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History of sexThe History of sex - its taboos, regulation and social and political impact - has had a profound effect on the various cultures of the world since prehistoric times. SourcesVarious aspects of sexuality have been taboo in many times and places and there is therefore often a lack of explicit and accurate evidence on which to base a history. There are a number of sources that can be collected across a wide variety of times and cultures, including the following:
Reproduction and cultural gender rolesThe biological phenomenon that women become pregnant and give birth - instead of men - has shaped the formation of gender roles in world cultures. In the strict sense of "survival of the species", females are far more valuable than males. A single male can impregnate any number of females at once, while a single female is usually only impregnated by one male at a time. If some mysterious plague wiped out all but one man on Earth, humankind could probably recover, depending on the man's health and fertility. The incest could promote pre-existing harmful mutations, particularly on the man's Y chromosome, which would be inherited by all subsequent males. The gene pool of the species would be somewhat impoverished, so the species would be less able to adapt to changes in its environment. However, if all but one female were wiped out, it's doubtful humanity could recover. For this reason, classical anthropology claims that species survival has generally dictated that the male be the one to leave the cave, village, or home and go out and face "the dangerous world", and "bring home the bacon", while the female stayed in the safety of the home and took care of the offspring. However, research on hunter and gatherer societes shows that in terms of supplying food the females usually gather the far larger part if it. In fact, it appears that even in early historical times, it was not clear that there was any male role in reproduction - there is no immediate correlation between sex and reproduction due to the delay in the obvious signs of pregnancy. It appears there were not even any male gods in the early Greek pantheon. However, all civilizations hit upon the concept of male reproduction and, even more importantly, male paternity, most likely from the correlation seen during the development of animal husbandry. The discovery of male paternity led to concepts such as male fathership of children, the importance of ensuring fidelity, the role of marriage as prima-facie proof of paternity, and holding individual males responsible for the support of their offspring. This division has shaped many of the gender roles that survive to modern times. As humans have gained increased mastery of the environment, these divisions become less and less relevant, but change, while it is taking place, happens gradually. Sex in various culturesThe WestAncient GreeceIn ancient Greece, the phallus was an object of worship as a symbol of fertility. This finds expression in Greek sculpture and other artworks. The ancient Greek male idea of female sexuality was that the women envied penises of males. Wives were considered as commodity and instruments for bearing legitimate children. Wives had to constantly compete sexually with prostitutes and slaves in their own homes. Ancient Greek men believed that they have refined prostitution for pleasure of men folks and different classes of prostitutes were available. Hetaera, groomed prostitutes were for pleasure, Peripatetic prostitutes solicited business on the streets, whereas temple or consecrated prostitutes charged a higher price. In Corinth, a port city, on the Aegean Sea, the temple held a thousand consecrated prostitutes. Rape was very common and was seen by men as a “right of domination”. Zeus, the god was the master rapist, who raped many women: Leda in the form of a swan, Danae disguised as the rain, Alkmen disguised as her own husband. Zeus even raped men, such as Ganymede. Homosexuality was common in ancient Greece, but the same was “censored” in art work. In literature, it was called “love of a man for a man.” While common, the homosexuality seen was mainly between young boys and older men in society. Today, we call this pedophilia. Ancient EtruriaThe ancient Etruscans had very different views on sexuality, when compared with the other European ancient peoples, most of whom had inherited the Indo-European traditions and views on the gender roles. Greek writers, such as Theopompus and Plato named the Etruscan 'immoral' and from their descriptions we find out that the women commonly had sex with men who were not their husbands and that in their society, children were not labelled "illegitimate" just because they did not know who the father was. Theopompus also described orgiastic rituals, but it is not clear whether they were a common custom or only a minor ritual dedicated to a certain deity. Ancient RomeThe gift of the ancient Roman civilization to the human heritage is immense. And, like all other human civilizations, ancient, medieval or modern, the sex factor has also flowed through the Roman Civilization. To begin with, the sexual atmosphere in the earlier stages of Roman civilization was healthy, including celebrations associated with human reproductive organs. But gradually, with the passage of time, sex acquired a different dimension in Roman civilization and there emerged