Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality, 2024
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Biological Sex, Gender Roles and Sexual Scripts
Martynova Nadezhda (Nadia)
ABSTRACT:
This article examines how perception of male genital anatomy as specifically associated with the penis, and female genital anatomy associated with the vagina influences existing sexual scripts by prescribing vaginal penetration as basic form of sexual connection between female and male. This study further investigates how this understanding of sex as vaginal penetration reinforces gender roles. The gender analysis of sexual scripts, presented in the article, challenges the notion of this anatomical understanding of biological sex as socially neutral. Associating male anatomy with the penis and female anatomy with the clitoris, the article presents a view on sexuality that is more aligned with the bodily-sexual interests of women in heterosexual relationships. With this conceptual approach in mind, the study explores how gender and biological sex influence sexual behavior in traditional (phallocentric) and more egalitarian sexual scripts. The article describes the limitations of the proposed and promoted egalitarian sexual script, which are created by gender roles. This exploration contributes to a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between anatomy, the understanding of anatomy, gender norms, and sexual behavior.
keywords: sexual script, gender, phallocentricity, clitoris