Culture and Sexuality - Essay Example

?Culture: Culture in itself has numerous diverse meanings but focusing on behavioural scientists and anthropologists, culture can be defined as the complete array of learned behaviour patterns of the human species (O’Neil 2006). A group of people when coexisting with one another need some defined set of rules and regulations which explain as to how they ought to behave with one another under various circumstances and in different situations and culture defines all these rules and regulations for them (Changing Minds 2011). Impact of culture on sex and sexuality: Initially when the word sexuality was used in scientific terms, it outline the essence of the errotic feelings and desires of humans but when combined together with term like bi, hetro or homo, it came to describe the different types of individuals who in material form possessed these scrupulous wishes. (Bristow 2) Sex is the physical course of action of the process of intercourse where as sexuality is how you feel, perceive or experience it. Studies have shown that when individuals move from one culture to another, the impact of culture on the sexuality of females is much greater than that on males. Christensen and Carpenter, (as cited in McAnulty and Burnette, 2006) argue that recently more information is being accumulated on the subject of sex and how it differs across different cultures and this will increase the knowledge database on the subject which wasn’t available in such a quantity in the past, the information provided by studies conducted on such matters gives proof that there is not much unevenness between the cross-cultural practices of men and women but when comparing the two one can conclude that that women tend to be at variance a lot more across those cultural margins in comparison to the male individuals. The basic concept and understanding of sexuality cannot be altered in any manner no matter how much the society attempts to do so (Aggleton 188). The impact of sexual cultural practices on general health and the lives of its members: People have varying cultural practices regarding sex and sexuality; their beliefs and culture depend upon their religion, beliefs, social customs and area in which they are living. Where their cultural practices offer benefits, they also pose high risks for the individuals undergoing them e.g. FGM is mostly done in unhygienic conditions and also without anaesthesia, it is an extremely painful procedure and if things don’t go well, it could result in infection, diseases, infertility or even death. Also it permanently deprives the child of sexual pleasure for without her genitalia she will never be able to enjoy her sexual life. It is a cultural norm for those people, and any girl who is not circumcised loses her chance of marriage as it is considered disgraceful to marry a girl who is open. The topics of sex and sexuality are considered taboo topics in most cultures as well as religions. The youngsters when growing up and going through physical change have many questions regarding sex and sexuality but are unable to discuss them since it is an unmentionable topic they are inquisitive about their sexuality and how they perceive themselves in that manner but they end up keeping their queries and fears to themselves since they don’t have the opportunity to discuss. Female circumcision is a brutal practice and requires our attention to be curbed. The various cultural practices can be better explained as follows: Male circumcision: Circumcision is basically a small operation performed on the male`s penis to remove the skin covering the tip of his penis (Milos & Macris 1994). It was thought that young babies don’t have their senses fully developed and are unable to feel pain which is why it was recommended that circumcision be performed preferably on infants. But later it was discovered that infants are fully capable of experiencing pain and they can very well feel the excruciating pain inflicted upon them during the circumcision process (Northrup 2004). Circumcision has been practiced for hundreds of years and it is thought to have a lot of benefits. In an older age men sometimes develop problems due to the negligent handling of their surgeons when treating them for problems for the bladder or prostate gland and hence they require circumcision at times which could have been avoided if they had been circumcised at birth. Although it is rare men sometimes develop penile cancer and circumcision at birth gives a guarantee of protection against it. The virus responsible for causing cervical cancer in women breeds under the foreskin as well as on it but circumcision minimizes the risk of its transmission. It also provides some protection against HIV and AIDS as well as against urinary tract infections (Hawker 2004). As the beliefs go it is also said that Circumcision may lower the risks of other diseases or infections but as in many cases it is the root cause of a problem involving the penis hence care should be taken with the circumcised penis, it must be kept clean to avoid any infections (Mary 2011). With the removal of the skin covering the head of the penis, its level of sensitivity increases and also with the passage of time it toughens up for it is in contact with clothing throughout the day. In a research in South Africa, Cape Town to be more specific conducted in July 2009, it was found out that circumcised men were able to bring more pleasure to their partners and the women recorded a positive change in their sexual life (Laino 2009). It is this increased sensitivity which enhances the pleasure of sex for both the partners. This procedure is perfectly normal for the individuals who practice it but for others it’s like depriving the child of his perfectly healthy body part which he has a full right to keep had he been given the choice for it effects his sexuality because when he grows older and meets other boys who were not circumcised, it may psychologically effect him as to how he perceives his sexuality, he may find him different from others and they could result in him feeling like a misfit or he may think that the sexual part of his being is somewhat incomplete. Female Genital Mutilation: Although the age for the procedure of FGM is mostly between four and fourteen but in some countries like Ethiopia around 50% of the time it is performed on baby girls who are aged below twelve months (unicef 2010). FGM is a procedure in which female genitals are either partially or completely removed. This is primarily done for cultural reasons and also religious reasons at times. it is mostly performed by midwifes but now even health care providers are attempting