Opinion: From the Opinion Desk

Tackling Taboos

This week, we finish our three-part series "Exploring the Issues: Race, Religion and Sexuality" with topics relating to sexuality and gender. Without question, sexuality is the most prevalent in the public discourse of the three issues we have addressed, yet for this very reason it must be addressed in an entirely unique way.

Often as a society, we treat sexuality much more as a commonality than other significant societal components — a common attraction, a common distinction and a common perspective. Quite simply, these perceived commonalities could not be further from the truth.

As our columnists will explore, sexuality and gender, and our ideas surrounding them, are filled with taboos, contradiction and complication. Often sexuality is either extremely overt or extremely personal — with the discourse lagging somewhere in between. It is for this reason that we have chosen it — possibly the most difficult to address with any true comprehensiveness — as our final issue to explore.

Our topics and their writers are as follows:

Today: Kate Maternowski — Female opinion and authority

Gerald Cox — Gender in the Clinton campaign

Tuesday: Ald. Eli Judge, District 8 — the Wisconsin Gay Marriage Ban one year later

Andy Granias — the legality of prostitution

Wednesday: Jason Smathers — Pornography's effect on American sexual lifestyle

Andrew Wagner —The exportation of American sex and gender standards

Thursday: Andy Granias — The modern masculinity ideal

Panhellenic Association — Sexuality myths of the Greek community

Friday: Adam Lichtenheld — Gay rights movement as a modern day civil rights movement

Jason Smathers — The overlooked issues of transgender and intersex individuals

Enjoy.