P-Z | exploresmf

P

Passion - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Passion is described as, “the drives that lead to romance, physical attraction, sexual consummation, and related phenomena in loving relationships” (Sternberg, 1986, p. 119).

Pathologization - “To view or characterize as medically or psychologically abnormal” (Merriam- Webster, n.d.). [See ‘medicalization’].

Political Correctness - “Conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). SMF expansion: Within our classes we discuss political correctness in terms of determining when and how to discuss hate speech, harmful societal rhetoric, and oppressive ideology and how to eliminate these systems. We discuss the difficulty in engaging with these difficult topics, when to stop the discussion, and when we must talk about uncomfortable topics in order to address how to minimize their harm in society.

Polyamory - “Any form of open relationship that allows for consensual sexual and/or emotional interactions with more than one partner” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 317).

Polyandry - “A form of marriage in which a woman is married to more than one man at the same time” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 312).

Polycule - “In the polyamory and BDSM communities, is a word that refers to all the people in a network of non-monogamous relationships (not being committed to one person at a time). Polycule can also refer to diagrams of these relationship networks” (Dictionary.com, n.d.).

Polygamy - “Simultaneous marriage to more than one person” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 311).

Polygyny - “A form of marriage in which a man is married to more than one woman at the same time” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 312).

Porn - Also known as pornography. “Sexually explicit videos, photographs, writings, or the like, produced to elicit sexual arousal” (Dictionary.com, n.d.). In SMF we often speak about porn in terms of the objectification of women and minorities. In porn, women and minorities are often viewed and used as sexual objects rather than people.

Privilege - “A group of unearned cultural, legal, social, and institutional rights extended to a group based on their social group membership. Individuals with privilege are considered to be the normative group, leaving those without access to this privilege seen as invisible, unnatural, deviant or just plain wrong. Most of the time, these privileges are automatic and most members of privileged groups are not aware of them” (Beal, 2009, para. 21).

Q

Queer - This term was used in the past to oppress people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, but it has since been reclaimed by the community (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016). Now, queer is a term that is often used as “a sign of inclusivity” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 218). “Some people who have previously classified themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual now prefer to identify themselves as “queer”. In general, queer people reject the labels “gay”, “straight,” and “bisexual” as too limiting, viewing them as designations that reflect the oppression so often faced by non-heterosexual people”. ““Queer,” from their perspective, is a positive, self-affirming term for people who don’t see themselves as fitting into standard classifications of sexual orientation” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 218).

R

Racism - Institutional racism vs. individual acts. The dictionary definition is as follows: “A belief that races (2) are inherently different from one another and that people's characteristics and capacities are determined largely by race, usually accompanied by a belief in the intrinsic superiority of one particular race over another or others” (Oxford Dictionary of Psychology, 2014). SMF Expansion: This is a fairly common understanding of racism - that racism is perpetrated through individual attitudes, in individual acts. However, as part of our program’s focus on intersectionality, it is critical to understand that racism is perpetrated systemically; people of colour are disadvantaged, face prejudice, and are subject to high levels of violence and poverty because our country is built on a long history of colonialism and exploitation in regards to people of colour. Thus, a change in individual attitudes does nothing to change the way white people benefit from white privilege, or the way historical and modern day systems (educational, governmental, social) serve to maintain inequity.

Relationship - Merriam-Webster (n.d.) defines a relationship as:

The state of being related or interrelated
The relation connecting or binding participants in a relationship: such as
1. KINSHIP
2. A specific instance or type of kinship
1. A state of affairs existing between those having relations or dealings had a good relationship with his family
2. A romantic or passionate attachment.

Reproductive Rights - “Reproductive rights embrace certain human rights that are already recognized in national laws, international laws and international human rights documents and other consensus documents. These rights rest on the recognition of the basic rights of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. It also includes the right to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights documents” (United Nations Human Rights, 2014, p. 19).

Restorative Justice - “An approach to justice that focuses on addressing the harm caused by crime while holding the offender responsible for their actions, by providing an opportunity for the parties directly affected by the crime – victims, offenders and communities – to identify and address their needs in the aftermath of a crime. Restorative justice is based on an understanding that crime is a violation of people and relationships. The principles of restorative justice are based on respect, compassion and inclusivity. Restorative justice encourages meaningful engagement and accountability and provides an opportunity for healing, reparation and reintegration. Restorative justice processes take various forms and may take place at all stages of the criminal justice system” (Canadian Department of Justice, 2017).

Romantic Love - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Romantic love is the result of combining two of these components and it is described as, “a combination of the intimacy and passion components of love. In essence, it is liking with an added element, namely, the arousal brought about by physical attraction and its concomitants. According to this view, then, romantic lovers are not only drawn physically to each other but are also bonded emotionally” (Sternberg, 1986, p. 124).

