The HIV/AIDS panic propelled the study of sexuality into the sociological mainstream, framing young people’s sexual relationships as an important strategy for discovering information that might minimise risk of the disease. For feminist analyses, this research simultaneously drew attention to social constructions of heterosexuality (Jackson, 1999; Allen, 2003), underlining sexual attitudes and behaviours centrally concerned around issues of desire, pleasure and power, and the degree to which women can subvert or challenge it within heterosexual relations. This essay examines recent debate regarding the nature and extent of power in terms of its ‘immutability’ and ‘instability’ in heterosexual relationships (Allen, 2003). It will examine research that suggests power is inescapably patriarchal and that heterosex represents the embodiment of men's domination and women's subordination (Holland et al, 1998; Chung, 2005), as well as claims that heterosexual relations are being contested; asserting agency to women and suggesting that male power is at some level vulnerable to subversion (Stewart, 1999; Allen, 2005). Heterosexual feminist theories configure masculinity and femininity around gendered, normative standards of what it means to be masculine, and by default, feminine (Goldstein, 1994). Wilton (1997) notes the structural ‘heteropolarity’ maintained within the context of hegemonic heterosexuality, which asserts conventional femininity as ‘passivity, helplessness, and victimisation’ (Vance, 1984), in opposition to a super-ordinated masculinity; predicted upon independence, activity and the possession of sexual desire and power (Goldstein, 1994; Connell, 1987). Consequently, heterosexuality has often been theorised by feminists as ... ... middle of paper ... ...and a conceptualisation of power that captures both women's experiences of agency in heterosexual relationships and the way in which these relationships are simultaneously governed discursively and materially by male power. What is clear across all research is that the extent and nature of any change in young men and women’s roles and practices within heterosexual relationships varies between studies undertaken with different groups of young people. Perhaps there should be more consideration of the factors that might explain variations such as socioeconomic class, ethnicity, cultural locations and contextual settings. With this in mind, and ‘if we turn on the light and start talking about bodies, feelings and desires’, it could be possible to not only begin the process of reclaiming and remaking sex, but also reform gendered heterosexuality (Holland et al., 1994).
For example, “sociological and popular understanding of gay and lesbian relationships has been greatly distorted by the false presumption that only heterosexual relationships are normal ways of expressing sexual intimacy and love” (Andersen 1997, 95). This explains how society helps in influencing and identifying people sexual identities throughout their lifetime. Andersen admits that “heterosexual identity includes the belief that men have an overpowering sex drive and that women are considered more loving, soft and are link to sex [… and] contemporary sexual attitudes are shaped by phallocentric thinking-that which sees men as powerful and women as weak” (Andersen 1997, 94, 96). Although, society is lead to believe that men should be the dominant figure of the family. The reality is that, in gay and lesbian relationships, no one individual displays the behavior of an authoritative
...am Victorian society, sexual liberalism transformed the ways in which people arranged their private lives. Shifting from a Victorian environment of production, separate sexual spheres, and the relegation of any illicit extramarital sex to an underworld of vice, the modern era found itself in a new landscape of consumerism, modernism and inverted sexual stereotypes. Sexuality was now being discussed, systemized, controlled, and made an object of scientific study and popular discourse. Late nineteenth-century views on "natural" gender and sexuality, with their attendant stereotypes about proper gender roles and proper desires, lingered long into the twentieth century and continue, somewhat fitfully, to inform the world in which we live. It is against this cultural and political horizon that an understanding of sexuality in the modern era needs to be contextualized.
Accordingly, this emphasis has impacts on the types of pleasure that men request and want to receive that primarily focuses on their pleasure and not that of the women (Kimmel & Holler, 2011, p. 292). Hence, this demonstrates the power of men that is demonstrated by the domination and the submission of women within the sexual interaction (Kimmel & Holler, 2011, p. 124). Thus, gender inequality is reproduced whereby the male is the recipient focus of power (Kimmel & Holler, 2011, p. 291). Additionally, this sex with a prostitute will assist the man in gaining hegemonic status due to his conforming behaviours to the masculinity type (Kimmel & Holler, 2011, p.
Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood.
Masculinity is a subject that has been debated in our society for quite some time. Many wonder what it means to be masculine, as it is difficult to define this one –sided term. Pairing this already controversial term with “feminist studies” can bring about some thought - provoking conversation. Feminist studies of men have been around for many years with regards to the feminist movement. It seeks to create gradual improvements to society through its main principle of modifying the ways in which everyone views what it means to be a man. Feminist studies of men bring forth the discussion of hegemonic masculinity; how this contributes to the gender hierarchy, the radicalized glass escalator and ultimately the faults of this theory.
In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.
Milstein, Susan A. Taking Sides Clashing Views in Human Sexuality. Ed. William J. Taverner and Ryan W. McKee. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
“…sex attains meaning in social relations, which implies that we can only make appropriate choices around sexuality by understanding its social, cultueral and political context.” (Quote: 9293 jeffrey weeks)
Jonathan Katz talks about the initial creation of the term “heterosexuality” and how it was used to classify certain groups of people’s way of practicing sex. Along with the negative ideology the term reflected upon society. The author talks about the early definition of the term “heterosexuality”. Katz closely examines the different cultures and what sex meant to them prior to the term and over all labeling of “heterosexual” and what become of them after the fact. Katz illustrates the many faces of the term “heterosexual” starting with the early definition of the word, which was at the
Essay #1: Sexual Politics It has been said that “Society has always defined for us what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman, what a man should be like and what a woman should be like, and these traditional definitions of gender roles have limited and even harmed individuals”. The theme of sexual politics comes to mind in this quote. One can define sexual politics as the relationship of the sexes, male and female, regarding power. Society’s definition of this can limit an individual in their gender role and restrain a person from being themselves.
Holland, J., Ramazanoglu, C., Sharpe, S. & Thomson, R. (1998) The male in the head—young people, heterosexuality and power ,London, The Tufnell Press
In the past few decades, “young adults became even more sexually liberated in the 1960s, with the rise of feminism, growth of college party events, widespread availability of birth control (condoms and oral contraceptives), and deposing of parental expectations as central to mating and marriage,” (Garcia, Reiber, Massey, Merriwether 1).As a result, things like hookup culture have risen, partly due to the rise of social media, but also due to third wave feminism, where “many constructs
Some of the forms by which male power manifests itself are more easily recognizable as enforcing heterosexuality on women
As Tamsin Wilton explains in her piece, “Which One’s the Man? The Heterosexualisation of Lesbian Sex,” society has fronted that heterosexuality, or desire for the opposite sex, is the norm. However, the reason behind why this is the case is left out. Rather, Wilton claims that “heterosexual desire is [an] eroticised power difference [because] heterosexual desire originates in the power relationship between men and women” (161). This social struggle for power forces the majority of individuals into male-female based relationships because most women are unable to overcome the oppressive cycle society has led them into. Whereas heterosexual relationships are made up of the male (the oppressor) and the female (the victim who is unable to fight against the oppressor), homosexual relationships involve two or more individuals that have been freed from their oppressor-oppressed roles.
Three themes that Dyer develops in his essay on male sexuality are patriarchal power, violence, and the female gaze. Firstly, Dyer mentions that “the penis is also the symbol of male potency, the magic and mystery of the phallus, the endowment that appears to legitimate male power” (Dyer 2013, 113). That is to say, the penis is considered the ultimate force of dominance for men, although it is said that the penis is “far more commonly the soft, vulnerable charm of male genitals” (Dyer 2013, 113). As a result, men tend to play the dominant roles in society, while women are portrayed as inferior and patriarchal power is created. In addition, situated with patriarchal power is violence. Dyer emphasizes violence as an element of male sexuality