Discuss how essentialist approaches differ from social constructionist views in terms of their basic assumptions about human sexuality.Which view do you agree with more and why?

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In contrast to social constructionist approaches to understanding sexuality, essentialist theorists attempt to make links between human sexuality and nature and biology. This approach takes for granted the social process of classifying particular behaviours as sexual. Also taken for granted is the categorization of some behaviours as normal and natural and other behaviours as abnormal and unnatural. Such an approach, in North America, treats heterosexuality as a natural instinct, whereby women and men are naturally attracted to each other. Essentialist theorists also assume that the primary purpose of sex is procreation. While this assumption has fallen out of favour, essentialists continue to conceive of heterosexuality as the normal and natural sexuality. This approach is also criticized for being gendered—constructing men as having high sex drives and being naturally sexually active and constructing women as sexually passive.

Discuss How Essentialist Approaches Differ from Social Constructionist Views in Terms