Proper Condom Use

What do you use condoms for?  Do you use them to prevent pregnant? Prevent STDs/STIs?  Do you ever think that condoms interfere with the pleasure of having sex?  Do they ruin the romance of sex?

Peter Chua’s article Condoms in the Global Economy help us understand condom use by focusing on the use of condom among different groups.  Especially town particular, at risk, groups, such as gay mean and young women.  Researchers have sought to understand the social factors that prevent condom use; this includes the study of the role that education and public information that is available.  With this public and private agencies can minimize unwanted pregnancies and disease (509).

Here’s an example of sex education being wanted because the adults of South Park don’t want their kids to learned about sex from the television:

http://southpark.cc.com/clips/152837/sex-education

Final Reflection: A Post on Society & Sex

Upon being asked the question of what the most important and influential concept to understanding the relationship between sex and society covered in this semester, I began to think about all the different concepts talked and read about in class. When thinking about everything, I began to see connections between different terms that came up throughout the semester that were discussed that I had never seen before. The concepts are all fairly different, yet are all still related in some ways because of the manner that society has been formed over the years. Agents of socialization, sex education, social constructions, and heteronormativity have all become interconnected, creating an environment of hostility towards people who do not identify as heterosexual.

The agents of socialization people are exposed to impact their views on everything in life. However, their views on sex are affected more so than some other aspects of life are. The socialization of sex and sex education has a more prevalent impact on how a person forms their ideas and views on sex. The environment a person was raised in, their religion, schooling experience, family, friends, and the media all heavily influence the formation of what sex means and should mean to a person. But, this can be dangerous- with the amount of societal constructions (such as what “good” or “normal” sex is, gender, etc.)  that exist today, it is easy for the manner in which a person was socialized to negatively affect their views on sex or gender. For example, many religions do not condone homosexuality, so if someone is raised in that environment, it is likely they would judge and discriminate anyone who is homosexual.

SInce gender is a social construction, it easy to stereotype and discriminate against those who do not fit into the gender binaries that exist today (boy and girl). So, those who appear as  lesbian, gay, queer, bisexual, or transgender are easily stereotypes and judged. The heteronormative ideals that are held by the majority of the people in this country also lead to stigmas and discrimination. When people who have other sexual orientations other than heterosexual, they are often mistreated by society and can even be susceptible to violence, sexual violence in particular (as seen in the video of the transgender man who used the bathroom of a New York McDonald and was beat for it by the manager, yet was charged for a misdemeanor when in actuality he was the victim ).

Over the years, this problem has perpetuated. It has become easier for discrimination and violence to occur without any repercussion on the perpetrator. The connections between these terms and these societal constructions and manifestations all lend to why society is as it is today and why people discriminate, act violently toward, and outcast nonheterosexual people. Having a good understanding of all these terms allows for a person too see the interconnectedness and understand why these horrible things occur. It allows for people to be aware of  the problem and not lend to it or be an enabler.

Social Implications of Condoms

Why is there a Double Standard?

There is a definite double standard between men and women in the college environment. Kathleen Bogle states designates a whole chapter to provide readers an explanation and attempt to create an understanding for those of us who don’t really get it. So, guys are free to hook up with whoever comes at them (or whoever they go after) while girls have to be cautious to maintain a good reputation, one that does not include the words “slut” or “whore”. Furthermore, we are given standards to live by with no boundaries. Larry, a senior at Faith University, stated that a girl is considered a slut if she sleeps with twelve guys in a short period of time or if she hooks up with five guys in a week, which means a new guy every day. This statement really bothered me because I feel like that is not the least bit realistic. So where do these guys get these obscenely high numbers when being asked what a “slut” is? Do they think that girls are morally corrupt or do they use their numbers for background knowledge to make the estimate? The more important question may be: who are these guys to determine what the definition of a “slut” is? Why can they hook up with large amounts of girls and still be considered a bro? If guys are given the opportunity to define such a harsh term, we clearly have a problem in society. This double standard is very unclear which gives guys more freedom and girls more of an opportunity to be judged. I also found it displeasing that once a girl hooks up with a guy, she is talked about with the “bros” which could possibly place a target on her. A target that calls for boys to stay away from her or one that draws them in. It was interesting that boys who want to hook up look for the “trophy girl”, one that does not hook up often. My question is, if she does not hook up often then why does he think he’s something special enough to persuade her to hookup. Does it make her more of a trophy girl if she turns him down knowing she is just another girl to him?

