This course is an introduction to the sociological study of sexuality. Students will look at the ways that sexual desires, acts, identities, and meanings are shaped and structured by the larger social world through policies, institutions, norms, and rituals. Students will explore why discussions of sex are taboo and why sexual issues tend to be so polarizing in contemporary American society. Furthermore, students will work to develop the skills and knowledge needed to discuss sexuality as a social construct that shapes sexual ethics, human rights, and personal freedoms.