Colin J. Williams

Pornography, Normalization, and Empowerment

Opponents and proponents of erotic representations (referred to hereafter as “pornography”) have described the effects of pornography from their perspective. Little, however, has been done in the way of research to investigate these claims from the consumer’s point of view. This especially has been so regarding the positive impact of such consumption on a person’s sex life. Using a study group of 245 college students, we examined this question in a framework of scripting theory. We wanted to see whether viewing pornography appeared to expand sexual horizons through normalization and facilitate a willingness to explore new sexual behaviors and sexual relationships through empowerment. The data supported this viewpoint and further showed the effects to be mediated by gender and sexual preference identity. They suggested, however, that established scripts were extended rather than abandoned. We conclude with connections between our findings and the widespread viewing of pornography in contemporary society.

The Social Constituents of Sadomasochism

Traditional conceptions of sadomasochism are misleading. This is because they are not based on close examination of what the majority of SM participants actually do and how they interpret their own behaviors. Over a period of eight years, we interviewed a variety of SM participants and observed their behavior in many different settings. We found that sadomasochism was constituted by five social features: dominance and submission, role playing, consensuality, a sexual context, and mutual definition. These features formed the basis for the interpretation of behaviors and experiences as SM by participants. This focus permits a sociological model of the phenomena which avoids the limitations of more traditional conceptions.

Gendered sex work in the San Francisco tenderloin.

The variable “gender” rarely appearsin prostitution research. Its inclusion raises the samequestions brought up with respect to other areas ofwork: Is there a gendered perspective with respect tothe work and are gender inequalities reflected init? This study examines gender differences in the workof 140 sex workers in the San Francisco Tenderloin. Aswell as women and men who are workers, we include transgender workers (genetic males who presentthemselves as women), further accentuating differencesby gender. Looking at work-specific characteristics, wefind that women do not suffer inequities of income. They are, however, more prone tooccupational hazards. Transgenders, who suffer the mostsocietal discrimination, are closer to women than men intheir work situation. Examining the sexuality of sex workers, the women are the least likely toenjoy sex with clients. Men report more sexual enjoymentwith clients and transgenders are closer to the men inthis regard. Few differences are, however, found in sexual pleasure in the personal livesof the women, men, and transgenders. A gender differencethat stands out is that the men have more noncommercialsex partners than the women. Again, transgenders are more like the men, although various aspectsof their condition make for some uniquedifferences.

Bisexuals at Midlife Commitment, Salience, and Identity

In the framework of a constructionist approach, a life-course point of view, and traditional concepts borrowed from identity theory, the authors report on a study of fifty-six San Francisco bisexuals. The data show that by midlife, changing life commitments among the participants were associated with a decrease in sexual involvement, a move toward sexual activity with just one sex, a decrease in contact with the bisexual subculture, and a decrease in the salience of a bisexual identity. Given these changes, the data reveal the opposite of what might be expected—an increase rather than a decrease in the certainty about and stability of the bisexual identity. The authors show that this was due to the continuation of dual attractions that were positively regarded even as there was a move away from a bisexual lifestyle. In explaining these findings, they discuss the interplay between sexual communities, relationships, selves, and sexuality.

Men Sexually Interested in Transwomen (MSTW): Gendered Embodiment and the Construction of Sexual Desire

This article extends research on transgenderism by providing a sociological study of men who are sexually interested in transwomen (MSTW; viz., genetic males who use estrogen to feminize their body but retain their penis). We conducted fieldwork in a bar catering to transwomen and the men who were sexually interested in them, and did on-the-spot interviews with the MSTW. We initially examined the nature of MSTWs sexual attraction to transwomen, followed by how this related to their sexual orientation identity. Using a sexual fields approach (Green, 2008), we first found how the ambience of the bar helped to create an erotic environment through a heightened sense of gender. Then, focusing on the theory of embodiment (Jackson & Scott, 2007), we saw how the MSTW constructed a unique sexual desire according to the sexual orientation identity they brought to the situation. Those who identified as “straight” tended to gloss that the transwoman had a penis, while the bisexually identified men were more likely to incorporate the transwomans penis into the sexual experience.

