Final

Question 1

4 meanings of anal sex in contemporary culture

Answer 1

1. Fashionable theme (taboo, so attractive)
   Emerging from the closet into the cultural mainstream
2. Porno number (objectification of women)
   Rising in the number of popular categories
   the ides of the “money shot” and a woman’s used asshole
3. Act of phallic domination (over women, not men)
   Anuses off-limit in heterosexual porn
   Have not challenged the gender hierarchy
   why the objectification shot is so important
4. Special ultimate intimacy (gay sex)
   Different quality, more about how the close two partners can get in sexual orientation. and not about objectification

Question 2

how does power and anal sex interact

Answer 2

Sex continues to be a form of “symbolic power relations.”
Penis is active, anus & vagina are seen as passive

Question 3

how does power differ in situations of anal sex in heterosexual vs homosexual couples

Answer 3

Gay practice of reciprocal anal penetration is a way of sharing power, whereas het couples in porn see it as an act of objectification.

Question 4

what is the effect of anal sex in pornography on power/gender relations

Answer 4

Heterosexual practice of anal sex, as depicted in pornography, is a reaffirmation of male (phallic) power & an act of extreme objectification. reinforces gender stereotypes like male domination, female submission, and the importance of male over female pleasure

Question 5

what arguments are used to support the claim that het practices of anal in porn as a reaffirmation of male power?

Answer 5

it reinforces the previous messages by showing it to more audiences

the penis is active and the vagina and anus are passive

objectification/used shot, nothing is off limits for men

Question 6

how does the WHO define/understand sexual health?

Answer 6

Health, pleasure, freedom, rights
Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.

it is an elusive idea that is highly contested

there is no single authority that monopolizes the definition

Question 7

How has health been sexualized?

Answer 7

How health professionals increasingly are encouraged and trained to address sexual matters, and how sexual issues have been incorporated into medical concerns in ways that change understandings of what it means to be healthy or ill.

Question 8

why are the understandings of sexual health contested

Answer 8

various authorities have different ideas of what it means and are often contradictory, that makes it a political topic

it calls to attention larger issues of equality and justice, who can access things like viagra, contraception, and abortion

sex workers, people in prison, ace, and enbies are often excluded from the discussion

Question 9

how has sex been medicalized?

Answer 9

How health professionals increasingly are encouraged and trained to address sexual matters, and how sexual issues have been incorporated into medical concerns in ways that change understandings of what it means to be healthy or ill.

Question 10

why is the medicalized approach to sexual health insufficient

Answer 10

Claims about what it means to be healthy do not necessarily depend on biomedical definitions and views on sexual health, as already noted, may encompass ideas of rights, pleasures, and other notions that are outside the traditional purview of biomedicine

through a biomedical model that emphasizes biological functioning over the person

medical gatekeeping with resources and diagnosis

Question 11

why is sexual health an elusive goal?

Answer 11

because there is no one solid answer and it means a lot of different things to different people.

therefore it is impossible to pursue

Question 12

what 3 reasons are given for the claim that sexual health is a social phenomenon

Answer 12

1. It impacts many lives (i.e., STIs, HIV; Me too, abortion)
2. It can be pursued in different ways & is shaped by power (experts)
   Sex-positive versus sex-negative experts telling us what the boundaries are
3. It affects groups differently, so is part of work for equity (i.e., bias & discrimination)
   Development of Ideas About Sexual Health

Question 13

what social dynamics /factors/movements have influenced our understanding of sexual health

Answer 13

History linking sex & disease
Sexual revolution
New social movements
Population growth
WHO definition – international experts (1974/5)
HIV/AIDS (the mid-90s) (i.e., avoid discrimination)
New authorities with divergent goals (1990s)

Question 14

how would you describe and explain 3 key aspects of the investment/interest in sexual health in the west

Answer 14

1. remaking medicine, medical GP training so they know, ask, and treat properly along with new specializations

makes it easier for people to seek treatment for sex related troubles

2. expanding expertise, medical, psychological/ etc… porn stars, movie stars, and other influencers have now been given a platform to talk about these issues
3. optimizing the self, self growth, gender affirming surgery for all, link to consumption to sell sexual health info/services/products

Question 15

how would you describe the effects of sexual discourse

Answer 15

Today’s sexual health discourses and practices have contradictory effects.
More experts diminishes authority of each but make sex a scientific concern
Inform public on “normal” sexual health, but wide array of what that means, depending on authority
Describe sexual risks, but also explore sexual pleasures

Question 16

what ideas are influenced by debates about sexual health? describe the influence

Answer 16

What it means to be healthy
What it means to be sexual
What is valued sexuality

These debates matter because they reflect and help shape broader conceptions of what it means to be healthy and which expressions of sexuality are valorized. But also contradictory.

Question 17

why is sexual health a political question

Answer 17

Sexual health is, therefore, a site of contested power, influence etc. It is a political question.

Question 18

are humans sexually dimorphic?

