http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/sex Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:42:16 -0400 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:42:16 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1963/the-role-and-weaponization-of-scientific-objectivity-in-gender-discourse-and-the-debate-over-transgender-rights By Esme I. Smithson Swain - The label of ‘science’ or ‘biology’ can become somewhat of a trump-card in excluding trans people from civil rights, because many scientific (and pseudo-scientific) opinions are weaponized during transgender rights debates. This paper will therefore explore three dominant fields of thought in the gender/sex divide: biology, cognitive neuroscience, and queer theory. All three fields contribute immensely to our understanding of gender and sex, but the belief that any one discipline can objectively and unequivocally explain ‘gender’ can be dangerous. The theories... Tue, 04 Oct 2022 09:29 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1963/the-role-and-weaponization-of-scientific-objectivity-in-gender-discourse-and-the-debate-over-transgender-rights http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1949/the-past-is-female-exploring-the-socio-sexual-liberation-of-historical-women-in-carol-ann-duffys-the-worlds-wife By Nandini Sood - British Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s The World’s Wife presents a fresh outlook on myths and fairy tales, by retelling them through sociosexually liberated women. The poems feature many themes such as murder, sexuality and childhood that are presented in a dark light and have been individually studied by previous researchers. Other studies have also investigated the feministic political purposes of Duffy’s poetry, but have disregarded the present liberated perspective of women shown. Consequently, this research focuses on Duffy’s manipulation of well-known texts to induce... Fri, 15 Apr 2022 12:19 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1949/the-past-is-female-exploring-the-socio-sexual-liberation-of-historical-women-in-carol-ann-duffys-the-worlds-wife http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1943/lesbianing-together-images-of-incarcerated-women-in-orange-is-the-new-black By Anna Curtis - Using content analysis, this article focuses on the portrayal of female prisoners in the first two seasons of the Netflix show Orange is the New Black (OITNB). There are two main findings. First, the word "lesbian" frequently signals homophobia rather than a self-claimed sexual identity. That is, the word "lesbian" primarily appears in scenes that highlight various characters' homophobia. Throughout the first and second seasons of the show, the scriptwriters show no mercy to homophobic characters, a characteristic of the show that differentiates it from earlier women-in-prison novels and... Fri, 11 Mar 2022 02:07 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1943/lesbianing-together-images-of-incarcerated-women-in-orange-is-the-new-black http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1844/pain-and-power-bdsm-as-spiritual-expression By Alicia Charles D'Avalon - Western society is becoming increasingly secular as religion disappears from the public sphere. This developing identification has created a void as people move away from the traditional, established symbols and maps of meaning. People are still finding and inventing systems to fulfil their existential questioning, increasingly in areas that are traditionally seen as secular. Popular culture and contemporary subcultures are being utilized not just as art, entertainment and community but as religious expression. A prime example of this ‘secular religioning’ can be found in the practice... Sat, 28 Nov 2020 09:27 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1844/pain-and-power-bdsm-as-spiritual-expression http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1791/terry-richardson-and-the-celebration-of-porn-chic-a-critique-of-fashion-photography By Yasmeen Sabet - In On Photography, Susan Sontag derides photography for generating a sense of false objectivity. Focusing on the moral implications of taking a photograph, she explores the relationship between artist and subject, exposing photography as a medium contingent upon violating its subjects.[1] Engaging with Sontag’s text, the following analysis studies fashion photography as a site embodying this exploitation, revealing the disturbing power dynamic between a defamed fashion photographer and his underage subject. In deconstructing Terry Richardson’s 2011 image of Lindsey Wixson (fig 1),... Mon, 07 Sep 2020 10:51 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1791/terry-richardson-and-the-celebration-of-porn-chic-a-critique-of-fashion-photography http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1789/negotiating-the-concept-of-national-allegory-homosexuality-departure-and-homecoming-in-pedro-almodandoacute;vars-pain-and-glory-and-midi-zs-nina-wu By Qingyang Zhou - Often regarded as the glorious palace showcasing contemporary world cinema (“Press Conference”), the Cannes Film Festival epitomizes the roles of an accreditor, an archaeologist, and a political activist. It jumpstarts the careers of emerging auteurs from around the globe, casts light on obscure cinematic traditions, and engenders debates on controversial social issues in specific nations and regions. Encounters with the foreign constitute an integral part of the festival experience for the majority of the