institutionalization of voluntary sex as well as prostitution. Over a period of time, there emerged a virtual sexual caste system in Roman civilization – different grades and degrees of sexual relationships. Apart from the legally wedded spouses, a number of males used to have Delicatue, the kept mistresses of the wealthy and prominent men. The next were the Famosae (literal meaning: soiled doves from respectable family), mostly the daughters and even wives of the wealthy families who enjoyed sex for its own sake. Then, there was another class known as Lupae, who were willing to have sexual union with anyone for a price. Copae (literal meaning: bar maids) were the serving girls in the taverns and inns and who did not mind being hired as bedmates for the night by the travelers. The Middle AgesRenaissance19th CenturyEarly Twentieth CenturyWithin America there are many states that regard some sexual practices as illegal. Sodomy, oral sex, homosexuality, these are just a few of a long list taboo - and actually illegal-practices. MesopotamiaMatriarchy was practiced in the earlier period of Mesopotamian civilization, the southern area of Babylonia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to Assyria, the northern part of Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamian society practiced sexual openness. In ancient Mesopotamia, Ishtar was the primary Goddess of life, men and women, nature and fertility, sex, sexual power and birth. Ishtar was also the goddess of war and weapons and any victory was celebrated in her temples with offerings of produce and money as well as through a feast and orgy of sex and fornication with holy temple prostitutes. Every woman was required, at least once in her lifetime, usually after she was married, to go to the Temple of Ishtar. She waited there till any stranger came and threw silver in her lap. Then she left the temple and had sex with the stranger, after which she could return home. She was not allowed to refuse the first stranger. To quote the Greek historian Herodotus: "The worst Babylonian custom is that which compels every woman of the land once in her life to sit in the temple of love and have... intercourse with some stranger... the men pass and make their choice” With the changing time, the shift from matriarchy to patriarchy occurred. With this shift, Ishtar lost some of her status and glory, and several male gods surfaced. Temples of Ishtar became abode to sacred prostitutes or priestesses known as “Ishtaru” or Joy-Maidens and places for exchange of sexual services for a price. This was in no way considered a shameful profession and laws were passed making it serious offence to talk badly about the holy prostitutes. In some temples of Ishtar, even male prostitues (for the use of other men) were found. They were referred to as men "...whose manhood Ishtar has changed into womanhood." At a later stage of Babylonian culture, the attitude had changed: the Middle Assyrian Law Tablets, dating back to 12th century BC make it clear that some kinds of homosexuality could lead to castration. As in most civilizations, incest of any kind was strictly forbidden and was considered a capital crime. ChinaSexuality was treated in a straightforward and unembarassed way until contact with, and humiliation by, the western powers influenced Chinese to treat more behaviors as shameful than before. That being said, certain things, such as kissing, that are readily done in public in the West are regarded as precoital behaviors in China and are generally criticized when done in public, even today. Sexual intercourse is one of two fundamental models used to explain the world in the basic Chinese classic dealing with what in the West would be termed metaphysics, the Yi Jing (Book of Changes). With neither embarassment nor circumlocution, Heaven is described as having sexual intercourse with Earth. Similarly, with no sense of prurient interest the male lovers of early Chinese men of great political power are mentioned in one of the earliest great works of philosophy and literature, the Zhuang Zi (or Chuang Tzu, as it is written in the old system of romanization). China has had a long history of sexism, with even moral leaders such as Confucius giving extremely pejorative accounts of the innate characteristics of women. From early times, the virginity of women was rigidly enforced by family and community and linked to the monetary value of women as a kind of commodity (the "sale" of women involving the delivery of a bride_price). Men were protected in their own sexual adventures by a transparent double standard. While the first wife of a man with any kind of social status in traditional society was almost certainly chosen for him by his father and/or grandfather, the same man might later secure for himself more desirable sexual partners with the status of concubines. In addition, bondservants in his possession could also be sexually available to him. Naturally, not all men had the financial resources to so greatly indulge themselves. Chinese literature displays a long history of interest in affection, marital bliss, unabashed sexuality, romance, amorous dalliances, homosexual alliances -- in short all of the aspects of behavior that are affiliated with sexuality in the West. Besides the previously mentioned Zhuang Zi passages, sexuality is exhibited in other fine works of literature such as the Tang dynasty Ying-ying zhuan (Biography of Cui