Constructs of Gender

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the question of what forms gender and sexuality take in America, based on four articles. The paper discusses female circumcision and castration in the late nineteenth century, the impact of language around impotence and erectile dysfunction on male sexuality. The paper looks at gender construction, male sexuality in general and also examines gay rights under Bush Sr.'s administration.

From the Paper:

"It is very clear from various readings that gender and gendered sexuality have a lot more to do with the medical and political agenda than one might initially think. According to various sources, these constructs are often created by the medical profession, which is rooted in the conservative aspect of American culture. This is reflected in articles about the Bush Sr. administration's attitude towards gay rights and AIDS activism, the quest for a perfect penis and the alleged importance of a perfectly hard man as well as the literature regarding 19th century sexual surgery on women. Evidence from these articles, and others, suggests that wealthy white men have manipulated ideas of gender and sexuality for their own interests by using the medical and political arenas."

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