h as crowded plazas during lunch time where male workers congregate and comment on passing females. More disturbing, observation also occurs within the workplace. As one female nurse describes a situation in a hospital setting, "male medical staff would routinely deal with nurses deemed to be too assertive (i.e., challenging medical authority) with verbal references to the nurses' bodies . . . invariably said in a room full of people" (Witz, Halford, and Savage, 1996, p. 180).
Appropriate public displays of sexual behavior differ according to the gender of the perpetrator, since men continue to be perceived as having more power in society. Men are expected to pursue women with socially acceptable customs such as whistling, winking, or gazing. Women who engage in such activities are considered overly aggressive. Although more equality exists between the sexes than in the past, full equality is not yet apparent. Thus, men are expected to have a predatory interest in sex, while women are expected to be more interested in the relational aspects of sex.
The chief agent in the early socialization process that defines appropriate sexual behavior is the family. This socialization occurs in three different areas: gender identity, sexual object choice, and sexual knowledge (DeLamater, 1989, pp. 42-45). During the first three years of life, the child learns gender identity. This identity is acquired through observation of adults and reinforced by th
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