BioCultural Anthropology of Sex and Gender

This course will cover the anthropology of sex and gender from an intersectional interdisciplinary biocultural approach while also providing practical relevance and skills to everyday life. Students will be exposed to the biocultural approach in anthropology and will learn about sex and gender from a perspective that integrates our understandings of cultures around the world, social theory, and biological science. Students will learn how biological sex and gender are both spectrums rather than dichotomies and how these spectrums interact with one another, as well as develop language to describe their own identities. They will learn about the history of how science has conceived of sexual orientation, how sexual orientation is a spectrum, and become proficient in a new multidimensional intersectional approach. Students will also learn many myths regarding male and female sexuality and develop new understandings of sexual intimacy grounded in consent culture. Underlying all elements of this course is an intersectional multidisciplinary approach that aims to be inclusive and a safe space for hard conversations. Finally, students will demonstrate their knowledge of a topic that was of particular interest to them through a video essay presented on the final day of class.