Sexual Scripts

A sexual script is defined in our text as a set of expectations of how one is to behave sexually as a female or male and as a lesbian, or gay male. A script is a guideline on how we carryout our roles and in this report specifically our sexual roles. The foundations of our sexual scripts are formed in adolescence and are modified as we gain experience throughout our lives. Those that provide information on sexual scripts include parents, peers, and the media. When our sexual scripts are called into play they can be related to timing for privacy and our age. An overall characteristic of our sexual interactions we share is privacy. It is a time for intimate communication between two people not to be shared by others. Depending on our age, we relate to whom in our life influences sexual activity such as friends, parents, and religion. Anthropologist Michael Moffatt studied students at Rutgers University and determined that the majority of students were influenced by modern American pop culture in regards to sexuality. I personally am bias to agree with this as my sexual knowledge mostly came from this source until I married six years ago and the influence became more from my spouse. I will further relate with Linda Levine and Lonnie Barbach when they describe men’s sexual learning as originally from secondary sources and then converting to their personal sexual experience with women when they shed their virginity. The sexual scripts we adopt in our lives basically provide us with knowledge that we may utilize when the time comes to have sexual relations. Sexual scripts are primarily separated by gender. In gay and lesbian relationships it is usually the more emotional expressive partner to initiate sexual activity. Females focus on feelings or emotions more than sex within their script opposite that of males. Some ideas Barbach, L. categorizes women’s sexual script include sex is for committed relationships, sex is performed for men, men should