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What aspects of sexuality are socially constructed and what aspects are not socially constructed
Social constructionism gender roles
Sexuality in society today
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Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood. In his paper which is called Is There A History of Sexuality, Halperin drew a distinction between the topics of sexuality and of sex. He claimed that the two concepts are separate ideas. In Halperin's view, sex is a natural function that has not changed in many years, if ever at all. He says that sex “is a natural fact, grounded in the functioning of the body, and as such, it lies outside of history and culture” (Halperin 416). This means that sex cannot be measured in historical thought, for it has not changed since the beginning of time. As a natural function, it will continue to exist without the influence of culture, for it has always existed inside of the natural body. Sexuality, on the other hand, is a completely different issue to be considered. Sexuality is a socially created phenomenon, or as Halperin says, “sexuality is not a somatic fact, it is a cultural effect” (Halperin 416). This means that sexuality is entirely dependant upon the social world because it is created by the social world. Halperin argues against the prevailing concept that our sexual activities make any statements about our sexuality in and of itself. Halperin claims that “one of the currently unquestioned assumptions about sexual experience which the study of antiquity calls into question is the assumption that sexual behavior reflects or expresses an individual's 'sexuality'” (Halperin 417). With this statement, Halperin raises the issue of what exactly a sexuality is, and how it can be defined. Specifically, Halperin is saying that the modern concept of sexuality can not be applied to the supposed sexualities expressed... ... middle of paper ... ...e person themselves, and as such, lasts only as long as that identity as chosen by the individual. Works Cited Halperin, David. "Is There a History of Sexuality?." The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader. Ed. Henry Abelove, Ed. Michele Aina Barale and Ed. David M. Halperin. New York: Routledge, 1993. 416-431. Print. Kennedy, Elizabeth Lapovsky, and Madeline Davis. "The Reproduction of Butch-Fem Roles: A Social Constructionist Approach." Passion and Power: Sexuality in History. Ed. Kathy Peiss and Ed. Christina Simmons. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1989. 241-256. Print. Rayter, Scott. "Butch/Fem in the 1950s." Sexuality: Theories, Histories, Cultures. University of Toronto, Toronto. 11, Oct, 2011. Class Lecture. Rayter, Scott. "Identity Transformations." Sexuality: Theories, Histories, Cultures. University of Toronto, Toronto. 20, Sep, 2011. Class Lecture.
References to Kurt Freund’s studies to “assess sexual arousal in men and women” and Alfred Kinsey’s “sexual orientation” scale are made to further explain how sexuality and asexuality are not solid concepts with strict definitions of their own but rather more multifarious. For
In The Introduction to the History of Sexuality, Foucault explains how during the 19th century with the raise of new societies, the discourse or knowledge about sex was not confronted with repulsion but it “put into operation an entire machinery for producing true discourses concerning sex” (Foucault 69). In fact, this spreading of discourse on sexuality itself gives a clear account of how sexuality has been controlled and confined because it was determined in a certain kind of knowledge that carries power within it. Foucault reflects on the general working hypothesis or “repressive hypothesis,” and how this has exercised power to suppress people’s sexuality. It has power on deciding what is normal or abnormal and ethical or unethical about sexuality. Through discourses of life and sexuality, power is exercised because humans learned how to behave in relation to sexuality, which method keep individuals controlled and regulated. This explains why people experience that sense of behaving inappropriate when we talk about sex in a different way than the whole society. Foucault points up how sexuality is not just treated in terms of morality, but it is a matter of knowledge and “truth.” However, these discourses, including sexual discourses are not true or false, but they are just understood to be the truth or falsehood to control society. As a result, sexuality begins to be explored in a scientific way, developing the “truth” science of sex (Foucault 69). For Foucault, he asserts that sexuality has developed as a form of science that keeps us all afraid of such phenomena, which people think to be true, thus this science helps society to discipline and control individuals’ behaviors.
These three articles give the modern reader a sense of what sexuality was in Ancient Rome. These articles reinforce that sexuality is important in human societies. They show that how you did or did not do sexual activity was very important and under scrutiny like in Western societies today. Though these articles are using limited resources to make conclusions, they do their best to help the reader make sense of sexual Roman society.
Halperin, D. M. "How To Do The History Of Male Homosexuality." GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies 6.1 (2000): 87-123. Web.
