Sexuality: Nature vs Nurture Debate

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differences and which are due to cultural or social factors. This debate shall be critically analysed in light of the theories including, feminism, Marxism, symbolic interactionism, and on the other hand the biological and psychoanalytical perspectives in an attempt to illuminate on the concept of sexuality as either the product of societal rules or biology.

One can argue that gender behaviour is mostly due to social conventions where children learn to categorise themselves by gender through primary socialisation. A notable element of socialising a male child is by the process of cannibalisation whereby the parents encourage behavioural norms that are generally considered appropriate for either male or female. Fathers do that through the employment of elements such as toy soldiers and cars, balls, guns, and digging tools and encourage them to learn how to manipulate their physical and social environment through physical strength and skills. Whilst girls are taught to ...

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elites group (Baobab 2003). One can note that the ideologies surrounding the abovementioned regulations are the product of a patriarchal society where by men oppress women to protect, promote and monopolise power in the society. Radical feminists such as Butler (1990) define patriarchy as a social system in which men appropriate all social roles and keep women in subordinate positions (Haralambos Holborn 2008). Patriarchal attitudes are bred in the family through the socialization process. Thus, gender as a social identity and a set of norms that govern sexuality and behaviour. People are not born men or women: they acquire these gender identities through a social process of learning ...

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