Deck 9: D: Sexualities

Question 1

What is homophobia and why is it a problem in our society?

Answer 1

Homophobia is an irrational fear or hatred of homosexuals;homosexuality is considered deviant,abnormal,and thereby punishable.Homophobia can lead to discrimination,harassment,and violence against homosexuals.Homophobic discourses are often expressed through language that constructs gay men as promiscuous,oversexed,and effeminate,and lesbians as manly or butch.Homophobia also has the effect of asserting heterosexuality in public spaces.For example,in research on homophobic harassment in American schools,the words faggot and dyke are found to be used routinely against lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgendered,and questioning (LGBTQ)students as well as against heterosexual students.Such harassment can lead to anxiety,depression,isolation,and even suicide.

Question 2

In what way can monogamy contribute to a greater risk of contracting an STI?

Answer 2

Some people think that they are not at risk of contracting STIs because they are having sex with only one person.As a consequence,many people are not tested regularly for STIs and therefore do not know their sexual health status.People in monogamous relationships often do not consider themselves to be at risk,and further trust that their commitment to their partner will protect them from STIs.

Question 3

What did Michel Foucault mean by heterosexuality being reinforced coercively by surveillance?

Answer 3

He was referring to how sexuality is socially constructed with respect to the policing of our own and others' sexualities through the organization and propaganda (e.g.media,education,religion)of society.This,in essence,grants approval to certain sexualities over others (i.e. ,those that are determined to be normal vs.abnormal).

Question 4

How do advertisements for sexual enhancement drugs such as Viagra contribute to dominant forms of masculinity?

Question 5

What does it mean to refer to a particular individual as a "serial monogamist"? Why do some people consider this practice as a form of non-monogamy?

Question 6

From Davis's functionalist perspective,what might the social function of prostitution be? Explain why this is a sexist view.

Question 7

What is biphobia and why are the stereotypes associated with it so harmful,particularly to women?

Question 8

What does Kinsman mean by the "pervasiveness of heterosexual hegemony and privilege"?

Question 9

In what ways do common racist and homophobic assumptions about safe sex put people in monogamous relationships at greater risk for STIs?

Question 10

Explain Butler's conception of the heterosexual matrix and give an example.

Question 11

What are some of the problems associated with school-based sex education programs?

Question 12

How do gendered sexual stereotypes put women at greater risk for sexually transmitted infections?

Question 13

How is kissing an example of the social construction of sexuality?

Question 14

How has the development of the term ethical slut attempted to reclaim the word slut as a positive rather than negative identity marker for women? Do you think this strategy is working? Why or why not?

Question 15

What is one of the major advantages of polyamory,based on recent research surrounding this relationship form? Do you think society is becoming more accepting of this form of sexual identity? Why or why not?