it. Apparently no health benefits linked with this practice have come forward but it has countless health risks and drawbacks. The short term risks associated with it include shock, extreme pain, excessive bleeding, infections, cysts, tumours etc. The long term risks are even more dangerous and they include urinary tract infections, kidney stones, depression, sexual dysfunction, gynaecological problems, infertility, and child birth complications and in more severe cases it could result in death. The vaginal opening which allows for sexual intercourse is also sewn up and later cut open when the girl marries and has sexual relations with her husband. but even though it has major health risks associated with it, it is still practiced in parts of the world where it is an important cultural norm. (WHO 2010) The reason people practice FGM is because they think by doing so the child will be able to control her sexual desires, in some communities it is a stepping stone for entering adulthood, some believe that the female genitals are unhygienic, it is believed to boost fertility in the child and also some erroneously do it for religious reasons (unicef 2010). It was found in a study conducted in Egyptian women that for 50% of the women that had been forcefully cut, sex wasn’t pleasurable but rather something they had to bear with (McVeigh &Sutton 2010). It is unlawful to deprive these girls of the sexual pleasures which they would have enjoyed, had they not been brutally cut. The sexuality of females is a forbidden and it’s prohibited for the females to have any sexual fantasies. Cutting of the female genitals is a horrifying cultural norm not only is it extremely dangerous for the child but it also ruins her sexuality. Her genitals are a part of who she is they identify her sex and give her an insight into her sexuality, by cutting them off she loses her sexuality and the whole pleasure and arousal of having sex. She loses her sexual identity and her desires for without her genitals she cannot feel such pleasures for there is nothing to stimulate her senses. People need to be made aware about how wrong it is what they are doing to their innocent angels, only then can this be put to an end but until then girls will continue to be brutally cut as even with the efforts of many organizations like WHO and UNICEF FGM is still an ongoing practice. Temporary Marriage (Nikah mut`ah): It is believed that the practice of temporary marriage has been in existence since the time of the holy Prophet (PBUH), at that time when Muslim soldiers used to go to war, they would stay away from their home and families for years at times and since they were human beings so they too had sexual desires. Hence they had permission to have a temporary marriage in which they could get married for a specific time period after which the marriage contract would end and they could satisfy their sexual needs while keeping in accordance with the laws of Islam. In Iran the Iranians` severity of belief in their religious values varies as they belong to different classes. Some are stricter in their religious beliefs than others. They find loopholes in the Islamic system which can be adjusted to their desires and convenience, and they have succeeded in finding one very interesting one which is the one regarding temporary marriage. There are two major sects in Islam Sunni and Shia. The Sunni Muslims don’t believe in the temporary marriage and condemn it. But the Shia Muslims think otherwise, since in the past Shia Muslims used to practice it when they went on pilgrimage to Shiite shrines, it was then that they took the aid of temporary marriage to satisfy their sexual desires in a lawful manner (Sciolino 2000). Although this practice is not very popular but it is still being done in some countries by Muslims who believe in it and don’t understand what it really is. They just take it as a source of enjoyment and a way of getting what they want but the question arises that who would want to marry a woman who has had even a single temporary marriage, because virginity is highly treasures in Islam. So temporary marriage not only ruins the life of the woman but also of the child if one results from such a marriage. Religious concepts of sex and sexuality: Different religions have diverse concepts of sex and sexuality. These have been emphasized upon as follows: Pre-marital sex: Pre-marital sex is prohibited by all the religions of the world and the uniform teaching regarding this issue is that it is an activity to be enjoyed only after marriage. The Roman Catholic Church prohibits its followers against pre-marital sex and strongly condemns it (Epigee.org 2009).In Hinduism, sex is considered to be a pleasure for the married people but there is change in this attitude in those Hindus who are living in comparatively liberal societies but still the husband and wife are expected to remain faithful to one another and adultery is strongly condemned (BBC 2011).The importance of virginity is greatly emphasized upon in Islam and premarital sex is a great and severely punishable sin in the religion (Kasem 2005). In my opinion if they individuals were given a platform to discuss their feelings, questions and queries regarding sex and their own sexuality, they would be less frustrated. With the passage of time, as people become more broad minded, in which media plays a major role, the popularity of pre-marital sex is increasing as now people think that having sex before marriage is no big deal and its perfectly alright. But studies have shown that the divorce rate of people indulging in pre-marital sex is quite high as compared to those who don’t do it. For both males and females anticipation is something that attracts them to one another as to what will happen, how will they feel and what the whole experience will be like but when you have already done everything beforehand then there is no anticipation and the magic of attraction and sexual feelings are lost. The sooner people understand it the better it is for it will help in lowering the divorce rate as well as the chances of being infected with STI`s will be lowered. Same sex relationships: Same sex relationships are not religiously supported and people don’t readily accept them socially either but they are becoming relatively common in recent times. The sexual acts amongst the male gay population threaten them with sexually transmitted diseases and also cause injuries (Diggs 2002). Hence, in all fifty American states at present same sex couples are not allowed to get married to each other no matter how much they want and need to (Quon 1997). Although it is common in many societies for individuals of the same