The texts that are going to be discussed and compared in this short essay are ‘Ethnicity, Sexuality and Globalization’ by Joanne Nagel and ‘Not So Strange bedfellows: Sexuality and International Development’ by Susie Jolly. These texts have been chosen because of their thought-provoking and informative content and the ways in which they both discuss the restrictive and controversial nature of sexuality in the heteronormative world, sexuality in regards to sex work, and the ways in which they focus on sexuality itself as well as women’s sexuality globally.
Nagel’s text discussing the driving factors behind international perceptions of sexuality offers an insight into how sexuality is viewed and understood globally. She discusses how culture, country of origin, ancestry, language, religion, and ethnicity/race play a crucial role in the perception of individual sexuality and its reception by its audience. Joanne Nagel writes about the ways in which heterosexuality is still very much the norm in ethno sexual spaces and the impact that heteronormativity has on members of different races, ethnic groups and nations. Nagel then goes on to highlight how racial and ethnic boundaries play a role in how the sexuality of peoples belonging to specific ethnic, racial and cultural groups are received by members of other ethnic, cultural and racial groups. She explains how these boundaries help create a narrative of ‘us vs them’, ‘pure vs impure’ ‘wrong vs right’, where differences such as
Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, aunts, uncles, grandparents, pimps, prostitutes, straight people, gay people, lesbian people, Europeans, Asians, Indians, and Africans all have once thing in common: they are products of sexuality. Sexuality is the most common activity in the world, yet is considered taboo and “out of the norm” in modern society. Throughout history, people have been harassed, discriminated against, and shunned for their “sexuality”. One person who knows this all too well is activist and author, Angela Davis. From her experiences, Davis has analyzed the weakness of global society in order to propose intellectual theories on how to change the perspective of sexuality. This research paper will explore the discussions of
The author Gayle Rubin in the textbook “Social Construction of Sexuality,” talks about “Sexual Conflicts” and how society perceives them and how they handle differences. Battles happen with different groups and their sexual ideologies, especially when individuals believe what another individual or group of individuals are doing is wrong. Laws can be created to prevent them from expressing their sexuality and taking away basic freedoms. Gayle Rubin explains, to be able to stop the struggle over sex laws they need to get rid of all laws that include sex, except ones that project individuals from sexual violence. Besides laws being created, daily life within society can cause human beings to feel uncomfortable or unaccepted with their sexuality, which will create sexual migration.
One of Slocum’s contemporaries, Eleanor Leacock (1922-1987) chose to differently analyze gender research, focusing on distinctions in power as it relates to society, the economy, and politics (2011: 397). She concentrated on North American natives and aboriginal Australians and their changing gender roles as the result of Western influence. Another feminist trend gave emphasis to gender identities, analyzing the ways in which race, class and gender converge. David Valentine, born in 1966, illustrates such an emphasis in his work which concerns the cross-cultural variations on the westernized concepts of gender identity and sexuality, by which we categorize sexual desire (2011:398). As evidenced by the variety of emphases within the theory, feminist anthropologists were fully committed to assessing all previously ignored facets of the subjugated female within numerous cultures worldwide.
Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood.
The topic of sexual orientation is both sensitive and controversial. This is evident in events, such as the Pride Parade, and also in media, where authoritative figures preach against it and speak of its “sinful nature” (Emmanuele, Blanchard, Camperio-Ciani, & Bancroft, 2010). Sexual orientation exists in various forms, it differs in the way it is viewed by different cultures, and researchers propose different perspectives to explain the emergence of an individual 's sexual orientation. In the discourse of sexual orientation,
In society, heterosexuality is a principal method of organizing institutions and regulating individual behavior. A culture based on ideas of heterosexuality values relationships that are between men and women; as a result, sexual contact occurring between same sex individuals is seen as deviant and labeled as homosexual. In her book, Ward explains how straight white men can have sex with other white men while retaining their heterosexuality in addition to gaining a masculine appeal. Ingraham and Namaste’s discussion of heteronormativity, heterogenders, and supplementarity aids in understanding why straight white men are not labeled as homosexual and how this functions to reproduce inequalities based on race, gender, and sexuality.
