Abstract In the past, heterosexuality was seen as the normal sexual orientation for most people. All other types of sexuality, such as bisexuality, asexuality, and homosexuality were seen as deviant forms of sexual behavior. However, in recent years, these lifestyles have become more accepted by society. This paper illustrates the lifestyles and possible explanations for different sexual orientations for the purpose of comparing and contrasting them with heterosexuality.
From the Paper "Bisexuality is defined as being the "sexual attraction to people of both sexes" (Macionis 2002:202). Kinsey believed that almost everyone, regardless of sexual orientation has had some sort of both heterosexual and homosexual experiences and that there were very few people who were exclusively heterosexual or homosexual. McWhirter (1990) suggests that a person is not attracted to two different sexes at the same time, but goes through phases in which he or she will be attracted to different sexes at different times, depending on what pleases their present mood or sexual desires. So, in theory, bisexualism is neither just homosexual nor heterosexual, but it is both types of sexual orientation, just apparent at different times (McWhirter 1990:255-256)."
Abstract Rotifers are, perhaps, one of the most interesting phyla of microscopic pseudocoelomate animals on the face of the planet. This paper looks at how the bdelloids reproduce and how have they been able to evolve successfully with asexual reproduction.
From the Paper "The corona of the rotifer is composed of several ciliated tufts positioned around the mouth. When these tufts are in motion, they resemble a wheel, hence the name. It is the motion of these tufts that sweep food into the mouth of the rotifer and is then chewed by the mastax that contains tiny jaws. In addition to feeding, the motion of these tufts provides locomotion, pulling the rotifer through the water (Ryan, 2004). (See Images 1 ? 4)"
Abstract ""A clone is one or more identical organisms descending asexually from a single common ancestor" (Encarta 99). It is a copy or close reproduction of a DNA sequence or gene produced by genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the alteration of an organism's genetic code, to remove characteristics of a creature that are not wanted and to replace them with desirable ones. Members of a clone are identical in their inherited characteristics except for differences caused by attitude. They have the identical genetic makeup of the parent organism. "
Abstract This paper analyzes the satirical novel by Alison Lurie called "Foreign Affairs". It takes a look at the two very realistic characters of Vinnie and Lurie and how they cope on a holiday to Britain. It shows the insecurities in all of us and how we try and make other people seem less important for our own self-esteem.
From the paper:
"Alison Lurie's novel Foreign Affairs details the two, parallel existences of American Anglophiles during a brief sojourn in London. One of these characters is named Vinnie Miner. Her name, suitably androgynous, complements her short gray hair and her childish, thin body. Vinnie is older, in her fifties, and Lurie details with wry observation how women of this age are often conceived of as asexual by the world's eyes. Her heroine came of age long before the 1970's radical feminist revolution. Yet Lurie is extremely suspicious and critical of this revolution and the way it attempts to encapsulate human affairs and human desires into political theories."
Abstract This paper contends that our impressions of May Welland are filtered through Newland's consciousness. The writer suggests that it is difficult to examine her character without taking into account Archer's view of her. However, as Archer himself eventually realizes, his sense of May is incomplete. This essay follows the development of the novel and shows how there is more to May than initially meets the eye.
From the paper:
?From the beginning, May is portrayed as the picture of innocence: she wears white, has a rosy glow, and is constantly carrying the Biblical lilies-of-the-valley. The descriptions Archer uses for her emphasize youth, athleticism, purity. He compares her, ?in her dress of white and silver, with a wreath of silver blossoms in her hair,? to "a Diana just alight from the chase" (58-59). In another instance, in ?weather to call out May's radiance,? he sees her burning like "a young maple in the frost" (71).?
This paper examines why it is that the memorial to women's suffrage in the Library of Congress includes Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott but not Sojourner Truth.
Abstract This essay examines why Sojourner Truth, one of the great American heroes, was excluded in the memorial to women's suffrage, by looking to a much less well known woman who was essentially her contemporary, Harriet Ann Jacobs.
From the Paper ?Jacobs, who (like Frederick Douglass) spun the chaff of her experiences as a woman defined by and oppressed because of her race into an eloquent and uncompromising narrative of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the lure of freedom to those denied it.
Born into slavery, Jacobs still was also taught to read at an early age. After being orphaned, she becoming increasingly close to her maternal grandmother, Molly Horniblow, who had been freed from slavery; their relationship is described in loving detail in her autobiographical Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. The work begins with one of the most compelling opening lines imaginable: ?I was born a slave; but I never knew it till six years of happy childhood had passed away.?
