soc 224 midterm 2 Flashcards
who is Alfred Kinsey
He claimed “[T]he only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform”. His view on sexuality draws on biology as the foundation upon which normal and deviant sexuality is defined and maintains that normal sexuality is simply that which is physically possible
who is W. Somerset Maugham
he suggested W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) suggested that “there is hardly anyone whose sexual life, if it were broadcast, would not fill the world at large with surprise and horror”. he suggested that we all judge people’s sexuality and that most people’s sexual lives, if known, would be
judged negatively.
What shapes our perception of sexuality besides biology?
Social and cultural norms also play a role in how sexuality is perceived.
True or False: Biology alone determines what is considered normal in sexuality.
False. Social and cultural norms also influence what is defined as normal or deviant
What creates the distinction between biologically possible behaviors and socially acceptable ones
Social attitudes and cultural standards define what is considered acceptable or deviant.
How does society influence perceptions of sexuality
Society determines what aspects of sexuality are viewed as normal or deviant, beyond just biological possibilities
what shapes our understanding of acceptable and unacceptable sexuality
Scientific, political, legal, religious, and media discourses of sexuality shape our understandings of
acceptable and unacceptable sexuality.
Define “socially acceptable” in the context of sexuality.
Define “socially acceptable” in the context of sexuality
what is elite discourses
That is, the ways of talking
and thinking about sexuality that emerges from locations of power in society—place
limits on “what kinds of persons it is acceptable or even possible to be”
What are elite discourses in the context of sexuality
Elite discourses are ways of talking and thinking about sexuality that come from powerful social positions, shaping norms and limits.
How do elite discourses affect personal identity
They set limits on “what kinds of persons it is acceptable or even possible to be,” sometimes restricting individuals from imagining possibilities outside these norms (Moon, 2008)
True or False: Individuals can easily imagine identities outside the limits set by elite discourses
False. Elite discourses can make it hard for people to envision identities outside socially accepted limits
What larger set of interrelated discourses is sexuality a part of
Sexuality is part of a broader set of discourses governing sex, gender, and sexuality.
How do elite discourses impact societal norms on sexuality
They influence what is seen as acceptable or possible, limiting individual perceptions and defining norms.
what is sex
Sex is
understood to be male or female, based on biological characteristics (e.g., sex chromosome combination XX or XY, or the primary sex characteristics of a vagina or penis)
what is gender
Gender is based on social characteristics and is understood to be an extension of sex.
How do Indigenous sexual cultures differ from Settler and colonial societies’ sexual cultures?
Indigenous sexual cultures often have different views and practices, while Settler and colonial societies regulated Indigenous sexualities as part of colonization efforts.
What role did regulating Indigenous Peoples’ sexualities play in colonization?
It served as part of the larger colonization project, imposing Settler norms and suppressing Indigenous cultural practices.
How was deviant sexuality defined from the seventeenth to twentieth centuries
Deviant sexuality was defined and regulated to reinforce class, gender, and racial hierarchies, adapting to societal changes over time
What does the Netflix series Christiane Amanpour: Sex and Love Around the World illustrate about sexuality?
It shows that perceptions, meanings, and control of sexuality vary widely across cultures worldwide.
How was sexuality viewed in ancient Athens?
Sexual norms were based on power, focusing on aristocratic males’ needs, while relationships between equals (aristocratic men) were discouraged.
What is a binary understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality?
In traditional European and Settler cultures, sex is understood as male or female, gender aligns with sex traits, and heterosexuality is the norm.
What alternative does scientific research offer to binary views of sex, gender, and sexuality
Research suggests that sex, gender, and sexuality exist on spectrums rather than as rigid binaries.
How does society expect sex, gender, and sexuality to correspond?
Females are expected to have feminine traits and be attracted to men, while males should have masculine traits and be attracted to women.
How do elite discourses of sexuality influence societal norms?
They establish boundaries around what is perceived as acceptable or possible, affecting individuals’ perceptions and societal judgments.
What influence do historical elite discourses have on modern Canadian society’s views on sexuality?
They shape both reactions to other cultures’ sexual practices and contemporary sexual choices, having evolved over time through colonization and social changes.
How did Indigenous and colonial cultures differ in their views on sex, gender, and sexuality?