“If the shoe fits …”: Exploring male homosexual foot fetishism

This study of 262 respondents from an organization for homosexual and bisexual foot fetishists provides information from a broader sample than clinical cases and was guided by major ideas found in the literature on sexual fetishism. Some researchers see fetishism as the product of early learning experiences. Results of this study showed such experiences to occur around puberty and to be predominantly positive. Sources of learning were experiences with their father, other male adults or older peers, and especially same‐age peers. Suggested conditions for learning, viz, restrictive sexual socialization and social isolation during adolescence, did not appear to be common occurrences. Other researchers see fetishism as a correlate of a particular personality profile. Results of this study showed that some respondents fit such a profile, but they were in the minority. Finally, how closely these men fit the profile was found to be unrelated to the salience of fetishism in their lives.

Homosexual foot fetishism

Abstract262 respondents from an organization for homosexual foot fetishists provide information from a broader sample than clinical cases and allow examination of the effects of sexual preference on fetishism. Data show a wide range of feet/footwear objects to be arousing. Such interests were often associated with particular types of men, yet interests were subject to change over time. Fetishistic arousal rested on both sensual and symbolic aspects of the fetish. Symbolically, it was the theme of “masculinity” that made male feet/footwear arousing, showing parallels to “femininity” evoked by female feet/footwear for male heterosexual fetishists. For many of the respondents, fetishism did not seem to be a substitute for living persons. Respondents had intimate relationships and were able to incorporate their fetish interests into stable relationships and less intimate ones. Considerable involvement in sadomasochistic practices was also found as was involvement in the gay world. Finally, nothing about a fetishistic interest seemed to preclude the development of subcultural forms around the practice.

The Military: Its Processing of Accused Homosexuals.

a draft t of this pa per. It is the policy of the armed forces of the United States to exclude persons who are homosexual or exhibit homosexual tendencies from their ranks (Menninger, 194B: West and Glass, 1965). The zealousness with which the military seeks out and prosecutes homosexuals is based upon the magnitude of their perceived threat to good order. No distinction is made between a confirmed homosexual and a person who engages in a single act (under almost any condition in addition, a person who is defined as having strong tendencies toward homosexuality is also liable for dismissal. This latter criterion is often widely interpreted to include those who associate with homosexuals and those who have ever engaged in a homosexual act (whether in the military or not). What threat does the homosexual pose to military organization? The main threat is perceived to be in connection with discipline. Witness the following statement from the Army (United States Senate, 1966: 921 ):

Being Discovered: A Study of Homosexuals in the Military

Current conceptions of deviance have placed less emphasis on the role played by the deviant himself in being assigned a deviant label. To examine the role of the deviant, a sample of male homosexuals who had received less than honorable discharges from the military for homosexual conduct (LHD group) were compared with a sample who had received honorable discharges (HD). It was found that, compared to the HD group, the LHD group was more likely (a) to have been engaging in homosexual sex more frequently before induction, (b) to have experienced more frequent homosexual sex while in the service, and (c) to have had predominately other servicemen as homosexual partners. Further examination of the data showed how these factors specified the manner in which members of the LHD group were discovered.

Trans Women Doing Sex in San Francisco.

This research investigates the sexuality of trans women (individuals who were assigned male status at birth who currently identify as women), by focusing on the “bodily techniques” (Crossley, 2006) they use in “doing” sexuality. The “doing sexuality” framework not only is modeled after the “doing gender” approach of West and Zimmerman (1987), but also utilizes the idea of “sexual embodiment” to emphasize the agency of trans women as they conceptualize and organize their sexuality in a socially recognized way. This is often difficult as they confront discrimination from medical and legal professionals as well as intimate partners who may find it difficult to adapt to the trans woman’s atypical body and conception of gender. However, with a study group of 25 trans women from San Francisco, we found the study participants to be adept at overcoming such hurdles and developing techniques to “do” their sexuality. At the same time, we found trans women’s agency constrained by the erotic habitus (Green, 2008) of the wider society. The interplay between innovation and cultural tradition provides an opportunity to fashion a more general model of “doing” sexuality.