[AGTRT-BF59] Formal gender theory (FGT) as a starting point for theoretical sexology

Jan Bergstra & Laurens Buijs
Amsterdam Gender Theory Research Team
Art: Helen Beard

We established in AGTRT-BF57 that it can be useful to view FGT as a starting point for theory of sexuality (and thus just not the other way around). The question then is what you could gain from that. To move forward with this, a view of the structure of theoretical sexology is needed. That’s still not easy.

Read more about the opportunities that formal gender theory offers for a theoretical sexology:
Gender theory abstracts from sexuality, offering opportunities for new theorizing about sexuality

We have not yet found a clear division of (theoretical) sexology into parts. Most of the descriptions of sexology we found are historical rather than thematic.

We currently see seven main lines of a theoretical sexology. We present these here, briefly indicating in some cases where the interface with gender theory might lie:

1) Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation as a notion originated around 1880 and is drastically revised every 20 years. This concept has now become so complex that it is questionable whether it can still be understood.

Based on gender theory, Robin Dembroff has designed a modern but perhaps problematic theory of sexual orientation, which at least one cannot claim is too complex a story to understand, yet perhaps not complex enough to discuss the phenomena at stake in modern research on sexual orientation.

2) Sexuality in consciousness
Freud, Jung and Lacan can be seen as the classical founders of psychology (psychoanalysis and analytical psychology), and as the first in the Western scientific tradition to conduct structured research on the role of gender and sexuality in consciousness.

They started from some fundamental insights and assumptions about gender and sexuality that were rich but also plagued by the traditional views of the time.

It is worth studying how the richness of those insights can be carried into modern theoretical-sexological studies of the nature and development of consciousness, without patriarchal views of the time.

For Freud, sexuality was central, and gender he did not problematize. Among other things, Jung provides aspects about gender with the archetypes Animus and Anima that FGT lacks and analytic psychology can bring to bear.

ABGT (Androgyny-Based Gender Theory, see gender-theory.org) integrates Freud’s insights about sex and Jung’s insights about gender. The goal includes being able to handle issues such as libido, narcissism, eudipus complex and the difference between male and female sexuality in such a way that they are not intrinsically sexist and homophobic.

3) Sexual Pleasure and Sexual Development
This involves research on sexual pleasure: what causes it, what undermines it, and what are the consequences. This topic is closely related to the concept of sexual fulfillment: what does it mean to be sexually fulfilled, what does it provide, and what is required to do so?

Sexuality is often overshadowed by a focus on the risks and dangers: unsafe sex, trauma, abuse, transgressive behavior, etc. All these things are important, and only more so if they are in the service of what is needed to maximize sexual pleasure and sexual fulfillment.

4) Parenting
Just as gender theory problematizes the concepts of man and woman, the notions of father and mother can also be problematized. This is only possible if one includes sexuality in the consideration, and parenthood theory thus falls outside gender theory, which abstracts from sexuality precisely.

We do not use parenting theory as Alice van der Pas does, for example. Van der Pas is primarily talking about how the role as a parent can be filled well; we have a focus on what the roles are and how those roles are related to gender and sexuality.

“Parenting theory” has the same connotation that Van der Pas gives to parenting theory. MIschien that “parental gender” (or pargender) could stand for father, mother, or caregiver. Parental gender theory then becomes part of theoretical sexology because without including sexuality, parental genders cannot be thought of or determined (see also AGTRT-BF58).

Read more about parental gender theory (pargender theory) as part of theoretical sexology:
Pargender theory: a new part of theoretical sexology

Parenthood theory is current in the Netherlands, see, for example, the recent debate over whether or not to remove the term “mother” from the population register. We see here that introduction of aspects of gender theory (transgender persons) results in the term “mother” becoming problematic.

We also see here the relevance of the ICE method: it is too short to say “transgendering is in the law, and now we take the logical next step: exit father and mother.” No, we will first have to go back to the arguments on the basis of which transgendering came into law. Thinking along those lines, it becomes clear that the terms “father” and “mother” have now become problematic (at least for a population registry).

5) Sex work and pornography
This is a topic with legal, sociological, economic, anthropological, policy, socio-geographical and psychological aspects. Also touches on human trafficking and forced prostitution, decriminalization and legalization of sex work, the future of sex work as a profession, issues of healthy versus unhealthy handling of porn etc.

6) Sexual undesirable behavior
It is open how far the liberalization of sexual morality will go and to what extent gender will still play a role in defining boundaries. It is obvious that age difference will play a more decisive role than gender in defining behavioral boundaries.

It is also obvious that a notion such as sexual harassment will become separate from any notion of gender, but it is all not there yet. Gender-related aspects of sexual violence and abuse, sexual assault and rape are also discussed here.

The role of gender in the topic of undesirable behavior can be investigated (and whether gender theory does provide the right touch points there).

7) Consent and power differential in sex
Consent is a crucial factor in healthy sexuality but at the same time, power difference is a driver of lust and pleasure in sexuality. Knowledge is now emerging about how these two aspects of sexuality play a role in different contexts and how they can be integrated without biting each other. Here, for example, the theme of BDSM also comes into play.

In addition, theoretical sexology includes a range of other questions that seem to be of lesser importance to us at the moment, but which may come more into focus later. We mention:

(a) Sexual relationships between straight men and straight women
Sexual relationships between straight men and straight women are often seen as “the normal case,” but of course have great complexity and diversity that deserve serious study. Here, for example, it deals with theory about the relationship between sexuality and reproduction.

The contribution of conventional Roman Catholic moral theology can also be placed here, and other contributions in with a religious or ideological background.

