Final Take-Home Exam (1)

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Final Exam GSWS 2163 Ashlee Dixon 251171969 Question 1: Kinsey firmly believed that truth is better than ignorance and that if you have sexual knowledge, you can make better decisions. Explore this statement in the context of Kinsey’s research, and then consider how it relates to LGBTQ+ youth. Use evidence and examples to support your answer. Kinsey's reports aimed to dismantle the false narratives and taboos surrounding sexual activity and instead provide an extensive understanding of it. Kinsey’s studies on human sexuality displayed the belief that knowledge of sexuality enhances decision-making and that knowledge of sexuality can be seen as patronizing to ignorance. He intended to eradicate ignorance and encourage informed sexual decision-making. The significance of giving LGBTQ+ kids accurate and inclusive sexual education is highlighted by Kinsey's legacy. In addition to being in line with Kinsey's values, fostering acceptance and understanding helps LGBTQ+ people manage their sexual and emotional growth and enhances their emotional development and well-being. The concepts outlined by Kinsey can be connected to LGBTQ+ children. In class, we talked about how for LGBTQ+ people, having access to inclusive and accurate sexual education is essential, especially in their early adolescent years. Additionally, LGBTQ+ youth can develop a stronger sense of self by making educated judgments about their relationships and experiences by having a better grasp of various sexual orientations and identities. For example, youth can be empowered to effectively navigate their relationships and identities by receiving adequate sex education that incorporates LGBTQ+ information. Nonetheless, we are also shown how internalized stigma and emotions of demonization can also be influenced by ignorance or a lack of knowledge. Word Count: 213 Question 2: Lack of access to and knowledge of contraception were important themes in Week 4 (Sex Ed Debates: US Context) and Week 10 (Black Sexual Lives Matter). What else do these two lectures have in common? Explore their similarities in your answer. Be specific. Throughout Week 4 and Week 10, commonalities surface regarding the restriction of agency and autonomy over women's bodies and sexuality. In Week 4, the emphasis is on how the purity movement affects women and how it creates a setting where society's expectations of virginity restrict women's independence and agency. Their virginity determines their value. If women do not maintain their purity, they will experience worry, guilt, and anxiety. Women's sexuality was regulated by the purity movement, which severely limited their autonomy by making decisions for them and limiting their options for further education and employment.

Week 10 explores the oppression of Black women throughout slavery and highlights the loss of autonomy they experience. Without their consent, decisions regarding their bodies, such as forced sterilization, sexual services, and procreation, were made for them. For example, Margaret Garner was a slave who felt extremely powerless. She had no choice but to take extreme measures, to ensure her kid's safety. Even if that meant taking their lives so they would not end up as slaves. In the end, these weeks highlight how crucial it is to deconstruct repressive systems to give people actual autonomy over their sexual and reproductive decisions. Word Count: 197 Question 3. “The “real man” construction of masculinity can be damaging as it encourages dominance, control, and power. Your task for this question is to find something online that personifies the “real man” discourse. You could choose a news headline, an advertisement, a tweet, a TikTok video, a meme, or Instagram post – anything online. Explain why you chose this item and how you think it depicts the “real man” model of masculinity. You must use the assigned reading by Pascoe to support your answer” I chose the “Milk for Real Men” advertisement because it reinforces gender stereotypes and links the product to characteristics associated with traditional masculinity. The idea that only those who fit the definition of a "real man" are qualified to drink this milk is conveyed by the aggressively masculine and physically strong male figure in the advertisement. Pascoe's reading demonstrates how this advertising reinforces a narrowed and harmful conception of masculinity. The extremely masculine image highlights the qualities of toughness

and strength that are connected to the product. This is where Pascoe's study of teenage boys negotiating cultural norms around masculinity comes in extremely useful. By presenting a particular definition of masculinity that is based on physical power, domination, and emotional restraint, the advertising contributes to the negative parts of the "real man" rhetoric. Pascoe's observations regarding the urge to adopt stereotypically masculine behaviours to get acceptance are consistent with this. Pascoe's observations on the performance of gender highlight how these commercials reinforce harmful and constrictive gender standards, reducing the concept of masculinity to a fixed set of characteristics. The "milk for real men" advertisement, emphasizes strength as a necessary quality of manhood and essentially epitomizes the negative effects of the "real man" construction. This can be connected back to how we learned male development is unfavourable. Word Count: 216 Question 4: Explain the following quote from Peggy Orenstein: "Young women today are sold the idea that 'sexiness' is the same as sexuality, that being desirable is more important than understanding their desires, and that appearing sexually confident is more important than actually being sexually confident." (2016) Please note that this specific quote was not in the lecture slides (in case you’re scrambling to find it) but as you can tell, it truly encompasses all the themes from Week 7. Orenstein's quote illustrates the societal pressures placed on young women. Popular culture and advertising frequently showcase hyper-sexualized images, suggesting that conforming to a standard of desirability is paramount. The media bombards females with images and messages that equate "sexiness" to their worth, promoting a superficial understanding of sexuality. Young women are offered this restricted, commercialized notion of what is attractive and sexy, perpetuating the idea that your body is how you will be validated in this world. Orenstein's quote serves as a critique of these influences, urging a reevaluation of societal values to allow young women the space to understand their desires authentically, without the pressure to conform to external expectations. Hookup culture and societal expectations push young women to prioritize their perceived desirability in social and romantic interactions rather than fostering authentic connections and understanding their own sexual needs and boundaries. While it’s amazing that some young women do feel strong, attractive, or full of self-worth, we must recognize that our culture values females based on their bodies. There may be a discrepancy between one's inner sensations and external appearances due to pressure to live up to predetermined standards of sexiness. Resulting in, young women feeling pressured to put more emphasis on projecting an image of sexual confidence than on developing a true feeling of sexual confidence. Word Count: 218

