Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2026 - SA 337 OL01

Sexuality and Society (S) (4)

Class Number: 2407

Delivery Method: Online

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Online

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Aug 12, 2026
    Wed, 11:59–11:59 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    SA 101 or 150 or 201W.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The categories that organize our understandings of sex, gender and sexuality have powerful histories and roles in organizing social relations in western society. Social activists and academics contest the naturalness of these categories, particularly that of the binary opposition between male and female, and related assumptions about sexuality and sexual orientation. This course encompasses a range of perspectives on sex/gender identity, sexuality, and the relationship between the two. These perspectives include feminist, lesbian and gay, and queer and transgender challenges to traditional understandings of sex/gender identity and sexuality.

COURSE DETAILS:

Law organizes all social relations from the mundane to the complex and its role in structuring and controlling sexuality in Canadian society cannot be overstated. In historical and contemporary times, the institution of law has been deployed as a technology of state governance that intervenes in our erotic and intimate lives. Yet laws, and the system by which they are enforced, are socially negotiated and represent the values and interests of some groups of people over others. Pierre Bourdieu deploys the term “juridical field” to refer to the patterns, activities and structures that govern the “world of law” arguing that law operates as an apparatus like a magnetic field that stealthy produces rules and systems that continuously constitutes itself. This course will deploy a feminist socio-legal theoretical paradigm to consider how laws that govern sexuality are reflective of larger power relations that dictate normative sexuality and punish those who transgress normativity. Learning modules will focus on specific legal case studies involving the governance of sexuality including pivotal Charter Reference Cases on Polygamy (2011); Prostitution (1990); and Same-Sex marriage (2004).

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of feminist socio-legal approaches to the study of sexuality and law;
  2. Explain the normative logics of sexuality that are enforced in Canadian society via legal interventions;
  3. Identify key moments/ideas in Canadian legal history that have shaped sexual discourse in Canada;
  4. Critically reflect on the ways in which law shapes the erotic life of Canadians.

Grading

  • Module Mini-Quizzes (Multiple Choice) 10 X 2 % 20%
  • Short Module Learning Activities (2 points per learning module) 20%
  • Short Reflective Papers, Blog Style 500-700 words 2 X 10% 20%
  • Discussion Board Participation (2 points for learning module) 20%
  • Final Exam 20%

NOTES:

Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraws from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.

Grading System: The undergraduate course grading system is A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, N (N standing indicates student did not complete course requirements). Intervals for the assignment of final letter grades based on course percentage grades are as follows:

A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements                                                

Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies: The Department of Sociology & Anthropology follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T20.01), and academic honesty and student conduct procedures (S10‐S10.05). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style. It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.

Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.

The Sociology and Anthropology Student Union, SASU, is a governing body of students who are engaged with the department and want to build the SA community. Get involved!  Follow Facebook and Instagram pages or visit our website.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

SA 101 or 150 or 201W

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

All assigned reading materials, podcasts and videos will be posted on Canvas.

REQUIRED READING:

*This reading list is subject to change and will be finalized prior to the start of the course.

Module 1: Course Introduction

Minaker, Joanne. (2006). “Sluts and Slags: The Censuring of the Erring Female.” In Criminalizing Women. Edited by Gillian Balfour and Elizabeth Comack, 79-94. Fernwood Publishing.

Module 2: Theoretical Foundations

Rubin, G. 1984. “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality.” In Culture, Society and Sexuality. Edited by Richard Parker and Peter Aggleton. Routledge. 166-203.

Levit, Verchick, Minow, Verchick, Robert R. M., & Minow, Martha. (2016). Feminist legal theory: a primer (Second edition.). New York University Press. Chapter 1: Feminist Legal Theory, p. 11-40. 

Module 3: Law as a Socially Negotiated Process

Razack, S. (2000). “Gendered Racial Violence and Spatialized Justice: The Murder of Pamela George.” Canadian Journal of Law and Society 15(2):91-130.

Heumann S. (2011). “Mapping the intersection of gender, sexuality, ‘race’ and social justice in development and policy discourses. In Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice. Edited by Jackie Jones et al. Routledge.

