Sexuality & Society Unit 6

Research in Sexuality Not researched until after WWII Major Researcher: Kingsley Davis Sexuality is learned Generally conforms Based on drives Guided by norms Norms are social in origin

Cultural Universals Cultural Universals in Sexuality Incest Taboo Adultery rules 2/3 of societies taboo! Conformity to heterosexuality 1/3 of societies taboo!

Degrees of Sexuality Degrees of restriction Sexual restrictiveness Sexual permissiveness Most societies are more permissive than restrictive

Sex in America Alfred Kinsley – launched sexuality research Gap between norms and reported behaviors Triggered drastic changes in 1960’s-1970’s sexuality revolution

Sexuality Ratings Increases in pornography, but link to promiscuity very inconclusive Increases in premarital and extramarital sex Decrease in average age for first encounters Increase in STI rates Double-standard for genders

Rape Crime of violence Power ritual Only 1/10th reported “Date Rape” on the rise Cultural elements involved Inequality of genders Men’s view of women as objects

Sexual Orientation Sexual Orientation Early childhood experiences Family environment Social learning Self-labeling Biological predisposition

Homosexuality Homosexuality vs homophilia Male Homosexuality Pederasty Male Homosexuality Female Homosexuality aka Lesbianism Bisexuality

Transgenderism Transgendered Sociological conformity Male to Female transgender Female to Male transgender Sociological conformity Biological conformity

Prostitution Cultural universal Four Forms: Women -> Men Men -> Women Men -> Men Women -> Women Typically criminalized in Western society Not criminal in all societies! Geisha of Japan Hetaerae of Greece