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Sexuality as socially constructed
Sexuality as socially constructed
Sexual revolution of the 20th century
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Sexuality describes sexual identity, attraction, and experiences which may or may not align with sex and gender. This includes but is not limited to heterosexuality, homosexuality (gay or lesbian), bisexuality, queer and so on. Just as gender is a social construction, so too is sexuality. This is another way of saying sexuality is socially determined and it varies in its expression across culture, time, and place. The pill made it possible that the sexual revolution of the 1960s took place. In this revolution were young, single women, who with the help of this new contraception, took their sexuality into their own hands. If it was not for women’s self-determined and sexual liberation, the sexual revolution might have been another episode. Instead, with the motivation of the sexual revolution gave to a new feminism and a movement for gay liberation, it became one of the major factors of America’s ongoing political delirium. Men benefited from the new sexual freedom, but for them, it was hardly an invention. Religious doctrine and public mores told them chastity and marital fidelity applied equally to men and women. For men, the sexual revolution changed things by having sex relatively cost-free. Women were now liberated, and the pill suddenly lowered the risks of accidental fatherhood and unwanted marriage. …show more content…
According to planned parenthood, sex education is widely supported by many people in the United States. In Planned Parenthood’s most recent poll on sex education, 93 percent of parents supported having sex education taught in middle school, and 96 percent of parents supported having sex education taught in high school. Most parents support sex education in middle school and high school that covers a wide range of topics, including STDs, puberty, healthy relationships, contraception, and sexual
It is true that birth control may not have been the sole factor in the women's movement and freedom of self, but without this key element the
This lecture on the Pill will focus on the introduction, controversies, and outcome of women’s control of contraception during the mid 20th century. It will also discuss how the Pill became an influential stepping-stone for women activists. I chose to focus this discussion on three questions. First, what did the Pill teach us about the role of women in the middle 20th century? Second, what were the arguments for and against the Pill? Lastly, how safe was the Pill and what effects did women experience from taking it? By centering in on these questions, I hope to provide insight on the struggles women faced before and after this birth control technology became readily available to women in the United States.
One of the biggest events during the 60’s was the Sexual Revolution; it was a big change for women in American. During that period, the idea of women having sex as freely as man disturbed the society. Therefore, the revolution was breakthrough with the invention of the birth control pill to show the empowerment of single women in American. (People & Events: The Pill and the Sexual Revolution) The revolution allowed single women to have the same sexual freedom and behavior as man, and with the pill, women have less risk of getting pregnant. Also with the pills production, marriage and virginity were slowly replaced by the celebration of single life and sexual exploration. (People & Events: The Pill and the Sexual Revolution) According to PBS, with the rising single life style, Hugh Hefner started a new magazine called Playboy; it’s a representative to show the fun and pleasure of being single and sex. (People & Events: The Pill and the Sexual Revolution) Women competed with each other in order be on the cover or in the magazine. Women who were in the magazine also mean they were the finest among others. Birth control pill and Playboy magazine are still heavily influence in our daily life. The pill is commonly used today and it has prevented many teenagers of becoming pregnant. As well as the magazine has become one of the world’s famous man magazines, and it still stands its title today.
All social classes of women suffered from the ban on birth control devices and information. Though, the working class suffered the most. Working class women were poorly educated and had little to no access to health care and their cultural and religious beliefs taught them to be obedient and to not deny sex to their husbands.[6] Though, they were “Denied information from the medical establishment on birth control and fearing contraception as well, made working-class women resort to crude and often deadly methods of abortion to end their unwanted pregnancies.” [6] Dangerous self-induced abortions led to death, permanent damage and/or comas. Without Progressive activists like Sanger and Goldman, women would not have the sexual freedoms that they have today. The birth control movement forced Americans to open their eyes and see the need for contraceptive devices and educational information pertaining to their bodies. Birth control meant freedom for women. The freedom to decide when was the right time for them to have children and to decide how many children they wanted to have. Birth control clinics educated women about their bodies and gave them choices in the matter of pregnancies. Clinics gathered extensive research and information, which led to greater advances and knowledge in the medical
In Thomas B. Edsall’s “The Two Revolutions,” Edsall analyzes these two major revolutions that have transpired in American history: the socio-cultural or rights movement and the technological, scientific, and economic revolution (TSE). The sociocultural revolution involved the rights concerning workingwomen, women’s work and workplace rights, demographic change, sexual freedom and abortion rights. Post-World War II, America faced a race-based freedom movement, which worked parallel to the decay of sexual mores. Further, the “rights” revolution worked inclusively of the contraceptive revolution. The contraceptive revolution was a result of the innovation of antibiotics, surgical abortion, fertility techniques and more, allowing women to delay childbirth and focus on careers, for instance. With sex-based discrimination faltering as a result of this movement, it paved the way for an immense admittance of women into the workforce. Moreover, the resulting developments of this movement were observable in Vatican II (1965), which instigated the modernization of sex roles within the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is clear that the “rights” revolution was not limited to America, but a movement visible throughout the world.
