Homosexuality

Paper Summary:

This paper questions how gender roles are developed--is it because of the nature of the sexes, or is it the nurturing process of socialization that creates one accepted role for boys and another for girls in a given society. It discusses many sociological theories about how the phenomenon of homosexuality develops and looks at society's role in gender stereotyping which also contribute to this factor.

From the Paper:

"In every society, children learn from their parents the concept of "feminine" and "masculine" and what that means in a given culture. After all, much about these conceptions is not biological at all but cultural. The way we tend to think about men and women and their gender roles in society constitute the prevailing paradigm that influences our thinking. This may change over time, and in the last forty years or so we have seen the concept undergo considerable change in the face of the feminist movement and related efforts to challenge traditional attitudes and ideas with something more egalitarian. The question of gender roles is associated with the nature versus nurture debate, which also emerges in a number of other sociological issues. This issue raises the question of which dominates, nature or nurture, meaning inherent traits or the power of training and socialization in a cultural setting. Most discussions of gender hold that it is the latter that is most important in determining social attitudes and behavior."

More papers on Homosexuality:

• Essay # 37174 : "Homosexuality and Two Eastern Faiths"
• Analytical Essay # 141848 : "Is Homosexuality Ethical?"
• Analytical Essay # 33734 : "Homosexuality and Social Justice"
• Analytical Essay # 135568 : "Homosexuality in "The Bridegroom"

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