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Impersonal Sex in Public Places

In Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places, Laud Humphreys redefined the sociology of deviance by showing that men from mainstream society were the main participants of a highly deviant activityùimpersonal sex in restrooms dubbed the tearoom (Rainwater in Humphreys, 1975, p. xiii). Unlike prevalent conceptions of deviant acts as belonging solely to a deviant subculture, such as the gay culture, tearoom sex involves men who are married and live with their wives (Humphreys, 1975, p. 105).

Depending on how far their deviant behavior deviated from the rest of their lives, these men faced different risks by participating in tearoom sex. Therefore, Humphreys (1975) discovered that married men with a respectable position in mainstream society compensated for their deviant behavior by acting more appropriately than other people. On the other hand, single gay people represented the other extreme; they did not fear the endangerment of their social position if they were caught (pp. 134-6).

According to Humphreys (1975), the participants engage in tearoom sex in accordance with this fundamental rule: maximize the reward and minimize the cost. In this case, the reward is to obtain sexual satisfaction while the cost is exposure to unwanted intruders such as friends from mainstream society, police and bullies (pp. 45-7). The tearoom environment suits men from mainstream societies for several reasons. The most popular restrooms used are located near freewaysùthe main commuter routes. These men can always use the excuse that they stop to use the restrooms on their way home. They risk being seen if they go to gay bars and baths. Furthermore, the silence and the impersonality of the tearoom atmosphere allow the men to dissociate themselves from the deviant world the moment they leave the bathrooms, without risking any relationships (Humphreys, 1975, pp. 152-4).

In his research, Humphreys could have used other research methods, such a...

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Impersonal Sex in Public Places. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 20:31, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1687725.html