"the Sexes" Reading Response

“The Sexes” Reading Response

In this reading Plato describes three sexes, male-male, female-female and male-female. It is evident that Plato is discussing homosexuality as well as heterosexuality. When first reading, I thought the third sex (male-female), was talking about heterosexual individuals. When reading this piece, I noticed that it was looked upon as the best sex in a way because both the woman and the man knew were able to deal with their sexuality and they were not questioning the social roles that they were required to fulfill. However once I re-read the piece it seemed like the third sex may just be a mixture of both, like the “other”, someone who is neither a man nor a woman. This sex was the most confusing to understand.

I felt that the “division of two parts of man”, just meant society wanted to separate man from man because it wasn’t supposed to be that way. However, both parts desired one another so much that they couldn’t help themselves. Then it is described that one of the halves died and so the other sought out for a mate, thus being man or woman. The story is a little bit confusing to follow and translate out of metaphoric terminology. However, it made me think that humans are always searching for their other halves, and basically need another person in order to be happy. He feels that without the discovery of you other half, you cannot be fully whole.

Homosexuality and heterosexuality are explained as those individuals who were once double woman, looked for woman companions; those who were male-female wanted members of the opposite sex; and those who were double men wanted men companions. These attractions were not only for sexual intercourse, but they wanted to be with their soul mates. He tells us that homosexuality is just as natural as heterosexuality. This is evident because it comes from the sun and the moon which are natural things.

This myth tells readers