Gendered Sexuality over the Life Course: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Despite increasing interest in gendered sexuality over the life course, a comprehensive conceptual model, applicable to all aspects of sexual life and incorporating recent developments in life course sociology, feminist theory, and sexuality studies, has yet to be elaborated. The model presented here posits that sexual beliefs and behaviors result from individuals' lifelong accumulation of advantageous and disadvantageous experiences, and adoption/rejection of sexual scripts, within socio-historical contexts. Women and men follow distinctive sexual trajectories insofar as they accrue gender-specific experiences and scripts and as their sexuality and gender trajectories intertwine. Empirical examples include virginity loss and involuntary celibacy, (de)coupling, and chronic illness/disability. The proposed framework helps explain the coexistence of differences and similarities among individuals and cohorts and holds particular promise for studying lifelong aspects of sexuality like agency and interest. It also suggests improvements on interactionist theory, conventional life course models, and the sexual scripting approach.