344U: Gender and Sexualities

Although people can be intolerant, silly, or pushy about what constitutes proper diet, differences in menu rarely provoke the kinds of rage, anxiety, and sheer terror that accompany differences in erotic taste.” -- Gayle Rubin (1984: 279)

mavericks a la mode
A picture is worth a thousand words

Reading Schedule
Have assigned reading done before class
The reading schedule may change throughout the course

Week 1: Building A Sociological Approach
Tuesday, 9.27.16: Introduction
Thursday, 9.29.16: C. W. Mills: The Sociological Imagination; Intro. & Chapter 1 from Kimmel, pp. 1-20

Week 2: The Dangers of Studying Sexuality
Tuesday, 10.4.16: Sexuality & History Revisited; Millennium Blues and Beyond, J. Weeks
Thursday, 10.6.16: Film (Kinsey: An American Experience)
(To Learn more about Kinsey, visit: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kinsey)

Week 3: The Bodies in which we Reside
Tuesday: 10.11.16: Chapter 2 from Kimmel, pp. 21-57; The Five Sexes, Anne Fausto-Sterling
Thursday, 10.13.16: Creating Good Looking Genitalia, Suzanne Kessler; Film Clip: Is it a Boy or Girl?

Week 4: Cross Cultural Constructions
Tuesday, 10.18.16: Ritualized Homosexuality in Nacirema, M. Kimmel (Reading Assignment worth 10 points)
Thursday, 10.20.16: Chapter 3 from Kimmel, pp. 58-87; Video Clip: Mosuo: Kingdom of Women

Interesting TED Talks about Sexuality:
1. 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Orgasm
2. How I Help Transgender Teens Become Who They Are
3. How Vulnerability and Shame are Organized by Gender
4. Why We Cheat

Week 5: “It’s all in your head , my friend.”
Tuesday, 10.25.16: Chapter 4 from Kimmel, pp. 86-110;
Thursday, 10.27.16: Becoming Sexual: Differences between Children and Adult Sexuality

Week 6: Sexual Intimacies and their Construction
Tuesday, 11.1.16: Chapter 5 from Kimmel, pp. 111-148; The Social Constructionist’s Essential Guide, Gordon and Abbott
Thursday, 11.3.16: Midterm

Extra Credit Option
Stress: Portrait of a Killer, by National Geo. Graph.
As discussed in class, this documentary explores the medical research on the effects stress has on the human animal in modern society.
To earn full credit, write a minimum of two pages discussing the following two questions:
1. How does Kimmel’s argument that one’s social location (i.e., one’s relationship to the structure of social power) often better explains observed differences between men and women than biological explanations?
2. How does Robert Sapolsky’s research illustrate the reciprocal relationship between human physiology and the social?
The documentary is available on Netflix

Week 7: Identity Politics: What we “are” vs. What we “do”
Tuesday: 11.8.16: Chapter 12 from Kimmel, pp. 339-380
Thursday, 11.10.15: Guest Speaker: Stella Harris, Sex Coach

Week 7: Media, Politics, Gender, and our Interactions
Tuesday: 11.15.16: Chapter 10 from Kimmel, pp. 287-316; Chapter 11 from Kimmel, pp. 317-344
Project Paper Due
Thursday, 11.17.16: Chapter 13 from Kimmel, pp. 370-420

Week 8: Intimacies, the Body and their Construction
Tuesday: 11.22.16: movie: Film ( Don Jon )
Thursday: 11.24.16: NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING

Week 9: TBA
Tuesday: 11.29.16: Chapter 14 from Kimmel, pp. 421-452
Thursday, 12.1.15:Chapter 8 from Kimmel, pp. 221-243: Movie: For the bible Tells me So

Week 10: Final
Tuesday: 12.6.16: (meeting time: 10:15 - 12:15):
Portland State Finals Schedule

Important Dates
Midterm: 11.3.16
Project Paper: 11.22.16
Extra Credit: 12.6.16
Final: 12.6.16

Sexuality?!

Class Syllabus

Reflection Paper

Study Guides

Resources

Women’s Health Research Unit

Student Health Serv.

Women’s Res. Center

Bradley Angle House

Bromance!!

The Williams Institute is a great resource on independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy.

The Guttmacher Institute is the best resource for reproductive research worldwide. Check it out!