Indigenous cultures often recognized a range of genders and sexualities as normal, while colonial cultures enforced strict binary norms.
What terms did different Indigenous groups use to describe non-binary genders?
Inuit used “sipiniq” for males with a female essence, Anishinaabe used “okitcitakwe” for females with a male essence, and Diné identified a third gender, “nádleehí.”
What specialized roles did non-binary individuals often hold in Indigenous cultures?
They were often associated with spiritual power and given specialized roles within the social structure.
How did Settler cultures view sexuality compared to Indigenous cultures?
Settler cultures were heteronormative and patriarchal, seeing sexuality as sinful and controlling it strictly, especially women’s sexuality.
What does the term “Two-Spirited” refer to?
It’s an anglicized term chosen in 1990 to describe Indigenous individuals whose sex, gender, or sexuality lies outside colonial dualisms, though it remains somewhat contested.
Why were relationships between Indigenous women and white settlers initially common?
They were common due to the scarcity of white women and the value placed on Indigenous women’s skills in language, trapping, and diplomacy.
What shift occurred in views on Indigenous-white relationships as agriculture replaced the fur trade?
Relationships became discouraged, and restrictions were placed on Indigenous-white unions as the population of Métis and mixed-race individuals grew.
What stereotype was imposed on Indigenous sexuality by colonial society?
Indigenous sexuality was often hypersexualized, described as “out of control” and subjected to social and religious regulations.
What role did controlling Indigenous sexualities play in colonization?
It was central to dismantling Indigenous kinship systems, breaking up landholdings, and enforcing settler liberalism and legal frameworks.
What is a key aspect of decolonization according to Indigenous scholars?
Reclaiming Indigenous identities and cultural expressions of sex, gender, and sexuality is essential for decolonization.
What is meant by “trans-historical changes” in sexual cultures?
These are changes over time in a single society, showing the powerful role of social processes in shaping sexual cultures and identities.
how was sexuality woven into the first nation community
sexuality was inextricably interwoven with all other aspects of social life—
the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. Sexuality
itself was unlikely to be stigmatized. Sexual terms were integrated into some place names, and sexuality was incorporated into myths and stories. For instance, one Anishinaabe story describes how the Creator made sexual activity pleasurable so that men and women would come to live together and thereby increase the population
what was sexuality to white settler and the colonial government
different meaning. Based on interpretations of Christian religious doctrine, Settler cultures were not only heteronormative but also patriarchal and highly conservative.
Sex
was for the purpose of reproduction, and even then, notions of pleasure were frowned
upon, especially for women; sexuality was sinful, requiring careful and stringent control.
Sexuality was not integrated into social life but rather hidden and infused with
guilt
what is les femmes du pays
words for indigenous women with whom early European settlers formed relationships
What has shaped the evolution of sexuality in North America over the past few centuries?
Economic, religious, familial, scientific, and other cultural changes, alongside impacts from colonialism, have all influenced changes in sexuality.
how did white settlers try to impose their belief on sexuality to indigenous people
Binaries of sex, gender,
and sexuality were imposed on Indigenous cultures as part of coercive assimilation
How did meanings of sexuality evolve from the 17th to the 21st century?
It evolved from a focus on reproduction within kinship, to emotional intimacy in marriage, and now to personal fulfillment
How did colonial practices impact Indigenous and enslaved peoples’ sexuality in Canada and the U.S.?
How did colonial practices impact Indigenous and enslaved peoples’ sexuality in Canada and the U.S.?
What was the role of marriage in regulating sexuality in early U.S. society?
Sexuality was confined to marriage for reproduction, enforced by the church, courts, family, and community.
How were sexual deviance and punishment viewed in early U.S. communities?
Deviant acts were punished to correct behavior, with punishment severity varying by socioeconomic status and gender.
How did racial hierarchies influence the regulation of sexuality in early colonial society?
Black and Indigenous individuals faced harsher regulation and punishment, with racial stereotypes influencing judgments of deviant sexuality.
What major shifts in society during the 18th and 19th centuries affected sexuality’s meaning?
Urbanization, wage labor, Enlightenment ideas, and religious changes redefined sexuality toward emotional intimacy in marriage.
How did middle- and upper-class women in the 19th century influence sexual regulation?
