Meaning of sexuality (what is it, concept and definition)

What is Sexuality:

Sexuality is a set of behaviors and strategies that individuals use to physically attract another individual. It is a natural phenomenon, both in humans and in other animal species. In order for a species not to disappear from the planet, its members must reproduce. Therefore, one of the fundamental characteristics of living beings is reproduction, whose mechanisms, although very different, are known in general terms as sexuality.

During sexual reproduction, the genetic material of two individuals combines to produce genetically different offspring from their parents. Sexually reproducing species must have two different types of individuals: female and male.

Sexuality results from a combination of biological (internal) and social (external) factors of each individual. This combination of factors cause changes in the body and mind.

Sexuality in the animal kingdom

All animals that have sexual reproduction express their sexuality through mating rituals. These serve animals to attract mates and also to gain positions of power. For example, monkeys express their sexuality by grooming each other, but they also use sexual attraction to ensure the survival of their lineage.

A more striking example is that of peacocks. Males display their colorful plumage during mating season to attract female attention. Peacocks with the longest and most colorful plumage, along with the best strutting, gain reproductive advantages over other males.

Human sexuality

Human sexuality goes beyond the reproduction of the species. Regardless of reproduction, human beings develop a set of ideas and feelings about our bodies that make our sexuality a web of emotions, sensations, affections, beliefs and body norms that, to a large extent, shape our lives as people and as members. of a society.

Throughout history, sexuality has been regulated by different institutions, such as the family, the church, or the media. Some cultures for religious reasons have repressed it for considering it a sin when it is not practiced for exclusively reproductive purposes, that is, to have children.

Components of human sexuality

• Sexual desire: it is the motivation (thoughts and fantasies) that generates increased attention to sexual stimulation. It can be expressed as the desire for other people or the desire to be desired. Sexual excitation: it is reflected in the complex psychological and physiological activation associated with sexual stimulation. Sexual behavior: this includes abstinence, masturbation and partner sex with all its various expressions. Sexual function: the function of sexuality is reproduction. Through sexual relations, the human being is able to manifest his love, experience pleasure and develop fully as a healthy and happy person.

Sexual intercourse

When the sexual apparatus develops and matures, human beings feel a physical attraction and interest in a person and what they do, and also a desire for bodily closeness.

In sexual relations between a man and a woman, intercourse consists of the introduction of the penis into the vagina. Both men and women can experience a series of very pleasant sensations until they reach orgasm, which is usually the moment of culmination of the sexual act:

• In men it is accompanied by ejaculation, which is the exit of sperm through the penis, in women it is preceded by lubrication of the vagina during excitement or preparation to enjoy and reach orgasm.

Sexuality in adolescence

Even though sexuality is present in all stages of life, it is in adolescence when the most marked changes are observed. Although many children play at being boyfriends and girlfriends, it is in adolescence that the strongest attraction towards other partners begins, and there is a desire to establish dating relationships with greater bodily closeness.

Adolescent sexuality is viewed as immature, confusing, experimental, risky, dangerous, and inappropriate. From this perspective, sexual experiences such as intercourse are considered fundamentally transformative, marking a point of irreversibility between adolescence and adulthood.

Generally speaking, satisfaction and body self-esteem are associated with better sexual function in older adolescents and adults. In particular, facial attractiveness is sought among adolescents to establish relationships and maintain sexual interactions.

On the other hand, masturbation is a behavior present in adolescence, despite stigma and religious disapproval. However, medicine has shown that it is normal during development and does not affect health.

The control of adolescent sexuality is reflected in a certain way in sex education in schools where only the subjects of abstinence, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are dealt with, when masturbation, sexual pleasure or orgasm.

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is the term used to describe a person's sexuality. Below are various trends that are currently recognized by experts in psychology, but others are still a source of debate, therefore this classification may vary in the future.

• Heterosexuals: physical and emotional attraction for people of the opposite sex. Homosexuals: physical and emotional attraction for people of the same sex. Bisexual: physical and emotional attraction for people of both sexes. Transgender: people who are born with a biological sex, but are identified as people of the opposite sex. Asexual: they have no sexual attraction to any individual of either sex. Pansexuals: attraction for people of all genders. Anthro-sexual: attraction to anyone, but they do not identify with any gender. Demisexual: they are first attracted by the ideas and mentality of other people, and only later comes physical attraction. Sapiosexuales: attraction to the intelligence of others regardless of their sex or sexual orientation. Graysexuals: they have an intermittent relationship with their sexuality, for periods they feel sexual attraction to others, and then they do not feel any attraction. Metrosexuals: Men who express their sexuality through vanity and avoid displaying secondary sexual characteristics. Lumbersexuals: they are the opposite of metrosexuals. These men express their sexuality by making the most of secondary sexual characteristics. Spornosexual: they express their sexuality by showing an athletic body or a gym body. Gender: they are not identified with any gender. Aromantic: they do not feel romantic attractions towards other people. Lithosexuals: they are attracted to other people, but they do not feel the need to be reciprocated. Skoliosexuales: attraction for transgender people. Polysexual: attraction to different types of people, but with different levels of intensity. Self-sexual: attraction to themselves. Porn: they have a sexual preference for pornographic content.

Difference between sex and sexuality

By sex is meant the anatomical and physiological differences between the males and females of a species. There are also animals and plants in which each individual has both the female and male organs. These individuals are known as hermaphrodites.

The sex of an individual is assigned at birth according to their genitalia. When a baby is born with a male sexual apparatus, that is, with a penis and testicles, it is said to be a man, while if it is born with a female sexual device, or vulva, it is said to be a woman.

Sexuality, on the other hand, is the way in which the human being expresses himself (or not) to attract another.