Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the ability to feel erotic experiences and to express oneself sexually. This involves biological, erotic, physical, emotional, social or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Human beings engage in sexual activities for various purposes, be they reproductive, for maintaining social ties, or for enjoyment and pleasure both own as of the other. The biological and physical aspects of sexuality largely correspond to human reproductive functions, including the human sexual response cycle.
The WHO, PAHO and WAS (2000) define sexuality as
...a fundamental dimension of being a human being: Based on sex, it includes gender, gender and gender identities, sexual orientation, eroticism, affection and love, and reproduction. It is experienced or expressed in the form of thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, activities, practices, roles and relationships. Sexuality is the result of the interaction of biological, psychological, socio-economic, cultural, ethical and religious or spiritual factors.
In relation to human sexuality, those elements that define the sexual identity of a human being are biological sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. The physical and emotional aspects of sexuality Sexuality includes bonds between individuals that are expressed through deep feelings or physical manifestations of love, trust, and care. Social aspects deal with the effects of human society on an individual's sexuality, while spirituality pertains to an individual's spiritual connection to others. Sexuality also affects and is affected by cultural, political, legal, philosophical, moral, ethical, and religious aspects of life.
Evolutionary perspectives on human mating, reproduction and reproductive strategies, and social learning theory provide further insights into sexuality. Sociocultural aspects of sexuality include historical events and religious beliefs. Some cultures have been described as repressive of sexuality. The study of sexuality also includes human identity within social groups, as well as sexual and reproductive health.
Terms and etymology
The term sex derives from the Latin sexus, for sectus, "section", "separation&# 3. 4;; from the Greek genos (from which genitality is also derived), and it appears used for the first time in De inventione I, by Cicero.
Sexual orientation and identity
Definitions of sexual orientation traditionally include attraction to people of the opposite sex (heterosexuality), to the same sex (homosexuality), and to both sexes (bisexuality), while asexuality is considered the fourth orientation category sexual orientation by some researchers and has been defined as the absence of a conventional sexual orientation. An asexual person has little or no attraction to other individuals. This can be considered the absence of sexual orientation, and there is significant debate as to whether or not it is a sexual orientation.
It is unknown how a specific sexual orientation develops. Various investigations have been carried out to determine the influence of genetics, hormonal action, developmental dynamics, and cultural and social influences. The results of these investigations suggest that biological and environmental factors play a complex role in its formation. There is considerably more evidence indicating biological causes for the development of sexual orientation than evidence for social causes, especially for the boys.
Androphilia and gynephilia (or gynecophilia) are terms used to describe sexual orientation without ascribing a sex or gender identity to the person who is attracted to it, and are an alternative to the binary heterosexual and homosexual conceptualization of gender. Androphilia is the sexual attraction to men or masculinity, while gynephilia refers to the sexual attraction to women or femininity. Ambiphilia is the combination of androphilia and gynephilia in one individual, or bisexuality.
Sexual identity refers to the perception that an individual has of himself with respect to his own body based on the evaluation he makes of his physical or biological characteristics. A multitude of factors are involved in the definition of sexual identity, among which we can highlight the psychological, social and biological and -within the latter- the gonadal, chromosomal, genital and hormonal.
In most cases, men are born with male genitalia and XY chromosomes, while women have female genitalia and two X chromosomes. However, there are people who cannot be classified by these factors, since they have combinations of chromosomes, hormones and genitalia that do not follow the typical definitions that have been associated with men and women. Knowing the frequency in the population is complicated when there are no clear and defined limits about the presence or not of intersex. It is estimated that in the United States 1 in 2,000 children are born with visible intersex.
Some cultures have different ways of understanding the sexual system. Traditional Diné Native Americans of the American Southwest recognize a spectrum of four genders: female female, male female, female male, and male male. The term "third gender" has been used to describe the hijra (/jishra/) of India and Pakistan, the fa'afafine of Samoa, the mahu from Hawaii, the muxe Zapotecs from Mexico, the kathoey from Thailand, and the sworn virgins from the Balkans, among others.
