Contested Places: Sexual Identity, Scales of Rights and Legal Prosecutions Flashcards
What is sexuality and heteronormativity? What are the links between sexuality, space, and urbanization?
- Sexuality is a set of ideas constructed in relation to heteronormativity.
- Heteronormativity = the normalization of heterosexuality. There’s a whole set of ideas on what normal versions of heterosexuality are (ex. large age gaps = not normal, polyamory = not normal).
Links:
- Links on public space and how it is used.
- Facilitates social order, site of resistance, and stage of performance.
- Areas in private space consist of workplaces, homes, shopping centers.
- In all of these examples, sexuality has a odd place in them. Houses are built with the intent of multiple bedrooms for couples to have kids and a family. Not all family’s want or can have kids. When looking at jobs or places of leisure, not all those of differing sexuality are treated them same as those who are heterosexual.
- Therefore, sexuality is not regarded the same in all spaces or areas of urbanization.
What are the links between city and sexuality?
Cities are seen as less cohesive, less social areas or people chatting with one another compared to rural areas.
- In a rural town, everyone knew everyone. In a city, everyone is anonymous and self-centered. Only way to cope with the largeness of the city is to ignore everyone.
- New forms of urban life and recreation took place, lots of sex work developed. People were open to exploring their sexuality.
Ex. Apartments:
- Only had one anonymous entrance, and could not survey who was going in and out.
- People brought prostitutes, over time apartments were thought as places that promoted deviant sexual lifestyles.
Links:
- Urbanization, modernization, and secularization linked to create urban places where people could pursue diverse sexual pleasure.
- Sexuality as a erotic aspect of human life is linked to cities. A place where people can explore more about themselves without judgement of the entire area of people around them (unlike rural areas, where it was common to be known as a town whore if you got around).
- Also, many gay and lesbian communities struggle to construct spaces in the communities for themselves. Don’t make a lasting impression in todays society.
What is the issue with the modern day term citizen?
- All citizens Should have equal protection, however that is questionable. Rights secured at a national level can be undermined by other levels.
- People that are the same when comparing equality and equity are those that have the most power.
Why is there such a great importance in terms of where you live? Give examples of the differences of rights between municipalities.
- Where you live in the US has a fundamental effect on the ability to live sexual identities that do not conform to a rigid notion of normative heterosexuality.
- Title 7 = it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. HOWEVER, there are ways around this.
- Can get married in all 50 states, but many laws question equity and equality for those in USA BASED ON IDENTITY.
- Citizenship changes at a local level. More so changes depending on municipality rather than state.
- Ex. Uneven geography of rights, certain states allow landlords the rights to deny tenants based on sexuality.
- Ex. Title 7 only applies to businesses with 15 employees or more. Any less and they can deny you the ability to work.
- Ex. Certain states allow for kids to be sent to conversion therapy.
