BETWEEN THE BIOLOGICAL AND THE SOCIAL: SEXUALITY AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT

Abstract

Sexuality constitutes a fundamental dimension of human experience, involving biological, psychological, cultural, historical, and social aspects. Although traditionally understood through biomedical perspectives focused on reproduction and anatomical sex differences, contemporary discussions have demonstrated that sexuality goes beyond biology, being socially constructed through discourses, norms, institutions, and power relations. This study aims to analyze sexuality as a social construct, discussing contemporary theoretical contributions to understanding sexual identities, gender relations, and the processes of regulating bodies and desires. This is a qualitative bibliographic study based on contemporary authors such as Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, Paul B. Preciado, Guacira Lopes Louro, Richard Parker, Berenice Bento, Deborah Britzman, Jeffrey Weeks, Gayle Rubin, Simone de Beauvoir, and Joan Scott. The findings show that sexuality cannot be reduced to biological factors, since its expressions are historically produced and regulated by social, cultural, and political institutions. It is concluded that understanding sexuality as a social construction enables the questioning of normative discourses, the promotion of sexual rights, and the strengthening of practices of inclusion and recognition of human diversity.