Sexual desire
Theorists and researchers have generally employed two different frameworks for understanding human sexual desire. The first is a biological framework where sexual desire comes from an innate motivation such as "an instinct, drive, need, drive, thirst, or desire". This sexual drive is strongly linked to biological factors such as & #34;chromosomal and hormonal status, nutritional status, age, and general health". The second is a sociocultural theory where desire is conceptualized as a factor in a much broader context (i.e., relationships nested within societies, nested within cultures). In the sociocultural framework, sexual desire would indicate a yearning for sexual activity for its own sake, not for any purpose other than simply for enjoyment and self-satisfaction or to release some tension sexual. Sexual desire and activity may also occur to help achieve other means or to gain other rewards that may not be sexual in origin, such as increased closeness and attachment between partners.
Sexual desire can be spontaneous or responsive. It is also dynamic, can be positive or negative, and can vary in intensity depending on the desired object/person. The spectrum of sexual desire is described by Stephen Barrett Levine as: aversion → reluctance → indifference → interest → need → passion.
Men, on average, have significantly higher sexual desire and drive than women; this also correlates with the finding that men report, on average, a greater total number of lifetime sexual partners, although mathematicians say that "it is logically impossible for heterosexual men to have more partners." on average than heterosexual women".
Attraction
Sexual attraction is attraction on the basis of sexual desire or the quality of arousing such interest. The attraction can be to the physical or other qualities or traits of a person, or to those qualities in the context in which they appear. A person's sexual attractiveness is largely a subjective measure that depends on interest, perception of another person, and sexual orientation. A person's physical appearance has a critical impact on their sexual attractiveness, although other factors such as their voice and smell also play a role.
Interpersonal attraction includes factors such as physical or psychological similarity, familiarity or preponderance of common or familiar characteristics, similarity, complementarity, reciprocal liking, and reinforcement.
Biological and physiological aspects
Like other mammals, humans are grouped primarily as male or female, with a small proportion (about 1%) being intersex individuals, for whom sexual classification may not be as clear.
The biological aspects of human sexuality relate to the reproductive system, the sexual response cycle, and the factors that affect these aspects. They also include the influence of biological factors on other aspects of sexuality, such as organic and neurological responses, heredity, hormonal issues, gender issues, and sexual dysfunction.
Physical Anatomy and Reproduction
Men and women are anatomically similar; this extends to some extent to the development of the reproductive system. During and after puberty the differences intensify with the appearance of the secondary sexual characteristics. Upon reaching sexual maturity, men and women possess different reproductive mechanisms that allow them to perform sexual acts and reproduce. Individuals of both sexes react to sexual stimuli in a similar way with small differences.
Human reproduction is sexually heterogamic. In it, the gametes differ both morphologically and physiologically. One of them -the spermatozoon- is tiny and mobile, and is also called the male gamete or microgamete, while the other -the ovule- is large, and is called the female gamete or macrogamete. Women have a monthly reproductive cycle, while that the male sperm production cycle is more continuous.
Brain
The hypothalamus is the most important part of the brain for sexual functioning. This is a small area at the base of the brain that consists of several groups of nerve cell bodies that receive input from the limbic system. Studies have shown that, within laboratory animals, the destruction of certain areas of the hypothalamus causes the suppression of sexual behavior. The hypothalamus is important because of its relationship to the pituitary gland, which lies below it. The pituitary gland secretes hormones that are produced in the hypothalamus and itself. The four important sex hormones are oxytocin, prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone.
Oxytocin, sometimes called the "love hormone" it is released in both sexes during intercourse when an orgasm is reached. Oxytocin has been suggested as critical to the thoughts and behaviors necessary to maintain close relationships. The hormone is also released in women when they give birth or are lactating. Both prolactin and oxytocin stimulate milk production in women. women. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is responsible for ovulation in women, which works by triggering the maturation of the egg; in men it stimulates sperm production. Luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers ovulation, which is the release of a mature egg.
Male anatomy and reproductive system.
Men also have internal and external genitalia that are responsible for procreation and sexual intercourse. Sperm (sperm) production is also cyclical, but unlike the female ovulation cycle, the sperm production cycle is constantly producing millions of sperm daily.
External Male Anatomy
The male genitalia are the penis and scrotum. The penis provides a passage for semen and urine. An average size flaccid penis is approximately 9.5 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter. When erect, the average size of the penis is 11 cm to 15 cm in length and 3.8 cm in diameter. The internal structures of the penis consist of the shaft, glans, and root.
The shaft of the penis consists of three cylindrical bodies of spongy tissue filled with blood vessels along its length. Two of these bodies lie next to each other at the top of the penis, and are called the corpora cavernosa. The third, called the corpus spongiosum, is a tube that lies centrally below the others and expands at the end to form the tip of the penis (glans).