audience. As a result, filmmakers from less renowned national industries (i.... Sun, 06 Sep 2020 07:54 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1789/negotiating-the-concept-of-national-allegory-homosexuality-departure-and-homecoming-in-pedro-almodandoacute;vars-pain-and-glory-and-midi-zs-nina-wu http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1785/womens-erotic-consumption-articulating-the-sexual-self-under-late-capitalism By Ella Agoos - From a very young age, women are taught to suppress their sexuality. Sex, we are told, is deeply personal; a private act that must be sequestered within the four walls of a bedroom and never see the light of day. However, as we grow up we are steeped in a culture of sex that permeates Western society. Gyrating hips in music videos, subtle and not-so-subtle innuendos peppered throughout song lyrics, hardcore internet pornography available at the click of a mouse, sexy fembots complete with large titanium breasts as the faces of vodka advertising campaigns– sexual imagery of women and their... Tue, 14 Jul 2020 08:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1785/womens-erotic-consumption-articulating-the-sexual-self-under-late-capitalism http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1757/gender-based-violence-in-refugee-camps-understanding-and-addressing-the-role-of-gender-in-the-experiences-of-refugees By Mie A. Jensen - The discussion of 'women's rights' is often subsumed into the broader consideration of 'human rights,' but when it comes to understanding the experiences of the world's most vulnerable people — refugees — the issue of gender cannot be ignored. The experiences of refugees depend on one’s gender, where women are significantly disadvantaged. Globally, 80% of the refugee and internally displaced people are children and women, which leaves them in a vulnerable position (Qayum, Mohmand and Arooj 2012:63); this includes vulnerability to physical attacks, sexual assaults, and transactional... Tue, 05 Feb 2019 09:10 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1757/gender-based-violence-in-refugee-camps-understanding-and-addressing-the-role-of-gender-in-the-experiences-of-refugees http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1750/the-versipel-charles-kinbote-in-vladimir-nabokovs-pale-fire By Brenda S. Tolian - Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov is a masterpiece of literature that seems to transform into a remarkably personal experience for anyone who approaches the text. The book reads in many ways like a game full of mysteries and innuendos and has in its postmodern approach no discernible rules. One can begin as usual, or dive into the index or immerse themselves in the cantos first. Our expectations of what text should do and how someone should act can become shattered by this book that refuses to behave. Almost at once one has this queer feeling that they are a witness to the manipulations of Charles... Wed, 09 Jan 2019 09:24 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1750/the-versipel-charles-kinbote-in-vladimir-nabokovs-pale-fire http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1655/the-modern-and-the-traditional-african-women-and-colonial-morality By Rabah Omer - Modernity and tradition are used as contradictory and exclusive concepts where the former indicates progress and the latter indicates a past without contemporary legitimacy. Modernity characteristically denotes a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the transition from feudalism and agrarian structure to capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its institutions with their systems of surveillance (Barker 2005, 444). Conceptually, however, modernity refers to the modern era. For a while in the eighteenth century, culture was... Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:27 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1655/the-modern-and-the-traditional-african-women-and-colonial-morality http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1553/sex-and-sexual-violence-in-mary-shelleys-frankenstein By Rachel Chung - Told through the framed account of a Captain Walton, who encounters Frankenstein in pursuit of his monster across the frozen northern sea, Frankenstein begins with a brief account of his picturesque childhood. Frankenstein begins his great experiment at university in Ingolstadt, where he brings his horrifying creature to life. A year after panicking and abandoning the monster, Frankenstein learns that his brother, William, has been murdered. Frankenstein’s conviction that his monster is the murderer is confirmed when he encounters the creature in the mountains outside of Geneva. In another... Thu, 09 Mar 2017 09:26 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1553/sex-and-sexual-violence-in-mary-shelleys-frankenstein http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1510/the-rise-of-gay-liberation-in-toronto-from-vilification-to-validation By Renee S. Grozelle - When it comes to social perceptions of sexuality, media portrayals cannot be ignored, and in most cases provide important insights into the ideologies present at a certain point in history. In terms of Toronto, in the late 1960s, mainstream media reported increasing concern over commercial and residential locations in the downtown area having a substantial gay presence (Warner, 2002). It was expressed with some fear that the increase of gay individuals could cause Toronto to be seen as the homosexual capital of Canada (Nash, 2005). With