While Lost Girl presents a universalizing view of sexual orientation, it focuses on a minoritizing view of sexuality with Bo being labeled a succubus. The choice of her partner’s gender is decidedly less important than the specific sex acts she partakes in. As this relates to Axiom 2 of Sedgwick’s theory: “The study of sexuality is not coextensive with the study of gender; correspondingly, antihomophobic inquiry is not coextensive with feminist inquiry. But we can’t know in advance how they will be different” (27), it can be proposed that gender is closely linked to sexual orientation in the example of Lost Girl. Therefore, what Sedgwick would indicate to be a slight exclusivity between gender and sexuality can also imply a separation between …show more content…
Sexual orientation and normatively defined genders (male and female) recently entered popular circulation as more acceptable. Less attention is drawn to their defining characteristics due to a lessening of interest in their potential to be considered atypical. This is exemplified by Bo’s seamless ability to exists as a bisexual without ever claiming the title of bisexual. Now, society takes an invested interest in sexuality that is perceived as nonstandard. Thus, as per Foucault’s theory, great attention is directed toward non-normative sexuality. That which dominates public conversation enters specific sex acts into discourse, creating new species based on these sex acts. While a succubus is not an actual human species determined by sex acts, new terms defining people based on their sexuality are entering popular dialogue, such as polyamory. Society’s obsession to link all aspects of existence to sexuality is not likely to diminish, so as time progresses, different aspects of sexuality, sex acts, gender, and sexual orientation will continue to enter the cultural lexicon as designations for a new classification of deviant sexual behavior. While this will perpetuate the fascination and oppression of and with sexual minorities, it will give people like Lost Girl’s Bo, a sense of identity. Giving a person a word or classification for their previously misunderstood behavior is a gift and a curse. The present is allowing someone the choice to come out of the closet, as that which is not categorized is unable to be understood or expressed in meaningful
Sexuality and Gender in Children’s Daily Worlds article by Thorne and Luria focuses on the relationships between sexuality and gender in the experience of 9 to 11 year old children. The purpose of the authors’ analysis is to illuminate age-based variations and transitions in the organization of sexuality and gender. Throughout this paper we discover how gender and sexuality has become a social and cultural construction that is expressed through young children. At a young age we tend to define and separate ourselves by gender, boys vs. girl. These divisions are enforced around us daily. For example, teachers often tend to separate team by gender whether it’s in the classroom or the playground.
One’s sexuality is undeniably a major part of who they are as an individual. The sexuality of characters plays a major role throughout the book and this is used to show how society
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
During the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth-century women’s sexuality was dictated by the family and society as there were specific rules put in place for each gender. This became problematic for women in the century, as they could not express their sexual identity. However, the protagonist in both Kate Chopin’s The Awakening (1899) and Angela Carter’s The Magic Toyshop (1967) demonstrate the consequences of going against the family for women. Jeffrey Weeks states, “The very idea of sexual identity is an ambiguous one. For many in the modern world-especially the sexually marginal-it is an absolutely fundamental concept, offering a sense of personal unity. Social location, and even at times a political commitment.” (Capaln, 1989:
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.
Sex is one of the most central themes in society today, with generally everybody in the world, adults and children, either seeing it in the mass media or taking part in it, whether it be for their career, for reproductive reasons, or for pleasure. Because of its predominance, sexuality plays an important, if not the most important, role in social inequality, causing double standards, violence and internal self-worth issues for minorities. Factors such as pornography, prostitution, and the way people view homosexuality and intersexuality as repugnant all influence the prejudice ways in which society views and treats women, homosexuals, and intersexuals.