The raised rim on the glans penis is called the corona. The urethra runs through the shaft and provides an outlet for sperm and urine. The root consists of the expanded ends of the corpora cavernosa, which unfold to form the crura and attach to the pubic bone and the expanded end of the corpus spongiosum (bulb). The root is surrounded by two muscles; the bulbocavernosus muscle and the ischiocavernosus muscle, which help with urination and ejaculation. The penis has a foreskin that usually covers the glans; this is sometimes removed by circumcision for medical, religious, or cultural reasons. In the scrotum, the testicles are kept away from the body, one possible reason for this is that sperm can be produced in an environment with a slightly cooler temperature than normal. normal body temperature.
Internal Male Anatomy
The internal male reproductive structures are the testicles, duct system, prostate and seminal vesicles, and Cowper's glands.
The testicles (male gonads) are where sperm and male hormones are produced. Millions of sperm are produced daily in several hundred seminiferous tubules. Cells called Leydig cells are found between the tubules; they produce hormones called androgens; these consist of testosterone and inhibin. The testicles are supported by the spermatic cord, which is a tubular structure that contains blood vessels, nerves, the vas deferens, and a muscle that helps move the testicles up and down in response to changes in temperature and sexual arousal, in which the testicles move closer to the body.
Sperm is transported through a four-part duct system. The first part of this system is the epididymis. The testes converge to form the seminiferous tubules, coiled tubes at the top and back of each testis. The second part of the vas system is the vas deferens, a muscular tube that begins at the lower end of the epididymis. The vas deferens passes up the side of the testicles to form part of the spermatic cord. The expanded end it is the ampulla, which stores sperm before ejaculation. The third part of the duct system is the ejaculatory ducts, which are 1-inch (2.5 cm) long, paired tubes that pass through the prostate gland, where semen is produced. The prostate gland is a solid organ with chestnut shape that surrounds the first part of the urethra, which carries urine and semen. Similar to the female G-spot, the prostate provides sexual stimulation and can lead to orgasm through anal sex.
The prostate gland and seminal vesicles produce seminal fluid that mixes with sperm to create semen. The prostate gland is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It consists of two main zones: the inner zone that produces secretions to keep the lining of the male urethra moist, and the outer zone that produces seminal fluids to facilitate the passage of semen. The seminal vesicles secrete fructose for sperm activation and mobilization., prostaglandins to cause uterine contractions that aid movement through the uterus, and bases that help neutralize the acidity of the vagina. Cowper's glands, or bulbourethral glands, are two pea-sized structures below the prostate, whose function is to secrete alkaline pre-seminal fluid that lubricates and neutralizes the acidity of the urethra during arousal and before the passage of semen in ejaculation..
Female anatomy and reproductive system.
External Female Anatomy
The mons veneris, also known as the mons mons, is a soft layer of fatty tissue that lines the pubic bone. After puberty, this area grows in size. It has many nerve endings and is sensitive to stimulation.
The labia minora and labia majora are collectively known as the labia. The labia majora are two elongated folds of skin that extend from the mons to the perineum. Its outer surface becomes covered with hair after puberty. Between the labia majora are the labia minora, two hairless folds of skin that meet above the clitoris to form the clitoral hood, which is very sensitive to touch. The labia minora swell with blood during sexual stimulation, causing them to become swollen and red.
The labia minora are composed of connective tissues that are abundantly supplied with blood vessels that cause the pink appearance. Near the anus, the labia minora fuse with the labia majora. In a sexually unstimulated state, the labia minora protect the vaginal and urethral opening by covering them. At the base of the labia minora are Bartholin's glands, which emit secretions that lubricate the vagina.
The clitoris develops from the same embryonic tissue as the penis; it or its glans only consists of as many (or more in some cases) nerve endings as the human penis or glans, making it extremely sensitive to touch. The clitoral glans, which is a small, elongated erectile structure, has only one known function: sexual sensations. It is the main source of orgasm in women.
The vaginal opening and urethral opening are only visible when the labia minora are separated. These openings have many nerve endings that make them sensitive to touch. They are surrounded by a ring of sphincter muscles called the bulbocavernosus muscle. Inside the vaginal opening is the hymen. The breaking of the hymen has historically been considered the loss of virginity, although by modern standards, the loss of virginity is considered the first sexual intercourse. The hymen can be broken by activities other than sexual intercourse. The urethral opening connects to the bladder with the urethra; expels urine from the bladder. This is located below the clitoris and above the vaginal opening.
