Sexuality

1. Sexuality

2. Sexuality
• Sexual orientation is:
– A pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual
attractions to men, women, both genders, neither
gender, or another gender.

3. Homosexual stereotypes
• It’s just a phase
• All gay men will die of AIDS
• All gay men are feminine
• All gay women are butch
• Gay men can’t marry or have
children
• Looked down on – seen as abnormal
• Seen as an illness that can be cured

4. Bisexual stereotypes
• Bisexuality isn’t real
• Bisexuals are confused,
undecided, dabblers, insecure,
experimenting, ‘greedy’
• People are either gay, straight
or lying
• Bisexuals are promiscuous

5. Heterosexual stereotypes
• Monogamous
• It’s the norm
• Male partners are abusers
• Straight couples always
have children

6. Media representations
• Give people a broad view of sexuality
• Give the wrong impression
• Used to make TV more interesting
• People can relate to characters

7. Tessa Perkins – theory
• Tessa Perkins – truth to every stereotype
– Gay women often (not always) act ‘butch’ – dress
and act like men
– Gay men often (not always) very camp – speak
with a lisp and interested in fashion
– Meterosexual men are making the traditional
‘camp’ homosexual stereotype less relevant
– Straight couples often have high rate of infidelity
and divorce