gender to have sexual relations with one another and it is a normal part of their lives, it can be small scale like holding hands and kissing or fully sexual which includes everything (Carrol 2007), but it is not something that the society approves of. There are individuals in our society who are not comfortable with their sexuality; they are unclear about what they want, what are their sexual needs and desires and what kind of relationship they want to have with another individual. They are attracted to people of their own gender which is very unnatural and they are not well accepted in society. In the west people are more open minded and same sex marriages are legal in some countries but other than that it is not well accepted by people and it feels wrong religiously as well so people tend to shun out such individuals. Social norms: Americans think of acts like being alcoholic, excessive skin show in public, disproportionate gambling, telling a lie, stealing and any act of prostitution ...etc as unacceptable as it violates their social customs. Anything which goes against the social or religious practices or beliefs of the people of a community is not welcomed by them and they disapprove of it. Psychological impact on health: Pre-marital sex or same sex relationships are not well accepted by people and they don’t approve of it. Also these have various types of negative psychological impact on the individuals. Due to pre-marital sex the individuals may get used to sleeping with a variety of individuals which will result in dissatisfaction after marriage and they will then be both mentally as well as physically disturbed. A study conducted on these individuals shows that the life expectancy of gay and bisexual men is reduced by around 20 years (Diggs 2002). Asian Americans: People belonging to Asian countries like e.g. India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan etc are known as Asians and when they immigrate to America and settle there then they are called Asian Americans. Since they come from different countries hence their cultural backgrounds as well as religious beliefs differ from one another. Gupta (as cited in Okazaku, 2002) states that in ancient times Hinduism allowed individuals to discuss topics like Sex and Sexuality as far as it was discussed inside the framework of marriage (Okazaki 2002).But now things have changed and it is considered a forbidden subject in Hinduism as well, like in other religions like Islam and Christianity. Pre-marital sex: It is looked down upon and forbidden in almost all Asian communities. They are banned from it both religiously as well as socially. The Muslims strongly forbid it and anyone caught in the act is severely punished. It is discouraged strongly in Hinduism also. Hence it is not something the Asian Americans encourage or accept readily. Love marriages: In most Asian communities the parents decide whom their child will marry, and the child is expected to respect it. In the past love marriages were not allowed and anyone who attempted it was punished. Lovers used to have to run off together, get married and live in secrecy, afraid that someone may find and then severely punish them. But in today’s time people have become more liberal and broad minded and they don’t mind love marriages as much. Arranged Marriages: Although arranged marriages are forced upon the males as well, it is mainly the females who suffer because of it. The couple in arranged marriages don’t know each other and in most cases they can get to know each other only after marriage, The issue is that the people getting married cannot have a say the decision, if they don’t like one another then they need to learn to live with it. Same sex marriages: It is strictly forbidden and highly unacceptable. The Muslims as well as the Hindus disapprove of it and the Asian American community is not at all a fan of the idea. It is considered to be something unnatural and something that is just not done. Pros and cons of cultural sexual concepts of Asian Americans: Arranged marriages have their positive and negative points, where it is a whole new experience for both the individuals, it is also something scary. It is scary in the sense that it’s not a matter of a couple of days but a matter of life so if you don’t like your partner there isn’t much you can do about it. Also girls are forced to marry at a young age and at that time they are not mature enough to know how to handle the situation. Yes it is true that parents know what is best for their child but then again the child must have a right to decide whom he or she wants to spend the rest of hid/her life with. Divorce is considered a bad thing so if the arranged marriage doesn’t work and ends in divorce then people look down up on the divorcees. Love marriages on the other hand are not highly encouraged and at times the girl or the boy love someone else and end up in an arranged marriage, due to which they are unable to love their spouse. If individuals are allowed to marry according to their wishes then everyone can be happy. Same sex marriage is something which is beyond consideration and they don’t even want to go there. It is in no way acceptable. Impact of these practices on the individual`s health: In same sex marriage the risk of sexually transmitted diseases is very high and also it is injurious to the health of the individuals. Also it is unnatural and not accepted by this community. So the gay and lesbian people don’t openly accept that they are not straight. Some of them even get married and then their spouse has to suffer for they won’t be interested in them. But mostly such marriages end up in divorce. Islam forbids pre-marital sex and there are severe punishments for the man or women caught doing so (Kasem 2005). In pre-marital sex the main cause of the act is mostly physical attraction and who knows what type of diseases one or both of the individuals might have. Also if a child results from the activity then the life of that child is ruined as he/she will not have a normal family. Every individual has the right choose whom they want to marry so instead of forcing arranged marriages on the individuals they should be given the right to choose. At times young girls are forced to marry men much older than them, and they are unable to satisfy the girls as they are so much older. Also most arranged marriages are done within the family but they don’t realize that too many inter marriages result in abnormalities future generations. References Aggleton, P. Culture, society and sexuality: a reader Sexuality, culture and health series. 2nd edn. Taylor & Francis, 2007. 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