The breasts are the subcutaneous tissues in the frontal thorax of the female body. Although not technically part of a woman's sexual anatomy, they have roles in both sexual pleasure and breastfeeding. The breasts are exocrine glands made up of fibrous tissues and fats that provide support and contain nerves, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. Breasts develop during puberty in response to an increase in estrogen. Each adult breast consists of 15 to 20 mammary glands, irregularly shaped lobules including alveolar glands, and a lactiferous duct leading to the nipple. The lobules are separated by dense connective tissues that support the glands and attach them to tissues in the underlying pectoral muscles. Other connective tissue, forming dense strands called suspensory ligaments, extends inward from the skin of the breast to the pectoral tissue to support the weight of the breast.
In women, stimulation of the nipple appears to result in activation of the brain's genital sensory cortex (the same region of the brain activated by stimulation of the clitoris, vagina, and cervix). This may be the This is why a higher percentage of women than men find stimulation of their nipples arousing and why some women can reach orgasm through this practice.
Internal Female Anatomy
The female internal reproductive organs are the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The vagina is a sheath-shaped canal that extends from the vulva to the cervix. Receives the penis during vaginal intercourse and serves as a reservoir for semen. The vagina is also the birth canal; it can expand to 10 cm during delivery. The vagina normally collapses, but during sexual arousal it opens, lengthens, and produces lubrication. The vagina has three layered walls; it is a self-cleaning organ with naturally occurring bacteria that suppresses yeast production. The G-spot, named after the Ernst Gräfenberg who first reported it in 1950, may be located on the front wall of the vagina and can cause orgasms. This area can vary in size and location between women; in some it may be absent. Various researchers dispute its structure or existence, or consider it to be an extension of the clitoris.
The uterus, or womb, is a hollow muscular organ where a fertilized egg can implant and develop into a fetus. The uterus is located in the pelvic cavity between the bladder and bowel, and above the vagina. It is usually tilted forward at a 90 degree angle, although in about 20% of women it tilts backwards. The uterus has three layers; the innermost layer is the endometrium, where the ovum is implanted. During ovulation, this thickens for implantation. If implantation does not occur, it is shed during menstruation. The cervix is the narrow end of the uterus. The wide part of the uterus is the fundus.
During ovulation, the egg travels down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. These extend approximately 10 cm from both sides of the uterus. Finger-like projections at the ends of the tubes brush the ovaries and receive the ovum once it is released. The egg then travels for three to four days to the uterus. After vaginal intercourse, sperm swim up this funnel from the uterus. The lining of the tube and its secretions support the egg and sperm, promoting fertilization and nourishing the egg until it reaches the uterus. If the zygote that results from fertilization splits into two zygotes or embryos, identical twins are produced. If two eggs are fertilized by different sperm, the mother gives birth to non-identical or fraternal twins.
The ovaries (female gonads) develop from the same embryonic tissue as the testicles. The ovaries are suspended by ligaments and are the source where the eggs are stored and developed before ovulation. The ovaries also produce female hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Inside the ovaries, each egg is surrounded by other cells and is contained within a capsule called the primary follicle. At puberty, one or more of these follicles are stimulated to mature on a monthly basis. Once mature, these are called Graafian follicles. The female reproductive system does not produce ova; about 60,000 eggs are present at birth, of which only 400 will mature during the woman's lifetime.
Ovulation is based on a monthly cycle; day 14 is the most fertile. On days one to four, menstruation and estrogen and progesterone production decline, and the endometrium begins to thin. The endometrium is shed over the next three to six days. After menstruation ends, the cycle begins again with a rise in FSH from the pituitary gland. Days five through thirteen are known as the pre-ovulatory stage. During this stage, the pituitary gland secretes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). A negative feedback loop is activated when estrogen is secreted to inhibit the release of FSH. Estrogen thickens the lining of the uterus. A surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers ovulation.
On day 14, the LH surge causes a Graafian follicle to come to the surface of the ovary. The follicle ruptures and the mature egg is expelled into the abdominal cavity. The fallopian tubes collect the ovum with the fimbria. Cervical mucus changes to help the movement of sperm. On days 15 to 28, the post-ovulatory stage, the Graafian follicle, now called the corpus luteum, secretes estrogen. Progesterone production increases, inhibiting the release of LH. The endometrium thickens to prepare for implantation, and the egg travels down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. If the egg is not fertilized and implants, menstruation begins.
