Abstract This paper analyzes John Colapinto's "As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl" which shows that sexuality is as much about cultural mores and habits as it is about genetics. The paper discusses the book which is an analysis of how individuals come to see themselves as possessed of sexual identities and the process through which each individual learns to negotiate his or her identity as an amalgam of personal and social desires.
From the Paper "The book tells the story of what is in the beginning a medical tragedy. Following a botched circumcision, a family is convinced by doctors, psychiatrists and other health-care professionals to raise their infant son, Bruce, as a girl. They rename the child Brenda and spend the next 14 years trying to transform him into a her. Brenda's childhood reads as one filled with anxiety and loneliness, and her fear and confusion are present on nearly every page concerning her early childhood. The early part of this book demonstrates very clearly that human sexuality is not something that simply springs upon us in adolescence, for from preschool years Brenda is aware of a contradiction in the way her body feels and the way that other girls relate to their bodies."
Abstract By the year 2005, more than 60 percent of the American workforce will be women. However, the questions remain: What part of that percentage will be managers? And, does the "glass ceiling" really exist?To determine if the ?glass ceiling? is, indeed, real, this analysis focuses on that question. The paper examines one industry -- commercial airlines and examines the role of women at Delta Airlines in the United States and Air France in France.
From the Paper "It is apparent that the lack of women in senior management positions in both airlines is a confirmation of Adler and Izraeli's 1988 seminal study that detailed corporate opinions of dealing with the two contrasting views of male-female management "equity," assuming a similarity between male and female contributions, and ?complementary contribution," assuming a noted difference between male and female management contributions. The challenge, say the authors, is for the corporation to strive to recognize the value of these differences (Adler & Izraeli, 1988)."
Tags: discrimination, Joan, Juliet, Buck, Sharon, I., Wibbem
Abstract This paper looks at the reports of women faking orgasms throughout history and their reasons for doing so. It examines an article by Laura Lewis, "Why Women Fake Orgasm," and then presents an argument against faking orgasms - from a feminist perspective and from an equal relationship perspective. The writer concludes that the worst result could be that a woman will feel obligated to continue doing so in the future, indefinitely perhaps, and never achieve the intimacy and joy that results from climaxing with their partner. Includes an outline.
From the Paper "Why would any person, male or female, fake an orgasm? Throughout history, women have reported faking orgasms much more frequently than men. The reasons are varied, and include the desire to please their mate, self-consciousness at actually achieving orgasm, and the lack of knowledge related to how their "plumbing" works. Most individuals have likely "faked" an orgasm at least once in their life. There will always come a time when one just wants to get the process over with, please their partner, and catch a few zzz's. However, the reality is this: Orgasms are wonderful. Yet for many inexplicable reasons, thousand upon thousands of women fake orgasms on a frequent basis. They do not fake orgasms on occasion only, but rather fake the majority of time rather than the minority."
Abstract The first part of this paper looks at classic definitions of male and female traits and how men and women are socialized into these roles. For example, men are believed to be more assertive while women are empathetic. The second part of the paper looks at how these different traits are perceived in the workplace. In the last part, the paper discusses the emergence of a new leadership paradigm, where successful executives are blending "masculine" and "feminine" qualities, resulting in a successful new leadership style.
From the Paper "Biology classified people according to their sex, which is male or female. This biological dichotomy, however, has given rise to studies that generally classify male and female roles as a function of their sex. This approach to studying male and female behavior starts from the premise that sex roles are acquired early in life, as an inevitable result of biology.
Such conclusions were drawn from the earliest studies of male and female behavior. For example, the characteristics of domination, rebellion, ambition and cynicism were classified as masculine traits. Typical male activities include hobbies like repairing electrical appliances. On the other hand, qualities like tact, dependence, consideration and emotion were considered feminine traits. For these reasons, females were more likely to engage in activities geared towards their physical appearance (Constantinople 1973)."
Abstract Over the last 100 years or so, the idea of what makes up a family unit has changed over the world. This paper studies the results of the important social changes which have occurred in the United States in the emergence of alternative family units. The paper shows that these social changes have affected the relationships between people in families, the communication between these people and the very structure of the families themselves. Two specific changes are discussed: (1) the arrangement of domestic partnerships wherein a man and woman reside together and may share in all of the duties and activities that would be common to a husband and wife, however they choose not to marry; and (2) the gay and lesbian families and how they have altered the societal perceptions of what the word 'family' actually means. While these two relationships do not affect everyone in society, they have changed what society thinks about families and marriage in many ways. Because of this, they are two of the most important societal changes that have come about in recent years and are worthy of discussion.