Ying-ying), the Qing dynasty Fu sheng liu ji (Six Chapters of a Floating Life), the delightfully and intentionally salacious Jin Ping Mei, and the incredibly multi-faceted and insightful Hong lou meng (Dream of the Red Chamber, also called Story of the Stone). Of the above, only the story of Ying-ying and her de-facto husband Zhang fail to describe homosexual as well as heterosexual interactions. The novel entitled Rou bu tuan (Prayer mat of flesh) even describes cross-species organ transplants for the sake of enhanced sexual performance. The desire for respectability and the belief that all aspects of human behavior might be brought under government control has until recently mandated to official Chinese spokesmen that they maintain the fiction of sexual fidelity in marriage, absence of any great frequency of premarital sexual intercourse, and total absence in China of the decadent capitalist phenomenon of homosexuality. The result of the ideological demands preventing objective examination of sexual behavior in China has, until very recently, made it extremely difficult for the government to take effective action against sexually transmitted diseases, expecially AIDS. At the same time, large migrations to the cities coupled with significant amounts of unemployment have led to resurgence of prostitution in unregulated venues, a prominent accelerant of the propagation of STDs to many ordinary members of society. In recent decades the power of the family over individuals has weakened, making it increasingly possible for young men and women to find their own sexual and/or marriage partners. JapanIn what is perhaps the very earliest novel in the entire world, the Genji Monogatari" (Tale of Genji), which dates back to around the eighth century A.D., eroticism is treated as a central part of the esthetic life of members of the nobility. The sexual interactions of Prince Genji, the central figure in this extremely long story, are described in great detail, in an objective tone of voice, and in a way that indicates that sexuality was as much a valued esthetic component of cultured life as would be music or any other of the arts. While most of his erotic interactions involve women, there is one telling episode in which Genji travels a fairly long distance to visit one of the women with whom he occasionally consorts but finds her away from home for an extended period. It being late, and intercourse already being on the menu of the day, Genji takes pleasure in the availability of the lady's younger brother whom, he reports, is equally satisfactory as an erotic partner. From that time down at least as far as the Meiji Reformation, there is no indication that sexuality is treated in a pejorative way. It is really only after Japan's defeat at the end of World War II and the society became concerned to comply with the moral expectations of its conquerors that homosexuality and other "illicit" sexual behaviors became the subject of official suppression. Even so, while homosexuality was driven out of sight for some time it seems to have continued unabated for it reemerged in the wake of the sexual revolution in the West with seemingly little if any need for a period of acceleration. Likewise, prostitution was practiced more discretely but did not disappear. In Japan, sexuality was governed by many of the same social forces that make the culture of Japan considerably different from the culture of Western nations, and also different from the culture of China. In Japanese society, the primary method used to secure social control is the threat (and, occasionally, the actuality) of ostracism. Japanese society is a shame_society. Therefore, more attention is paid to what is appropriate to expose to the view of other people than is paid to what behaviors would make a person "guilty." Also important is the strong tendency of people in Japanese society to group in terms of "in group" individuals and "out group" individuals. What may be open to knowledge by one's in group may be different from what is open to knowledge by one's out group, and, what may be avoided because of pressure by one's in group may be of little or no consequence in one's relationships to one's out group. A frequent locus of misconceptions in regard to Japanese sexuality is the institution of the geisha. Rather than being a prostitute, a geisha was a woman trained in arts such as music and cultured conversation, and who was available for non-sexual interactions with her male clientele. These women differed from the wives that their patrons probably had at home because, except for the geisha, women were ordinarily not expected to be prepared for anything other than the fulfilment of household duties. This limitation imposed by the normal social role of the majority of women in traditional society produced a diminution in the pursuits that those women could enjoy, but also a limitation in the ways that a man could enjoy the company of his wife. The geisha fulfilled the non-sexual social roles that ordinary women were prevented from fulfilling, and for this service they were well paid. That being said, the geisha were not deprived of opportunities to express themselves sexually and in other erotic ways. A geisha might have a patron with whom she enjoyed sexual intimacy, but this sexual role was not part of her role or responsibility as a geisha. As a superficial level, in traditional Japanese society women were expected to be highly