The Issue Of Sexual Practices

Since the dawn of man, sex has played a crucial role in society. Before they learned to read or write humans were engaging in sex and without it none of us would be here. In today’s society, sex has grown to become much more complicated. If I were to ask a group of people on the street what they believed sex was? I bet they would have a hard time answering. The question puzzling society today is how do we define sex? Can we define sex? These are questions raised in Tracy Steele’s article “Doing it: The Social Construction of S-E-X”. This article is about the current questions and issues that have been raised about sex within today’s society. In this paper I will summarize the key points of the article, while sharing my own thoughts and

Theodore Dalrymple, in the essay “All Sex, All the Time” reflects on the change of view of the people about sex and how it has lead people into more confusion and conflict than before. Dalrymple’s real name being Anthony Daniels, he picked up the pseudonym of Theodore Dalrymple for the purpose of his essays. There were times when virginity was a pride to men and women. However, it still prevails in some countries, this custom and the people have been changing. He states that the world is now free to enjoy sexual pleasures without any fear of the myths and taboos that existed in history. Although people feel that they are satisfied and are free to choose this path of life, sex has lead people into “confusion, contradiction, and conflict” states Dalrymple (Dalrymple 1).

The world now becomes a state of change or flux. Human beings act toward others and objects on the basis of the meanings that such things have for them but meanings are being continually constructed and modified through interaction. The fundamental approach is simple put: nothing is sexual but naming makes it so. Sexuality is a social construct learned in interaction with others. This is not to deny biological facts. It is simply to assert that things do not have sex meanings in their own right. They have to be bestowed upon them through sexual encounters. The mind has to define something as sexual before it is sexual in

    In contrast to our contemporary understandings, back in the late nineteenth and twentieth century sexology had just emerged and cast a new way of understanding. There were controversial views on sex and its benefits or dangerous. Our view of sexuality was quite intertwined with biblical and religious inputs. At this time understandings and terminology of same-sex sexual relations were linked with mental illness or considered sinful. Laws were in place to criminalize male sexual activity.

Human sexuality is a common phrase for all, and anything, pertaining to the feelings and behaviors of sex for the human race. Sexuality has been a topic that has been discussed and studied for as far back as 1000 years B.C. and is still being studied today. As the discussion of sexuality has progressed through history, theories have been created based on research and experiments that scholars have implemented, based on their own perceptions of human behavior. Out of the many theories that pose to explain sexual behavior, Sexuality Now explained ten that are seemed to be the most overlapped, and built off of theories. Of these theories, two that were discussed in the text were the behavioral and sociological theory. These two theories cover some of the basic ideas of what could possibly influence a person’s sexuality.

In modern society as the idea of sex and relationships becomes more liberal the purpose of sex and relationships comes under further analysis. In what is really a matter of just under a century sex before marriage has transformed from a concept that was once expected to one which is rarely practiced and as the attitude towards single mothers takes a similar U-turn we are forced to analyse the purpose of such concepts. Nowadays by many, sex is seen more and more as a leisurely activity which is in stark contrast to the idea previously held where the purpose of sex was seen as purely for reproductory purposes. It therefore raises the question of whether we should have the

It can be uncomfortable to discuss with family, friends, partners and in academic settings. Furthermore, “in certain spiritual and religious traditions, sex is seen as sinful, evil or too carnal or animalistic, and rejected in favor of celibacy” (Diamond). Sex can be taught to have negative associations starting in childhood. Therefore, when experiencing such strong sensations as Diamond described, it is understandable that our judgement may be clouded. With other aspects of life, we may find it easier to think rationally; however, when it comes to sexual intimacy, all can seem to be at stake (Barnet).

