Beyond the Bedroom A Look at Sexual Culture
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The Impact of Cultural Values on Sexual Expression
Culture plays a seminal role in shaping an individual’s thoughts and sexual expression. Cultural values can heavily influence what is seen as “normal” or “acceptable” behavior regarding human sexuality within a particular culture.
The Role of Social Norms
Societal norms strongly affect many aspects of our lives, including our perception and attitudes towards sexual behavior. Social norms define what is expected of us – which behaviors are deemed “normal” and therefore acceptable, versus which ones are seen as deviant, or outside the boundaries of acceptability. As a result, there are often strict boundaries of what is appropriate and inappropriate sexual behavior, often based on religious and cultural values.
Cultural Taboos
Culture can also impact sexual expression by imposing taboos. These taboos help to maintain order in a society by defining acceptable and unacceptable sexual behaviors. These taboos can be extremely restrictive, possibly impacting an individual’s ability to even express their sexual preferences. For example, some cultures and religions may have stringent prohibitions against same sex education, which could limit an individual’s ability to explore their sexuality freely.
Religious Influence
Religion also plays a major role in determining sexual expression. Religion sets moral codes that dictate what kind of behavior is permissible and prohibited, and therefore has a profound effect on an individual’s beliefs about sex and sexual behavior. Religious teachings can also be very restrictive when it comes to sex, and some religions even require abstinence prior to marriage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, culture has a major impact on sexual expression. Society creates social norms and taboos which can limit an individual’s ability to express themselves sexually. Religious teachings also play a role in determining what kind of sexual behavior is seen as acceptable or deviant. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the cultural and religious influences at play when it comes to sexual expression.
