Intro to Human Sexuality

1. Intro to Human Sexuality Final Project FHS 2450 Joseph Criswell

2. Project Introduction For my final project, I chose to compare and contrast three films that were featured in our text, Our Sexuality by Robert Crooks and Karla Baur. I will explain the theme as well as main concepts and how they relate to human sexuality.

3. Kinsey • This film is about Kinsey, the founding father of human sexuality, played by Liam Neeson. • Kinsey and his team pioneered sex research in the late 1930’s that provided answers and questions that have yet to be equaled today.

4. Theme Sexuality Matters and Perseverance Sexuality matters and is worth researching and discussing. Kinsey conducted his research in a time and place in America when sexuality was not to be discussed in public or even behind closed doors. Nevertheless, he was persistent and pursued his research despite society’s scrutiny.

5. Concepts • The film brings to life the pioneer of sex research in a feature film. • It identifies Kinsey’s triumphs and struggles that were brought on by a mind determined by fact.

6. Brokeback Mountain • This was film about two male ranch workers, played by Jake Gylenhaal and Heath Ledger. • They fell in love and struggled throughout their lives in a community in the 1960’s that had little to no tolerance for their relationship. • You were able to see how their lives and those around them were affected by their relationship. It led to hardship, death, and ultimately heart break.

7. Theme Self deception, Exploration, Liberation, Regret, and Self- Preservation As you can see, I had a hard time choosing just one theme for this film. It touched on so many issues like homosexuality in the 1960’s, but it went so much deeper. Both characters at different times in the film acted on their sexuality and you were able to see how they had to suppress their feelings and monitor their actions which lead to feelings of regret. Although feeling liberated when they were together, they felt like they had to conform to society’s standards, in order to protect and provide for their families.

8. Concepts • The idea of telling a love story of two men • Trials and triumphs the two men experienced • Drama filled tragedy of gay love

9. American Pie • This film is about four high school male friends that are determined to lose their virginity by graduation. • The friends didn’t want to be viewed as inexperienced in the ways of sex by their peers. • By making this pact, it created stress and frustrations between the friendship. • In the end, they realized how immature the pact was in the first place.

10. Theme Teen sexuality and Peer Pressure The film shows the heterosexual males’ desire of sexual conquest. It seems that no teenage boy, whether he is a virgin or not, wants to be viewed as sexually inexperienced by his peers. Peer pressure is the driving force behind so much of a teenager’s life. The hilarious circumstances the characters find themselves in usually had to do with peer pressure.

11. Concepts • The idea of the “first time.” • The fear, excitement, and pressure to meet performance expectations

12. Project Summary After watching these three films, it was interesting to see how sexual knowledge and society has changed from the grandfather, Alfred Kinsey, to the fact that films like American Pie are being mass produced for entertainment. Sexuality has became an open forum in popular culture. With the stigmas regarding homosexuality diminishing before our very eyes today.