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Question 5: Robinson says that monogamy has a social function because it comes with a degree of cultural acceptance. However, polyamory can be argued to be a more egalitarian way of structuring and managing a relationship. Consider both the truths and falsities of this statement, providing evidence to back up your claims. There are truths and falsities to Robinson's assertions that polyamory is seen as a more equal form of relationship structure. The truth is that polyamory provides the capacity for more love, happiness and empowers women to move away from the oppressive regimes of heterosexual monogamy. Being polyamorous involves negotiating relationships with multiple partners. Where power is shared among consenting parties and regular communication is expected. Individuals see this decentralization of power and how it might promote agency and autonomy for all parties by considering the polyamory perspective. As we discussed in class, the notion that all polyamorous relationships are equitable can be seen as false. The ability of polyamory to promote equality solely relies on the partner’s shared beliefs, permission, and efficient communication. We discussed in this week’s lesson how obstacles like privileges based on race and class make it difficult for relationships to always remain equal. When you are in a polyamorous relationship and are a middle-class, white person as opposed to a non-white, lower-class person, you receive a different amount of protection. This means that they won’t experience the same stigma and hostile reactions as the other individual may. Some people may also decide to pose as heterosexual to avoid being detected. Making it obvious that one partner will gain more from a polyamorous relationship than the other. Word Count: 220 Question 6. In Week 1, you were introduced to Gayle Rubin’s “charmed circle”. With the knowledge you have gained from this class, why do you think it is important to critique the “charmed circle”? What would you change about it, and why? What would you keep the same, and why? Use evidence from the course to support your answer. It is essential to critique Gayle Rubin's "charmed circle" to expose prejudices in sexuality and societal norms that stigmatize certain behaviours while accepting others. I would change the circle's restrictions, removing binary divisions that discriminate against non-normative behaviours while making sure it accepts a wider range of identities, orientations, and sexual expressions. As we learned in the lecture, opinions and beliefs are constantly evolving. For example, S/M was reinterpreted as kinks as a result of growing social acceptance and conversations about purpose and pleasure. Regarding the actual charmed circle, I would change the placement of homosexuals to the inside of the charmed circle to avoid implying they are on the outer limits of bad or unnatural sexualities. Homosexuality should be viewed as natural and normal. That being said, as

consensuality shows a critically educated understanding of one’s sexuality, I would not alter the notion that it can elevate some behaviours or items into the charmed circle. To accommodate different gender identities, sexual orientations, and relationship arrangements, I believe that the "Charmed Circle" needs to be changed. Reversing the initial hierarchy that favoured heterosexual, monogamous, procreative partnerships. In light of the growing understanding of others' sexuality and relationships, this modification promotes inclusivity and lessens discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. Word Count: 211 Question 7: Upon watching Undateables, a Twitter user said this: “Not trying to be patronizing but #undateables is such a sweet watch! I want to play Cupid and match them all up!” Using the Internet, find an example (social media post, tweet, news headline, print ad, commercial, etc–NOT a clip from a reality show about dating and disability) to highlight at least two of the three dominant narratives used to discuss people with disabilities and sexuality. Fetish Narrative https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-35762887 This article highlights the fetish narrative as it recognizes the objectification of individuals based on their disabilities, turning their conditions into objects of desire for others. Devotees use the belief that disabled people think no one else would be interested in dating a disabled person to their advantage. To have someone strictly attracted to you based on an identity trait is extremely dehumanizing. This perspective reduces them to mere fetishes rather than recognizing them as individuals with unique qualities, emotions, and relationship needs. Such fetishization undermines genuine connections and perpetuates harmful stereotypes, hindering the establishment of meaningful and respectful relationships. Pity Narrative

https://twitter.com/laqualaarianna/status/1733935466032804270 This tweet highlights how people tend to express pity toward individuals with disabilities when inconveniences occur. “I feel bad for disabled people when things like this happen” perpetuates the notion that disabled individuals require charity and constant help from non-disabled individuals. This pity narrative encourages sympathy rather than acknowledging the capabilities of people with disabilities. Automatically viewing disabled individuals as vulnerable, helpless, and passive during inconveniences reinforces negative stereotypes and stigmas. This mindset can be very damaging to disabled individuals as it forces disabled individuals to constantly prove their capabilities, despite their diversity of disabilities. Understanding that disabilities arise in various forms is crucial to resisting the pity narrative and promoting a more accurate portrayal of disabled people in situations. Word Count: 220 References Her, T. (2023, December 10). I feel bad for the people with babies, the elderly, and disabled people when things like this happen. Twitter. https://twitter.com/laqualaarianna/status/1733935466032804270 Yates, E. (2016, March 12). “pretty cripples” and the people turned on by disability . BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-35762887

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Final Take-Home Exam (1)

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