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the book, "The Traveler", written by Antal Szerb and edited by Peter Hargitai. Specifically, the paper discusses the novel's androgyny, "death eroticism," and how the novel is a rite of passage.
From the Paper "From the beginning of this novel, it is clear the main character, Mihaly, is not your typical bridegroom. First, he is thirty-six, a bit old for a groom, and second, he leaves his new wife to wander the alleys of Venice alone early in the story, hardly the thing an ardent bridegroom would do on his honeymoon. There is more to Mihaly than meets the eye, and even his wife recognizes this early on, when she muses, "? and, for that matter, how little women really interested him" (Szerb 7), and he has "secrets which he did not confess even to himself" (Szerb 8). Their relationship is odd from the beginning, and it is clear Mihaly is an androgynous man who does not understand himself, or the people around him. As he recounts his story, it is clear that he has no hint of his own sexuality, and so, he surrounds himself with androgynous people who complement his own lack of sensuality and sexual feeling. He seems to blame much of this on his childhood and adolescence, but it is clear throughout the book that Mihaly is simply a bland personality, who ultimately has no thoughts or deep feelings for anyone but himself and the dead Tamas."
Abstract This paper summarizes and analyzes "Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare, explaining that the comedy is about power, trust and the abuse of power.
From the Paper "He takes ample occasion to expound on his values - which are empty at the core. When Claudio is facing the realization that he might be killed for his sister's morality, the Duke gives him a "pep talk" which might drive anyone to suicide. Vincentio tells him to "be absolute for death" [III.i.4] and explains that life isn't worth living in the first place: "Thou hast nor youth, nor age,/ But as it were an after-dinner's sleep/ Dreaming on both.../...and when thou art old and rich,/ Thou hast neither heat, affection, limb nor beauty/ To make thy riches pleasant." [III.i.32-38] This sort of absolute nihilism leads us to believe that the Duke holds no meaning in life, and that his antics are a result of this meaninglessness. They are carried out without moral purpose, for the sheer pleasure of torment. Thus Vincentio serves as a reminder of the consequences which stem from the apathy of authority."
Abstract Mama Lena Younger is a domestic worker and matriarch of the Younger family in Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun". This paper examines how Lena is characterized as the stereotypical image of the asexual, self-sacrificing mother. It also attempts to show how Lena is not only the matriarch, but is also the revolutionary who sends her children do battle in the civil rights movement.
From the Paper "The strength of Lena as a matriarch is her blessing as well as her curse. Mama cleans house and never complains about it. She knows that it is something that needs to be done and wants her family to feel comfortable. She would do anything for her family at any cost. The strength enables her to endure the indignity of domestic work, in caring for her family, but it also frequently the cause of conflict within the family. The zeal she has for making sure that her family is morally upright carries the risk of stunting the emotional growth of all of them. She dominates her adult children, all of whom live under her crowded roof, and decides, without consulting them, to purchase a house with the $10,000 insurance benefit paid on her husband's death."
Abstract "This paper discusses the taxonomy of Tulipa species, its origins, its structure, its means of reproducing, both sexually and asexually, and the conditions it requires in order to succeed. The function of each part of the plant is also discussed, as well as the growth cycle from bulb to leafy growth, flowering and setting seed. The relatively long time span from seed to productive plant is also discussed."
From the Paper "Tulipa tulipa, the beloved spring flower, has been hybridized from its wild ancestors into a complex spectrum of species and cultivars. The genus Tulipa falls under the Phylum Magnoliophyta, the Class Liliopsida, the Order Liliales, and the Family Liliaceae, thus sharing its characteristics to some extent with lilies and onions. All are geophytic plants (literally earth plants) with an underground, multi-layered structure that nourishes and sustains the organism. The word Tulipa is derived from the Turkish word tulpend or tulbend, meaning "turban," which the flowers somewhat resemble (Pavord, 1999, pp. 4-5). Wild tulips are indigenous to Persia and Central Asia, in a range that extends to Portugal on the west and China and Japan on the east."
Abstract This paper discusses how according to Michael Davis, American popular culture has always reflected a common "insecurity" about masculinity "at the global and local level." The paper further discusses how the films "Brokeback Mountain" and "High Fidelity," reflect this anxiety. The paper classifies both these films as 'buddy films'.
