Social Policy Regarding Sexism How Are Sexism Term Paper

Total Length: 1279 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 4

Page 1 of 4

Social Policy Regarding Sexism

How are sexism and heterosexism are linked?

Sexism basically deals with discrimination related to gender. This can undertake discrimination against just women or even against men too. Sexism implies that there are conventional gender roles that one ought to follow and these roles have an effect on the way people behave in society. Sexism involves the stereotyping of genders and generalizing the way people act (Gotz, 1999). This often has farfetched effects on individuals. Heterosexism on the other hand implies that everyone should be a heterosexual and that is the best form of sexual orientation and is preferred over being an LGBTQ. This implies a form of biased attitude towards those who have a different sexual orientation and this is why they face discrimination and differed attitudes in society. Hence, both sexism and heterosexism are linked as they create differences in society and label gender roles and the way people are supposed to act in society (Gotz, 1999).

Significance of the Social Purity Movement

The social purity movement basically dealt with the idea of elevating the morality as well as the place that women held in society as a whole. Their aim was to bring about a change in the way women are generally treated in society and to put an end to acts such as prostitution and the double standards that had come about. The movement was called "social purity" because it focused on purifying society and reeducating people in order to keep a check on the level of sexuality in society. The movement was quite significant in the sense that it helped shape the views of feminists about the women prostitution (Bristow, 1997). The movement brought about some regulations and legalizations such as putting an age of consent, censoring pornography and making segregated prisons for women and abolishing and putting limits on abortion.

The most significant social policy:

The most important social policy regarding sexism that I found was that of social construction, morality and the basic organization of sexuality in society.

Stuck Writing Your "Social Policy Regarding Sexism How Are Sexism" Term Paper?

This social policy actually deals with the way heterosexuals are treated in society, the kind of discrimination and oppression they have to face in society as a result. The policy talks about homophobia which is the fear of the LGBTQs and outlines the basic conduct of people in society and those not following it become social outcasts and suffer from penalties (Kantor, 1998). The workings of the policy can be noticed in the way it functions with HIV aids and how same sex marriages and orientations are supposedly the cause for the spread of the disease. It has also come to be known as the "gay disease."

There has been widespread emphasis on putting a stop to the discussion of same sex marriage openly within the family or elsewhere. The motive is to let the issue remain a taboo so that people realize the importance of being heterosexuals and having that sexual orientation which is acceptable in society and which would not call upon any kind of disregard from the society. The importance of societal norms and their acceptance has been stressed over and over again. They went to the extent of discouraging same sex couples visiting the hospitals. It was considered that the same sex couples gave rise to promiscuity and led to sexuality becoming more widely discussed in the society (Bristow, 1997).

Also, according to the policy homophobia puts a kind of curtain over heterosexism which is also one of the serious issues in society. Heterosexism favored one form of sexual orientation more than the others but this does not make it any less of a problem. According to this concept, heterosexuality was the only acceptable form of sexual orientation and anyone not acting upon these accepted norms would be viable to face discrimination and oppression within the society.….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Social Policy Regarding Sexism How Are Sexism" (2012, January 27) Retrieved May 17, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/social-policy-regarding-sexism-sexism-114954

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Social Policy Regarding Sexism How Are Sexism" 27 January 2012. Web.17 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/social-policy-regarding-sexism-sexism-114954>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Social Policy Regarding Sexism How Are Sexism", 27 January 2012, Accessed.17 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/social-policy-regarding-sexism-sexism-114954