Module 4: Consent & Youth Sexuality

Dauda, C. L. (2010). Sex, Gender, and Generation: Age of Consent and Moral Regulation in Canada. Politics & Policy (Statesboro, Ga.), 38(6), 1159–1185. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00273.x

Hunt, K. (2009). Saving the children: (Queer) youth sexuality and the age of consent in Canada. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 6(3), 15–33. https://doi.org/10.1525/srsp.2009.6.3.15

Module 6: Bodily Autonomy Reproductive Rights: R. v. Morgentaler

Burnett, Margaret et al. (2019). “A History of Women’s Reproductive Rights in Canada.” Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 41, no. 5: 713-XXX.

Akbari, M. (2021). Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women: An Act of Genocide or Policing Women’s Bodies?. York University Criminological Review, 3(1). Retrieved from https://csri.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/113

NPR. September 22, 2020. “ICE, A Whistleblower and Forced Sterilization.” Podcast. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/18/914465793/ice-a-whistleblower-and-forced-sterilization 

Module 7: Case Study, Marital Rape: R. v. Walsh

Vayeghan, M. (2016). Case Commentary: R. v Walsh and the “Myth” of Marital Rape. Canadian Journal of Women and the Law, 28(1), 230–240. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjwl.28.1.230

Koshan, J. (2017). The Criminalization of Marital Rape and Law Reform in Canada. In Randall, Koshan and Nyaundi eds., The Right to Say No: Marial Rape: 139-164.

Kristof, N. November 1, 2025. “Why do we allow child marriage in America?” New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/opinion/child-marriage-us.html

Module 8: Case Study, Prostitution: Bedford v. Canada

Valverde, Mariana. (2018). “Canadian Feminism and Sex Work Law: A Cautionary Tale. In Red Light Labour. Sex Work Regulation, Agency, and Resistance. Edited by Elya M. Durisin, Emily van der Meulen and Chris Bruckert, 247-255. Toronto University Press.

Gacek, James and Richard Jochelson. (2019). Sex Work in Canada: Beginnings, Bedford, and Beyond. In Sexual Regulations and the Law: A Canadian Perspective. Edited by Richard Jochelson and James Gacek, 57-100. Demeter Press

Ruttle, J. September 28, 2025. “B.C. ‘sugar baby’ wins spousal support from her 77-year-old-ex.” Vancouver Sun. https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-sugar-baby-wins-spousal-support-77-year-old-ex

Module 9: Case Study, Same-Sex Marriage: Reference re: Same-Sex Marriage

Hogg, P. W. (2006). Canada: The Constitution and same-sex marriage. International Journal of Constitutional Law, 4(4), 712–721. https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/mol019

Spade, D. & Willse, C. (2013). Marriage Will Never Set Us Free. Organizing Upgrade. http://archive.organizingupgrade.com/index.php/modules-menu/beyond-capitalism/item/1002- marriage-will-never-set-us-free

Valverde, Mariana. (2006). “A New Entity in the History of Sexuality: The Respectable Same-Sex Couple.” Feminist Studies, 32, no. 1: 155-162.

Module 10: Case Study, The Charter Reference on Polygamy (2010-2011)

Beaman, Lori. Introduction: Is Polygamy Inherently Harmful? In Polygamy’s Rights and Wrongs, edited by Gillian Galder and Lori G. Beaman, 1-20. UBC Press. 2014.

Lenon, Suzanne. “Intervening in the Context of White Settler Colonialism: West Coast LEAF, Gender Equality and the Polygamy Reference.” Oñati Socio-Legal Series 6, no. 6(2016): 1324-47.

Woolley, C. September 10, 2025. “Why I Always Dreamed of Being a Sister Wife.” New York Times. Podcast. https://youtu.be/cLEBC1XSXWo?si=r4ydoYNMmlN0OeF5

Module 11: Criminalizing HIV

McClelland, A. (2019). “Lock this whore up”: Legal violence and flows of information precipitating personal violence against people criminalised for HIV-related crimes in Canada. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 10(1), 132–147. https://doi.org/10.1017/err.2019.20

Snyder, E., & Iyioha, I. O. (2020). Indigenous feminist legal theory: A multi-juridical analysis of the limits of law on Indigenous women’s health in relation to HIV in Canada. In Women’s Health and the Limits of Law (1st ed., pp. 212–231). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351002387-8


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.