Sociological Perspectives On Gender And Sexuality

Gender and sexuality are two of the most important and complex factors of human existence. For decades, biological determinists have argued, and continue to argue, that these phenomena are a result of our ‘natural’ biological and genetic make-up and are purely created and acted upon from something which is ‘innate’. However, sociologists have countered these positions by insisting that gender and sexuality are in fact, culturally and historically constructed. Various examples, such as the differences between experiences of gender and sexuality cross culturally and over different historical periods will be used throughout this essay to provide evidence for a more sociological view on these complicated and often, intertwined phenomena.
For decades (if not centuries) gender and sexuality have largely been understood through a biological determinist lens, viewed simply as “natural” expressions of our innate biology (Connell c2005:5, Weeks 2003:17). However, these views have been heavily critiqued by …show more content…
Using various examples such as the use of pink and blue colours and analysing the difference of perceptions in masculine and feminine behaviours it becomes clear the ways in which gender is far more fluid and dependent on social factors than genetic ones. Furthermore, by exploring the origins of terms used to describe certain aspects of sexuality, specifically homosexual and heterosexual it also highlights the ways in which this system is also largely culturally constructed. Hopefully, as this information becomes more available in accessible in mainstream education and representations, people will be far more understanding towards those experience gender and sexuality differently to the historically, culturally and socially constructed