In all nations, governments have enacted rules and regulations that forbid various forms of sexual identities and behaviours. Canada is no exception. Having knowledge of our own history of the policing of sexuality in Canada is an important foundation on which to build an understanding of how contemporary forces continue to regulate sexuality.
Some questions that may arise are the following:
How did government policy, historically, target certain groups?
What kinds of coercion were used?
What forms of resistance emerged?
What was, and continues to be, behind the state’s (government’s) desire to regulate the sexuality of its citizens?
What other interest groups may be invested in regulating sexuality?
What are the influences of class, ethnicity, or occupation?
How does public policy continue to reflect the coercive nature of the state?
These are only a few questions to consider. Begin your report by investigating Canada’s history of sexual regulation. Your second task in this paper is to investigate how this history has shaped or influenced today’s realities. Which aspects you choose to include, and the scope of your investigation will be your choice. You may also generate your own questions that will eventually shape your path of inquiry. You are welcome to submit a proposed outline no later than two weeks before the assignment deadline.
Your report will require the following: Title page, introduction, essay body (where you provide your data), conclusion, and references. Remember to use a consistent referencing style (APA or MLA).
The title page is an essential part of your essay. While the specific details of title pages might vary according to the requirements of particular subjects, the following information is fairly standard. Your title page should include: title of assignment (i.e., the essay question or topic), your name, course code, course instructor, department, and due date (i.e., the date on which the essay is due).
A title page does more than provide a space for the name of the writer of the essay. It is the part of your essay that will create the first (and often lasting) impression about you as a writer.
The introduction to your essay is an important part of your text. It gives your reader an indication of what to expect in terms of quality, substance, and interest.
Many students find that writing an introduction is often the most difficult part of the essay because of the importance of the introduction to the essay’s structure and the difficulty of getting started.
There are a number of features that should form part of any good introduction: A strong opening sentence that provokes your reader’s interest, captures your reader’s attention, and sets the stage for you to get quickly to the point of your essay.
Discuss briefly the background context of your essay noting the significance of your topic, your key terms or concepts (this might also involve an outline of your conceptual framework), and the limits of your discussion (the intellectual boundaries of your essay).
For the body of your essay choose no more than three areas for investigation (topics).
Remember: This assignment is both an historical and contemporary glimpse at sexual regulation in Canada. Do not forget to discuss your own thoughts on your research. If it generates questions or opinions, be sure to include these.
The conclusion ties together the main threads of your argument. It should not be used for introducing new information. The point of a conclusion is to provide a sense of closure for your essay.
However, depending on the topic and/or subject area, you can use the conclusion to reflect on future developments in the field or the ramifications that your findings might have for future research in the area.
In essence, the conclusion sums up your main ideas. Fundamentally, it should leave the reader in no doubt that you have demonstrated what you set out to do.
