Child Sexuality or Intersex Become Especially Difficult

¶ … child sexuality or intersex become especially difficult to discuss. These readings all ask us to question why those taboos are in place, while at the same time trying to show how important research in human sexuality can be. Sexuality is a major part of the human experience, and a fully understanding of psychology and sociology is not possible without open explorations into issues surrounding sexuality. Added to the complex issues surrounding human sexuality is gender. Gender is totally different from, but certainly related to, sexuality.

On the one hand, one's concept of gender will have a strong bearing on one's perception of oneself as a sexual being, will impact issues related to self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-confidence. On the other hand, gender is only slightly implicated in things like sexual attraction. Both gender and sexual attraction are remarkably fluid, as Diamond points out. They may even be fluid across the course of a person's life. As Diamond and the NOVA video show, intersex individuals draw attention to the interesting fluidity of sexuality and gender.

The most challenging of the three articles is Money's because he discusses children's sexuality in frank terms. Most people are ashamed or afraid to discuss children's sexuality for various reasons. Some of those reasons may indeed be ingrained, unconscious, or biological in nature. Childhood sexuality is what Freud built many of his theories on, because it was as if he understood how important childhood sexuality was to the formation of character, emotional complexes, and mental hang-ups.

I also believe that some of the problems related to pedophilia are a result of either repressed childhood sexuality or overblown media attention. Sexuality is powerful, which may be why it disturbs people. People who are comfortable with their sexuality tend to be healthy beings, whereas those who are uncomfortable with some aspect of their sexuality may have neuroses. As Money points out, people do have animal instincts and are in fact still animals.

Having a more lighthearted and humorous approach to sexuality might help liberate people from their neuroses and create a healthier society. Likewise, liberation from gender norms and roles might go a long way toward creating a better world. Instead of assigning roles and identities to children based on their biological sex, it would be better to allow children to express themselves in whatever way works for them. As long as the child is not hurting others, there is no reason to enforce rigid gender roles.

If the child ends up having a fluid gender identity, or especially in intersex scenarios, there should be no stigma. People find that gender is integral to personal identity, though, which is why many are uncomfortable with people who do not conform to their expectations of gender. I do not believe there are easy answers to any of the questions raised by the authors or by the Sex: Unknown video.

Some people do seem to be born with a strong sense of gender identity and never struggle with their sexuality or their sexual orientation. Others do seem to have a more difficult time, whether they have fetishes or whether they were taught to be homophobic. Social norms are largely to blame.