ABSTRACT
Probably no area of social life is more commonly thought of in terms of nature and individual
psychology than sexuality. When people talk about sexuality, they frequently use terms like
‘‘instinct,’’ ‘‘biology,’’ ‘‘hormones,’’ and so on. It is certainly true that sexuality is an important
feature of most individuals’ lives and psyches, and it is also true that, when we’re in the realm
of sexuality, we often feel in the grip of something emotionally volatile and beyond our own
control, and hence part of nature or some other force outside of us and outside of man-
made, social things. Could it be, though, that the ‘‘outside’’ force that infuses sexuality with
such emotional, bodily, and sensual volatility, is society itself?
