Sexuality Defined
Human sexuality can be defined as the ways in which people experience and express themselves as sexual beings. This would include their perception of themselves as male or female and their capacity for erotic experiences and responses. The lack of genital sensation through injury for instance or the fact that somebody does not engage in sexual intercourse or fantasy does not preclude him or her from being sexual.
Sexuality and the feelings associated with it do not start in adolescence and disappear at the age of retirement. It begins long before birth and continues up to the day a person dies.
Sexuality: Introduction
Every survey of human sexual behaviour reveals that there is a huge variety of sexual expression – the way we choose to behave sexually is usually as individual and as complicated as the ways we choose to dress or to earn a living. Human sexuality rarely falls into neat categories or lends itself to simple labelling. Human sexuality is a rich and complex area of human experience. Authors, artists, poets, philosophers and composers have worked to explore sexuality from earliest times without coming up with any enduring answers.
In recent times however, the word sexuality has come to also have a more limited meaning. Sexuality is now often defined by whether the gender of the sexual partners we choose is the same as our own or different. Some feel this more restrictive definition can create problems since it attempts to fit a complex, subtle experience into three or four simple categories. However it also offers solutions since it can give people who do not feel they share the major assumptions of the dominant heterosexual mainstream the voice, pride and sense of validation that comes from discovering an identity and a shared experience with others.
A hot debate has endured over recent years about why people’s sexuality differs. Many theories have been put forward – citing genetic pre-determination, childhood influences and peer-pressure amongst other reasons. However, attempts to find a single cause for individual’s choices of sexual orientation have not been successful. Nor have attempts to influence or change individual’s sexuality. Like many of our other characteristics, sexuality seems to be largely a chance product of our individual nature which is then further developed by our early interactions. Like many other personality traits, our sexuality seems to be formed by the time we reach teenage — although it may be many years later before we each understand and accept our sexuality.
Sexuality: Terms Explained or Defined
- Abstinence – The state not having sexual relations or intercourse of any kind. May be referred to as “practicing abstinence” or “abstaining from sex”. Technically the only type of truly safe sex.
- Bi – Modern slang for “bisexual”.
- Bisexual – An individual who is sexually attracted to both males and females.
- Bisexuality – A sexual orientation in which an individual is sexually attracted to both males and females. This attraction may not be equal, so the individual may feel stronger feelings for, or have feelings more often for, one sex instead of the other with no regard to his or her own sex.
- Celibate – Describes an individual who abstains from sex, possibly for religious or spiritual purposes.
- Contraception – Methods of avoiding conception (becoming pregnant). May also be known as “birth control” or “family planning”. Particular devises, such as birth control pills, patches, intrauterine devices and condoms, are often referred to as “contraceptives”.
- Exhibitionism - Sexual urges and fantasies and exposing one’s genitalia to strangers
- Fetishism – Using nonliving objects for sexual gratification (female’s shoes).
- Frotteurism – Recurrent urge or behavior involving touching or rubbing against a non-consenting partner (e.g., in the subways).
- Gay – A man whose primary sexual and emotional attraction is towards other men. The preferred term to describe homosexual men. It is sometimes also used by lesbians to describe themselves.
- Gender Identity – Based on a person’s sence of maleness or femaleness, established by the age of 3 years and believed to have been determined by parents. Brain perception of either a boy or a girl is established by 3 years.
- GLBT – Acronym standing for “gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender”
- Heterosexual – An individual who is sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex.
- Heterosexuality – A sexual orientation in which an individual is sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex.
- Homosexual – An individual who is sexually attracted to members of his or her own sex.
- Homosexuality – A sexual orientation in which an individual who is sexually attracted to members of his or her own sex.
- Lesbian – A woman whose primary sexual and emotional attraction is towards other women.
- Masochism - recurrent urge or behavior involving acts of humiliation, the victim, the victim likes to receive pain through sexual performance.
- Masturbation – Normal precursor of object-related sexual behavior, both men and women do it, beginning by 15 months to 19 months with no sexual fantasies. It increases by puberty. Males learn it earlier and practice more often. Excessive only if it interferes with daily functioning.
- Pedophilia – Desiring sexual activity with a child under the age of 13 years (most common paraphilia).
- Protection – Modern slang term to refer to contraceptives. Very often refers to a condom as these latex sheaths protect against both STIs and pregnancy.
- Queer – A previously insulting term for homosexuals, but has since been reclaimed and is now an accepted term for homosexuals and homosexuality in gay communities. Queer Theory is also an established area of investigation in both gay and lesbian studies as well as feminist and women’s studies.
- Rainbow – Emblem of gay pride, most commonly displayed in a flag format sometimes referred to as a “freedom flag”. This emblem is most often displayed with the red stripe at the top followed by stripes of orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. These stripes represent the diversity in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community.
- Sadism – recurrent urge or behavior involving acts in which physical or psychological suffering of a victim is exciting to the patient. Loves to inflict pain on his victim.
- Safer Sex – Term used to describe sex in which protection (condoms and/or other contraception) is used to avoid STIs and pregnancy. Sometimes mistakenly described as “safe sex”.
- Sexual Health – An area of health related to sex and reproduction. Mental health issues and both external and internal physical health issues are included in this area.
- Sexual Identity – Based on a person’s sexual characteristic, such as external and internal genitalia, hormonal characteristics and secondary sexual characteristics.
- Sexual Orientation – A sexual preference for or attraction to members of an individual’s same sex (homosexuality), members of the opposite sex (heterosexuality), or both (bisexuality).
- Sexuality – Relating to a person’s sexual preferences.
- STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection. Previously described as STDs or Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Common STIs include Chlamydia, Syphilis, HIV and AIDS, Gonorrhoea, Genital Warts, Genital Herpes and more. STIs can be tested for and treated by GPs or at sexual health clinics.
- Transgender – An individual whose gender does not match his or her biological sex. Commonly used to describe both transvestites (individuals who dress as the other gender) and transsexuals (individuals who have undergone sexual reassignment surgery).
- Transvetic fetishism – recurrent urge or behavior involving cross-dressing, usually found in heterosexual men.
- Voyeurism – Recurrent urges or behavior involving the act of observing an unsuspecting person who is engaging in sexual activity or disrobing, etc. it is an earlier paraphilia to develop.
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