From the Paper "This change in the term 'family' sometimes helps to pave the way for changes such as domestic partnerships, but it also confuses some of the issues that are important to them because they are not seen as a traditional family unit, and many of the laws are written to protect the traditional 'mother, father, and children' family unit. The forms that a family can take are much broader than they used to be, and although many of them are challenged, more and more of them are beginning to be embraced by society."
Abstract This paper is an opinion paper about the need for more emphasized sex education in high schools in order to promote correct use of birth-control and to assist in avoiding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among teenagers. The paper includes statistics which indicate that ignorance is one of the leading factors for teenage pregnancy and STDs and argues that the educational system is failing today's youth.
From the Paper "In modern society, safe sex has become a major concern in the United States. As early as elementary school, individuals are learning all about the "birds and the bees (Warwick Boar, 2003)". People can walk into any Health Clinic and receive free condoms and information on safe sex. Today, sex is a subject of conversation everywhere and is considered a social topic.
The media supports the free-spirited attitudes people have toward sex, as the news reports sexual research, and television shows focus on "the pleasure and problems of sexual situations" (Duvall, p. 336). However, despite the abundance of information available about safe sex, according to a recent survey by Cosmopolitan, 53 percent of young women are having, or have had, unprotected sex, greatly increasing their risk of catching a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or becoming pregnant."
Abstract This paper discusses whether or not homosexuals should be allowed to marry one another. For some in the gay community, demands for gay marriage may in fact be a form of challenge to the "straight" community, but those who are truly serious about the issue are attempting to secure for homosexual partners such rights taken for granted by heterosexual married couples as the right to inheritance, to insurance benefits, for one partner to visit the other in a hospital and so on. The paper shows that society has so far deemed marriage to mean more than this and to have at least the possibility of procreating children and this idea, sometimes but not necessarily touted as a demonstration of dedication to family or so-called "family values," is used as an argument to deny gays the right to marry one another. The paper argues that one does not have to subscribe to this vision of "family values" to oppose gay marriage, however, for there are a number of reasons why marriage should continue to be reserved for heterosexuals. If gays want to achieve certain rights, which indeed they should have, they can do so through some form of domestic partnership, which is already in place in many states and which can be expanded to serve the needs of all. This protects the institution of marriage while giving reasonable benefits to any domestic partner arrangement. The paper looks at the issue from a historical perspective and then offers a constitutional analysis to show how gay marriage has been presented in American law.
From the Paper "The cases discussed above in Hawaii, Vermont, Massachusetts, and other states constitute the current body of case law specifically on the issue of gay marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet had a case on the subject and so has not decided the issue. When such a case does reach the Court, proponents of gay marriage are likely to raise the issue in terms of the privacy rights cited above, while the opposing side is likely to emphasize the definition of marriage and the fact that numerous states today have laws on the books defining marriage as between a man and a woman only, with many such laws passed preemptively to avoid having to recognize gay marriages."
Abstract Feminist theory is a generalized, wide-ranging system of ideas about social life and human experience developed from a woman-centered perspective. By definition, feminist theory emerges from within an interdisciplinary community that includes scholars from a variety of disciplines. Feminist scholars work, first of all, to develop their own discipline (sociology) by taking into account the diverse work of Feminist theorists. Secondly, Feminist scholars seek to develop a critical understanding of society in order to effect change and make the world more just and humane.
Examines the advertising industry's use of beautiful women to sell products and the way in which ads are designed to sell, not only products, but values to society.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 4 sources, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract This paper discusses advertising and beauty. Without doubt, advertising in our society today is very much connected to the social construction of beauty. This is clear when we observe how women are exploited for the sake of selling products. There are certain stereotypical portrayals of women in advertisements that make the sexism and social construction of beauty in our society transparently clear. These ads are designed to sell products -- as well as to send certain values to the culture.
Abstract The paper explains that male leadership is often epitomized by an ego-driven form of direction-giving. Theu author points out that female leadership entails more listening and co-operation.
