Written by Sarya Gulec
In the modern social sciences, collective consciousness, as introduced by Émile Durkheim, is a key concept in understanding shared beliefs, values, and norms within societies. Collective awareness shapes individual behaviors and societal expectations, particularly gender and sexuality. By looking at the intersectionality of collective consciousness, gender, and sexuality, a fuller comprehension is developed in understanding cultural, social, and political ramifications regarding how these constructs shape and contour conceptions of human rights, identity building, and social evolution.
Collective consciousness expresses a "shared belief and moral attitudes that work to unify people in a society." It is never the same; instead, it develops through cultural and historical backgrounds, mirroring values and ideologies that dominate at any specific period. For example, the feminist and LGBTQ+ revolutions have immensely impacted collective consciousness in their desire to question traditional gender roles and sexuality.
The notion of gender is deeply ingrained in collective consciousness and is generally viewed as a social construction. Through the agencies of socialization-family, education, religion, and the media-society socialize individuals into certain norms and expectations of masculinity and femininity. In their turn, these influence the identities and roles of individuals, normally rigidly polarized and, thus, marginalizing those who fail to fall explicitly into either category.
Historically, the collective consciousness has been engraved by and permeated by patriarchal structures. Women were often appointed to the private sphere, whereas men were constructed as breadwinners and decision-makers. This division has been disrupted by feminist movements that believe in the empowerment of genders. For example, the women's suffragette movement during the beginning of the 20th century altered the collective consciousness as voting became a fundamental human right for women.
Sexuality, like gender, is shaped by cultural and social constructs. Heteronormativity—the assumption that heterosexuality is the default or normal sexual orientation—has historically dominated collective consciousness. This perspective marginalizes LGBTQ+ individuals, often leading to discrimination and exclusion.
However, norms about sexuality have changed significantly in the past century with the decriminalization of homosexuality in many countries, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and increased representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in media. However, especially in regions where conservative ideas dominate the collective consciousness, disparities remain, often resulting in violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
The intersections of gender and sexuality within collective consciousness highlight the complexity of identity formation and societal dynamics. Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, emphasizes how overlapping systems of oppression—such as sexism, homophobia, and racism—create unique experiences for individuals.
For instance, Black feminist scholars criticize this collective consciousness of gender and sexuality as exclusionary for women of color. This has taken the form of feminist and LGBTQ+ movements whose discourses traditionally were premised upon white middle-classist conceptions, which do not fully meet all the various forms of discrimination that diverse marginalized groups encounter.
These shifts in the collective consciousness of gender and sexuality have severe implications for social justice and human rights. International frameworks, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasize all individuals' inherent dignity and equality. On the other hand, cultural relativism mostly contests this premise in light of a regional conflict between traditional norms and international standards.
The struggle for gender equality and the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals has guided quite monumental changes in policy over the globe. For example, the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 5 seeks to attain gender equality and the empowerment of all girls and women. On the same note, various activism for the rights of LGBTQ+ has come up with anti-discrimination laws in many countries coupled with the legalization of diverse family structures.
Media and technologies are tools for shaping and spreading collective consciousness. Social media spaces, in particular, have become places for mobilization, education, and solidarity. #MeToo, #LoveWins movements showed that through digital mobilization, conventional ideas can be challenged and inclusion fostered.
Yet, the digital space also has challenges: the propagation of injurious stereotypes, harassment, misinformation, and hate speech. This further complicates the shifting of collective consciousness toward greater acceptance and equality.
The interplay between collective consciousness, gender, and sexuality represents the ever-changing nature of societal norms and values. While much has been achieved to question traditional structures and foster inclusivity, there is still a long way to go. Such systemic inequalities in fostering an inclusive collective consciousness demand continuous advocacy, education, and policy reform. By embracing diversity and challenging the existing oppressive norms, societies can draw closer to achieving equality and justice for all.
References:
Amnesty International. (2022). State-sponsored homophobia and its impact on LGBTQ+ rights. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org
Durgun, S. (2019). The suffragette movement and its impact on modern feminism. Retrieved from https://www.dergipark.org.tr
Pew Research Center. (2021). The role of social media in modern activism. https://www.pewresearch.org
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