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Gender and Sexuality: Sociological Approaches
This new introduction to the sociology of gender and sexuality offers a fresh take on the importance of these concepts in modern society. It provides an insight into our rapidly changing attitudes towards sex and our understanding of masculine and feminine identities, relating the study of gender and sexuality to wider social concerns throughout the world and presenting a comprehensive yet readable summary of recent research and theory. In an accessible and engaging style, the book demonstrates how thinking about gender and sexuality can illuminate and enliven other contemporary sociological debates about social structure, social change, and culture and identity politics. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of gendered and sexual lives in different parts of the world. The book offers detailed coverage of wide-ranging topics, from international sex-tourism to celebrity culture, from gender in the work-place to new sexual lifestyles, drawing examples from everyday life.
By demonstrating the links between gender and sexuality this book makes a clear case for thinking sociologically about these important and controversial aspects of human identity and behaviour. The book will be of great value to students in any discipline looking to understand the roles gender and sexuality play in our lives.
By demonstrating the links between gender and sexuality this book makes a clear case for thinking sociologically about these important and controversial aspects of human identity and behaviour. The book will be of great value to students in any discipline looking to understand the roles gender and sexuality play in our lives.
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 27, 2013
Excellent reading (for academics and non-academics, alike) highlighting the social-constructivist perspectives on gender and sexuality. At times wordy, but the research is solid. The writers include discussion points and questions to encourage readers to explore the themes within their own social/cultural/regional/national spaces. The questions also serve as great workshop ideas for group dialogue. At the end of each chapter, a rundown of what points should be taken away serves as a helpful summary.
What I found most interesting (and it certainly reinforced much of my own views on gender, in particular) is how boys and girls are "gendered" from the moment they are born, and as they grow, they look for social cues and reinforcements through their interactions with others, and then begin to create an identity that "normalizes" them in the eyes of the dominant, heteronormative society.
Sex ed mainly focuses on heterosexual relationships and prevention, but never explores sexuality as a range of identities on a continuum. Sex ed also avoids discussions around desire and pleasure, as the authors ascertain.
So, when we find out that someone we know just had a baby, the first question on our minds is "boy or girl?" Once we are given the answer, we act accordingly by layering this child with all the material goods that identify "it" as either a "he" or a "she".
Lots of discussion pieces around the intersections of identity, and that identity is not merely one or two labels, but many, and that these identities can provoke both negative and positive responses from the external world. A bit disappointed that the authors didn't dive more into gender queer folks who go by "they" and "them" and "theirs", instead of the typical "he" or "she" that reduce our identities to a question of binary opposites with no in-between, but still lots of great learning and insight!
Anyways, bring your friends together, use some of the discussion questions from the book, and let the lively chatter begin.
What I found most interesting (and it certainly reinforced much of my own views on gender, in particular) is how boys and girls are "gendered" from the moment they are born, and as they grow, they look for social cues and reinforcements through their interactions with others, and then begin to create an identity that "normalizes" them in the eyes of the dominant, heteronormative society.
Sex ed mainly focuses on heterosexual relationships and prevention, but never explores sexuality as a range of identities on a continuum. Sex ed also avoids discussions around desire and pleasure, as the authors ascertain.
So, when we find out that someone we know just had a baby, the first question on our minds is "boy or girl?" Once we are given the answer, we act accordingly by layering this child with all the material goods that identify "it" as either a "he" or a "she".
Lots of discussion pieces around the intersections of identity, and that identity is not merely one or two labels, but many, and that these identities can provoke both negative and positive responses from the external world. A bit disappointed that the authors didn't dive more into gender queer folks who go by "they" and "them" and "theirs", instead of the typical "he" or "she" that reduce our identities to a question of binary opposites with no in-between, but still lots of great learning and insight!
Anyways, bring your friends together, use some of the discussion questions from the book, and let the lively chatter begin.
January 29, 2015
I read this book for a class on special topics in higher education that dealt specifically with sexuality and gender for my master's degree program. I think my professor chose this text specifically because it offers an introductory overview of the history of sexuality and gender. This includes the history of feminism in the western world, and the greater dynamics of gender roles internationally. Specifically, this book gives background on the development of sociological thought on gender and sexuality, thoughts on inequalities and social structure, as well as a discussion of culture, ideology, discourse, self, identity, and agency in terms of gender and sexuality.
Aside from some basic knowledge of the women's rights movement from the political perspective, I had never read or studied much about sociological theories about gender and sexuality before this course. I believe this text did a decent job of providing a well-rounded overview of the history of the relevant issues, and bringing readers up to speed on the changing schools of thoughts in America and elsewhere.
Had I not been assigned this book for class, I think it is safe to say I likely would not have ever picked this up to read on my own. This book is obviously geared towards class use, including learning outcomes summarized at the end of each section, as well as notes and research for further study. However, as far as required readings go, this book did a good job at covering the topics in as engaging and interesting a method as possible.
Aside from some basic knowledge of the women's rights movement from the political perspective, I had never read or studied much about sociological theories about gender and sexuality before this course. I believe this text did a decent job of providing a well-rounded overview of the history of the relevant issues, and bringing readers up to speed on the changing schools of thoughts in America and elsewhere.
Had I not been assigned this book for class, I think it is safe to say I likely would not have ever picked this up to read on my own. This book is obviously geared towards class use, including learning outcomes summarized at the end of each section, as well as notes and research for further study. However, as far as required readings go, this book did a good job at covering the topics in as engaging and interesting a method as possible.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews