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Pepper and Rutter (1998) The Gender of Sexuality

Pepper and Rutter (1998) The Gender of Sexuality. “Sexuality is one of the most diverse, pervasive, and enigmatic human experiences” (p.34) “Sexuality consists of both behavior and desire” (p.2)

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Pepper and Rutter (1998) The Gender of Sexuality

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  1. Pepper and Rutter (1998)The Gender of Sexuality “Sexuality is one of the most diverse, pervasive, and enigmatic human experiences” (p.34) “Sexuality consists of both behavior and desire” (p.2) “Gender is the most significant dimension of sexuality”(p.2) Examples of other dimensions that influence sexuality are…

  2. Dimensions of Sex Biological (psychological) Social context

  3. Sexuality is socially constructed What is “natural”? What can be studied? Sexual thoughts, behaviors and desires are typically private.

  4. Sexual desire Gender differences in biological make up (genders wired differently). Ex. Competing explanations of differences in sexual desire: 1. biological 2. sociobiological 3. evolutionary psychological 4. social construction of sexuality

  5. Biological explanations Biology is constant and fixed, but not immune to the social world. Ex: the concept of orgasm Influence of hormones (testosterone, estrogen; is women’s desire cyclical?; monkey’s example). Timing of the excitement cycle (sprinters and long-distance runners mismatch)

  6. Sociobiology and Evolutionary Psychology Explanations Reproductive fitness “Men inseminate, women incubate” (p.11) health and reproductive capacity make you “sexier” across cultures recreational sex for men = maximizing the production of children relationship-based intimacy for women = reproductive strategies

  7. Socially-based explanations What is “normal”? Ex. Premarital sex in Sweden and Ireland The importance of norms The “culturally correct” male and female Environment shapes human beings Sexual socialization Social conflict theory & Symbolic Interactionism

  8. Socially-based explanations Social Control of Sexuality: Rule of homogamy (social reproduction) Construction of dichotomized or gendered sexuality Sexual behavior is economically significant activity Sexual behavior is targeted by politicians

  9. Integrative Perspective Combines essentialist and social constructionist explanations to explain male and female differences in desire Ex: male erections Sexual orientation is not just biological, is socially constructed and culturally specific (p.32)

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