Organizations and sexualities

In one sense, the recognition of sexuality as a central feature of organization(s) is relatively recent, prompted by a range of disciplinary and theoretical positions. Foremost of these is second wave feminism, highlighting concerns with women's control over their bodies and sexuality, and critiques of the sexualization of organizations, and sexist uses of sexuality, in advertising and other organizational displays. A second force for change has been LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, plus further unspecified non‐normative gender and sexuality identities) new sexual social movements. Another stimulus has been poststructuralist and postcolonial theory. The most profound impact of such moves has been in problematizing sexuality, especially heterosexuality, and essentialized, naturalized views of sexuality, and, with queer theory, “homosexuality” too. Yet in another sense, the centrality of sexuality for organization(s) seems to be rediscovered every few years, as if a new insight (see Zetterberg, 1966)