S

Sado-Masochism (S&M) - “A mutually gratifying sexual interaction between consenting partners, in which sexual arousal is associated with inflicting and receiving pain or humiliation. It’s commonly known as S&M” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 416).

Secure Attachment - “Adults with a secure attachment style are willing to rely on others for support, comfortable with intimacy, and confident that they are valued by others” (Henschel, Nandrino, & Doba, 2020, p. 1).

Self-Care - “Activities or processes that are initiated and managed by [a person] for the purpose of supporting one’s health and well-being, attending to one’s needs, or providing stress relief (Lee & Miller, 2013; Newell & Nelson-Gardell, 2014). While self care might involve others such as peers, supervisors, one’s personal therapist, family or friends, it is presumed to be care that is by the self and for the self” (Bressi & Vaden, 2017, p. 34).

Sexism - “Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex” (Oxford English Dictionary, n.d.).

Sexual Masochism - “A paraphilia characterized by the desire or need for pain or humiliation to enhance sexual arousal and attain gratification” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 414).

Sexual Masochist - “A person who becomes sexually aroused by experiencing pain or humiliation inflicted by a sexual partner” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 414).

Sexual Sadism - “A paraphilia characterized by the desire to inflict pain or humiliation on others in order to enhance sexual arousal and attain gratification” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 415).

Sexual Sadist - “A person who becomes sexually aroused by inflicting pain or humiliation on a sexual partner” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 415).

Sexual Violence - “Any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work” (World Health Organization, n.d., para. 6).

Sizeism - “Prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person's size” (Oxford English Dictionary, n.d.).

SMF - Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies (SMF) explores relationships, sexualities, and families from an interdisciplinary perspective. This means that we learn about these topics by drawing on theory and research in both the humanities and social sciences in order to gain a fuller understanding of the complexities of human relationships. We are challenged to critically explore topics related to sexuality and relationships through an intersectional framework, a framework that invites us to look critically at the complexities of human identities and experiences. This program allows us to tailor our educational experiences so that we may choose courses and topics that deepen our understanding of particular domains, such as sexuality or family dynamics. We may also choose from a variety of specializations: Counselling Specialization, Human Services Practicum, or Research Specialization to deepen our learning in a particular area of interest.

Social Network/Social Support - “Social support is the physical and emotional comfort given to us by our family, friends, co-workers and others. It's knowing that we are part of a community of people who love and care for us, and value and think well of us. We all need people we can depend on during both the good times and the bad. Maintaining a healthy social support network is hard work and something that requires ongoing effort over time” (Fairbrother, 2011).

Socialization - “The process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (of society) and behave in a manner approved by the group (of society). According to most social scientists, socialization essentially represents the whole process of earning throughout the life course and is a central influence on the behaviour, beliefs, and actions of adults as well as children” (Britannica, 2018).

Social Justice - “Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society” (Oxford English Dictionary, n.d.). [See also Egalitarianism].

Social Work - “A profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. It aims to help people develop their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve problems. Social work is concerned with individual and personal problems but also with broader social issues such as poverty, unemployment and domestic violence” (Canadian Association of Social Workers Acts [CASW], n.d.).

STI - Sexually Transmitted Infection. “Is caused by an organism (bacteria, virus, or parasite) that can be passed from one person to another during sex or intimate contact. Most STIs are passed (or transmitted) between sexual partners through unprotected oral, vaginal (frontal) or anal sex. Some STIs are passed by skin-to-skin contact. Using condoms and other barriers for vaginal (frontal), oral and anal sex is a good way to lower the chances of passing many STIs” (Centre for Disease Control, n.d.). Types of STIs include:

Bacterial vaginosis, chlamydia, epididymitis, genital warts / HPV, gonorrhea, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, herpes simplex virus, HIV / AIDS, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), molluscum contagiosum, non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), proctitis, pubic lice, scabies, syphilis, trichomoniasis, vaginitis, and yeast (Centre for Disease Control [CDC], n.d.).

Swinging - “A form of consensual adultery in which both spouses share extramarital sexual experiences. This is also referred to as mate swapping” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 316).

T

Therapy - “Aptly known as the “talking cure,” therapy typically involves a client reflecting on their personal challenges and a provider guiding the conversation with feedback, questions, and non-verbal cues” (Gopaldas, 2016, p. 264).

V

Vagina - The tubular female sex organ that may contain a penis during sexual intercourse and through which a baby is born (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 62).

Vulva - “The external sexual structures of the female” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 56).

W

White Supremacy - “Beliefs and ideas purporting natural superiority of the lighter-skinned, or ‘white’, human races over other racial groups. In contemporary usage, the term white supremacist has been used to describe some groups espousing ultranationalist, racist, or fascist doctrines. White supremacist groups often have relied on violence to achieve their goals” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018).

X

Xenophobia - “Fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).