subservient to men and especially to their husbands. So, in a socionormal description of their roles, they were little more than housekeepers and faithful sexual partners to their husbands. Their husbands, on the other hand, might consort sexually with whomever they chose outside of the family, and a major part of male social behavior involves after-work forays to places of entertainment in the company of male cohorts from the workplace -- places that might easily offer possibilities of sexual satisfaction outside the family. In the postwar period this side of Japanese society has seen some liberalization in regard to the norms imposed on women as well as an expansion of the de facto powers of women in the family and in the community that existed unacknowledged in traditional society. In the years since humans first became aware of the AIDS epidemic, Japan has not suffered the high rates of disease and death that characterize, e.g., some nations in Africa, some nations in S.E. Asia, etc. Part of the reason may be the generally very high level of education and social awareness in Japan. Another reason may be some of the deep-level values of people socialized to that culture regarding cleanliness and contamination. AfricaMiddle EastThe Sexual RevolutionMain article: Sexual revolution The sexual revolution was a substantial change in sexual morality and sexual behaviour throughout the West in the late 1960s and early 1970s. One factor in the change of values pertaining to sexual activities was the improvement of the technologies used for the control of fertility. Prime among them, at that time, was "the pill." Psychology and sexEspecially before the development of dependable methods of contraception, the control of sexual behavior was of extreme practical importance to parents. The methodologies employed by parents to try to prevent their children from prematurely becoming parents themselves could have a profound effect on the minds of those children. In some societies, guilt was inculcated in an attempt to prevent premarital sexual activity, and the guilt could contaminate the entire self image of the individuals who, after all, were biologically predetermined to have the "guilty" sexual impulses that their families (and, usually, their religions) were trying to head off. In other societies, shame was inculcated with the same goals in mind and with analogous psychological damage possible. The ability to function sexually, especially for the male, depends a great deal on activities that occur not in the sexual organs but in the brain. When the individual has been psychologically traumatized by abusive practices intended to control premarital sexual activities, he or she may be unable to perform well even after marriage has presumably legitimized sexual intercourse. Disfunctions for males may include: inability to achieve an erection, penile insensitivity, premature ejaculation, etc. For the female they may include: "frigidity," inability to achieve orgasm, inability to permit intromission, etc. These problems may lead to secondary problems if, for instance, affected individuals self medicate with alcohol, marijuana, or even more deleterious drugs. The treatment of sexual dysfunctions and the allied problems of low self esteem, guilt, self-destructive impulses, etc., has been one of the main activities of helping professions such as psychiatry, clinical psychology, etc. Same-sex relations
Historiographic ConsiderationsInterestingly, while the reverse is often not true, much of the history of different-gender sexuality and romance may be read from the history of same-sex sexuality and romance. The term "homosexuality" was invented in the 19th century, with the term "heterosexuality" was invented later in the same century in contrast to the earlier term. The term "bisexuality" was invented in the 20th century as sexual identities became defined by the predominate sex to which people are attracted and thus a label was needed for those who are not predominately attracted to one sex. This points out that the history of sexuality is not solely the history of different-sex sexuality plus the history of same-sex sexuality, but a broader conception viewing of historical events in light of our modern concept or concepts of sexuality taken at its most broad and/or literal definitions. Historical personalities are often described using modern sexual identity terms such as like straight, bisexual, gay or queer. Those who favour the practice say that this can highlight such issues as discriminatory historiography by, for example, putting into relief the extent to which same-sex sexual experiences are excluded from biographies of noted figures, or to which sensibilities resulting from same-sex attraction are excluded from literary and artistic consideration of important works, and so on. However, many, especially in the academic world, regard the use of modern labels as problematic, owing to differences in the ways that different societies constructed sexual orientation identities and to the connotations of modern words like "queer." For example, in many societies same-sex sex acts were expected, or completely ignored, and no identity was constructed on their basis at all. Academic works usually specify which words will be used and in which context. Readers are cautioned to avoid making assumptions about the identity of historical figures based on the use of the terms mentioned above.
