Functionalist View of Sexuality

• The Functionalist View of Sexuality stresses the importance of regulating sexual behaviour to ensure marital cohesion, family & social stability
• The Functionalist View of Sexuality also suggests the family is the most important component in society, as so to preserve it is important
• Talcott Parsons (1955) long argued that the regulation of sexual activity is an important function of the family
• Talcott Parsons (1955) argued that the social norms surrounding family life have, traditionally encouraged sexual activity within the family unit (marriage) and have discouraged activity outside of it (premarital & extramarital sex)
• Talcott Parsons (1955) argued that the family's structure gives offspring the best possible chance for appropriate socialisation and the provision of basic resources
• Talcott Parsons (1955) argued that the view means homosexuality shouldn't be promoted on a large scale as an acceptable substitute for heterosexuality
• Talcott Parsons (1955) argued that if homosexuality was promoted on a large scale, procreation would eventually stop, and they would see homosexuality as dysfunctional to society
• One criticism of the Functionalist View on Sexuality (discouraging homosexuality on a large scale) is that this viewpoint doesn't take into account increasing legal acceptance of same-sex marriage, or the rise in gay and lesbian coupes who chose to bear and raise children through a variety of available alternative resources