Sedgwick (1985) states that Girard’s structure of the erotic triangle was seen as symmetric, as it was not “disturbed by such differences as gender” (pp.23). However, she proposes that the structure of the triangle should be considered asymmetric as it is disturbed by gender. This is because of the difference between the “disrupted continuum between sexual and non-sexual male bonds and the relatively smooth continuum of female homosocial desire” (Sedgwick, 1985, pp.23). Furthermore, Sedgwick (1985, pp.25) states that the power relationships in a -maledominated society suggest a special relationship between male homosocial desire and maintaining patriarchal power. This idea can be transferred to Cristal and Nomi’s relationship, where Cristal maintains her patriarchal power as the lead of the dance revenue, Goddess, while seemingly also having a desire for Nomi as she asks about Nomi’s sex life. This is evident when Cristal asks Zack if he had sex with Nomi, which resonates with McWhorter’s (1999, pp.10) view that sex becomes something that is interrogated and an object of administrative measures. This is further displayed where Cristal questions Nomi if she had sex with Zack to become the lead of “Goddess” or if she wanted to. The use of close up shot when Cristal immediately replies in a determined tone, without listening to Nomi’s answer, that “I say you did it for the spot” emphasizes Cristal’s envy which is reinforced through the close up shot of her jealous, almost angry facial expression. This suggests that Cristal may have feelings towards Nomi thus emphasizes the erotic rivalry between the two females. Therefore, it seems that Sedgwick’s (1985, pp.22) triangle can be adapted to the power relations between women as seen in the film suggesting that the female-female bond may be more potent than the male-male
There are several theorists that have presented models on sexual identity development. Many of the models have stages of sexual identity development suggesting that certain characteristics are present during a specific period. However, Anthony D’Augelli presents a model that suggests processes rather than stages. These processes take place over the span of one’s life and not necessarily in any specific order or fashion. D’Augelli’s (1994a) life span model of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) identity development takes into account “the complex factors that influence the development of people in context over historical time” (Evans et al, 2010). According to D’Augelli’s (1994) theory, identity formation includes three sets of interrelated variables that are involved in identity formation: personal actions and subjectivities, interactive intimacies, and sociohistorical connections. Personal subjectivities and actions include individuals’ perceptions and feelings about their sexual identities as well as actual sexual behaviors and the meanings attached to them. Interactive intimacies include the influences of family, peer group, and intimate partnerships and the meanings attached to experiences with significant others. Sociohistorical connections are defined as the social norms, policies and laws found in various geographical locations and cultures, as well as the values existing during particular historical periods (Evans et al, 2010).
It is important to note that I am viewing and analyzing this text from the positionally of a Caucasian, lower-class, female. Not only do I identify as female, but I also consider myself to be a feminist, which is one of my reasons for choosing the feminist framework. I also feel that it is critical to state that I identify as heterosexual, but consider myself an ally to the LGBTIQ community. Therefore, my views on gender may extend to my views on sexuality, since they often go hand-in-hand.
Wilton, Tamsin. "Which One's the Man? The Heterosexualisation of Lesbain Sex." Gender, Sex, and Sexuality. New York: Oxford University, 2009. 157-70. Print.
Stein, Edward. The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation. New York, NY: Oxford UP, 1999. Print. 20 Oct. 2011
Throughout Western civilization, culturally hegemonic views on gender and sexuality have upheld a rigid and monolithic societal structure, resulting in the marginalization and dehumanization of millions of individuals who differ from the expected norm. Whether they are ridiculed as freaks, persecuted as blasphemers, or discriminated as sub-human, these individuals have been historically treated as invisible and pushed into vulnerable positions, resulting in cycles of poverty and oppression that remain prevalent even in modern times. Today, while many of these individuals are not publicly displayed as freaks or persecuted under Western law, women, queer, and intersexed persons within our society still nonetheless find themselves under constant
In today’s day in age, different sexualities and gender identities are quickly becoming more accepted in mainstream society. Despite this change, there are many people who believe that having a different sexual orientation or gender identity is a choice that is frowned upon. In order to refute this belief, research and biology of the brain is necessary. Researching the brain on the basis of sexuality is a fairly new topic of discussion because it is somewhat difficult and confusing. This paper will explore the different identities of gender, sex and sexual orientation and the main biological reasons behind these. There is also some validity of different sexual orientations and identities through the evidence of sexual disorders like Klinefelter’s and Turner’s Syndrome and gender dysphoria.
Gender and sexuality can be comprehended through social science. Social science is “the study of human society and of individual relationships in and to society” (free dictionary, 2009). The study of social science deals with different aspects of society such as politics, economics, and the social aspects of society. Gender identity is closely interlinked with social science as it is based on an identity of an individual in the society. Sexuality is “the condition of being characterized and distinguished by sex” (free dictionary, 2009). There are different gender identities such as male, female, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual that exists all around the world. There is inequality in gender identities and dominance of a male regardless of which sexuality they fall under. The males are superior over the females and gays superior over the lesbians, however it different depending on the place and circumstances. This paper will look at the gender roles and stereotypes, social policy, and homosexuality from a modern and a traditional society perspective. The three different areas will be compared by the two different societies to understand how much changes has occurred and whether or not anything has really changed. In general a traditional society is more conservative where as a modern society is fundamentally liberal. This is to say that a traditional society lists certain roles depending on the gender and there are stereotypes that are connected with the genders. One must obey the one that is dominant and make decisions. On the other hand, a modern society is lenient, It accepts the individual’s identity and sexuality. There is no inequality and everyone in the society is to be seen as individuals not a part of a family unit...
... 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.