Answer 18

No, if we measure any kind of secondary sex characteristic (all the stuff that happens after puberty) and compare males and females there is too much similarities to be considered dimorphic

Question 19

what does the bimodal distribution of attributes such as height tell us about gender difference

Answer 19

the idea of binary sex and gender is silly bc there is so much overlap between things like height that trying to classify people into 2 categories by ticking them into boxes is a waste of time

you dont assume that a tall woman is a man and vice versa

Question 20

describe gender identity and how it differs from the sex assigned at birth

Answer 20

gender identity is self conceptualized, and unique to each person, cannot be assumed, also different than gender expression.

sex assigned at birth is usually 2 binary categories male, female and sometimes intersex which is then 3 other categories

Question 21

what is gender expression?

Answer 21

the way we present like clothing, hair, body language, voice, diction, etc

Question 22

what is conversion therapy and why is it problematic?

Answer 22

The act of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression to align with heterosexual & cisgender norms

problematic bc: Based on the false premise that being LGBTQ+ is a mental disorder & that it should be “fixed”
Can cause severe emotional & psychological harm (experience, depression, anxiety, self-hatred, suicidal ideation) Promotes discrimination & prejudice. Reinforces harmful societal stigmas.

Question 23

how are health and structural inequalities related? what are some examples?

Answer 23

social determinants of health
individual-self stigma, disclosure
interpersonal- abuse, rejection, discrimination
structural- state policies, institutional practices

Research on stigma and minority stress indicates as structural and interpersonal inequalities are reduced, health disparities also reduce.
Structural stigma
Low stigma status - life expectancy above or normal
High stigma status - life expectancy 7 years lower (more suicides, ^ STD rates)

indigenous people are more likely to be blamed for sit’s where a white woman would receive sympathy

Question 24

why is social support important for youth undergoing social transition

Answer 24

it greatly decreased suicidal ideation if they receive support, a lack or support can also lead to them being kicked out which correlates with 40% of unhoused ppl in Edmonton being queer

they already having a shit time, giving support is slay

Question 25

why might someone change their pronouns multiple times? how should you respond?

Answer 25

they may still be in the process of figuring themselves out, especially if they are new and learning what feels right to them. Even if it’s confusing to you it might be just as confusing to do and just respect them as they figure things out and provide support.

Question 26

how do bias and stereotypes impact how we think about unexpected pregnancy?

Answer 26

the goals, meanings, and experiences of pregnancy reflect social contexts and systems of inequality

stereotypes and bias influence our ideas about it, who gets support vs judgment

When picturing what kind of person becomes pregnant, without intending to be stereotypical, many people visualize a woman (and always a woman) who has multiple partners, routinely has unprotected sex, is generally irresponsible

Question 27

how is access to contraception impacted by social location

Answer 27

disability-the idea those with cognitive disabilities won’t have sex so they are not provided contraception or expected to have sex

race-POC women are more likely to be offered birth control, seen as less responsible-ties to a history of eugenics, seen as more promiscuous, idea of more kids perpetuating poverty

gender-more contraceptives are offered to amabs more often, women are asked abt sexual health more than men-pregnancy is a woman’s concern and men have the option to walk away

Question 28

who needs contraception and why

Answer 28

people that are having sex that could lead to unwanted pregnancy

most ppl have their first time around 17 but do not get married until mid-late twenties so the need for it is significant, there’s about a decade long period where people don’t plan to have kids if we assume marriage implies children

Question 29

from canadian research? what are reasons for not using a condom?

Answer 29

47.6% monogamous relationship

47.2% reported another method

24.0% not at risk of an STI

21.8% not liking them

18.2%) thinking they were not at risk of pregnancy
No statistically significant differences in rates of condom use were identified by sexual orientation.

Question 30

what abortions are available in Canada

Answer 30

Abortion pill (Mifegymiso) by prescription

Surgical abortion (clinic or hospital)

Question 31

what factors impact access to safe abortion in alberta?

Answer 31

location- for the population there are only 5 providers for the service with 0 of them being in rural areas

finances-can you afford it?

social factors-stigma for getting one, physical protesters outside clinics

Question 32

what reasons are given in the US for accessing abortion services

Answer 32

74% Interfere with education, work, & ability to care for existing children

73% Affordability

48% Avoid single mother/ relationship problems

40% Done childbearing

33% not ready to have a child

For men – not ready or interfere with activities, schooling & future goals.

Question 33

what assumptions are challenged by information on who accesses abortion services

Answer 33

less ppl have abortions that are 24 and younger than 25 and over, very few people 17 or under and ppl around 30 still get abortions

Question 34

how do contextual factors influence reproductive decisions

Answer 34

Shape access to birth control & abortion

Shape whether one carries an unintended pregnancy to term or not

i.e., COVID: 40% of women changed plans to have children / # of children

Reproductive justice
Requires access to information & services

Question 35

what is sexual violence

Answer 35

a broad term
which includes any attitude or
behaviour that is sexually violating.

