Question

We say we live in a world where we don't talk about sex -- but Foucault disagrees, Is sexuality a social construction? What evidence is there either way?

Answer 1

When we talk of sex, we mean the physiological differences between men and women. Gender is how we express this but many sociologists believe that sexuality and sexual orientation, like sex and gender, are social constructs. "Social construct” is the notion that sexual orientation is a modern invention, with which a person might or might not choose to affiliate and that's why it is a concept that has been greatly misunderstood. Sexuality refers to our attractions or sexual preferences. Sexual orientation is how we identity ourselves in relation to sexuality. So, identifying as homosexual or heterosexual is an example of sexual orientation. And finally, when we say something is socially constructed we mean that it's meaning is assigned to it by our society and this meaning can vary across different time periods or different cultures. In Western culture, heterosexuality is the dominant form of sexuality, meaning it is considered the most legitimate. But, even those who identity as heterosexual might not be so rigid in their desires. For example, studies have found that even men who report mostly being attracted to women sometimes reported being attracted to men. That's why sexuality as a social construction is evident.