the growing presence of homosexuals within the public domain... Mon, 02 Jan 2017 08:55 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1510/the-rise-of-gay-liberation-in-toronto-from-vilification-to-validation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1503/the-lgbt-movement-in-china-public-perception-stigma-and-the-human-rights-debate By Arber Mavraj - Ever since its elimination from the list of mental illnesses in 2001, and decriminalization in 1997, homosexuality in China continues to be at the forefront of China’s growing human rights debate. The estimated 40 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) Chinese[1] are victims of violence or discrimination both inside and outside their families and do not have equal access to justice and social services, such a legal aid, counseling, or health-care due the predominantly negative public opinion regarding sexual orientation and gender identity[2]. Likewise, the portrayal of... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 10:56 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1503/the-lgbt-movement-in-china-public-perception-stigma-and-the-human-rights-debate http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1488/sexual-harassment-in-the-federal-workplace-bridging-the-gap-between-genders By Sandra F. Masci - A meta-analytic review was conducted on the adverse outcomes and prevalence of sexual harassment in a federally operated workplace. Both males and females were included in the analysis which fills a gap in prior research. Researchers report a total of 11 studies, nine examining sexual harassment prevalence rates and two examining adverse work outcomes. Results found that sexual harassment was prevalent in the federal workplace r = .60, with women experiencing sexual harassment significantly more than men. Gender harassment had the greatest adverse effects as reported by employees r = .84 and was... Tue, 01 Nov 2016 09:54 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1488/sexual-harassment-in-the-federal-workplace-bridging-the-gap-between-genders http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1442/a-contemporary-analysis-of-action-films-with-female-leads By Myranda A. Dapolito - A doorbell rings. Off screen, we hear a sing-songy “Coming!” A woman dressed in a cerulean track suit rushes to the door, expecting to find her daughter home from school. Instead, she finds another woman, blonde and leather jacket-clad. With one startling punch, the blonde woman simultaneously initiates a fight and inserts herself into the home. The two women proceed to destroy the living room of the house: shoving each other into framed pictures, propelling into tables, throwing shelves of painted china, becoming more and more bloodied by the second. The fight reaches a standstill... Wed, 07 Sep 2016 08:26 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1442/a-contemporary-analysis-of-action-films-with-female-leads http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1423/the-danish-girl-2015-and-the-deconstruction-of-gender-identity By Annalena Lorenz - Before, however, Lili’s “ailment” was merely referred to as insanity, schizophrenia, homosexuality or indeed perversion, a condition which needed to be cured by imposing the most extreme measures, such as radiotherapy. The pathologization persists, albeit under a different name (Gender Identity Disorder) and with less immoral remedies being prescribed. In other words, gender identity still is, and is likely to remain for yet some time to come, a prevailing issue in today’s discourse, while scholars and activists alike persist in their endeavour to change society’s... Tue, 14 Jun 2016 11:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1423/the-danish-girl-2015-and-the-deconstruction-of-gender-identity http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1388/coming-out-and-the-transition-to-adulthood-in-lgbq-youth By Shaakya Vembar - The transition to adulthood in the lives of non-heterosexual youth may offer rich information regarding the criteria youth utilize to measure their achievement of adult status. Yet LGBQ youth experiences and the transition to adulthood have not been brought together in formalized research. This study is based on a small number of in-depth interviews with LGBQ youth. Two major themes appeared in all the interviews. The first relates to socio-cultural factors that surrounded the youth before and at the time of coming out, which shaped the method and tone of each participant’s coming out as... Sun, 03 Apr 2016 09:59 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1388/coming-out-and-the-transition-to-adulthood-in-lgbq-youth http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1359/psychological-effects-of-fitness-advertising-on-female-collegiate-athletes By Jenny Gallagher - In recent decades, research has focused on the powerful effects of advertising on negative body image. While researchers have studied how the general female population reacts to various advertising techniques, little research has been published on how female collegiate athletes are affected by fitness advertisements. This study examined how these athletes respond to fitness advertisements and which tactics generate positive responses. Based on a focus group conducted with female Division I athletes, the study found that resonating fitness advertisements must be realistic and tell a relatable story... Thu, 18 Feb 2016 04:32 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1359/psychological-effects-of-fitness-advertising-on-female-collegiate-athletes