They acted to reduce pregnancies through abstinence and contraception, aided by the medical profession.
What role did self-control play in regulating sexuality in the 19th century?
Self-control was emphasized to avoid energy depletion, vital for success in the industrial economy and “self-made” ideals.
How did the culture industry impact sexual regulation in the 19th century?
Media warned young women about sexual dangers in urban areas, with social purity movements linking morality to sexuality.
What role did racial and gender stereotypes play in social purity activism?
Black and Chinese men were portrayed as threats to white women, justifying restrictive immigration and drug policies.
How did the 20th-century shift redefine sexuality in Canadian and American society?
The focus moved from emotional intimacy in marriage to personal fulfillment, allowing sexual activity in diverse relationships.
How did criminal codes and culture industry influence sexuality in the 20th century?
Criminal codes addressed sexual deviance, while media and moral entrepreneurs shaped cultural perceptions of sexuality
how has sexuality changed over the century
17th century: reproduction within marriage
18th century: intimacy within marriage
20th century: personal fulfillment
21 century and beyond: how do you thin the dominant meaning of sexuality will evolve and change
What ongoing factors influence the meaning of sexuality in contemporary society?
The culture industry, media campaigns, and social advocacy groups all contribute to evolving understandings of sexuality.
how is punishment given from person to person
The specific nature of the punishment dispensed depended on the social characteristics of the person involved. The higher the socioeconomic status of the sexual
transgressors, the less severe their punishments.
what is the difference between punishment given to upper class men and lower class men
In the case of rape, upper-class men
were less likely to go to trial and usually received milder penalties if they did, while
more severe penalties were dispensed to lower-class men
what is the difference in punishment given to men and women
Women and men also regularly received different types of punishment. Men, who often owned property, were
more likely to be fined, while women, who did not own property, were more likely
to be physically punished.
Women were also more likely than men to be punished for
sexual deviance such as adultery, in part because it threatened the husband’s patriarchal power and could potentially undermine paternal certainty.
how was Indigenous sexuality were socially typed
it was social typed as hypersexualized, Indigenous women were also viewed as being sexually available to white men
what changed how sexuality was perceived near the end of the eighteenth century and throughout the nineteenth century
- urbanization
- wage labour outside of the kinship system took hold and progressed at a rapid
pace, creating more anonymous lives distanced from extended family members and community surveillance - Religious shifts transferred the responsibility for salvation
onto the individual, reducing the role of the church and subsequently the state as regulators of morality. - Economically based and arranged marriages declined
- people were
more likely to be marrying for “love,” - more open expressions of affection emerged.
how does women play a larger roles in regulating sexuality
through their efforts at reducing pregnancy rates
what does high mortality rates
it means women would have many babies to ensure that enough them survived into childhood to contributes to the maintenance of the family
what is social purity AKA sex hygiene movement
emerged, a movement that equated
social purity with sexual purity;sexuality was the heart of morality, which was defined
as the cornerstone of society
what are the criteria used to determine deviant sexuality
- consent
- nature of the partner
3 nature of the act
What does our contemporary sexual culture use to evaluate sexuality as either “deviant” or “normal”?
Criteria such as the degree of consent, nature of the sexual partner, nature of the sexual act, setting, frequency, time, age, and number of partners are used
How is consent defined in the context of determining sexual deviance
Consent is commonly viewed as some type of agreement to participate in a sexual act, and its presence or absence can determine if an act is seen as deviant.
What core criteria are often used to judge “deviant” sexuality
Consent, the nature of the partner, and the nature of the act.
Why is consent central in cases of sexual assault, such as “date rape”?
The criminal justice system uses the presence or absence of consent to classify sexual assault, often focusing on whether the victim consented to the act.
What role do “date rape drugs” like Rohypnol and GHB play in determining sexual assault?
These drugs impair memory and awareness, making consent impossible, and their use in sexual acts is legally classified as sexual assault.
How does the law view consent in cases involving sexual acts between children and adults
Children are not considered capable of giving consent due to cognitive development and power differentials, making sexual acts between children and adults a crime on the adult’s part.
How were Black and Indigenous women treated regarding sexual consent in historical contexts?
From the 17th to the 19th centuries, Black and Indigenous women were often expected to be sexually available to white men, with consent often not considered, especially if the woman was enslaved.
