The Social Basis of Sexuality - Essay Example

TEEN PREGNANCY: WHAT EVERYONE MUST DO ABOUT IT The teen pregnancy is as serious as any on adolescent behavior and development. This is also incorporated in other topics like sexually-transmitted disease, HIV prevention, given focus and attention by a site known as Advocates for Youth. Teenage pregnancy and reproductive health are almost synonymous, and in focused governments, they deal with this almost simultaneously. Some other topics relevant here are also those about sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection/prevention, responsibilities of societies and governments on their control, and the individual's perception - in this case the pregnant teenager - on sex in particular, and her desire to be independent, maybe to be a mother, or simply to rebel against existing norms, or just to be fun with it. CULTURAL CONTEXT 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. Time 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. 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 multi-media that we have, from television to billboards, to newspapers and magazines, sex sells. Many people are earning through sex, some are able to use it as "formally" as can be, but, by and large, sex sells. This is prevalent in less-developed countries where many are earning or in the sex trade, all in the eyes of their respective governments, and with society's apathy and indifference. Some of them are young girls, younger than sixteen, forced to do it because of extreme poverty. With the sex trade come unexpected pregnancy, HIV infections and other sexually-transmitted diseases. More will be dying of reproductive-health related cases such as HIV infections in the less developed countries because of economic forces. And more will be pregnant because of lack of necessary funding for information campaign and contraceptives. PUBLIC POLICIES Social institutions and cultural influences are inter-related. While these institutions form and shape (and affect) sexual mores and standards, cultural aspect can not be far behind. Meaning, they are closely related. Public policies regulate, and also shape, sexual and reproductive behavior. For many, this is the deciding factor, especially in less-developed countries. The well-developed countries have good and defined policies when it comes to reproductive health. They can enforce such policies for the good of society because they have well-trained personnel and funds to enforce those policies and laws. The less-developed ones become more and more in dire need of support, their constituents - the women, especially the sex-earners - become in a pitiful state. Their governments too are more dependent on aids. Powerful nations, such as the United States, try to enforce policies regarding reproductive health by giving birth-control technology as they deliver financial aid to these countries. To summarize, culture - customs and mores - of a particular society, influence much the sexual orientation of a people. References: 1. Textbook 2. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org 3. http://www.wiki-mirror.be/index.php/Teenage_Pregnancy Read More