Week 2: Gender & Sexuality

give 2 phenomena that have given way to hookup culture

cultural shift in conceptualisation of women’s/lgbt sexuality

availability of dating apps/online forums

individual/cultural beliefs around sexual morality

mental health/religious views

give 2 findings of rissel et al (2014) about sex differences in sexual behaviour

men have more sexual partners over their lifetime

men are more likely to orgasm during sexual encounters

men are more likely to masturbate than women and do so more frequently

men are more likely to view pornography

women are more likely to use sex toys than men

give two critiques of the term “sex differences”

heteronormative/cisnormative

men & women as two opposite ends of a binary

men & women are totally different

no diversity within the category of woman/man (monolithic)

how did kimberle crenshaw comment on sexuality?

sexuality cannot be separated from other social structures and our position in them eg gender/race/class etc

what did alexander and fisher suggest about the accuracy of research into hookup culture?

honesty was greatest when ppts believed a lie detector was involved and lowest when they believed people of the same gender could read their responses

women and men report gender accordant behaviours and attitudes based on social norms of sexual behaviour

sexual behaviour in reality may not reflect this

what is an ontological perspective on how gender is determined?

sex is biologically determined by genitals

people create their own reality in an attempt to navigate a highly complex social world objectified through discourse

what is a social constructionist perspective on how gender is determined?

someone must have a penis/vagina based on other gendered characteristics they have

gender is “done” and not determined by sex - anyone can “do” woman or man

continually negotiated in social interaction

we try to be identified as male/female by employing gendered practices in relation to how others around us present their genders

what does evolutionary theory suggest about hookup culture?

sexuality is a biologically determined fact of life

sex differences arise from sexual dimorphism

psychologists can measure this Qn and show real sexual phenomena

realist/positivist

according to evolutionary theory, who is at an advantage for participating in hookup culture?

men - advantageous to try and impregnate as many women as possible to pass on genes as far as possible

give 3 criticisms of evolutionary theory

sex differences are as a result of biased reporting - women hook up as much as men

legitimises the sexual oppression of women

heterosexist and heteronormative - little research on homosexuality

women are pathologised

only 2 genders which are presented as binary opposites

what does the feminist sexual scripts theory suggest about hookup culture?

sexual behaviour is shaped by scripts which organise sexuality into conventions

scripts are heavily gendered, socially perpetuated and internalised and not questioned

what did armstrong et al find about women’s opinions of hookup sex vs relationship sex?

women are more likely to orgasm during rel sex

women more likely to enjoy rel sex

greater diversity of practices in rel sex

therefore sexual scripts influence sexual practices and sexual pleasure

what did rupp et al find about queer female hookups?

hookups between women framed performatively to appeal to the male gaze

women use this to explore sexual fluidity and claim labels

what is hypothesised about hookups between gay men?

face more stigma than queer women

male homosexuality is the antithesis to typical masculinity so is more stigmatised

gay men receive the same messages about what it is to be a man

conforming to this is important to some gay men and resisting it is equally important to others