How has Canadian law historically viewed consent within marriage?
Before Bill C-127 in 1983, sexual assault was not recognized within marriages, and the law did not recognize the need for consent from married women.
How is the concept of consent viewed differently by young people?
Research shows young people see consent on a continuum, including active consent, passive consent, nonconsensual sex, and rape, rather than the binary present in criminal law
What does the “grey area” in young people’s views on consent reflect?
It reflects distinctions between active consent, passive consent, nonconsensual sex, and rape, with the latter two often being less clearly defined in specific situations.
what does a sexual deviant
if there is no consent involved, the the act is a criminal one making it necessarily deviant
what are date rape drug
These drugs, such as Rohypnol (also known as “roofies” or
“roopies”) and GHB (also known as “G” or “Liquid X”), are odourless and tasteless,
and when mixed with alcohol cause intense drowsiness and memory impairment.
Ifone of these drugs is slipped into someone’s drink, that person will not know it is
there and may not be able to remember anything that happens in the ensuing hours.
How has the nature of acceptable sexual partners changed from ancient Athens to contemporary North America
In ancient Athens, acceptable partners for aristocratic men included wives, prostitutes, slaves, foreigners, and adolescent males, excluding men of equal status. In North America, there is more freedom in partner choice, though restrictions remain.
What types of relationships are considered unacceptable under Canadian law?
Sexual relationships with individuals under the age of consent, close family members (incest), animals (bestiality), and individuals in relationships of trust, authority, dependency, or exploitation.
What are examples of formal regulations on sexual partnerships outside the legal system?
Many workplaces restrict intimate relationships between bosses and employees, and universities may prohibit relationships between professors and students. Therapist-client relationships are also deemed unethical.
How does the psychiatric community view relationships involving non-human sexual partners?
Sexual activities involving objects necessary for stimulation are labeled as fetishes, which may require treatment.
How is the concept of incest treated differently by law versus social norms?
While incest laws prohibit sexual relationships between close family members, certain informal norms discourage relationships like those between first cousins, though these are legally permitted in Canada.
How was homosexuality historically criminalized in Canada, and what led to changes
Everett Klippert’s case in 1967 marked the last imprisonment for homosexuality. The 1969 Stonewall riots and Canadian legal reforms started the modern gay rights movement, with homosexuality decriminalized in Canada shortly after.
What recent advancements have been made for LGBTQ2IA+ rights in Canada?
The Canadian Human Rights Act added sexual orientation in 1996; same-sex common-law benefits were recognized in 2000; same-sex marriage was legalized in 2005. A formal apology and compensation were issued for past injustices in 2018.
: Despite advancements, how do LGBTQ2IA+ individuals continue to face stigmatization in Canada?
They may still face informal stigmatization in social interactions and experience challenges in legal rights, though not as extreme as in other countries where homosexuality remains illegal or punishable by death.
How is the choice of sexual partners regulated today in Western cultures?
Although Western cultures allow greater freedom, choices are still restricted by law, professional ethics, and social norms, and certain partners are still evaluated as deviant or normal based on these standards.
What other criteria, aside from the sexual partner, are used to evaluate sexuality as deviant or normal?
The nature of the sexual act, along with the partner, plays a role in societal evaluations of sexuality as either deviant or normal
what is the crime of incest
The Criminal
Code also prohibits sexual relationships between close family members—parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, and half-siblings. Violating this prohibition between close family members
what is the crime of bestiality
making animals unacceptable sexual partners.
How can sexual acts be perceived as either acceptable or unacceptable?
The acceptability of sexual acts is culturally and historically specific, sometimes influenced by the nature of the sexual partner as well.
who is Everett Kippert
he was sentences to an indefinte prison term as a dangerous sex offender for ahvig admitted that he was gay. thereby becoming the last person convicted of such a crime in Canada
after from the law how are sexual partner regulated
through social stigmatization
What was considered the only acceptable sexual act following European colonization of the Americas
Only sexual intercourse between husbands and wives in the “missionary” position was deemed acceptable.
What reflects the growing sexual freedom over the past century?
Books on sexual techniques, availability of sex toys in stores, and less stigmatization of diverse sexual acts all reflect increasing sexual freedom.