George Orwell’s 1984 astounded audiences for decades by the raw approach to reveal the dangers that had been exposed during the books original conception. This was strategic compliance and forced manipulation being witnessed across the world, which prompted an outcry from writers as they bared witness to the collapsing freedoms being stripped from whole populations. This outcry forced other political and social constructs to be called into question, such as how far can the mind be pushed to obtain the level of compliance being demanded, and how can sexuality be a danger to anyone other than the individuals participating in the acts? Sanity and Sexuality are abstract notions that are vulnerable to the delicate exchange of power. Winston and
In order to further understand my experiences one must acknowledge the cultural background, which constructs my opinions towards sex, sexuality, and gender role. My opinions about sexuality shifted quickly as I moved from Israel, a middle-eastern society, to the United States. The sudden change of environment and culture occurred around when I began puberty, and as a result, my sexual identity shifted tremendously. Instead believing that a certain Jewish woman, whom I will marry, will satisfy all of my sexual needs, I began relating with my American peers and their sexual beliefs.
Foucault, M. (1978). The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction. New York: Vintage Books.
In Foucault’s History of Sexuality, it elaborates on the history of the repression of sex and the way we look at it. Foucault thinks that people started to think bad of sex during the 17th century when the “bourgeois society” or the middleclass came into power. Then during the Victorian Age sex become a huge secret to everyone, it was meant to be kept in the bedroom between a man and a woman. The only purpose for sex was to reproduce, other than that it was suppose to be nonexistence. During this period many people wanted to keep it under control: “imposed silence, Censorship.” Foucault goes on to explain how people were so prude that people were afraid to actually say the word sex. Another big topic in this article was children sexuality,
In Sigmund Freud’s “Sexual Morality and Modern Nervousness”, contained in Sexuality and the Psychology of Love, the writer presents separate roles for men and women as it relates to sexuality, even referring to a “double code of morality” (22) for the genders. In his paper the former often takes the role of the subject while the former becomes the object. In fact, women are described as the “true sexual guardians of the race” glorified, it seems, instead of truly studied. However, in one particular section of the essay, Freud turns his focus onto the female sexuality. In specific he references the various factors that, in his eyes, can influence the female sexual formation. The primary influences being that of the society, primarily the institution of marriage, and that of the family, which would include both a woman’s parents and children. After discussing these elements, Freud then
As we human beings have changed and evolved over our thousands of years of recorded history, so have our attitudes and expressions of all things sexual. The only thing that hasn't changed much is society's desire to exercise a certain amount of control over an individual's sexual behavior. Whether it be through church or state, educational institutions or popular media of the time, there have been rules and regulations, views and taboos about what we should do sexually, how we should do it, who we should do it with and even how we should think about doing it.
The beginning of this short research essay began with the author explaining what the essay will be about. This essay primarily focuses on the differences and similarities of sexuality between men, women, gays, and lesbians. It also focuses on time, because throughout time, human sexuality has changed. New scientific evidence has also helped give new insight to the human mind and their most basic needs.
The dichotomy between nature and culture is a topic which has been present for many years in the field of social science, but only in the more recent decade’s has it become important for anthropology. The 1970’s were a crucial time for this debate as it was the only real time we knew the difference between sex and gender, but now I aim to discuss how this certainty has come to an end, and we are now forced to question our own western ideas of sexuality and the body.
... decades ago. This book is one that will allow the reader to view many aspects of sexuality from a social standpoint, and apply it to certain social attitudes in our society today, these attitudes can range from the acceptance of lesbian and gays, and the common sight of sex before marriage and women equality. The new era of sexuality has taken a definite "transformation" as Giddens puts it, and as a society we are living in the world of change in which we must adapt, by accepting our society as a changing society, and not be naive and think all the rules of sexuality from our parents time our still in existence now.
Michael Foucault’s History of Sexuality explains how today’s norm follow the idea of the Victorian Regime and why sexuality is repressed due to the norm. Before the Victorian Regime, people were open to sex and had less secrecy. During the 17th century, people enjoyed having sex for the fun. Eventually, people decided that sex should be sacred and it became something that people enjoyed but should not be talked upon in public. Sex was becoming more serious and sexuality was becoming more private into the homes. Couples were having sex with the goals of reproduction. The couple’s secrecy changed the norm of society. Adults were not allowed to talk about sex especially in front of children because children should not know about sex. The society was censoring and repressing sexuality and thus became the
In today’s society things are being expressed and experienced at younger ages, than ever before in our time. Children and teenagers are discovering their sexuality at very early ages. Sexuality is the discovering of who you are and what makes you different from everybody else.