Sexual Response Cycle
The sexual response cycle is a model that describes the physiological responses that occur during sexual activity. This model was created by William Masters and Virginia Johnson. According to Masters and Johnson, the human sexual response cycle consists of four phases; arousal, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. During the arousal phase, intrinsic motivation to have sex is reached. The plateau phase is the precursor to orgasm, which can be primarily biological for men and psychological for women. Orgasm is the release of tension, and the resolution period is the state of recovery before the cycle begins again.
The male sexual response cycle begins in the arousal phase; two centers in the spine are responsible for erections. Vasoconstriction begins in the penis, the heart rate increases, the scrotum thickens, the spermatic cord shortens, and the testicles fill with blood. In the plateau phase, the diameter of the penis increases, the testicles swell more, and the Cowper's glands secrete pre-seminal fluid. The orgasm phase, during which rhythmic contractions occur every 0.8 seconds, consists of two phases; the emission phase, in which contractions of the vas deferens, the prostate, and the seminal vesicles stimulate ejaculation, which is the second phase of orgasm. Ejaculation is called the expulsion phase; it cannot be achieved without an orgasm. In the resolution phase, the male is now in a non-excited state consisting of a refactory (rest) period before he can begin the cycle. This rest period can increase with age.
The female sexual response begins with the arousal phase, which can last from several minutes to several hours. Characteristics of this phase include increased heart and respiratory rates, and an elevation in blood pressure. Reddening of the skin or patches of redness may occur on the chest and back; the breasts are slightly enlarged and the nipples may become hard and erect. The onset of vasocongestion causes swelling of the clitoris, labia minora, and vagina. The muscle around the vaginal opening tightens and the uterus rises and grows in size. The vaginal walls begin to produce a lubricating fluid. The second phase, called the plateau phase, is characterized mainly by the intensification of the changes initiated during the excitation phase. The plateau phase extends to the brink of orgasm, which initiates the resolution stage; the reversal of changes initiated during the arousal phase. During the orgasm stage, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and respiratory rate peak. The pelvic muscle near the vagina, the anal sphincter, and the uterus contract. Muscle contractions in the vaginal area create a high level of pleasure, although all orgasms are centered on the clitoris.
Sexual dysfunction and sexual problems.
Sexual disorders, according to the DSM-IV-TR, are disturbances in sexual desire and psychophysiological changes that characterize the sexual response cycle and cause marked distress and interpersonal difficulty. It is the field of clinical sexology. Sexual dysfunctions are the result of physical or psychological disorders. Physical causes include hormonal imbalance, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Psychological causes include, but are not limited to, stress, anxiety, and depression. Sexual dysfunction affects both men and women. There are four main categories of sexual problems for women: desire disorders, arousal disorders, orgasmic disorders, and sexual pain disorders. Sexual desire disorder occurs when an individual lacks sexual desire due to hormonal changes, depression, and pregnancy. Arousal disorder is a female sexual dysfunction and involves a lack of vaginal lubrication. Also, blood flow problems can affect arousal disorder. Lack of orgasm, also known as anorgasmia, is another sexual dysfunction in women. Anorgasmia occurs in women with psychological disorders such as guilt and anxiety caused by sexual assault. Another sexual disorder is painful intercourse. The latter can be the result of a pelvic mass, scar tissue, sexually transmitted disease, and more.
There are also common sexual disorders in men, such as sexual desire disorder, ejaculation disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The lack of sexual desire in men is due to the loss of libido, which can occur due to low testosterone. There are also psychological factors such as anxiety and depression. Ejaculation disorder can be of three types: retrograde ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, and premature ejaculation. Erectile dysfunction is an inability to get and keep an erection during sexual intercourse.
Expressions and development of sexual behavior
At the limit of the widely accepted forms of sexual behavior are the so-called expressions of sexual behavior; such as masturbation, homosexuality, until not recently these were considered paraphilias or perversions of degenerate or morally degraded people largely due to religious influence in society. The evolution in uses and customs and the widening of the margin of tolerance has led to these behaviors being accepted as valid within the framework of the rights towards free sexuality.