It seems obvious that with a more precise analysis of gender, the theory of “the normal case” should and can also be worked out more precisely. That theory is then no longer about sex between men and women but requires a more precise detailing depending on the different physical and mental characteristics of the individuals involved.

(b) Sexual history
It involves the study of historical developments related to sexuality, for example, the history of feminism, LGBT, sex workers, sexual revolution etc, as well as the history of sexology and other scholarship on sexuality itself.

(c) Sex robots and sex technology
Sex robots are a part of the philosophy on AI and robots and specifically concerns the ethical aspects of introducing sex robots. This field can be broadened to the topic of “Sexuality and Technology.” In addition to robots, there are also apps, toys, games, VR, etc.

With regard to sex robots, fundamental questions arise: does a robot have a gender, and if so, what determines that gender? And does a robot have a sexual orientation, and if so how is that related to gender of robots and to gender of humans?

(d) Liberalization of sexual norms
Where homosexuality was prohibited almost everywhere 100 years ago, it is now an accepted phenomenon in many countries. This includes theory on the role, meaning and persistence of monogamy in marriage.

Although the discussion about the liberalization of sexual morality can be separated from the discussion about the development of gender (and the increasing desire to achieve transinclusiveness that functions as its motive), there is a lot to be said for the acronym LGBT (in which sexual orientation and gender both appear). As a social movement, LGBT has to gain from a clear narrative on gender, with accompanying degrees of freedom.

(e) Cross-cultural sexuality
This includes research on sexuality in Western versus non-Western societies.

(f) Fetishism
This involves research on the great diversity of fetishism and its role in sexual pleasure but also in pathological sexuality and sexual trauma. There is much overlap here with other themes, such as sexual pleasure, power differential, pharmaceuticals, pathological sexuality, etc. The classification of fetish and its difference from perversions and disorders is also going to look different based on FGT.

(h) Sexual health and pharmaceuticals
This involves research on STIs, HIV, (un)safe sex, etc. In a more general sense, this includes research on sexuality and pharmaceuticals. Think “the pill,” Viagra, as well as recreational drugs and chemsex.

(i) Sex organs and erogenous zones
The vagina and clitoris have long been understudied as highly complex centers of sexual pleasure and enjoyment, we know in part through the work of sexologist Ellen Laan. How exactly do erogenous zones work in men versus women and what is the influence of biology, psychology and sociology? For example, research on orgasm also falls under this theme.

(j) Reproduction and fertility
This theme concerns research on reproduction and fertility, two essential pillars of sexuality. It involves research on genetics, fertilization, pregnancy and childbirth.

(k) Sexual representation
Here it is about healthy versus unhealthy sexual expressions in media, music, popular culture, art, video games, etc. The theme of sexualization is also relevant here.

(l) Sexual subcultures and sexual infrastructure
These include research on the history and development of LGBTTI, Pride, drag culture, sex work activism, tantra, BDSM, cruising areas, etc. Socio-geographical studies on sexual infrastructure and land use planning in cities, towns etc are also included.

(m) Sexuality in religion and spirituality
Within the major institutionalized religions, sexuality often has an awkward position, shrouded in shame and guilt. This theme includes research on the tension between sexuality and religion, and how sexual diversity and religious diversity can coexist.

It also includes research on sexuality within spiritual movements, including precisely more sexually liberal movements, such as the New Age, the Kama Sutra and tantra. This includes concepts such as sexual energy and sexual healing.

(n) Sexuality and power politics
This includes, for example, the role of sexuality in colonialism (post-colonial studies) and other power politics (pink washing, homonationalism). The concept of intersectionality is central here, as in intersectional analyses of sexuality and other social categories such as gender, ethnicity, age, etc.

o) Children and young adults, sexual development
This includes the that sexuality plays in child rearing and development, sex education versus sex education, acknowledging children’s sexuality without sexualization, etc.

(p) Pedophilia
Pedophilia is a very sensitive issue in today’s society. Major child abuse cases like the Dutroux case and the Epstein case have shown that pedosexual abuse is a widespread problem in modern society that is partly related to political abuse of power by the (patriarchal) elite.

Similarly, the recurring stories in the Netherlands and abroad about Satanic ritual abuse (SRM) – sometimes in the form of moral panic, sometimes in the form of substantiated cases – show that the subject of pedophilia is and will continue to be a central issue in public discussions about sexuality, and that thorough research is needed to distinguish facts from rumors and folk tales.

Pedophilia is currently in a bad light, but not all forms of it have had a bad reputation throughout history. As a subject, it still requires study: to get a better grip on all aspects of it, to work toward a society where children are safe from abuse, and to give substantiation but also delineation to the negative sentiments about pedophilia.

(q) Pathological sexuality and its treatments.
This topic concerns sexological discussions about when sex is pathological and what then are possible interventions. These include topics such as trauma, trauma healing, addiction, and addiction treatment.

There is also the topic of erectile dysfunction, other sexual dysfunction and, of course, asexuality of which it is still an open debate at all whether it is (always) a disorder or (sometimes) ordinary sexual diversity.

For example, with FGT as a starting point, it is no longer obvious to see erectile dysfunction as a problem of men. To describe it that way is then too short in terms of wording.

Conclusion: theoretical sexology based on FGT
The question arises as to whether a gender-independent notion of sexuality can be used for all these issues simultaneously.

With each of these strands of theoretical sexology (theoretical sexology), we then face the question of in what ways gender theory, and specifically Formal Gender Theory, can be used there as a starting point.

That question, of course, cannot be briefly addressed in a single blog, but we think that using gender theory as a starting point (rather than as a footnote) in theoretical sexology is broadly possible and can also provide clarification.


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