Sexuality is not sex or gender, although sexuality is somewhat entertwined with the two. Sexuality is sexual behaviour. The "behaviour related to copulation and similar activities"(Oakley, 1985 p.99: as cited in Zajdow 2002:63). Sexuality is the whole area of actions and thoughts surrounding "achieving and having sexual relations"(Pinker 1997). The behaviours one exhibits when attracting a partner, the interactions with other humans in a sexual manner, and actual sexual activities, are all components of sexuality (Vida 1996). .
Theorists attempt to answer what causes sexual behaviour, which factors have the power to influence ones sexual behaviour and what factors control or limit sexual behaviour. .
Traditional explanations of sexuality or sexual behaviour have been derived and coloured by evolutionary biological sciences. As noted earlier these such theories have been criticised by sociology as being flawed by essentialism. This term, essentialism, refers to the way theorists, such as sociobiologists have reduced the complexity of sexuality right down to a single essence (Abercrombie et al. 2000: 122). The essence, in this case, explains sexual behaviour as being exclusively controlled by ones biological make up. This essentialist explanation for sexuality emphasises a simplistic approach, placing sole responsibility for sexual behaviour upon ones genes (Zajdow 2002). Such theories rely on evolutionary imperatives such as the theory of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin (1809-82). .
The Darwinian theory was proposed in 1859 and was evidenced by fossil records and studies conducted on comparative anatomy and embryology of humans and animals (Minidictionary of Biology, 1988:102). The theory was later supported in 1920's through studies known as "classical genetics" by a man named Mendel, who updated the theory to Neo-Darwinism (Minidictionary of Biology,1988:185). The theories explain that natural selection by the natural environment has shaped humans universal behavioural tendencies and characteristics.
