From birth, a person's sexuality is shaped by society. Cultures institute behaviors that should be considered societal norms, which aim to constantly reinforce societal expectations of how genders should act in relation to one another. Although some may argue that a person's sexuality is an innate characteristic resulting from genetic makeup, much evidence points instead to its social construction. Through power differentials between men and women, established gender roles, and drastic economic changes, society establishes sexuality and reinforces expected behaviors of its citizens. As Tamsin Wilton explains in her article “Which One's the Man?” "The heterosexualization of the lesbian sex", society argued that heterosexuality, or desire for the opposite sex, is the norm. However, the reason why this happens is left out. Wilton instead asserts that “heterosexual desire is [an] eroticized power difference [because] heterosexual desire originates in the power relationship between men and women” (161). This social struggle for power forces the majority of individuals to engage in male-female relationships because most women are unable to overcome the cycle of oppression that society has drawn them into. While heterosexual relationships consist of the man (the oppressor) and the woman (the victim unable to fight against the oppressor), homosexual relationships involve two or more individuals freed from their roles as oppressor and oppressed. socially constructed phenomenon and the extent to which the acceptability of a relationship is determined by society's view of gender roles. Because the majority of the population is characterized as heterosexual, those who deviate from this path are...... middle of paper...... Blackledge, Catherine. “The function of orgasm.” Gender, sex and sexuality. New York: University of Oxford, 2009. 272-84. Print.D'Emilio, John. “Capitalism and gay identity.” 467-76. Print.Martin, Emily. “The egg and the sperm: how science constructed a romance based on stereotypical male-female roles.” Gender, sex and sexuality. New York: University of Oxford, 2009. 248-53. Print.Preves, Ph.D., Sharon E. “Intersex Narratives: Gender, Medicine, and Identity.” Gender, sex and sexuality. New York: University of Oxford, 2009. 32-42. Print.Somerville, Siobhan. “Scientific racism and the invention of the homosexual body”. Gender, sex and sexuality. New York: University of Oxford, 2009. 284-99. Print.Wilton, Tamsin. "Which one is the man? The heterosexualization of lesbian sex." Gender, sex and sexuality. New York: University of Oxford, 2009. 157-70. Print.