Class notes
Sexuality in Perspective (10/20 gehaald)
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Sexuality in Perspective1. Introduction
- General aim
o To provide students with an opportunity to learn about and reflect on contemporary
scientific approaches to and current insights in human sexuality
o Sexuality = a relevant theme in society
o Sexuality = a personal experience
o Premise = the (behavioral) expression and experience of our sexuality are influenced
and regulated by biological factors as well as psychological, cultural and social
processes, including inter- and intra-personal norms and values
- Specific aims → after having followed this course students will be able
o to recognize, understand, and describe the historical and cultural basis of our
thinking about human sexuality;
o to distinguish between major theoretical approaches to sexuality, to name and
critically reflect on their contribution to our understanding of and scientific
knowledge about sexuality;
o to explain how ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ sexuality are social, legal, and culturally
sensitive constructs;
o to understand and explain the basics of evolutionary and biological perspectives on
human sexuality
o to situate sexuality within a lifetime perspective;
o to discuss the relationship between core elements of religious, ethical and legal
normative discourse and views on sexuality, and to describe and assess their
connections to different scientific approaches;
o to identify and articulate their own ideas about and values, norms, and attitudes
towards sexuality..
1.1. Course material
- Toledo
o Slides used during classes
o Extra articles, texts
o Announcements
- Exam
o When? 01/06/2023
o Where? Fac. Medicine – (O&N1) CAG, GA2, GA3
o What time ? 18h till 20h (21u for students with facilities)
o What?
▪ Exam = 1 integrated written exam
▪ 50 multiple choice questions with 4 options
• (correction for guessing ➔ wrong answer = minus 0.33 punten)
• (± 4 questions per class/topic)
▪ Exam aims to test knowledge in two levels, i.e.,
• Knowlegde of basic concepts and (historical) facts
• Insight in the framework
▪ Some examples of questions on Toledo (Monday)
1.2. Outline of this course
- Sexuality
o Biology
▪ Evolutionary perspective
, ▪ Genes, hormones, brain differentation
▪ Sexual anatomy, sexual physiology, sexual desire, sexual arousal
o Psychology
▪ Sexual development through the life cycle
▪ Sexual aggression
▪ Pornography
o Sociocultural
▪ Normal and abnormal sexuality
▪ (Bio) ethics and sexuality
▪ Laws and sequality
o Western view + Non-Western views
2. Lesson 1: Definition of sexuality (Paul Enzlin)
2.1. What is human sexuality
- What is sexuality for you?
- What is sexuality related to?
- What do you think about when you hear the word sexuality?
➔ Passion, love, attraction, libido = psychology
➔ Hormones, contraception,… = biology
➔ Having sex, searching for stimuli, masturbation, fantasy = behavior
➔ Norms, values, religion, freedom, ideas about gender = society and culture
- Which of the categories above, is the most important = society and culture, it has an impact
on all the other categories:
o Has an impact on biology, what is a very big deal → for example:
▪ Menstruation
• “Who has received special treatement because they started their
first period?”
• No open discussion about it, taboo, very hidden, controversial
• Student answered that she felt embarrassed about being in the
centre of attention
• What if we would go to the middle of Africa and asked the same
question → more celebrated about it (chance to get a child, to get a
partner so the family can get money)
▪ Breasts
• In the West it is seen as more valuable than in other countries
• The way you feel about yourself can be influenced by how big your
breasts are
o Psychology: sexuality is more valued when it is in a relationship
, ▪ In the 50s attachment became an important thing, partner is important,
important that we connect deeply with them
▪ What if we asked a person from Korea who is the most important to them
• The employer, they give you money for a house, shelter, food,…
• Next in line: parents, children and then the partner
• Total difference with the West
▪ What if we start the course by drinking beer, we would have answered
different → why?
• Alcohol makes you less inhibited (not confident enough to say or do
what you want)
• Taboo around talking about sexuality, there are different inhibitions
around this topic just always there
2.2. Sex
2.2.1. Etymology
- Latin:
o Sexus – group, part, sort, kind, form
o Secare – to cut, to divide
- English – sex
o 1382 = person with a certain sex
o 1526 = characteristic of being women or men
o 1929 = sexual intercourse ➔ “dirty word”
o 1950 = gender - men and women (gender role – gender identity)
sex - sexual behavior and attraction to others
2.2.2. Definition
- Sex =
o [noun] (chiefly with reference to people) sexual activity, including specifically sexual
intercourse
▪ euphemistic [in singular] A person's genitals.
o Either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most
other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions:
▪ [noun] The fact of belonging to either the male or female sex:
▪ The group of all members of either the male or female sex:
- Definition of sex:
o Sex, everything that is sexual
o Sex, i.e., biological differences between men and women
, o Sexual life
o Behaviours and feelings that are related to physical arousal and having sex
o Behaviours in which your genitals play a role and that lead to physical arousal
▪ Examples: sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex
2.3. Sexuality
2.3.1. Etymology
- French – sexualité
o Sexualité = ‘what is related to a certain sex’.
- Sexuality = broader meaning (all that is related to sexual life)
o Refers to emotions and behavior(s)
o Ideas and desires
o Sexuality = an euphemism for sex (rougher)
▪ // “elderly” and “old people”
2.3.2. Definition
- Sexuality =
o [noun] Capacity for sexual feelings:
▪ [noun] A person's sexual orientation or preference:
▪ Sexual activity
- Definition of sexuality:
o Ways you experience and express sexuality,
▪ e.g. ‘not daring to talk about sex’
o Someone’s sexual emotions, ideas and behavior
o Broader domain of emotions, desires, behaviors, etc. that are broader than the
paradigmatic sexual behaviors and emotions
o (biological) sex, sexual behavior
o Someone‘s sexual behavior and desires
o All occurrences that are related to one’s sex life
- All aspects of feeling and being sexual
o Sexual acts (narrow definition)
▪ Kissing, petting
▪ Masturbation
▪ Sexual intercourse
o Sexual behaviour (broad definition)
▪ Being flirtatious
▪ Romantic dinning
▪ Dressing in a seductive way
▪ Reading Playboy, Penthouse, …
▪ Surfing on the internet in search for sexually explicit material
o Behaviors that are defined as ‘sexual’ vary:
▪ Over time
▪ Between different groups
▪ Between different cultures
o ‘Sexual’ is dependent of
▪ Ideas of ‘normality’ about sex
▪ Male and female role patterns
▪ Social context
▪ Culture
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