3.5 Conclusion
In this text, you are learning how sociology of gender is concerned with the social aspects of gender and sexuality, including identity formation, interpersonal relationships, social movements, and systems of power. This chapter has introduced you to ways sociologists and other scholars have used the sociological imagination, sociological theory, and social research to understand human sexuality in these contexts. In the coming chapters about gender theories and systems of power, be sure to use your sociological imagination to identify how personal issues of sexuality exist within a complex social ecosystem and how constantly shifting social norms shape our experience and understanding of sex and sexuality.
Review Learning Objectives
Having read this chapter, you will be able to do the following:
- Discuss sex and sexuality from a sociological perspective.
- Describe the evolution of the social movement for LGBTQIA+ rights in the U.S.
- Identify how patriarchal social norms contribute to sexual violence.
- Apply the social-ecological model to the prevention of sexual violence.
Questions for Discussion
- How is the sociological perspective of human sexuality different from psychological or biological perspectives?
Answer: The sociological perspective of human sexuality reveals the social aspects of human sexuality, which are different from the cognitive and biological aspects of human sexuality. - How has the civil rights movement influenced LGBTQIA+ social movements?
Many LGBTQIA+ people were also engaged in the civil rights movement. - How do patriarchal social norms contribute to sexual violence?
Sexual violence is a socially constructed set of individual expressions of power and systems of power based on sexual norms within a patriarchal society. - Why does the social-ecological model help us recognize sexual violence?
The social-ecological model describes the layers of our social world where forms of sexual violence exist.
Real But Not True: Check-in
Let’s take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned in this chapter about socially constructed gender norms.
Tools of Sociology:
What specific examples of the tools of sociology have been discussed in this chapter?
- Sociological Imagination
- Research-based Evidence
- Social Theory
Socially Constructed:
- What examples of gender being imposed, enforced, reproduced, challenged, and changed have you discovered in this chapter?
Real in Consequence: Social Stigma
- What examples of real consequences for violating or conforming to socially constructed gender norms have you discovered in this chapter?
Let’s Review
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Licenses and Attributions for Conclusion
Open Content, Original
“Conclusion” by Nora Karena is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
“Real But Not True Puzzle Images” by Nora Karena and Katie Losier are licensed under CC BY 4.0
applies the tools of sociology to explore how gender, including sexuality, gender expression, and identity, is socially constructed, imposed, enforced, reproduced, and negotiated.
the meanings, attitudes, behaviors, norms, and roles that a society or culture ascribes to sexual differences (Adapted from Conerly et.al. 2021a).
refers to a person’s personal and interpersonal expression of sexual desire, behavior, and identity.
a process of coming to understand ourselves and differentiate ourselves in relation to our social world.
purposeful, organized groups that strive to work toward a common social goal.
interconnected ideas and practices that attach identity and social position to power and serve to produce and normalize arrangements of power in society.
an awareness of the relationship between a person’s behavior, experience, and the wider culture that shapes the person’s choices and perceptions. (Mills 1959)
a systematic approach that involves asking questions, identifying possible answers to your question, collecting, and evaluating evidence—not always in that order—before drawing logical, testable conclusions based on the best available evidence.
an acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual, Plus a continuously expanding spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations.
any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act directed against a person’s sexuality using coercion by any person, regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting (WHO 2022).
a group of people who live in a defined geographic area, who interact with one another, and who share a common culture (Conerly et al. 2021).