ABSTRACT
What is the relationship between sex and society? Beginning with sexologists who propose a
view of sex as fundamentally biological, I review various social approaches to understanding
sexuality. I take for granted the belief that there is a biological basis for human impulses,
drives, and desires. However, it is social forces that fashion a biological reality into ‘‘sexuality.’’
Individuals and groups give meaning to bodily sensations and feelings, make erotic acts into sexual
identities, and create norms distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable sexualities.