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Waking Society's Sexuality Standards Research Paper

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Staking Society’s Sexuality Standards
Sexuality has always been an issue of conflict and debate in society, especially since males and females are classified differently from the moment their gender is determined. This restraint of sexuality has been due to a heterosexual, patriarchal society’s ability to mold how men and women should and should not behave. As a result, sexuality has come to reflect society’s expectations, and throughout history, male and female sexuality has always been distinguishable, ensuring males maintain control of the power hierarchy. Yet, humans have always been having sex – either for reproductive purposes or for pleasure – and while both genders have the right to their own sexuality, it has evolved to be looked down …show more content…

It is not entirely that society is misogynistic, instead, it is that woman are often viewed as nothing more than things necessary to promote men’s desires. By objectifying women’s sexuality, it allows for men to remain powerful within society. A patriarchal society often views women’s embracement of their sexuality as dangerous because women can realize their ability to have power when it comes to their own bodies, and this self-empowerment limits the power men have over women’s bodies in society. This can be seen through the relationships Buffy engages in throughout the show. When Buffy loses her virginity to Angel, she causes him to lose his soul, and he returns to his evil nature. Angel’s demonic attributes and actions are associated with being soulless, something that was caused by Buffy having sex with, and losing her virginity to, him. This event implies and highlights the danger of female sexuality and for Buffy, how her sexual actions, especially concerning her virginity, can threaten the world because the audience can view her loss of virginity as something harmful to society. However, for Angel, sex with Buffy is seen as empowering because he regains the power he lost by having a soul. Her loss of virginity causes him to become “re-masculinized” and return to his powerful, Angelus self because he no longer has a soul to keep him from his power. The treatment and portrayal of Buffy’s sexuality as harmful creates the notion that sexuality should not be encouraged for females since it is viewed as causing harm to society; yet, it is encouraged for males because it further established their power. This notion causes male sexuality to be promoted because it ensures men’s masculinity and control in society, and female

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