The sexual revolution happened during the 1960’s and although I’m sure that close to none of us have heard of it, it was a huge impact on American history and is the reason why our society is the way it is now. It happened at least 55 years ago but the outcome of it can be seen in many of our cultures today; it changed the way we see, express, and think about sexuality. During the 1960’s, John F. Kennedy became president of the United States (and was also assassinated years later), there was a fight for civil rights; the sexual revolution wasn’t as quickly noticed as the other historical moments but was still just as important.
In post war America their existed a society of women fearful of pregnancy with morals that were deep rooted in religious believes. The pill did not exist and neither did women’s sexual freedoms. Virginity reined amongst the masses. Then came the free love movement. According to Jone Johnson Lewis a women’s history expert, “In the nineteen sixties and seventies free love came to imply a sexually active lifestyle with many casual sex partners and little to no commitment.”
Sexuality is a fundamental part of our self-discovery, involving much more than just being genetically or anatomically male and female and it is not defined solely by one 's sexual acts (Ministry of Education 1989, p.79 cited in Gourlay, P 1995). The notion that sexuality is fixed and innate disregards the social aspects that impact ones’ sexualities. Gagnon and Simon (1973) further commented that sexuality is a feature of social
From birth, one's sexuality is shaped by society. Cultures institute behaviors that are to be seen as the societal norms, which work to constantly reinforce societal expectations of how genders should act in relation to one another. Although some may argue that one's sexuality is an innate characteristic resulting from genetic makeup, there is a large amount of evidence pointing to its social construction instead. Through the power differences between males and females, established gender roles, and drastic economic shifts, society establishes sexuality and reinforces the behaviors that are expected of its citizens.
"People and Events: The Pill and the Sexual Revolution." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 12 May 2014.
Sex education in public schools has been a controversial issue in the United States for over a decade. With the HIV and teen pregnancy crises growing, sex education is needed.
The terms sex, gender and sexuality relate with one another, however, sociologists had to distinguish these terms because it has it’s own individual meaning. Sex is the biological identity of a person when they are first born, like being a male or female. Gender is the socially learned behaviors and expectations associated with men and women like being masculine or feminine. Gender can differentiate like being a man, woman, transgender, intersex, etcetera. Sexuality refers to desire, sexual preference, and sexual identity and behavior (1). Sexuality can differentiate as well like being homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, etcetera. Like all social identities, gender is socially constructed. In the Social Construction of Gender, this theory shows
The relationship between sex and gender can be argued in many different lights. All of which complicated lights. Each individual beholds a sexual identity and a gender identity, with the argument of perceiving these identities however way they wish to perceive them. However, the impact of gender on our identities and on our bodies and how they play out is often taken for granted in various ways. Gender issues continue to be a hugely important topic within contemporary modern society. I intend to help the reader understand that femininities and masculinities is a social constructed concept and whether the binary categories of “male” and “female” are adequate concepts for understanding and organising contemporary social life with discussing the experiences of individuals and groups who have resisted these labels and forged new identities.
Technology has changed the way society has interacted with one another. While technology has allowed society countless means of social interactions that weren’t possible 50 years ago, and has allowed people to sustain long-distance friendships that would have otherwise ended, the fact remains that technology is still taking over human interaction. Many may argue that this change has been positive. However, there are those who believe that this is one of the numerous social disasters when it comes to technology. It is believed that the changes are ruining the quality of social interaction that we all need as human beings. It’s getting to the point where people are relying more and more on technology as a way to communicate with their friends
Overall, my point of view is that sexual education should be taught in school. It’s a subject that should not be looked over and should be taught before you go to high school when those things come into play. This is my point of view because boys and girls need to know about their bodies, know about STD’s, and know the different types of methods to prevent pregnancy. Sexual education should be taught regardless. Another important thing that everyone needs to learn are the different ways to stay protected so that you do not end up getting pregnant, or getting a girl pregnant. Instead of having unprotected intercourse they need to either use a condom, or be on some sort of birth control. There are many ways to be able to prevent pregnancy but they also need to know that you are never fully guaranteed that pregnancy won’t occur. They need to be informed