In: Psychology
Apply the three theoretical approaches to the topic of sexuality. What are important insights provided by the structual-functional, symbolic-interaction, and social-conflict approaches?
Sociological Perspectives on Sex and Sexuality
Sociologists representing all three major theoretical perspectives
study the role sexuality plays in social life today. Scholars
recognize that sexuality continues to be an important and defining
social location and that the manner in which sexuality is
constructed has a significant effect on perceptions, interactions,
and outcomes.
>>Structural Functionalism
When it comes to sexuality, functionalists stress the importance of
regulating sexual behavior to ensure marital cohesion and family
stability. Since functionalists identify the family unit as the
most integral component in society, they maintain a strict focus on
it at all times and argue in favor of social arrangements that
promote and ensure family preservation.
Functionalists such as Talcott Parsons (1955) have long argued that
the regulation of sexual activity is an important function of the
family. Social norms surrounding family life have, traditionally,
encouraged sexual activity within the family unit (marriage) and
have discouraged activity outside of it (premarital and
extramarital sex). From a functionalist point of view, the purpose
of encouraging sexual activity in the confines of marriage is to
intensify the bond between spouses and to ensure that procreation
occurs within a stable, legally recognized relationship. This
structure gives offspring the best possible chance for appropriate
socialization and the provision of basic resources.
#:From a functionalist standpoint, homosexuality cannot be promoted
on a large-scale as an acceptable substitute for heterosexuality.
If this occurred, procreation would eventually cease. Thus,
homosexuality, if occurring predominantly within the population, is
dysfunctional to society.
>>Conflict Theory
From a conflict theory perspective, sexuality is another area in
which power differentials are present and where dominant groups
actively work to promote their worldview as well as their economic
interests. Recently, we have seen the debate over the legalization
of undefined gender marriage intensify nationwide.
For conflict theorists, there are two key dimensions to the debate
over same-sex marriage—one ideological and the other economic.
Dominant groups (in this instance, heterosexuals) wish for their
worldview—which embraces traditional marriage and the nuclear
family—to win out over what they see as the intrusion of a secular,
individually driven worldview. On the other hand, many undefined
genders activists argue that legal marriage is a fundamental right
that cannot be denied based on sexual orientation and that,
historically, there already exists a precedent for changes to
marriage laws: the 1960s legalization of formerly forbidden
interracial marriages is one example.
From an economic perspective, activists in favor of same-sex
marriage point out that legal marriage brings with it certain
entitlements, many of which are financial in nature, like Social
Security benefits and medical insurance (Solmonese 2008). Denial of
these benefits to undefined gender couples is wrong, they argue.
Conflict theory suggests that as long as heterosexuals and
homosexuals struggle over these social and financial resources,
there will be some degree of conflict.
>>Symbolic Interactionism
Interactionists focus on the meanings associated with sexuality and
with sexual orientation. Since femininity is devalued in U.S.
society, those who adopt such traits are subject to ridicule; this
is especially true for boys or men. Just as masculinity is the
symbolic norm, so too has heterosexuality come to signify normalcy.
Prior to 1973, the American Psychological Association (APA) defined
homosexuality as an abnormal or deviant disorder. Interactionist
labeling theory recognizes the impact this has made. Before 1973,
the APA was powerful in shaping social attitudes toward
homosexuality by defining it as pathological. Today, the APA cites
no association between sexual orientation and psychopathology and
sees homosexuality as a normal aspect of human sexuality (APA
2008).
>>Queer Theory
Queer Theory is an interdisciplinary approach to sexuality studies
that identifies Western society’s rigid splitting of gender into
male and female roles and questions the manner in which we have
been taught to think about sexual orientation. According to Jagose
(1996), Queer [Theory] focuses on mismatches between anatomical
sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, not just division
into male/female or homosexual/hetereosexual. By calling their
discipline “queer,” scholars reject the effects of labeling;
instead, they embraced the word “queer” and reclaimed it for their
own purposes. The perspective highlights the need for a more
flexible and fluid conceptualization of sexuality—one that allows
for change, negotiation, and freedom. The current schema used to
classify individuals as either “heterosexual” or “homosexual” pits
one orientation against the other. This mirrors other oppressive
schemas in our culture, especially those surrounding gender and
race (black versus white, male versus female).
Queer theorist Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick argued against U.S. society’s
monolithic definition of sexuality and its reduction to a single
factor: the sex of someone’s desired partner. Sedgwick identified
dozens of other ways in which people’s sexualities were different,
such as:
*. Even identical genital acts mean very different things to
different people.
*. Sexuality makes up a large share of the self-perceived identity
of some people, a small share of others’.
*.Some people spend a lot of time thinking about sex, others
little.
*.Some people like to have a lot of sex, others little or
none.
*.Many people have their richest mental/emotional involvement with
sexual acts that they don’t do, or don’t even want to do.
*.Some people like spontaneous sexual scenes, others like highly
scripted ones, others like spontaneous-sounding ones that are
nonetheless totally predictable.
*.Some people, homo- hetero- and bisexual, experience their
sexuality as deeply embedded in a matrix of gender meanings and
gender differentials. Others of each sexuality do not (Sedgwick
1990).
*. Thus, theorists utilizing queer theory strive to question the
ways society perceives and experiences sex, gender, and sexuality,
opening the door to new scholarly understanding.
*.Throughout this chapter we have examined the complexities of
gender, sex, and sexuality. Differentiating between sex, gender,
and sexual orientation is an important first step to a deeper
understanding and critical analysis of these issues. Understanding
the sociology of sex, gender, and sexuality will help to build
awareness of the inequalities experienced by subordinate categories
such as women, homosexuals, and transgender individuals.
<Thank you>