By interviewing boys and providing statistics, it is known that boys don’t want to date in college. They want to “have fun.” It takes two to tango. Therefore, in the midst of trying to have their own fun they are putting the moves on many girls. In society today, a girl will do whatever it takes to try to get a boy to fall for her, even if that means hooking up. Maybe boys are essentially the start to this unfortunate domino effect. Let’s set up a scenario: A girl sees a guy at a party who she thinks is very attractive, they talk, he uses his sweet talking abilities, they leave and now they are in bed together. By the time the night is over, he’s a bro and she’s a slut?

This video displays the sexual double standard wonderfully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baT3LWaSfuM

She explains that this double standard has taken place for a really long time. Even though both a man and a woman are involved in the act, the woman is viewed as promiscuous.

Earlier in the semester, we talked about sexual education programs in school. Many were not efficient and some schools did not have them at all. This woman in the video brings up a very important fact. Many young girls today are told not to be too revealing with their outfits because boys will get the wrong impression. Therefore, they need to be taught more than only abstinence in these programs. As I said, this sexual double standard is really not specific which allows anyone to say mean things. Even girls call girls sluts when they are not particularly taking part in any action that would resemble the actions of a “slut”. This is the time where we need to educate to stop this double standard.

My questions for you: How can we stop this double standard? Do boys instigate it? Why are they given the opportunity to define it? Should Kathleen Bogle have interviewed guys at different universities? Do you think there is any hope to end this double standard?

Rape on the college campus

Many large universities dismiss rape in order to keep their reputations up.  This is exactly what UVA did when it came to reporting their rape cases.  A few years back, a girl

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fculture%2Ffeatures%2Fa-rape-on-campus-20141119&ei=SSB2VJL4Lor1oATRm4LwAg&bvm=bv.80642063,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNH_biykG2RKvu5gtJDGzQt3u1M9HQ&ust=1417114057062501

How We Can Make College Campuses Safer

What’s Sex got to do with… 19 Kids and Counting?

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution ensures that all US citizens have freedom of speech and are free to choose and participate in whatever religion they want. However, there is and has always been a lot of controversy over where one person’s rights begin and another person’s end. Fisher argues that, in the United States, the discourse surrounding sexual morality is predominantly based on the more powerful religious cultures (namely Christianity) which act to control the sex lives of the populace and to organize individuals into those who are “pure” and those who are “polluted”. There are those who corrupt, typically men and “impure women”, and those who are corrupted, typically children.

Following this logic, the United States is organized in such a way that sexuality is suppressed, children are taught abstinence only sex education, and women are slut shamed. However, in recent years there has been a major shift in the discourse. With the ever growing marriage equality laws across the country, people are more aware than ever of the inequality and oppression that those who fall outside of the heteronormative Christian group face.

Recently, the Duggar’s, a very conservative Christian family, the stars of the TLC show “19 Kids and Counting”, have been at the center of controversy. 100,000 people have signed a petition to remove them from the television claiming that they are “fear mongering” and “spreading ignorance and hatred” about the LGBTQI community. All of this started because the mom, Michelle Duggar, opposed a law for her community which would allow transgender individuals to use restrooms and changing rooms based on their chosen gender, not their assigned one. Duggar remarked that she did not want the system to be abused by child predators who could lie about being transgender.

Do you think Michelle Duggar’s response to her town’s proposed bill warrants such extreme reactions from the public? Are her rights protected less under the First Amendment because she is a conservative Christian? Where is the line between freedom of speech and religion and “fear mongering” and discrimination?

Final Concept Analysis: Sexual Subjectivity

Spotlight on… Vandy Sex Educators!

It is important that students are aware of the safety precautions and risks associated with having sex, so they can make healthy choices during their time at Vanderbilt and in the future. For this Campus-Community Connections Project, we decided to investigate the Sex Educators Club at Vanderbilt University.

Condom Commericals

Here’s the condom commercial Katie reference in WGS 160-01:

(Thanks for sharing, Katie!)