Gender and Sexuality (Michael Ryan)

 

Gender is a complex interplay of both biological factors and learned behaviors shaped by our culture. For instance, in North American grocery stores, magazines often feature physically attractive women on their covers. Biologists suggest that people find symmetry in these images appealing, as it's linked to unconscious thoughts about reproductive success in men. This connection between attractiveness and reproduction suggests a natural basis for cultural preferences.

 

However, there's also a social aspect to gender roles. The women who typically handle shopping are more likely to see these magazines, reflecting a culturally designated task. Magazine producers are aware of their target audience and strategically place their products. This can be traced back to a natural instinct for resource accumulation for survival, which men historically had greater access to. Therefore, the cultural emphasis on sexual attractiveness may stem from women's perceived need to appeal to men who hold power and resources, particularly in societies where resource distribution is uneven among genders.

 

In recent times, cultural scholars have explored how culture can influence our understanding of nature. Our biological gender often manifests in cultural expressions like clothing and hairstyles, which might lead us to believe that our gender identity is solely determined by biology, particularly our physical differences. For example, women have historically been associated with tasks like childbirth and childcare, a pattern that has persisted over time.

 

However, sociologists argue that many behaviors attributed to gender identity are actually taught and learned. Social hierarchies that favor men in economic and political realms, for instance, can influence women's behaviors and preferences in ways that perpetuate these hierarchies. This can include women feeling inclined to take on caretaking roles. These behaviors may seem natural, but they are often the result of cultural conditioning rather than inherent instincts. This conditioning can make existing gender power dynamics appear to arise naturally, when in reality, they are learned behaviors passed down through generations.

Nature and culture often intertwine in our understanding of gender and sexuality. What may initially seem like natural inclinations can actually be heavily influenced by cultural norms and experiences.

 

For instance, gender roles and expressions, like clothing choices, may appear to be biologically determined. However, many of these behaviors are taught and learned through social conditioning. This can be seen in the pressure placed on women to take on caretaking roles, which may not necessarily be a spontaneous preference, but rather a learned behavior influenced by cultural norms.

 

Sexuality, or our practices related to gender, may seem to follow a clear male-female binary, primarily influenced by biology. However, cultural and personal experiences shape our sexual preferences and behaviors in ways that go beyond this binary. For example, in the Japanese online community, adult women, many of whom are likely heterosexual, explore their interest in adult male-boy homosexuality. This challenges the traditional binary model of desired objects in relationships.

 

Even within heterosexual identities, there exists a diverse range of sexual preferences and expressions. Some individuals may take pleasure in more passive roles, while others prefer dominant roles. This complexity is often overlooked due to the prevailing belief in a rigid male-female norm.

 

When considering experiences of gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals, the simplicity of gender and sexuality becomes further complicated. Additionally, transgender individuals challenge traditional notions of assigned gender and may choose to align their physical appearance with their preferred gender identity.

 

Ultimately, culture plays a significant role in shaping our understanding of gender and sexuality. While cultural norms may influence our behaviors and identities, it's essential to recognize that each person is also influenced by their biological makeup. The interaction between these physical drives and cultural norms often leads to complex issues surrounding gender identity and sexuality. This includes historical stigmatization of individuals who do not conform to prevailing cultural norms, such as lesbian women. Progress is being made, but challenges persist in societies where traditional gender roles and expectations remain deeply ingrained.

The study of gender and sexuality delves into a domain filled with complex and sometimes challenging emotions. It's a realm where power dynamics come into play, often leading to the subordination of certain groups based on gender and access to sexual resources. However, it's important to acknowledge that gender and sexuality also serve as arenas for human creativity and enjoyment, encompassing both the natural instinct to propagate the human species and the desire for pleasure through interactions with others.

 

This cultural domain of gender and sexuality spans from the depths of the human psyche to the advertisements we encounter in public spaces like billboards and television commercials. What remains consistent throughout this range is the fusion of emotions and visual representation in human experience, whether in our private thoughts or in the public portrayal of culture. The content featured on billboards and in commercials is a reflection of our deep-seated feelings. These feelings are a blend of biological reactions and visual cues. Our minds process emotions by converting them into mental images. This is why cultural visuals, particularly those associated with profound emotions linked to gender and sexuality, can have such a powerful impact on us. These images evoke intense feelings because they are connected, in the minds of their creators, to deep-seated emotions. Rather than merely representing actual men or women, they serve as outlets for inner sentiments and emotional states.

 

This sheds light on why culture can be seen as an extension of nature. Biologically determined processes, influenced by genetics and chemicals, manifest in our minds as words and images that convey emotions from the physical realm into our mental and cultural spheres. Mental images act as gateways that channel non-mental processes and states into the realm of cognition and conscious awareness. When these images become public, they shape our culture. In our cultural context, images depicting men, women, and sexuality have the potential to deeply affect us, owing to their origins in our most fundamental selves. Images featuring sexually appealing male and female bodies trigger sexual desire because they are already imbued with such desire.