Theorists and perspectives

How does Goffman’s idea of stigmatised identities link to sexuality?

Society’s idea of ideal sexuality is a heterosexual couple wherein both (only 2) participants are cisgender and have children. Anybody who falls outside of this such as a gay person occupies a stigmatised identity.

What is essentialism, who believes in it and how is it transmitted?

The idea that sexuality is fixed and biologically determined and that sex should solely be performed in order to have kids. They also see homosexuality as genetic or pathological (functionalist and new right sociologists believe in this). This idea is most commonly passed down via religion

How do functionalists see sexuality?

They believe too much sex leads to anarchy but it is necessary for procreation- they are essentialists.

How does the new right see sexuality?

As they believe society is in moral decline, they think one of the examples of this is being gay and having sex out of wedlock as a result of secularisation (a shift away from religion)- they are essentialists.

How do postmodernists see sexuality?

They see secularisation as a good thing and see the freedom of people to be gay, straight, bi etc. as a great example of their theory of pick n mix

How do feminists see sexuality?

They see religion and patriarchy as agencies of repression towards female sexuality

What are sexual scripts?

The social contexts and stigmas attached to sex in our society (e.g. the universal incest taboo)

What do symbolic interactionists say about sexuality and what two sociologists agree with this view?

It is socially constructed. Both Weeks and Foucault see sexual classifications as stemming from history, Foucault in particular notes how the term homosexual was invented in the 19th century to oppress and control people.

What type of sociologist aims to challenge homophobic sexual scripts?

Queer theorists.