Understanding the
Essentialism and Constructionism Debate
and Its Difference from the Nature v. Nurture Debate
Debated Concepts &
Theoretical Approaches
Question at Issue in the
Debate
Answers Posed by Each Side
of the Debate/Theoretical
Approach
Sex, gender, and sexual
orientation are determined or
caused by biology, genetics,
etc.
Nature
versus
What causes someone to be
male, female, intersex, gay,
straight, bisexual?
Nurture
Essentialism
versus
Constructionism
Where do the meanings,
interpretations, or values
associated with sex, gender,
sexuality originate?
Sex, gender, and sexual
orientation are determined or
caused by socialization, norms,
cultural pressures.
The meanings, interpretations,
or values a culture associates
with sex, gender, and sexuality
originate from a fundamental,
intrinsic relationship between
characteristics and the
meanings, interpretations, or
values.
The meanings, interpretations,
or values a culture associates
with sex, gender, and sexuality
originate from a culturally
constructed relationship
between characteristics and the
meanings, interpretations, or
values.