ways been but a r esi dual ,
secondar y and f r agi l e f or mat i on, one t hat must be def ended
by r et r enchment s, i nst i t ut i ons, and ar t i f i ces . The phal l i c f or t r ess of f er s al l t he si gns of a f or t r ess, t hat i s t o say, of weakness .
I t can def end i t sel f onl y f r omt he r ampar t s of a mani f est sexual i t y, of a f i nal i t y of sex t hat exhaust s i t sel f i n r epr oduct i on, or
i n t he or gasm.
One can hypot hesi ze t hat t he f emi ni ne i s t he onl y sex, and
t hat t he mascul i ne onl y exi st s by a super human ef f or t t o l eave
i t . A moment ' s di st r act i on, and one f al l s back i nt o t he f emi ni ne .
The f emi ni ne woul d have a deci si ve advant age, t he mascul i ne
a def i ni t e handi cap . One sees how r i di cul ous i t i s t o want t o
" l i ber at e" t he one i n or der t hat i t accede t o t he f r agi l i t y of t he
ot her ' s " power , " t o t he eccent r i c, par adoxi cal , par anoi d and t i r esome mascul i ne st at e.
The phal l i c f abl e r ever sed : wher e woman i s cr eat ed f r omman
by subt r act i on, her e i t i s man cr eat ed f r omwoman by except i on . A f abl e easi l y st r engt hened by Bet t l ehei m' s anal ysi s i n Symbol i c Wounds, wher e men ar e sai d t o have er ect ed t hei r power s
and i nst i t ut i ons i n or der t o t hwar t t he or i gi nal l y f ar super i or
power s of women. The dr i vi ng f or ce i s not peni s, envy, but on
t he cont r ar y, man' s j eal ousy of woman' s power of f er t i l i zat i on .
Thi s f emal e advant age coul d not be at oned ; a di f f er ent or der
had t o be bui l t at al l cost s, a mascul i ne soci al , pol i t i cal and economi c or der , wher ei n t hi s advant age coul d be r educed. Thus
t he r i t ual pr act i ces wher eby t he si gns of t he opposi t e sex ar e
appr opr i at ed ar e l ar gel y mascul i ne : scar i f i cat i ons ; mut i l at i ons,
ar t i f i ci al vagi ni zat i ons, couvades, et c.
Al l t hi s i s as convi nci ng as a par adoxi cal hypot hesi s can be
( and i t i s al ways mor e i nt er est i ng; t han t he r ecei ved wi sdom) ,
but i n t he end i t onl y r ever ses t he t er ms, and so t ur ns t he f emi ni ne i nt o an or i gi nal subst ance, a sor t of ant hr opol ogi cal i nf r ast r uct ur e . I t r ever ses t he anat omi cal det er mi nat i on, but l et s
i t subsi st as dest i ny - and once agai n t he " i r ony of f emi ni ni t y"
i s l ost .
THE ECLI PTI C OF SEX
17
The i r ony i s l ost when t he f emi ni ne i s i nst i t ut ed as a sex, even
and above al l when i t i s i n or der t o denounce i t s oppr essi on .
I t i s t he et er nal i l l usi on of enl i ght enment humani sm, whi ch
aspi r es t o l i ber at e t he ser vi l e sex, r ace or cl ass i n t he ver y t er ms
of i t s ser vi t ude . That t he f emi ni ne becomes a sex i n i t s own
r i ght ! An absur di t y, i f posed i n nei t her t he t er ms of sex nor power .
The f emi ni ne knows nei t her equi val ence nor val ue: i t i s, t her ef or e, not sol ubl e i n power . I t i s not even subver si ve, i t i s r ever si bl e . Power , on t he ot her hand, i s sol ubl e i n t he r ever si bi l i t y
of t he f emi ni ne. I f t he " f act s" cannot deci de whet her i t was
t he mascul i ne or f emi ni ne t hat was domi nant t hr oughout t he
ages ( once agai n, t he t hesi s of women' s oppr essi on i s based on
a car i cat ur al phal l ocr at i c myt h) , by cont r ast , i t r emai ns cl ear
t hat i n mat t er s of sexual i t y, t he r ever si bl e f or m pr evai l s over
t he l i near f or m. The excl uded f or mpr evai l s, secr et l y, over t he
domi nant f or m. The seduct i ve f or mpr evai l s over t he pr oduct i ve f or m.
Femi ni ni t y i n t hi s sense i s on t he same si de as madness . I t
i s because madness secr et l y pr evai l s t hat i t must be nor mal i zed
( t hanks t o, amongst ot her t hi ngs, t he hypot hesi s of t he unconsci ous) . I t i s because f emi ni ni t y secr et l y pr evai l s t hat i t must be
r ecycl ed and nor mal i zed ( i n sexual l i ber at i on i n par t i cul ar ) .
