Portal:Human sexuality
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Welcome to the human sexuality portal
Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied with historical contexts over time, it lacks a precise definition. The biological and physical aspects of sexuality largely concern the human reproductive functions, including the human sexual response cycle.
Someone's sexual orientation is their pattern of sexual interest in the opposite and/or same sex. Physical and emotional aspects of sexuality include bonds between individuals that are expressed through profound feelings or physical manifestations of love, trust, and care. Social aspects deal with the effects of human society on one's sexuality, while spirituality concerns an individual's spiritual connection with others. Sexuality also affects and is affected by cultural, political, legal, philosophical, moral, ethical, and religious aspects of life.
Interest in sexual activity normally increases when an individual reaches puberty. Although no single theory on the cause of sexual orientation has yet gained widespread support, there is considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial causes of sexual orientation than social ones, especially for males. Hypothesized social causes are supported by only weak evidence, distorted by numerous confounding factors. This is further supported by cross-cultural evidence, because cultures that are tolerant of homosexuality do not have significantly higher rates of it.
Evolutionary perspectives on human coupling, reproduction and reproduction strategies, and social learning theory provide further views of sexuality. Sociocultural aspects of sexuality include historical developments and religious beliefs. Some cultures have been described as sexually repressive. The study of sexuality also includes human identity within social groups, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and birth control methods. (Full article...)
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Gender identity is a person's private sense, and subjective experience, of their own gender. This is generally described as one's private sense of being a man or a woman, consisting primarily of the acceptance of membership into a category of people: male or female. All societies have a set of gender categories that can serve as the basis of the formation of a social identity in relation to other members of society. In most societies, there is a basic division between gender attributes assigned to males and females. In all societies, however, some individuals do not identify with some (or all) of the aspects of gender that are assigned to their biological sex.
In most Western societies, there exists a gender binary, a social dichotomy that enforces conformance to the ideals of masculinity and femininity in all aspects of gender and sex - gender identity, gender expression and biological sex. Some societies have third gender categories that can be used as a basis for a gender identity by people who are uncomfortable with the gender that is usually associated with their sex; in other societies, membership of any of the gender categories is open to people regardless of their sex. (Full article...)
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Did you know
- ...that 18th century prostitute Sally Salisbury (pictured) was sent to prison after a riot but was released by a judge who was infatuated with her?
- ...that Marthe Richard was a former prostitute and spy who worked to make brothels illegal in France?
- ...that Amsterdam's Prostitution Information Center provides the city's visitors with information and advice about prostitution?
- ...that 18th century brothel-keeper Jane Douglas (pictured, bottom window, praying) sold condoms in silken bags to her customers?
- ...that madame Anna Wilson, the "Queen of the Underworld" in early Omaha, Nebraska, bequeathed her 25-room brothel mansion to the city to use as an emergency hospital upon her death?
- ...that sexual relations between a man and his daughter-in-law were fairly common in pre-revolutionary rural Russia?
April - July 2007
Human sexuality in the news
- 3 October 2024 – LGBT rights in Georgia, Georgian LGBT propaganda law
- The Georgian Parliament Speaker signs into law a wide-ranging bill that bans gender transitioning and gender-affirming care, same-sex marriage and adoption, and depictions of LGBTQ+ people in media after the President refused to sign it, which chief European Union diplomat Josep Borrell states could prevent the nation's accession to the EU. (Politico)
- 24 September 2024 – Recognition of same-sex unions in Thailand
- Thailand passes the marriage equality law allowing same-sex couples to be legally wed starting in January 2025. (AP)
- 17 September 2024 – LGBT rights in Georgia
- The Parliament of Georgia approves a law on "family values and the protection of minors" that would restrict LGBTQ+ rights in the country. (DW)
- 13 September 2024 – Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal
- Seven men receive prison sentences ranging from six to 25 years for sexual offences against girls aged 11 to 16 that occurred in the town of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, Northern England from the late 1980s until 2013. (BBC News)
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For editor resources and to collaborate with other editors on improving Wikipedia's Human sexuality-related articles, see WikiProject Sexology and sexuality.
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- Cleanup listing for WikiProject Sexology and sexuality — bot-generated list of articles within the scope of this WikiProject tagged as needing attention
- Cleanup listing for WikiProject LGBT studies — bot-generated list of articles within the scope of this WikiProject tagged as needing attention
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