-
sex
the biological distinction between females and males
-
gender
cultural, referring to behavior, power, and privileges a society attaches to being female or male
-
primary sex characteristics
the genitals, organs used for reproduction
-
secondary sex characteristics
bodily development, apart from the genitals, that distinguishes biologically mature females and males
-
intersexual people
people whose bodies have both female and male characteristics
-
transsexual
people who feel they are one sex even though biologically they are the other
-
asexuality
a lack of sexual attraction to people of either sex
-
bisexuality
sexual attraction to people of both sexes
-
attitudes toward premarital sex
- premarital intercourse became more common during the 20th century
- almost half of young men & women have sex by their senior year in high school
- an even larger percentage of young people engaged in oral sex than the actual act
-
attitudes toward homosexuality
- gay rights movement helped change public attitudes toward greater acceptance of homosexuality
- 5.6% of men & 12.7% of woman between the ages of 18 & 44 reported engaging in homosexual activity some time in their lives
- 47% of US adults say homo is wrong
-
attitudes toward adultery
- 25% of men & 10% of women report being sexually unfaithful to their spouses at some time
- higher among the young than the old
- higher among men than women
- higher among people of low social position than among those who are financially well-off
- higher among those who report no religious affiliation
-
Structural-functional: Sexuality
- macro-level
- society depends on sexuality for reproduction
- society uses the incest taboo and other norms to control sexuality in order to maintain social order
- as advances in birth control technology separates sex from reproduction, societies relax some controls on sexuality
-
Symbolic-interaction: Sexuality
- micro-level
- sexual practices vary among the many cultures of the world
- some societies allow individuals more freedom than others in matters of sexual behavior
- the meanings people attach to virginity and other sexual matters are all socially constructed and subject to change
-
Social-conflict & feminist: Sexuality
- macro-level
- sexuality is linked to social inequality
- US society regulates women's sexuality more than men's, which is part of the larger pattern of men dominating women
- some sexual standards have relaxed, but society still defines women in sexual terms, just as homosexual people are harmed by society's heterosexual bias
-
sexual orientation
a person's romantic and emotional attraction to another person
|
|