From the Paper "In classifying both of these films as "buddy film" genres, it is important to remember exactly what a film genre is constituted by--film genres are usually defined by various formulaic structures (such as the outsider nature of the protagonists, alone tending sheep on a mountain, or alone in their superior musical tastes in a bubble-gum pop music listening world) and identifiable types of characters (such as the inarticulate man, the boisterous 'kid') who behave in recognizable patterns. Genres also have standard relationships, such as male bonding in active friendships forged over saving the world or saving music. Genres also often make use of various forms of syntax, such as the frequent joking typical of buddy films that conceal real emotion, rather than displays emotion, unlike the language deployed between men and women. Also, genres deploy similar filmic techniques such as the buddy film's use of communication through action, and make use of conventions, such as the use of the road or a physical problem as a medium for getting to know one another (Dirk, 2006) "
Abstract In this paper, the writer points out that women and their status in society are issues more seriously discussed today then ever before, but disabled women still have a long struggle to find dominant and powerful positions in different fields, in general, and with respect to their sexuality, in particular. The writer further points out that there are many issues that disabled women face but the issue of their sexuality is generally brushed under the carpet as they are stereotyped as asexual. They also suffer abuses because of lack of education or lack of rules and regulation in the institutional facilities. The writer concludes that the role of parent and immediate family is crucial as they should help family members with disabilities develop as normal beings instead of suppressing their sexualities. Further, the writer notes that society should play its role and activists must highlight such issues.
Outline:
Introduction
Human Need
Stereotypes
Research
Women in Institutions
Lack of Sex Education
The Laws & Society
Concept of Self
Conclusions
From the Paper "Sexuality is not just about having or the ability to have physical intercourse but it also about being comfortable with one's own body and feminine side. It is about dressing up nicely, looking good, and admiring others and being admired. These are the basic human needs. Everyone wants to look good and feel god about oneself. Disabled women also have the right to develop a personal style without suppressing their desires and sexuality. They are also complete human beings. Their lives should not dependent on the wait for another meal in a day. We must recognize that just like eating, drinking and breathing, these women have their sexual needs as well which needs an outlet."
Abstract The paper examines Elizabeth Bishop's poems "Sonnet," "Song for the Rainy Season," "The Fish," and "Rainbow" and asserts that they all reveal a hidden "gay code." On the surface, the poems appear simple, but underneath they present themes related to homosexuality, such as the desire for social acceptance, emotional confusion and ambivalence, and gay pride. The paper explains how Bishop's poems tacitly declare that gays are human just like everyone else and that they demonstrate Bishop's gay pride as well as implicitly ask society to change its attitude about homosexuality.
From the Paper "The first section begins with the word "caught," and the other section begins with the word "freed." The diction of the first section starkly contrasts that of the second section. At first, Bishop uses words, such as "divided," "caught," and "wobbling" to illustrate the creature's state of emotional ambivalence, captivity, and confusion. However, in the second section, Bishop uses words, such as "broken," "running," and "gay." Bishop's diction in the second part of the poem shows that the creature has defied the constraints placed on him earlier. He has "broken" free from the "bubble/ in the spirit level." When he does this, he no longer feels "divided." Instead, he feels "gay" as Bishop describes in the final line of the poem. Interestingly, the creature could represent Elizabeth Bishop because, when she states that the creature is "running away," this act parallels Elizabeth Bishop's decision to escape a homophobic America and move to a more liberal Brazil."
Abstract The field of genetic engineering has progressed tremendously over the last decade. Ever since the 1997 cloning of the first mammal, Dolly, the field of genetic engineering has been subject to criticism both on moral and ethical grounds. The author of the paper attempts to give a brief overview of cloning and specifically, pharming, the use of genetic engineering to insert genes into host animals or plants that would otherwise not posses those genes and therefore produce useful pharmaceuticals.
From the Paper "Fundamentally, cloning is an asexual process wherein all the genetic material of the offspring is derived from a single parent nucleus resulting in the creation of a genetic duplicate of the parent. In nature, asexual reproduction is restricted mainly to unicellular organisms and some varieties of plants. The cloning process involves nuclear transfer wherein nuclear material obtained from the donor cell is inserted into an enucleated oocyte to form a zygote, which can be implanted into a surrogate mother. Since this is essentially an asexual form of reproduction it has its drawbacks when we envision obtaining entire animal populations from such a technique. First and foremost is the negative effect on genetic diversity. [Scientific American] As we know, genetic diversity and evolution are the key for survival in the long run. By creating an entire population with the same genetic material we run the risk of loosing some of the genes permanently. (inbreeding depression) This practice also endangers the whole species to some disease which would wipe out the entire population which lacks gene diversity and hence the development of resistance. In sexual reproduction however, genetic recombination occurs and chromosomal crossover ensures different combination of genes in the resultant offspring. [Scientific American] Biological variation is the key to the survival of a species and hence cloning is not an effective method for the long-term survival of any species. However, there are other applications for cloning technique, which could be beneficially used for humanity."
