The Social Basis of Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Social Basis of Sexuality - Essay Example Human sexual attitudes and behavior vary in different cultural contexts. Adolescents' concept of sex and pregnancy are nurtured by family and society, and different societies give various notions and attitudes toward these topics. Developed countries raise their children - their teenaged women - differently from those in the developing countries. How these young women are informed by their respective societies and media will shape their concept on sexuality and pregnancy. Culture plays a key role. Sexual orientation, attitudes and behavior vary in different cultural contexts. Man's behavior and perception over his physical existence change over time. Family values, training and education vary too as time goes on. What was perceived years ago as immoral maybe generally accepted now in society. Over the years, man's perception of sex also changed. In the media for example, in some societies, women wearing bikinis or showing their cleavages were not shown on television. It's different now. There's wide freedom, the young population are more exposed to sex videos in public. The media is very much "brutal" when sex - and violence - are portrayed. The big responsibility lies on society who must educate their adolescents who are sexually active, at this period of their physical existence. There is not enough education or information campaign, especially in less developed countries. Young girls are much exposed to early sex, hence early pregnancy, much more on sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV transmission.The web site on Advocates For Youth has a portion kno wn as â€Å"Peer Education† which is their effective way addressing the problem on the youth’s sexual health. ... LEARNED IDENTITY The web site on Advocates For Youth has a portion known as "Peer Education" which is their effective way addressing the problem on the youth's sexual health. The young learn much from their peers, or co-students or friends. Since childhood to teenage life to adulthood, man learns from peers. The peers make their influence much and this affects much on a person's concept on sexuality. Peer influence is even more powerful than school, because of the time spent on them, from home to school, to other socialization. Friends and classmates give their influence in a wide arena. Sexual identity is determined in socialization and relationships. Peer influence can determine a person's sexual orientation, more especially on young men and women. Role playing in childhood also gives much influence on the young. In school or at play time, the young is molded of a sexual orientation, or that which he prefers and becomes "at home with." SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS Religion, education, and the family are some of the social institutions that influence much or shape the sexuality of the young, even until adulthood. The textbook, in fact, expresses it more profoundly: they define the sexual expression. Same sex marriages are not allowed in most societies, although some, a few, are already introducing it. "Married couples", that is, gays or lesbians, are then able to live normal lives: enjoy health care benefits or file joint income tax returns. However, elsewhere they can not be simply introduced outright because of the cultural orientation of peoples. There is always the stigma accompanying the sexual preference (of being gay or lesbian). ECONOMIC FORCES As we examine the