Transcript Sexuality  Understanding Sexuality  Sexual Attitudes in the USA  Sexual Controversies

Sexuality
 Understanding Sexuality
 Sexual Attitudes in the USA
 Sexual Controversies
Sex A Biological Issue
the biological distinction between females and
males.
In the U.S about 105 boys are born for every 100
girls, but higher death rate among males reverses
this trend and makes a female a slight minority by
the time people reach their mid thirties.
Sex and the Body
Differences in the body the males and females
apart.
Primary sex characteristics: the genitals, organs
used for reproduction.
Secondary sex characteristics-body development
apart from the genitals, that distinguishes
biologically mature females from males.
Hermaphrodites: a human being with some
combination of female and male genitalia.
Transsexuals- people who feel they are one sex
even though biologically they are the other.
Sex: A Cultural Issue
Sexuality is very much a cultural issue.
Cultural Variation
The simple practice of showing affection has
extensive cultural variation. Most people in the
U.S. kiss in public, the Chinese kiss only in
private. The French kiss publicly often two times
(once on each cheek) Belgians kiss three times
starting with one cheek. The Maoris of New
Zealand, rub noses, and most people in Nigeria
don’t kiss at all.
Incest Taboo
One cultural universal—an element found in every
society the world over—is the incest taboo, a
norm forbidding sexual relations or marriages
between certain relatives. In the U.S. law and
cultural mores prohibit close relatives (including
brothers and sisters, parents and children) from
having sex or marrying. But exactly which family
members are prohibited are different in every
culture.
Sexual Attitudes in the United States
Our cultural orientation toward sexuality has
always been inconsistent. Europeans immigrants
arrived with rigid notions about “correct”
sexuality, which meant that sex was only for the
purpose of reproduction within marriage.
As late as the 1960’s some states legally banned
the sale of condoms. Even today some states have
laws on books banning homosexuality as
“unnatural” acts.
But our culture is also very individualistic, and
many believe in giving people freedom to do
pretty much as they please, as long as they cause
no direct harm to others. This thinking makes sex
a matter of individual freedom and personal
choice.
The Sexual Revolution
Profound changes occurred during the twentieth
century. In the 1920’s millions of people migrated
from farms and small towns to the large cities.
“Roaring Twenties.”
Alfred Kinsey set the stage for the “Sexual
Revolution”
He published the first report on sexuality in the
U.S. It was not so much what he said about sex
but that it was the simple fact that scientists were
studying sex.
Sexual Revolution
Technology also played a part in the sexual
revolution. “The Pill,” was introduced in 1960 not
only making preventing pregnancy but making sex
more convenient.
Double Standard-society allows men to be
sexually active while expecting women to remain
chaste before marriage and faithful to their
husbands afterward.
**The sexual revolution increased sexual activity
overall, but it changed behavior among women
more than men.
The sexual counter revolution— was a political
call from the conservatives to return to “family
values.”
Cohabitation brings children into the world where
their parents are not married. This simply did not
change the minds of the general public, what
happened was the increased number of sexually
transmitted diseases (STD).
Herpes is incurable and AIDS is a deadly disease.
Sexual Orientation— a person’s romantic and
emotional attraction to another person.
Heterosexuality— sexual attraction to someone
of the opposite sex. The norm in all human
societies is heterosexuality.
Homosexuality— sexual attraction to someone of
the same sex. A significant number of people
share this attraction to the same sex.
bisexuality— refers to sexual attraction to of both
sexes. Bisexuals are equally attracted to men and
women.
asexuality— means no sexual attraction to people
of either sex.
A Product of Society— People in a society
construct a set of meanings that lets them make
sense of sexuality.
A Product of Biology— a growing body of
evidence suggests that sexual orientation is innate,
that it is rooted in human biology, much the same
way people are born right-handed or left-handed.
Sexual Controversies
Teen Pregnancy— Being sexually active—
especially having intercourse— demands a high
level of responsibility because pregnancy can
result.
Pornography— is sexually explicit material that
causes sexual arousal. But what exactly is or is
not pornographic has long been a matter of debate.
Prostitution— is the selling of sexual services.
Often called the “world’s oldest profession.”
Call girls— are elite prostitutes, typically women
who are young, attractive and well educated and
arrange their own appointments with clients by
telephone. These women offer companionship
and sex for a fee.
Sex workers in the middle category are employed
in “massage parlors” or brothels under the control
of managers. These people have less choice about
their clients and receive less money for their
services, getting to keep more than half of what
they make.
Street walkers— are women and men who work
the streets of large cities. Females workers are
often under the control of pimps who take most of
their earnings.
Sexual Violence and Abuse
Rape— an expression of power, a violent act that
uses sex to hurt, humiliate, or control another
person.
The official definition of rape is “the carnal
knowledge of a female forcibly against her will.”
Date Rape— involves people who know one
another, and the incident usually occurs in familiar
surroundings especially in the home.
Theoretical Analysis of Sexuality
Structural-Functional Analysis—
The structural-functional approach highlights the
contributions of any social pattern to the overall
operation of society. Because sexuality is an
important dimension of social life, society
regulates sexual behavior.
Symbolic-Interaction Analysis
Symbolic interaction paradigm highlights how, as
people interact, they construct everyday reality.
The process for constructing reality is highly
variable. One groups view of sexuality is very
different from another group. In the same way
how people understand sexuality can and does
change over time.
The social construction of Sexuality
A century ago, our society’s norm—for women—
was virginity before marriage. This norm was
strong because, without effective birth control,
virginity was the only assurance a man had that his
bride to be was not carrying another man’s child.
Social-Conflict Analysis
The social Conflict Paradigm highlights
dimensions of inequality. This paradigm shows
how sexuality both reflects patterns of social
inequality and helps create them.