Identity: Sexuality

Question 1

Weeks (1991)

Answer 1

Argues sexual identity is a strange thing, as there are some people who participate in the gay community but do not have same-sex sexual activity, but there are also people who do have same-sex encounters but do not see themselves as gay.

Question 2

Reiss (1961)

Answer 2

He found that young male prostitutes regarded themselves as heterosexual, despite having sex with men for money.

Question 3

McIntosh (1996)

Answer 3

Argued that the homosexual role may include mannerisms of the stereotypical gay person, but it is when a man has accepted the label that he then starts to fulfil these expectations, so the label actually creates the behaviour. This shows that the homosexual is created through acceptance of the identity ‘homosexual’.

Question 4

Rich (1980)

Answer 4

Argues women’s sexuality is oppressed by men in a patriarchal society, through institutions such as rape, marriage and sexual violence. She believes lesbian identity has been written out of existence as it is a threat to male dominance and power over women.