What does it mean to be a ‘woman’ or a ‘man’ and how can we tell the difference? What does it mean to speak of ‘sex’, ‘sexuality’ and ‘gender’, and how do these concepts interrelate? This module explores the social relationship between sex, sexuality and gender. Drawing on a range of theoretical approaches from sociology, feminism and queer theory, the module argues that it is impossible to understand any one of these three terms without reference to the other two.
The module describes in a critical fashion the ways in which hierarchies of sex, sexuality and gender are implicated in all areas of social life. In both Western and non-Western societies, what a woman and a man should be has relied on a narrow understanding of sex, gender and sexuality and the relationship between these three. This understanding is reproduced, reinforced and enforced by a range of social institutions, from the state to religious organisations and the media, and has been used to marginalise alternative gender and sexual identities.
The material in this module provides a foundation for other modules that look at how hierarchies of sex, sexuality and gender intersect with other social differences including race, socio-economic status, ethnicity and location.
| Attachment | Size | Type |
|---|---|---|
 Sex, Sexuality and Gender Outline for Participants | 44.38 KB | |
| Sex, Sexuality and Gender Facilitator Notes | 267.49 KB | |
 Sex, Sexuality and Gender Powerpoint Slides | 2.35 MB | Powerpoint file |
| Sex, Sexuality and Gender Handout A | 25.35 KB | |
| Sex, Sexuality and Gender Handout B | 179.57 KB |