This can include sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, relationship violence,
non-consensual photo sharing, and other experiences of gender based violence.

Question 36

sexual harrassment

Answer 36

unwanted sexual attention that is intimidating, humiliating, or offensive

can be written, verbal, visual etc

impact over intention, not illegal but is a human right violation, even if someone else doesn’t think its a big deal

Question 37

examples of sexual harrassment

Answer 37

Quid Pro Quo - this phrase translates literally into this for that and describes an experience where the harasser abuses their power by making sexual advances

Poisoned or Hostile environment - occurs when unwelcome behaviour that is sexual in nature creates an intimidating or hostile environment, which may negatively impact someone’s work or academic performance

asking for sex in exchange for a benefit or a favour

repeatedly asking for dates, and not taking “no” for an answer

demanding hugs

unnecessary comments

Question 38

consent vs coercion

Answer 38

consent is a willing and ongoing agreement that can be withdrawn

if its not enthusiastic then its a no

coercion is anything other than that
“ok but IM horny” shut up

Question 39

how does power impact consent

Answer 39

that makes it easier for people to say yes even if they do not want to, might be fired, outted/blackmail, etc

it is a form of coercion

There is no consent to sexual activity when “it was obtained through the abuse of a position of power, trust or authority.”

Question 40

why is it important to know how to respond to sexual violence

Answer 40

Intervening in Sexual Violence: How & Where to Start?
Addressing the BOTTOM of the pyramid, the attitudes & beliefs that underpin sexual violence is where we can address, prevent & stop sexual violence.

it thrives in silence

things like rape jokes, slut shaming contribute to societal acceptance

Question 41

how should you respond to a friend discloses sexual violence?

Answer 41

listen and believe them , giving full attention and care

Explore Options
Reaching out to a SA centre
Seeking medical support
Telling someone about their experience
Doing nothing

Question 42

sexual assault

Answer 42

Any form of sexual contact without consent. This can include unwanted or forced ‘kissing,’ fondling, vaginal or anal penetration or touching, or oral sexual contact.

Question 43

how are colonialism and gendered power/sexuality interconnected?

Answer 43

part of the historical foundation of colonialism, orientalism and othering, western and non western judgments about sexuality

ex: what a man/woman is, you aren’t like us therefore wrong and not as advanced

Question 44

why is coloniality important to sexuality?

Answer 44

not a linear narrative of rights development and freedoms, we gotta keep fighting for things, example of Roe V Wade being overturned

othering is based from colonialism and has spread to the othering of through sexuality, like POC women being hypersexualized and not valued as much as white women

Question 45

what are the reasons given to explain why sexuality is a preoccupation in the west?

Answer 45

it is linked to other social transformations

1960s sexuality moved to the center (policy) & moved across the globe (globalization)

Conservative & progressive forces alike are deeply invested in sexuality as a key aspect of social forms, they are cringe and don’t like change for the simple reason that it is different

Question 46

how does the ongoing practice of colonialism impact gender equality in canada??

Answer 46

binary Eurocentric ideas of sex and gender so those outside the cisgender binary are othered all the same but in reality other cultures were a lot more chill so it’s not a “oh but its unnatural” stfu

colonialism emphasizes the dominance of men, categorization implies that one group will have power over another and are distinctly separate

Question 47

what evidence is there that there is currently a sexual transformation in the west?

Answer 47

Seeded in the historical process of colonization

Impacted by ongoing process of colonization (i.e. sex tourism)

Evident in resistance to the ongoing process of colonization
Supported by neoliberalism / individualism / choice

Fertilized by global capitalism & Globalization, explosion of sexual diversity, more fights for social justice, cyber sex and other innovations

Question 48

what factors are impacting this transformation and how do they impact it?

Answer 48

decline of traditional authority-secularization, individualism, yet medical authorities still hold some sway, capitalism has made sex marketable boys

political activism-general growth of tolerance and acceptance in the west, more female autonomy, permission vs respect, toleration is not acceptance as it does not work towards change, the transformation of intimacy and family systems, new social movements are changing boundaries, new systems and changes are needed

Question 49

what factors indicate that we may be seeing a decline in traditional authority? how do they feel about the decline?

Answer 49

secularization is not even in all countries showing some resistance, medical fields both solve and create issues, individualism can lead to being overwhelmed and a longing for “back in my day”

Question 50

what is the respect form of toleration?

Answer 50

The respect concept of toleration is about mutuality and recognition, and a positive understanding of what toleration can be

this thing has the right to exist, you do you

Question 51

what is the permission form of tolerance

Answer 51

Permission concept of toleration is concessionary and conditional
It is frequently as stance based on anxiety rather than full acceptance, on acquiescence rather than commitment

fine ig you can do that, i will let you if you follow these rules

Question 52

Which toleration approach does Week’s argue for and why

Answer 52

respect