All About Sexuality

Today sexuality is frankly discussed and investigated in books, magazines, newspapers, television and other media. Most people including the young generation believe that this issue should not be treated as a joke or a casual satisfaction of a physical need. Denial of its importance is disrespectful to human sensitivity and warmth.

Since the end of the Second World War, in mid 1950’s many people supported the idea that society should be more open to sexual feelings and desires as this liberates people from extreme fears and unreasonable stigmas. But in order to do so, defenders of the so called ’sexual revolution’ claim that sex and ethics do not mix. Ethics is considered to impinge the rights and freedoms of an individual. According to this amoral concept of sexuality:

• the individual should be allowed to decide about the matter and society or the institution should not interfere
• traditional virtues of self-control and discipline should no longer be considered
• anything is permissible between consenting adults in private

Before discussing moral issues regarding sexuality one must understand what sexuality really means. While sexuality should not be reduced to a number of dos and don’ts, it is widely accepted that ethics and sexuality should walk hand in hand because human sexuality is different from animal sexuality which is solely based on instincts. Because of this many school boards, in many countries are integrating moral values with sex education. With the use of reason and instincts, humans give a more meaningful definition to sexuality than a mere biological one. For humans, sexuality is a communication language where one shows ones love for the other partner. This gives human sexuality a more complex aspect than one based solely on physical activities.

The biological aspect of sexuality, which is at the physical level of this widely discussed issue, is itself divided into two main categories, procreation and sex for fun.Procreation means that the purpose of sex is to have children. However it would be an extreme view point if one were to limit sex only to reproduction. On the other hand it would be purely hedonistic and extreme to limit sex to sensuality, that is, physical pleasure. History has shown that humans communicate in a deeper way than just body expressions. A meaningful theory of human sexuality is not only tied to the bodily level as put forth by physicalists but relates sexuality to every level of human existence.