http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1328/sexual-behavior-in-prison-populations-understood-through-the-framework-of-rational-choice-and-exchange-theory By April N. Terry - Rational choice and exchange theories have been used to explain many phenomena in the field of sociological research. Although some literature has used such theories to explain sexual offenses, no research has attempted to make the connection between rational choice and exchange theory as a way of explaining sexual behavior of inmates. The following paper attempts to use such theories to further understand explanations for sexual behavior of inmates. Although standards such as the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) seek to restrict sexual behavior amongst the incarcerated population, while providing... Sat, 16 Jan 2016 10:04 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1328/sexual-behavior-in-prison-populations-understood-through-the-framework-of-rational-choice-and-exchange-theory http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1236/why-are-gender-relations-important-to-include-in-the-study-of-politics-and-society By Michael Rose - Alternatively, gender refers to the manner in which individuals define themselves, based on a scale of feminine to masculine. The title ‘man’ has been socially constructed to describe the masculine end of the spectrum, just as the term ‘woman’ has been to describe the feminine. Throughout history, the two titles have been seen as tantamount to sex. From birth what is called a male is then dubbed a man (or boy) and what is called female is called a woman (or girl). Not only is the notion of gender enforced from birth, but the true gender of the child, which most likely is... Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1236/why-are-gender-relations-important-to-include-in-the-study-of-politics-and-society http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1237/sexual-relationships-shaped-by-the-political-agenda-a-case-study-of-chile By Holly Williams - It is a generally accepted fact that there are both public and private spheres of action, and that as set out in Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy.”1 One may then conclude that actions conducted in the private sphere, such as a sexual relationship between two consenting adults should not be interfered with by external actors like the state. Furthermore, it can be argued that the state and other external factors such as political agenda are exerting an influence over such private matters as... Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1237/sexual-relationships-shaped-by-the-political-agenda-a-case-study-of-chile http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1119/telephone-scatalogia-review-of-current-literature By Alexandra M. Zidenberg And Pamela Wan - This paper examines the limited research conducted on telephone scatologia. Research was found through mining key search terms, such as “telephone scatologia” on Google Scholar. Research shows offenders of telephone scatologia tend to be heterosexual males of average or elevated sex drive, no cognitive deficit, and a history of failed relationships and/or limited social interactions. Studies suggest that there are three main types of offenders, where the first type is profane and immediately suggestive, the second draws the listener in and eventually leads them into offensive suggestions... Thu, 10 Sep 2015 06:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1119/telephone-scatalogia-review-of-current-literature http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1027/statutory-rape-and-teen-sexting-laws-the-consequences-of-poorly-crafted-legislation By Sarah L. Rankin - Child pornography laws are primarily drawn from the "Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act" of 1977. This act targets persons who “transport, ship, receive, distribute, or reproduce child pornography” but precludes minors because they are the subjects of the pornography (Cornwell, 2013). Technology has certainly changed in the 40 years since the penning of this legislation. Many adolescents now have access to smartphones that, among other things, enable them to privately take and send sexually suggestive pictures and messages, or ‘sexts.’ Technically, this... Mon, 13 Apr 2015 04:32 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1027/statutory-rape-and-teen-sexting-laws-the-consequences-of-poorly-crafted-legislation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1007/out-in-force-the-new-struggle-against-sexually-oriented-policing By Elijah Mercer - Early police tactics and practices point to a culture rooted in heterosexism, a system of attitudes, bias and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships (Jung, Smith 1993). Heterosexism also suggests that maleness/masculinity and femaleness/femininity are complementary.