Only in cases of discomfort or conflict of the individual himself with his tendencies, or in those in which the physical and moral integrity of third parties is put at risk, can we speak of sexual disorders and in these cases is the need of psychotherapeutic and even pharmacological treatment.
Most cultures have social norms about sexuality. For example, many cultures define the sexual norm as a sexuality that consists solely of sexual acts between a married man and woman. Social or religious taboos can considerably condition the development of a healthy sexuality from a psychological point of view.
Gender roles in sexuality.
Gender roles are manifested in human sexuality by dividing the female gender and the male gender, giving each one a totally opposite role. This is due to the social conception that each genre has and that has endured throughout history.
Female gender role.
The woman has a submissive, passive role, in which she must be available to the man and please him. She is the subject of desire for the man, forgetting her own pleasure, and with the consequent ignorance of her body.
Male gender role.
The role of man is to control the situation, he is the asset. He will express his sexual desire to show virility and also the sexual relationship will focus on his own pleasure, the masculine.
As the years go by, these gender roles have been replaced by a more egalitarian sexuality in which both genders can take on the role they want and be more free when it comes to having sex and living their sexuality.
Religion and sexuality
The perspectives of the many religions and believers in relation to human sexuality vary enormously among themselves, from giving sex and sexuality a rather negative connotation to believing that sex is the highest expression of the divine. In assessing the morality of sex and sexuality, some religions make a distinction between human sexual activities that are performed for biological reproduction (sometimes permitted only in the context of a formal marital state and at a certain age) and those performed solely for sexual pleasure.
Sex and Christianity
Christianity affirms that, reduced to genitality, sexuality degrades the person; It must cover the whole person and not just a part of it. That sexuality is a positive reality created by God as an expression of love and union between a man and a woman. That is embodied within the marriage agreement.
His vision is controversial, since he does not usually recognize or confront other aspects of sexuality, such as homosexuality, masturbation or condom use.
Evangelical Christianity
In matters of sexuality, several evangelical churches promote a pact of purity to young evangelical Christians, who are invited to commit themselves during a public ceremony in sexual abstinence until Christian marriage. This covenant is often symbolized by a purity ring.
In evangelical churches, young adults and single couples are encouraged to marry early to live a sexuality according to God's will.
A 2009 US study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reported that 80% of single evangelical youth had been in relationships, and 42% were in a relationship with sex, when surveyed.
Most evangelical Christian churches are against voluntary termination of pregnancy and support adoption agencies and social support agencies for young mothers.
Masturbation is viewed as taboo by some evangelical pastors because of the sexual thoughts that can accompany it. In the United States and Nigeria, other evangelical pastors believe that masturbation can be beneficial to the body and that it is a gift from God to prevent fornication, especially for singles.
Some evangelical churches only talk about sexual abstinence and don't talk about sexuality in marriage. Other evangelical churches in the United States and Switzerland speak of Christian sexuality as a gift from God and part of a fulfilled Christian marriage, in messages at services or conferences. Many evangelical books and websites are specialized on the subject.
Perceptions of homosexuality in evangelical churches are mixed. They range from liberalism to conservatism, passing through more moderate positions. The conservative position is very hostile to homosexuals and is involved in anti-homosexual causes and homophobic statements. There are international gay-friendly evangelical denominations. Some churches have a moderate position. Although they do not condone homosexual practices, they show sympathy and respect for homosexuals.
Sexual practices
Masturbation
It is the stimulation that, in order to achieve arousal and sexual pleasure or even orgasm, an individual performs in his own body or in that of another, especially in the sexual organs.
Intercourse
Intercourse is defined as the introduction of the penis into the vagina or anus of another person, called vaginal intercourse or anal intercourse respectively.
Oral sex
Oral sex is a sexual practice in which one or more people stimulate the genital organs of another with their lips and tongue. It is usually called cunnilingus, if it is in the vulva; fellatio, if it is on the penis, and anilingus, if it is on the anus.
Anal sex
Anal sex is a sexual practice that involves the introduction of a penis or sex toys into one's own anus or into another person's anus, regardless of whether one is a man or a woman.
Frot and tribadism
Frotting is a non-penetrative sexual practice between men, in which both men rub their erect penises against each other and masturbate each other with their penises in contact, generally holding each other while caressing and kissing face to face, although they may take other positions.
