In The Gender of Sexuality, Pepper Schwartz and Virginia Rutter delve into the influential role of gender in human sexuality. Unlike the essentialists who use biological nature to explain the differences between male and female sexual behavior, Schwartz and Rutter adhere to the social constructionist view (22). In the social constructionist perspective, gender is a social construct that reflects the interaction between biology and sociological factors such as class, culture, race and the individual (Schwartz & Rutter 3). One of the key questions explored in this book is why gender exerts such a great impact on human sexual behavior (Schwartz & Rutter 212). Even though men and women are biologically different, their sexual behavior is not consistent across societies and time periods. The evolution of social institutions clearly plays an important role in shaping and reshaping human sexual behavior and perceptions (Schwartz & Rutter 212). This discussion is also connected to the perennial debate of nature versus environment. Schwartz and Rutter explore the question of whether homosexuality is innate or cultivated (27-8). Ultimately, Schwartz and Rutter also pose the question of how psychological and sociological effects affect the individuals in the sexual arena (62). Even though sex is a private act between individuals, their sexual behavior is often determined by their perceptions of the social norms. Either they conform to these norms or deliberately reject them.
In the beginning of the book, Schwartz and Rutter challenge the readers to shake their assumptions about the biological processes that govern male and female sexual behavior. By citing a variety of scientific experiments and surveys of sexual practices, Schwartz and Rutter convincingly prove that social factors play a considerable role in influencing human sexual behavior. They hone in on extremely private acts such as masturbation to explore the differences between male a...