Sexual stereotyping
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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There are two main kinds of sexual stereotyping depending on different usage of the word sex. Stereotypes of masculinity and femininity are sexual stereotypes, where sex is being used as synecdoche for gender. Stereotypes of sexual preference are sexual stereotypes, where sex refers to erotic behaviour.
The British biologist, Angus John Bateman was the one who first talked about sexual stereotypes in the late 1940s. His theory would say that males are promiscuous and females tend to be more selective when choosing their sexual partners. Although Bateman's principle was based on experiments made of fruitflies, later on he concluded that the theory applies also in the case of humans. His ideas were based on the fact that males presented an "undiscriminating eagerness" to mate while females displayed "discriminated passivity."
Impact of sexual stereotypes
Living up to stereotypes can have damaging effects. Intending to live up to sexual stereotypes may lead to frustration. Stereotypes have the ability to create an idea that some are better than others based on their sexual abilities and sexual organs.
According to a study made in 2000, 47% of girls surveyed said that girls and boys have the same sexual abilities and strengths while only 29% of boys agreed with the same statement. The subjects were girls from grades three to 12. The survey concluded that girls are constrained by outmoded sexual stereotypes that reduce their quality of life and lower expectations for their futures.
Sexual orientation stereotypes
People with negative views of gay, lesbian, and transgender people often use stereotypes about them to justify their attacks. Sometimes, it has also fueled violence against LGBT people. According to ABC News, "Gay activists often criticize media coverage of gay pride parades, saying, correctly, that the media focus on the extreme, the more flamboyantly feminine men and very masculine women. But that's not us, they say. Most of us are just like everyone else."