[6] Contrary to popular belief, the initial role of the police focused on traditional female roles that included service, nurturing and protecting morals and virtues (Schulz 1995, Miller 1999). However, as crime increased, police departments came to be dominated by white, “masculine” and heterosexual... Mon, 09 Mar 2015 05:38 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1007/out-in-force-the-new-struggle-against-sexually-oriented-policing http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1003/homonationalism-and-the-death-of-the-radical-queer By Haley D. O'Shaughnessy - When one analyzes recent LGBTQ advocacy, with its rhetoric of liberal normativity and visibility, the gay rights movement has chosen inclusion over revolution. Through the intersectionality of dominant forms, namely whiteness, patriarchy, and affluent consumerism, these series of political moments constitute homonormativity. While such advocacy has legally decriminalized and validated homosexuality, it has also accentuated state regulation of sexuality. As the construction of homonormativity was in reaction to the terrorist body, sexual tolerance becomes an alibi for necropolitical violence and... Tue, 03 Mar 2015 05:53 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1003/homonationalism-and-the-death-of-the-radical-queer http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/944/what-determines-the-success-of-first-dates-psycho-social-factors-that-impact-mate-choice-in-pre-mating-encounters By Lukas Holschuh - First dates are social phenomena of sexual selection. Successful mating depends not only on assortative mating, but also on interpersonal and situational factors that lead to a positive result in pre-mating encounters. To examine the factors that influence the success of pre-mating encounters, this study analyzes public texts on the success of first dates. Themes were identified in five accounts of ordinary people found online using keywords. This and other research reveals that first dates seem to serve the purpose of testing if a particular romantic relationship is both possible and desirable... Tue, 02 Dec 2014 01:23 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/944/what-determines-the-success-of-first-dates-psycho-social-factors-that-impact-mate-choice-in-pre-mating-encounters http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/837/us-medias-failure-to-set-the-agenda-for-covering-sex-trafficking By Danielle Martinelli - The sex trafficking industry poses a clear and present threat in society, but the American public seems to be unaware of the gravity of the issue within the U.S. Analyzing the agenda setting theory by focusing on stories on the New York Times and CNN websites gives evidence that the media failed to inform the public. The public's lack of awareness was found to be due to the presence of social media and the birth of online newspapers. For a bigger impact, the media can create a social consensus through more high profile articles and personal stories and place them in prominent, high trafficked... Sat, 14 Dec 2013 11:37 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/837/us-medias-failure-to-set-the-agenda-for-covering-sex-trafficking http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/832/image-restoration-in-political-sex-scandals-what-to-do-and-what-not-to-do-when-youre-caught-with-your-pants-down By Margaret Moran - This study sought to apply a Crisis Communications lens to the area of American political sex scandals. Applying William Benoit's "Theory of Image Restoration" to 24 American sex scandals, ranging from 1987 to 2011 and all of which received significant national attention, this study examined each official's public statements in response to allegations of sexual impropriety and coded them for their adherence to the five strategies outlined in Benoit's work. The study found "Evading Responsibility" to be most frequently used, while "Denial" was the least utilized of his tactics. This study served... Sat, 14 Dec 2013 10:37 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/832/image-restoration-in-political-sex-scandals-what-to-do-and-what-not-to-do-when-youre-caught-with-your-pants-down http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/768/the-visual-vocabulary-of-chitra-ganesh-femininity-sexuality-and-abjection-in-ganeshs-visual-art By Tausif Noor - Whence does the definitive understanding of the human body as a site of power, pleasure, and horror come? Is there at all a definitive notion of the extent of the body’s capabilities in the first place? The body, long established as an inspirational source for higher form and interpretation throughout the canon of art history, has become a source of contention within the realm of contemporary art. Though the body was previously the most immediate foundation for figurative art, it became more of a tool for manipulation and experimentation beginning with twentieth century modernism and this... Sat, 05 Oct 2013 09:12 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/768/the-visual-vocabulary-of-chitra-ganesh-femininity-sexuality-and-abjection-in-ganeshs-visual-art http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1674/sexual-relations-between-elite-white-women-and-enslaved-men-in-the-antebellum-south-a-socio-historical-analysis By Anon S. Anon - There is ample evidence of sexual relations, from rapes to what appear to be relatively symbiotic romantic partnerships, between white slave masters and black women in the Antebellum South. Much rarer were sexual relations between white women and black slave men, yet they too occurred. Using an intersectional socio-historical analysis, this paper explores the factors that contributed or may have contributed to the incidence of sexual encounters between elite white women and slave men, the power dynamics embedded in them, and their implications in terms of sexual consent. The paper demonstrates... Sun, 18 Aug 2013 04:44 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1674/sexual-relations-between-elite-white-women-and-enslaved-men-in-the-antebellum-south-a-socio-historical-analysis