Sexual norm

A sexual norm can be an individual norm or a social norm.

Most cultures have social norms regarding sexuality. For example, many cultures define normal sexuality to consist only of heterosexual sex acts between married couples. Other cultures and groups (such as the Roman Catholic Church) are even more restrictive, and regard only sexual acts which are open to reproduction as acceptable. However, based on information gained from studies by sexologists, a great many ordinary people's actual sex lives are very often far from "normal".

If non-restrictive sexual norms are regarded positively, they may be called sexual freedom, "sexual liberation" or "free love". If they are regarded negatively, they may be called "sexual licence" or "licentiousness". Restrictive social norms, if judged negatively, are called sexual oppression; if the restrictive norms are judged positively, they may be regarded as encouraging chastity, "sexual self-restraint" or "sexual decency", and negative terms are used for the targeted sexuality, e.g. sexual abuse and perversion.

Overview

Studies have shown that human sexual behavior does not generally fit neatly within strictures imposed by societies or religions, with masturbation being almost universal, and pre-marital sex, serial monogamy, adultery and homosexual and bisexual behavior being far more common than these societies are willing to acknowledge.

There is much hypocrisy about sexual behavior in all directions. As an example, societies which aggressively regulate sexual behavior tend to have high levels of hidden child sexual abuse, the public discussion of which is taboo in polite society. For example, this behavior has been documented in Pakistan, the Philippines and Victorian England.

Traditional Attitudes

To do: Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, etc. also Christian, Islamic, Hindu etc...

Trends in Western Society

In the West, many people have relaxed the traditional definitions of normality, choosing instead to define normal sexuality as any sexual practice which does not involve what are regarded as sexual perversions.

However, using this definition makes use of a long list of sexual perversions which in themselves show up hidden assumptions about cultural norms. Recently, in Western society, consensual paraphilias are becoming more acceptable, in particular "any activity, not otherwise illegal, performed between consenting adults in private."

This liberalization of attitudes has resulted in the legalization of homosexuality in many countries, following the ground-breaking Wolfenden report in the UK.

There is a tendency in Western countries towards serial monogamy as a normal heterosexual lifestyle. In the reverse direction, there is also a movement towards recognizing long-term homosexual relationships (see same-sex marriage).

These liberalizing trends can be contrasted with conservative social trends that seek to reverse these patterns of behavior, with encouragement for young people to exercise sexual abstinence before marriage.

See also: sexual morality

External Links

Child sex abuse in societies which repress sexuality

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2678479.stm
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/248219.stm