SY101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Biphobia, Sexual Identity, Sociality

• School: WLU
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SY101
• Professor: Jeff Klaehn

Document Summary

Our bodies are also a part of sexuality (orgasm, erection, circumcision, stds, viagara) Understanding sexuality as a social construction means understanding the meanings of sexual desires, acts as which sexual expressions have social approvals and which are disavowed. These meanings are fluid and change over time and from culture to culture (ex. Kissing involves parts of our bodies, but meaning and practice is shaped by our culture) Sexual identity is a broad term that can include our sense of self as masculinity or femininity, our knowledge of our bodies, sexual histories and our sexual preferences. Conveyed through for example, how you speak about sexual attractions and how we interact with others. Identities then are what michel foucault call disciplinary: not biological realities but, rather, are produced socially and maintained through continuous performance. Part of our identity is our sexual orientation which refers to an individuals sexual and emotional attraction to a person of a particular sex.