The WestAncient GreeceThe earliest documents concerning same-sex pederastic relationships come from Ancient Greece. However, Kenneth J. Dover has claimed that such relationships did not replace marriage between man and woman, but occurred before and concurrent with it. A mature man would almost never have a mature male mate, one notable exception being Alexander the Great, but he would be the erastes (lover) to a young eromenos (loved one). In this relationship it was considered improper for the eromenos to feel desire, as that would not be masculine. Driven by desire and admiration, the erastes would devote himself unselfishly to providing all the education his eromenos required to thrive in society. In recent times, the research by Dover has been questioned in light of massive evidence of love poetry that suggests a more emotional connection than earlier researchers liked to acknowledge. Some research has shown that ancient Greeks believed semen, to be the source of knowledge, and that these relationships served to pass wisdom on from the erastes to the eromenos. Ancient Rome
Julius Ceasar was rumored to have an affair with King Nicomedes of Bithynia. The Middle Ages
Renaissance19th Century
Early Twentieth CenturyFor events in Germany see the articles on Magnus Hirschfeld and History of Gays during the Holocaust. Mesopotamia
China
JapanMain article: Homosexuality in Japan Wolfenden ReportMain article: Wolfenden report PsychiatryFreud, among others, argued that neither predominately different- nor same-sex sexuality were the norm, instead that what is called "bisexuality" is the normal human condition thwarted by society. A 1901 medical dictionary lists heterosexuality as "perverted" different-sex attraction, while by the 1960's its use in all forums referred to "normal" different-sex sexuality. In 1948 Alfred Kinsey publishes Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, popularly known as the Kinsey Reports. Homosexuality was deemed to be a psychiatric disorder for many years, although the studies this theory was based on were later determined to be flawed. In 1982 homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness in the United Kingdom. In 1986 all references to homosexuality as a psychiatric disorder were removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association. Sexual "Revolution"During the Sexual Revolution, the different-sex sexual ideal becomes completely separated from procreation, yet at the same time is distanced from same-sex sexuality. Many people view this freeing of different-sex sexuality as leading to more freedom for same-sex sexuality. Gay-rights MovementSee Gay Rights Stonewall RiotMain article: stonewall riots The stonewall riots were a series of violent conflicts between New York City police officers and the gay men and transgender women at the Stonewall Inn, a gay hangout in Greenwich Village. The riot began on Friday, June 27, 1969. "Stonewall", as it is often called, is considered the start of the modern gay rights movement in the U.S. and worldwide. It was the first time any significant body of gays resisted arrest. For many, this is the primal scene of the modern gay rights movement. Religion and sexAlthough not the case in every culture, most religious practices contain taboos or fetishes in regard to sex, sex organs and the reproductive process.
Judaism and ChristianityTaboo and approval surrounding sexuality in Jewish and Christian culture appears to date back to at least the time of Moses and Mosaic law. Jewish and Christian culture and religion have had a profound effect on modern conceptions of sexuality and morals. Hebrew Patriarchs and BibleThe Bible, while being quite frank in its description of various sexual acts, forbids a number of relationships. The seventh Commandments forbids adultery, and homosexuality is banned most explicitly:
The Early Christian ChurchChrist's TeachingsIt is notable that the accounts of Christ's teachings in the Gospels make no reference to homosexuality. This is likely due to the fact that first century Jerusalem still practiced the Mosaic Laws. Council of JerusalemThe Council of Jerusalem described in Acts 15 decided that although Christ may have admonished Jews to keep to their traditions and laws these were not required of gentiles converting to Christianity, who did not for instance need to be circumcised, and could continue to consume shellfish. The Council's final communication to the various gentiles churches was,
It seems to be a matter of opinion whether fornication, translated in more modern versions as sexual immorality, would include all forms of homosexuality, or applied only to unfaithfulness, promiscuity, and incest. JeromeSee Jerome HinduismIn India, Hinduism accepted an open attitude towards sex as an art, science and spiritual practice. The most famous pieces of Indian literature on sex are Kamasutra (Aphorisms on Love) and Kamashastra (from Kama = pleasure shastra = specialised knowledge or technique). This collection of explicit sexual writings, both spiritual and practical, covers most aspects of human courtship and sexual intercourse. It was put together in this form by the sage Vatsyayana from a 150 chapter manuscript that had itself been distilled from 300 chapters that had in turn come from a compilation of some 100,000 chapters of text. The Kamasutra is thought to have been written in its final form sometime between the third and fifth century AD. Also notable are the sculptures carved on temples in India, particularly the Khajuraho temple. The frank depiction of uninhibited sex hints towards a liberated society and times where people believed in dealing openly with all aspects of life. On the other hand, a group of thinkers believe that depiction of sexually implicit carvings outside the temples indicate that one should enter the temples living desires (kama). Apart from Vatsyayana's Kamashastra, which is no doubt the most famous of all such writings, there exists a number of other books, for example: The Ratirahasya, literal translation - secrets (rahasya) of love (rati, the union); The Panchasakya, or