Sexuality & the Law
This is the course site for spring 2023 and will be updated the next time the course is taught
Looking instead for Employment Law, Employment Discrimination, Criminal Law, or Con Law II?
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Thurs. Fri. 3:40-5:35 PM, room 265
Welcome! The field of sexuality studies can cover everything from the sexual knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors of individuals to sexual cultures, identities, and communities. In this interdisciplinary course, we will focus on the social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions of sexuality. We read judicial decisions as legal documents, and also as political and philosophical texts that give expression to ideas about human nature, social conflicts, human rights, normalcy and deviancy, socially constructive behavior, the relationships between private and public, and how gender, sexuality, disability, and race interact.
Accordingly, this seminar explores the relationship between law and sexuality—how they reflect and impact each other. Law forms a backdrop to our negotiations about our sexualities and our sexed and gendered identities, helping to shape our sexual experiences and our social understanding of them. Both individuals and communities also exert pressure on the law for recognition and acceptance of the many ways human beings engage in physically, emotionally and spiritually intimate behaviors and relationships. Interestingly, to find the legal norms and frameworks that regulate sexual behavior and gender identity, we have to study cases involving the right to privacy; freedom of assembly, association and expression; freedom of religion; immigration; and employment policies. That is to say, perhaps surprisingly, ideas about gender and sexuality will be seen to pervade our whole system of law.
Don't Be a $%@#
Don't Be a $%@#
Students are expected to comply with University policies regarding appropriate classroom behavior as outlined in the Code of Student Life. While students have the right to express themselves and participate freely in class, it is expected that students will behave with the same level of courtesy and respect in the virtual class setting (whether asynchronous or synchronous) as they would in an in-person classroom. Failure to follow behavior expectations as outlined in the Code of Student Life may be addressed by the instructor and may also result in discipline under the Code of Student Life policies governing E.5 Disruptive Behavior or E.6 Failure to Comply with University Directive.
As a seminar, this course requires feminist citizenship: a willingness to be an active part of a learning community and a commitment to value both your own education and the learning experiences of your classmates. Assume good faith with each speaker, but feel free to ask questions about people’s positions and express contrary points of view. In addition, we’re going to be talking about things that may involve strongly held views or affect deeply personal matters. Think a bit about how you say things, but it’s ok to be candid. (See also Free Speech and Expression statement under Policies)
About me
I am a big law nerd (and general nerd), as you'll quickly see from class. I treat my classes like a joint project--we're all in this together.
Professor Marcia McCormick
Room 418, Office hours Thursdays 9:45-12:30
Administrative assistant Nilza Molina, room 433
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