People who are not in a committed relationship also known as hookups or friends with benefits. The controversial issue of casual sex are adverse effects of hookups may consist of emotional entanglement, psychological harm, sexual violence, sexually transmitted infections, and or unplanned pregnancy. People who have experience hook-up behavior has linked with a variety of mental health factors (Garcia, 2013). Additionally, although some individuals are having casual sex, not all enjoy being in that type of relationship. Which may cause some to have low self-esteem, anxiety, and feeling of being pressured and discomfort (Paul et al., 2000). As a result feeling guilty and resentment. Women were more likely to feel guilt and have negative feelings than men (Garcia, 2013). These negative sense of guilt and resentments may connect to individuals wanting a more intimate and committed relationship.

Social norms are rules of behavior that are considered acceptable in society. If one does not follow social norms one might be shamed or suffer some kind of consequence. This leads to the actions of slut shaming. Slut shaming is the act of making a female feel degraded of certain sexual behaviors that deviate from social norms. Feminist believe that women deserve equality, and therefore stand up for women’s rights. Society’s norms of sexual activity is different from men and women, when men seem sexually active they are praised, but when women seem sexually active they are judged and called “sluts.” In society, from a very young age people, including women, have been unintentionally teaching their children about double standards in gender, being unintentionally sexist. In Toronto, a police officer addressed young women about safety by saying, ¨women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.” Because of this, feminist have started “slut walks” where the movement goes againts seuxal injustice, victiam blaming, derogatory labeling and gender inequality.

With today’s society growing more accepting sex has never been harder to define. Historically society has found ways to conceptualize everything from sex to sex work. However, with conceptualization come consequences. The language we use, the historical concepts we hold on to and the approaches we take on topics effects our views. Our language can change depending on who is being talked about and our historical concepts can become weak the deeper we discuss a concept. Sex is a complicated topic and can cause tension around negotiations in recognizing different ways of understanding it. All of these approaches to sex have always been, and still is, the locus of so much debate precisely because what is being investigated has never been, and likely never will, be completely agreed upon.

In today’s society, we as men and women are burdened with a double standard of how one’s sex life is supposed to go. We hear from our friends and family, from churches and neighbors, that sex is something you do with the person you love and trust, someone who you are going to share the rest of your life with. Sex comes with marriage, and with marriage comes a promise that you will remain with this one person “’til death do us part.”

Throughout history, definitions of sexuality within a culture are created and then changed time after time. During these changes, we have seen the impact and power one individual or group can have over others. In the Late Nineteenth Century into the Early Twentieth Century, we see multiple groups of people and or authorities taking control over the idea of sex and how they believe society is being impacted by sex. At this point in time, society had groups of people who believed they had the power to control how society as whole viewed and acted upon sex. Those particular groups and ideas changed many lives and the overall definition of sexuality within that culture.

In today’s society, most people determine their sexual involvement based on moral values and personal standards. Of course this is a fair way since on one hand; sex is a personal responsibility which needs to be determined at a personal level. On the other hand, it involves two people therefore it is not just a personal standard matter after all. Increasingly, there are people who think that no one has

The concept of sexual ethics can be an especially complicated predicament as to what is approved of and what is not. A person is informed, taught, and shown how to act and think, which can cause them to create schemas of multiple actions and ideas, especially when it comes to sexual relations. Furthermore, common principles that should be focused on when it comes to sex are verbal consent and hygiene.

The federal government still gives funding to educating children on abstinence. This approach teaches kids refraining from sex until marriage is the key to a healthy and happy life. Many Christian groups still campaign for young people to remain abstinent. The Bible promotes purity until marriage and monogamy once married. Christians believe we should treat our bodies as a temple and refrain from sexual immorality. They also believe followers of Christ should have control over their own bodies and should only act in holy and honorable ways and not in passionate lust. During my research I found a Christian organization that explained premarital sex as selfish and cruel, because you are negatively affecting both your relationships with God; whereas sex after marriage was described as “giving and unselfish”. They also went on to explain sex is meant only for your life partner because when you partake in sex chemicals in the brain are released that make you feel attached and trusting, and if you have sex outside of marriage you will become attached to a person that has no commitment to you. It is best to be committed to the person you have intercourse with because you become trusting and attached to the other person and become one