In tribadism, a non-penetrative sexual practice, women press and rub their vulvas against each other, stimulating the clitoris and other erogenous parts until reaching orgasm.
Tantric sex
Tantric sex is a form of Buddhist and Hindu teaching that views sex as a form of expansion and exploration of spirituality.
Sexual and reproductive health
Birth Control
Generally based on family planning and determined by the practices of a couple who aim to control the number of children using contraceptives.
In addition, it fulfills the function of sexual satisfaction, that is, the search for pleasure for oneself and for the other, with which sexuality is essential for the life of human beings, in terms of its harmony between the physical and the emotional.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and formerly called venereal diseases (the latter term is technically no longer considered appropriate) are those acquired through sexual contact. They are transmitted through intimate contact and can be spread during intercourse, by kissing, through skin contact with an infected or ulcerated area, and through small tears in the mouth or anus or on the genitals through the practice of oral, anal or genital sex, this due to microorganisms that can adhere to the surface of the urethral, endocervical, vaginal, rectal or pharyngeal epithelia.
If they are not treated, some of them can cause permanent damage (sterility, hearing loss, cardiovascular problems, cervical cancer or even, in some cases, death (HIV/AIDS). They are also transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or during labor.
The use of condoms for fear of contracting HIV/AIDS has decreased the incidence of STDs, but they continue to exist in all parts of the world and are a public health problem.
The agents that cause sexually transmitted infections include bacteria, viruses (such as herpes), fungi and even parasites, such as the mite called the scabies mite (Sarcoptes scabiei) or lice called "crabs" (Pediculus pubis).
Sexology
Sexology is the systematic study of human sexuality and the issues related to it. It covers all aspects of sexuality.
Kinsey Report
Since the 1930s, systematic research into sexual phenomena began. Subsequently, sexology, an interdisciplinary branch of psychology, related to biology and sociology, had a great boom, obtaining, in some cases, the support of society itself, promoted by the sexual liberation movements of the late 1960s. and early 1970s.
The first scientific studies on sexual behavior correspond to the Kinsey report.
Alfred C. Kinsey and his colleagues presented a collection of statistical data reflecting patterns of sexual behavior in the United States from 1938 to 1952. Their work was conducted through direct questioning interviews and opened the doors for research into the human sexual response that was later carried out by William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Kinsey's work was one of sociological research and did not interpret the physiological or psychological response to sexual stimulation.
The Kinsey Report found large differences between socially required desirable behavior and actual behavior. Likewise, it was observed that there is no clear separation between heterosexual and homosexual behavior since, according to surveys of that time, 10% of women and 28% of men admitted to having homosexual behaviors, and 37% of men men to be interested in homosexuality.
Masters and Johnson
In the 1960s, doctors William Masters and Virginia Johnson investigated the biological processes of sexuality for the first time in a laboratory, and produced a study on the so-called "human sexual response." Its objective was to establish the foundations of basic scientific information that would allow answers to multifaceted problems of human sexual behavior. His interest lay in knowing what physical reaction develops when a man and a woman respond to effective sexual stimulation and how each one behaves when faced with it. For that they used the technique of direct observation. A number of adult men and women agreed to be examined in the reproductive biology laboratory in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Washington University School of Medicine, first and later under the auspices of Reproductive Biology. Research Foundation. From these observations carried out over ten years and the subsequent psychosexual interrogation the conclusions that were finally published were drawn.
They published their studies in a book titled The Human Sexual Response.
Erotism
Eroticism denotes everything related to sexuality and not simply with the physical sexual act but also all its projections (such as art, painting, music, literature), so that it can be observed in combination with the libido. Eroticism deals with everything that emanates from our libido zone and is related to sex and erotic love. The erotic adjective tells us that the subject to be discussed is related to sex depending on the noun it qualifies, for example, erotic painting or erotic fashion.
Legislation
The age of sexual consent is the age below which, for criminal purposes, violence in sexual relations is legally presumed, regardless of the existence of any actual violence. If an adult has sexual relations with a minor who has not yet reached the age of sexual consent, the act is considered rape or rape, depending on the age of the minor and the country.
More information
- Estupinyá, Pere (2013, November). An adventure of sex and science: A look at scientific research of human sexuality and its surprising results. How do you see?15, No. 180, pp. 10-14. General Directorate of Dissemination of Science. UNAM. ISSN 1870-3186. (Scientific data on various aspects of human sexual behaviour)
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