And i n t he or gasm.
The despoi l ment of t he or gasm, t he absence of sexual pl easur e, i s of t en advanced as char act er i st i c of women' s oppr essi on .
Af l agr ant i nj ust i ce whose i mmedi at e r ect i f i cat i on ever yone must
pur sue i n accor d wi t h t he i nj unct i ons of a sor t of l ong- di st ance
r ace or sex r al l y. Sexual pl easur e has become a r equi si t e and
a f undament al r i ght . The most r ecent of t he r i ght s of man, i t
has acceded t o t he di gni t y of a cat egor i cal i mper at i ve . I t i s i mmor al t o act ot her wi se . But t hi s i mper at i ve does not even have
t he Kant i an char m of endl ess f i nal i t i es . As t he management and
sel f - management of desi r e, i t s i mposi t i on does not , no mor e
t han t hat of t he l aw, al l ow i gnor ance as a def ense.
But t hi s i s t o r emai n unawar e t hat sexual pl easur e t oo i s r ever -
18
SEDUCTI ON
si bl e, t hat i s t o say t hat , i n t he absence or deni al of t he or gasm,
super i or i nt ensi t y i s possi bl e. I t i s her e, wher e t he end of sex
bec omes al eat or y agai n, t hat somet hi ng ar i ses t hat can be cal l ed
seduct i on or del i ght . Or agai n, sexual pl easur e can be j ust a pr et ext
f or anot her , mor e exci t i ng, mor e passi onat e game . Thi s i s what
occur r ed i n The Empi r e of t he Senses, wher e t he ai mwas t o pus h
sexual pl easur e t o i t s l i mi t and bey ond - a chal l enge t hat pr evai l s
over t he wor ki ngs of desi r e, because i t i s muc h mor e di zzyi ng,
because i t i nvol ves t he passi ons whi l e t he ot her i mpl i es onl y a dr i ve.
But t hi s ver t i go can be equal l y pr esent i n t he r ej ect i on of sexho k nows i f women, f ar f r ombei ng " despoi l ed, "
ual pl easur e . W
not
,
f
r
omt
i me i mmemor i al , been pl ayi ng a game of t hei r
have
own by t r i umphant l y asser t i ng a r i ght t o sexual r et i cence? I f
t hey have not , f r omt he dept hs of t hei r sexual i mpassi bi l i t y, been
t hr owi ng down a chal l enge, chal l engi ng men' s pl easur e t o be
but t he pl easur e of men al one? No one k nows t o what dest r uct i ve dept hs s uc h pr ovocat i on can go, nor what omni pot enc e
r educed t o sol i t ar y pl easur es, and enmes hed
wi t hi n t he di r ect i ves of del i ght and conquest , never di d f i nd
i t i mpl i es . Men,
a way out .
W
ho won t hi s game wi t h i t s di f f er ent st r at egi es? Men, appar ent l y, al l down t he l i ne. But i t i s by no means cer t ai n t hat t hey
di d not l ose t hemsel ves i n t hi s t er r ai n and bec ome bogged down
( as i n t hat of t he sei zur e of power ) consequent t o a sor t of f or war d
f l i ght t hat coul d nei t her assur e t hemof saf et y, nor r el i eve t hem
of t hei r secr et despai r at what had escaped t hem - what ever
t hei r gai ns or cal cul at i ons . Thi s had t o end: i t was i mper at i ve
t hat women have or gasms . Measur es had t o be t aken t o l i ber at e t hemand mak e t hem cl i max - - t her eby endi ng t hi s unbear abl e chal l enge t hat ul t i mat el y nul l i f i es sexual pl easur e i n a
possi bl e st r at egy of non- pl easur e. For sexual pl easur e k nows
no st r at egy : i t i s onl y ener gy seeki ng an out l et . I t i s t her ef or e qui t e
i nf er i or t o any st r at egy t hat uses i t as i t s mat er i al , and uses desi r e
i t sel f as a t act i cal el ement . Thi s i s t he cent r al t heme of t he l i ber t i ne sexual i t y of t he ei ght eent h cent ur y, f r om Lacl os t o Casanova
and Sade ( i ncl udi ng Ki er kegaar d i n Di ar y of t he Seducer ) , f or
whomsexual i t y st i l l r et ai ns i t s cer emoni al , r i t ual and st r at egi c
char act er , bef or e si nki ng, wi t h t he Ri ght s of Man; and psychol ogy, i nt o t he r eveal ed t r ut h of sex .