Have you ever wondered how sexuality is viewed in the eyes of a different culture? Since America is a melting pot specifically with the Latino culture we have and is a very diverse country, it still carries culture identity. When you have a set cultural ideology for example the Latino Culture ideology, it sets the rules and norms for gender and sexual identity. In this essay we will be talking about how religious aspects of the Latino/a culture are affecting how people view sexual orientation. How religion in the Latino culture creates a discrimination against homosexuality and non-gender norms. This topic was chosen because I believe it is interesting how some cultures are used to believing that certain rituals and big events have to be within a man and a woman and cannot be both. I have personally witnessed how sexuality does affect the Latino culture; and has been involved in the rituals that make it so heteronormative. Through evidence of religious cultures, gendered identities and family structures we will see how religion in the Latino culture shapes and forms sexuality. I will be examining how Catholicism shapes cultural norms for sexual orientation and gender identity, how heteronormativity is reinforced as the main stream within the religious Latino culture and how it is insensitive towards homosexuality. How having family and social circles that are used to a culture around are perpetuating gender identity against sexuality.
Gilder insists that women are rooted to have sexual experiences strictly for child bearing and nurturing (Gilder, 124). Therefore, men are free to discipline their sexuality freely into the womb of a woman (Gilder, 124). On the other hand, the Third World Women’s Alliance opposed these views claiming that although they have “pussy power”, they will not use it specifically to create and extensive army (Third World Women’s Alliance, 132). In fact, revolution and movements seem to be the only way they can gain respect and urgency for equality for minority
Also, throughout this ethnographic piece it is evident that there is some divide in the way men and women are treated. This relates to Mascia-Lee’s piece on Gender and Anthropology as it examines the borders that (usually, women) are faced with throughout the field of anthropology. On page 20 of this article, it discusses the implications that borders and limitations impose on the levels of sexual stratification throughout the anthropology world. (Masica- Lee, 2000)
Rathus, Spencer A., Jeffrey S. Nevid, and Lois Fichner-Rathus. Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2011.
Human sexuality is defined as the capability of individuals to experience their sexuality and be able to express themselves as sexual beings (Hyde & DeLameck, 2006). Our interest in this topic is because with time, there has been a change in rules that control human sexual behaviour. The status quo in our contemporary society is much different as compared to an earlier state of conditions, and the change has, as a result, brought the evolvement in human sexuality. People 's view on virginity has changed greatly with a decrease of importance in regards to its preservation. Sexuality is essential to the economic, cultural, social and political organization of society or country. Our sexuality plays a fundamental role in all our lives regardless of age, sex or race. It forms a basic part of our personality and the decisions we make in what we do. One’s sexuality also consumes much of their time through behaviour or thoughts; at times every aspect of our lives seems to revolve around our sexuality. Studying sexuality is very important since human sexuality majorly contributes to social as well as personal problems. A lingering question concerning this topic is to what extent is virginity determined by the status quo and the rules that control human behaviour?
Global sex work contains different connotations for different people. For some women, it is about charting your own course and improving your life and that of your family. For others, it is about becoming chattel, another body used by whomever has the money to pay for it. For yet others, it is about marriage and migration, creating a family in a country that they hope is better suited to what they want out of life. What is certain is that globalization, and related changes in cultures and economies, is affecting the most personal aspects life around the world.
Throughout history, definitions of sexuality within a culture are created and then changed time after time. During these changes, we have seen the impact and power one individual or group can have over others. In the Late Nineteenth Century into the Early Twentieth Century, we see multiple groups of people and or authorities taking control over the idea of sex and how they believe society is being impacted by sex. At this point in time, society had groups of people who believed they had the power to control how society as whole viewed and acted upon sex. Those particular groups and ideas changed many lives and the overall definition of sexuality within that culture.
The all-encompassing power of the sex industry has devastated the economic and financial status of women in the developing countries. Governments in the developing world encourage the sex industry due to the profit they gain to pay their countries’ debts, and are uninterested in the women’s well-being.
even though sexuality can be considered universal, the sexual behaviors affiliated with it offer different attitudes in various communities. Sexuality is aligned to sexual attraction where individuals can identify themselves with a broad range of sexuality that is bisexual, gay or being lesbian. Sexuality can change over time in a person depending on the circumstances surrounding him or her. It may be affected by the social circle and emotional imbalances that may occur in an individual. Interestingly there exists sexual inequality among many societies in the world. As observed, many societies encourage men to have multiple sex partners but forbid it in women. Moreover, pre-marital sex is promoted in men, but women are flaunted if they participate in pre-marital sex. Across the globe, Western Europe has embraced certain norms in sexuality such as homosexuality whereas African society embraces a negative attitude towards the same.