Sample Essay On Sexual Orientation And Gendered Sexuality

Gender can be defined as an individual’s feelings, behaviors that certain cultures relate with persons’ biological sex and attitude. It represents how one feels about their gender and how they express it though masculinity or feminism. Therefore, a behavior that is found to conform to the cultural expectations is thus gender-normative, and those that are incompatible with the cultural expectations amount to gender non-conformity. However, psychologists look at gender in three aspects which include: differences in presentations, traits and actions; an individual’s dissimilarity in those who identify as either female or male; the influence of gender on men and women operation within the society.
Sexuality, on the other hand, can be defined as all sexual behaviors and attitudes in erotic or not having erotic nature. On the other hand, sexual orientation means the sex of those to whom an individual feels attracted. Sexual orientation may have various categories. They include attractions of members of an individual's own sex in which case gay for men and lesbian for women. Individual's attraction to members of another sex which is referred to as heterosexual. And finally, attraction of an individual to members of both sexes normally referred to as bisexual. Research however suggests that sexual orientation may not always show in these definable categories but on a continuum.
Gender and sexuality have a fluid relationship. Thus, heterosexuality is the key site for a meeting point between gender and sexuality. The constructs of female, male and heterosexuality, therefore, is gendered sexuality. For that reason, sexual orientation and gendered sexuality complement one another. Gendered sexuality, therefore, on heteronormativity assumptions referred the female and male genders. However, over time bisexuals, intersex, transsexuals and homosexuality including transgender having been accepted has shown that heteronormativity is not the driving force linking sexuality and gender. Also found out is that male youths are more likely to change identities than the females.
Socio-culturally, gendered sexuality emphasizes that the social groups that women and men are in, inform us of their social being. This further influence the traits recommend for males and females. Unlike the evolutionary perspective which express these traits through innateness and essentialism the socio-cultural perspective considers them as performative. Therefore, behaviors considered appropriate are influenced by the following areas of social interactions: aspects of behavior, situation aspects, partner aspects and finally subject aspects.
Behavior aspects involve determination of the sexual behaviors that are more tolerable in relation to gender. These behaviors are applicable to specific groups and thus influence overall behavior. Situational aspects refer to how sexual situation in an individual’s community drives gendered behavior. These may include a gay pub, sex club among others. Partner aspects include an individual’s diverse sexual interactions. This will determine the concern of an individual to conform to societal influence of gender that are positive. One's adherence to certain gender expectations is likely to be influenced by increased contacts and potency of gender performativity ratified by their partner. Subject aspects are however dependent on an individual or a given subject. This is generally influenced by an individual's strive to conform to societal gender customs.
In conclusion, an individual’s feelings, behaviors that certain culture relate with persons’ biological sex and attitude will determine a person’s gender. Heteronormativity is not the driving force linking sexuality and gender as was initially believed. And Gender and sexuality have a fluid relationship.