In every culture and civilization, in every species and gender, sex is an essential biological activity that is practiced universally. There are hundreds of prejudices surrounding sex; Some believe it has religious value, others believe it is only for reproductive purposes. American society's overall views on sex have become more lenient in recent decades. However, a taboo persists: that of mistreatment inflicted on people who practice homosexual sex. Although this occurs even among animals in nature, many traditional religious members of society feel that heterosexual sex is the only proper form and that homosexual sex is evil. Although there is scientific evidence that homosexuality is often biological, this taboo still exists and same-sex couples are looked down upon and treated unequally by society in control. The Poetics of Sex is a revealing story that deals with these judgments imposed by society, as well as the stereotypes associated with homosexuality. Jeanette Winterson directly confronts and challenges “normal” society in order to make it take a look at what it does not understand. She also solidifies her relationship with her girlfriend as being just as passionate, if not more so, than heterosexual couples. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Winterson's account is filled with graphic details of her romantic relationship with Picasso, her lover. She deliberately uses “vulgar” words and graphic images to slap society, so to speak. Many stereotypes suggest that same-sex relationships are all about sex. Instead of directly challenging these claims (which would likely be ignored), Winterson mocks them. She strives to be as offensive to mainstream society as possible, forcing them to look at her and acknowledge her relationship. She wants to shake things up and ruffle the feathers of her society. These attributes explain the postmodern era in which The Poetics of Sex was written. The postmodern movement strove to challenge the norm and create a binary opposition between order and disorder. If “order” was heterosexuality, then “disorder” was homosexuality. Winterson deliberately created tension to emphasize the conflict between the two. This is an example of postmodernism. She also revealed times when she and Picasso were mistreated and disrespected for being "different." She says: “The world is full of blind people. They don't see us, Picasso and me, worthy of our love. They see perverts, inverts, tribades, homosexuals. They see circus freaks and Satan worshipers…” Being a minority automatically provoked feelings of perversion among Winterson’s peers. Instead of recognizing that everyone is different, society creates standards to determine who is “right,” who is “normal.” It then compares everyone to these standards and excludes everyone who does not fit these standards. Winterson also addresses issues specific to women in her story. In postmodernism, everything “non-masculine” is grouped into the gender of disorder. Society places women in inferior conditions to men. “Stay indoors, don't walk the streets, don't bar the windows, keep your mouth shut, keep your legs together, tie your purse around your neck... don't take chances, don't try ." From a very young age, women are taught to live in fear, to think that we are.