the five (panch) arrows (sakya); The Ratimanjari, or the garland (manjari) of love (rati, the union) The Anunga Runga, or the stage of love. The `Secrets of Love' was written by a a poet named Kukkoka. He is believed to have writtin this treatise on his work to please one Venudutta, considered to be a king. This work was translated into Hindi years ago and the author's name became Koka in short and the book he wrote was called Koka Shastra. The same name crept into all the translations into other languages in India. Koka Shastra literally means doctrines of Koka, which is identical with the Kama Shastra, or doctrines of love, and the words Koka Shastra and Kama Shastra are used indiscriminately. Politics of sexWith the rise of government and laws, personal behaviors, including sex, became increasingly politicized. The poltics (and, therefore, laws) in regards to sex vary widely. In several countries (and different states of countries) there are or were, laws, both civil and religious, forbidding some sexual practices or to forbid sex intercourses beetwen partners of difference races. Laws that forbid to have sex with a person younger than a fixed age are very common. The laws generally fit into the following types:
Technology and sexScientific and technological advances have significantly affected the enjoyment and outcomes of sex, especially in recent history. Recreational usesSex toys such as vibrators were introduced to the market in the late 1880s, some 10 years before domestic vacuum cleaners [3]. More recently, internet sites dealing in sexual images developed the infrastructure for internet commerce well in advance of most other sectors. Natural birth controlUnderstanding the rhythms inherent to the female reproductive cycle led to experimentation in family planning trying to control birth rates through abstinence during a woman's peak days of fertility. The success of this method is not perfect. Other methods include the withdrawal method, where the male withdraws his penis just before ejacuation of semen. This method can fail because enough semen can escape before actual ejaculation to cause the fertilization of an ovum. A yet overlooked natural way of birth control is breastfeeding. A new mother fails to ovulate and therefore misses a few periods, and the number of such missing periods may increase to twelve or even more. One of the major factors governing this extended period of non-ovulation is whether she breastfeeds her baby or not. Artificial birth controlThe oldest known contraceptive was the Mediterranean plant Silphium. Theophrastus (ca. 370-288 BC), a Greek botanist from Cyrene, discovered the plant. It was then found the have abortive properties. As these properties became widely known, its price went up and other less effective plants (asafoetida) were used by those less well off. This plant only grew in an area 125 miles long by 30 miles wide on the Libyan Mountainsides facing the Mediterranean Sea. Within a few centuries this plant became extinct though not before it had a huge impact on Roman society. As the Roman empire grew older, there were less youth born due to this and other less effective contraceptive plants. The average family size reduced to 1 or 2 children. Once the empire saw that it's waning economy couldn't support itself without more people, they banned the plant. This did not stop it from becoming extinct. Relatives of Silphium plant are nearly 100% effective in preventing pregnancy if given within 3 days of intercourse. Once the sex cycle of intercourse-ejaculation-fertilization-pregnancy-birth was first understood, various tools, machines and other methods were used to disrupt the cycle to prevent pregancy and birth. These methods, called birth control use barrier methods, chemical methods and other methods to prevent unwanted pregancy. Technology and infertilityIn the mid 20th century advances in medical science led to surgical, chemical and laboratory techniques to allow treatments or cures for some forms of infertility.
Pederasty
ProstitutionProstitutes are usually women who sell the use of their body to men for sexual gratification. Prostitution has been described as the “World’s oldest profession”. Both sexes may be subject to prostitution, but women form the major percentage. Since time immemorial, women have been forced to practice this profession. In ancient time and in some primitive societies, prostitution was often camouflaged as religious rituals. For example, in some societies, sex with temple maidens was considered as an act of worship to the temple deity. In Greece the hetaerae were often women belonged to high social order, whereas in Rome the meretrices were of lower social order. In some ancient Hindu temples, Devadasi (maidens of the God) system was in vogue, till the same was stopped by the modern Government of India. AbortionMain article: Abortion Abortion is highly controversal way of ending a pregnancy and has been the cause of numerous debates in political and religious circles due to the definition of life and other beliefs. Sexually transmitted diseasesMain article: sexually transmitted diseases AIDSAIDS has profoundly changed sexuality. It was first noticed spreading among gay men and intravenous drug users in the 1970s and 80s. Today, the majority of victims are heterosexual women, men, and children in developing countries. In most developing countries, fear of epidemic has drastically changed many aspects of human sexuality. Fear of contracting AIDS has driven a revolution in sex education, which now centers far more on abstinence and the use of protection, and spends much more time discussing sexually transmitted diseases. Further effects of this disease run deep, radically impacting the average lifespan of afflicted countries. So stark is the difference that BBC News reports: "It is falling in many African countries - a girl born today in Sierra Leone could expect only to live to 36, in contrast to Japan, where today's newborn girl might reach 85 on average." [4] SyphilisSee alsoSame-sex relations |
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