Informal social networks are important for access to valuable resources such as money, food, work opportunities, shelter, healthcare services, education, etc., which can be critical for survival. They often form around shared interests, hobbies, personal beliefs, culture, religion, race/ethnicity, politics, or family ties.
Some informal social networks are formed around sexual desires, behaviors, identities, preferences, orientations, roles, fantasies, power dynamics, activities, norms, or fetishes. These sexualized informal networks influence their members' resource acquisition, distribution, and allocation processes in various ways.
People who engage in public displays of affection, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexting, pornography consumption, or striptease may have more access to material goods because they are popular among their peers and attract partners willing to share them. On the other hand, those who reject sexual contact altogether may have less access to intimate relationships, leading to lower income levels due to loneliness or isolation. In addition, people who pursue casual encounters, one-night stands, open relationships, polyamory, group sex, swinging, BDSM, or kinky practices often encounter different challenges when seeking resources from traditional sources like banks, employers, landlords, insurance companies, creditors, police officers, lawyers, politicians, doctors, teachers, neighbors, bureaucrats, etc.
Sexualized behaviors also affect how resources are distributed within these networks. Some sexual acts involve sharing possessions (e.g., food, money, clothes, drugs), while others require them to be withheld (e.g., genitals, breasts, mouth, anus). People who agree on exchanging these items during or after the act will likely distribute resources equally, but those who don't may compete over ownership by negotiating terms, making threats, imposing sanctions, or withdrawing cooperation. The unequal power dynamics involved can lead to unfair resource distribution, creating winners and losers in informal social networks.
A person who pays for sexual services may feel entitled to control how the other spends the money later on. Similarly, a dominant partner may decide where the submissive goes, what they wear, eat, drink, say, or do without considering their preferences.
Sexualized behaviors influence informal social networks through the access to valuable resources and the distribution of those resources among members. While some people benefit from engaging in sexual activities that attract partners willing to share material goods, others struggle due to prejudice against their interests, preferences, identities, orientations, practices, or fantasies.
Competitive strategies for exchanging resources often create unfair outcomes that favor those who wield more power or control. Therefore, it is essential to consider the impact of sexuality on informal networks when designing policies related to education, healthcare, housing, finance, employment, justice, etc.
How do sexualized behaviors influence informal social networks, access to resources, and influence distribution?
Sexualized behaviors can influence informal social networks by creating barriers to communication and trust between individuals who have engaged in such behavior, which can result in reduced access to resources such as jobs, education, and healthcare services. Additionally, it may lead to feelings of shame and guilt, causing people to withdraw from their communities, further reducing access to resources.