The social construction of sexual behavior—its taboos, regulation and social and political impact—has had a profound effect on the various cultures of the world since prehistoric times. A social construction, social construct or social concept is an institutionalized entity or artifact in a social system invented or constructed by participants in a particular culture or society that exists because people agree to behave as if it exists, or agree to follow certain conventional rules, or behave as... Sexual behavior is a form of physical intimacy that may be directed to reproduction (one possible goal of sexual intercourse) and/or to the enjoyment of activity involving sexual gratification. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Politics is the process by which groups make decisions. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Prehistoric man. ...

Sources

SEE kAiTlIn Sexual speech - and by extension, writing - has been subject to varying standards of decorum since the beginning of history. The resulting self-censorship and euphemistic forms translate today into a dearth 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:

• Records of legislation indicating either encouragement or prohibition
• Religious and philosophical texts recommending, condemning or debating the topic
• Literary sourceunpublished during their authors' lifetimes, including diaries and personal correspondence
• Medical textbooks treating various forms as a pathological condition
• Linguistic developments, particularly in slang.
• More recently, studies of sexuality

Religious is a term with both a technical definition and folk use. ... The philosopher Socrates about to take poison hemlock as ordered by the court. ... See drugs, medication, and pharmacology for substances that are used to treat patients. ...

Reproduction and cultural gender roles

The 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. Even if there were only one man left on Earth, humankind could probably recover, depending on the man's health and fertility. The gene pool of the species would be somewhat impoverished, however, so the species would be less able to adapt to changes in its environment. On the other hand, if all but one female were wiped out, it is doubtful humanity could recover. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Diverse women. ... A pregnant woman near the end of her term Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ... Michelangelos David is widely considered to be one of the finest artistic portrayals of a man. ... A bagpiper in Scottish military clan-uniform. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... Fertility is a measure of reproduction: the number of children born per couple, person or population. ... The gene pool of a species or a population is the complete set of unique alleles that would be found by inspecting the genetic material of every living member of that species or population. ...

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. Anthropology is the study of the physical and social characteristics of humanity through the examination of historical and present geographical distribution, cultural history, acculturation, and cultural relationships. ... Lechuguilla Cave, New Mexico A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter. ... Masouleh village, Gilan Province, Iran. ... Look up home in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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..^{[citation needed]} 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. Paternity is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a father and his child. ... In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ... For the financial services company, see Fidelity Investments. ... Look up prima facie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Another school of thought (e.g. Jared Diamond in Why is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality) holds that the reasons behind the development of these concepts is biological, a result of a variety of unique elements of human sexuality (Sex for pleasure, hidden ovulation, etc.). Natural selection ensures that men that are able to be more certain of the parentage of the children they care for will be more likely to pass on their genes. Jared Mason Diamond (b. ... Why is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality is a book by Jared Diamond dealing with the evolutionary reasons for the development of some peculiar aspects of human sexuality (for example, why womens ovulation is not overtly advertised, as it is in all other mammals). ...

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 cultures

India

Main article: History of sex in India

Further information: Kama Sutra

Depictions of Apsarases from the Khajuraho temple

India played a significant role in the history of sex, from writing the first literature that treated sexual intercourse as a science, to in modern times being the origin of the philosophical focus of new-age groups' attitudes on sex. It may be argued that India pioneered the use of sexual education through art and literature. As in all societies, there was a difference in sexual practices in India between common people and powerful rulers, with people in power often indulging in hedonistic lifestyles that were not representative of common moral attitudes. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Modern translated version of the original Sanskrit. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1792, 189 KB) Sumario Khajuraho Temple, India Templo de Khajuraho, India. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1792, 189 KB) Sumario Khajuraho Temple, India Templo de Khajuraho, India. ... An apsaras from the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, China. ... Sculpture from a temple at Khajuraho Hermit monk performing auparashtika on a princely visitor. ... It has been suggested that Duration of sexual intercourse be merged into this article or section. ... New Age describes a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture. ... Sex education is education about sexual reproduction in human beings, sexual intercourse and other aspects of sexual behaviour. ...

The first evidence of attitudes towards sex comes from the ancient texts of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, the first of which are perhaps the oldest surviving literature in the world. These most ancient texts, the Vedas, reveal moral perspectives on sexuality, marriage and fertility prayers. Sex magic featured in a number of Vedic rituals, most significantly in the Asvamedha Yajna, where the ritual culminated with the chief queen lying with the dead horse in a simulated sexual act; clearly a fertility rite intended to safeguard and increase the kingdom's productivity and martial prowess. The epics of ancient India, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which may have been first composed as early as 1400 BCE, had a huge effect on the culture of Asia, influencing later Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan and South East Asian culture. Image File history File links Kamasutra1. ... Image File history File links Kamasutra1. ... Hinduism (known as in some modern Indian languages[1]) is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... Jainism (pronounced in English as IPA ), traditionally known as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म), is a dharmic religion and philosophy originating in Ancient India. ... The Rig Veda ऋग्वेद (Sanskrit ṛc praise + veda knowledge) is the earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas. ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... For the film by Peter Brook, see The Mahabharata (1989 film). ... (Redirected from 1400 BCE) (15th century BC - 14th century BC - 13th century BC - other centuries) (1400s BC - 1390s BC - 1380s BC - 1370s BC - 1360s BC - 1350s BC - 1340s BC - 1330s BC - 1320s BC - 1310s BC - 1300s BC - other decades) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events 1344... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Tibet (older spelling Thibet; Tibetan: བོད་; Wylie: Bod; Lhasa dialect IPA: [; Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 西藏, Hanyu Pinyin: XÄ«zàng; also referred to as 藏区 (Simplified Chinese), 藏區 (Traditional Chinese), ZàngqÅ« (Hanyu Pinyin), see Name section below) is a plateau region in Central Asia and the indigenous home to the Tibetan people. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

Images from the Kama Sutra.

These texts support the view that in ancient India, sex was considered a mutual duty between a married couple, where husband and wife pleasured each other equally, but where sex was considered a private affair, at least by followers of the aforementioned Indian religions. It seems that polygamy was allowed during ancient times. In practice, this seems to have only been practiced by rulers, with common people maintaining a monogomous marriage. It is common in many cultures for a ruling class to practice polygamy as a way of perserving dynastic succession. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (850x622, 107 KB) Kama Sutra Position File links The following pages link to this file: User:Markaci/Nudity History of sex in India Talk:History of sex in India ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (850x622, 107 KB) Kama Sutra Position File links The following pages link to this file: User:Markaci/Nudity History of sex in India Talk:History of sex in India ... Modern translated version of the original Sanskrit. ... The term polygamy (many marriages in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology and sociology. ...

Art from the Ajanta Caves of India.

India as a whole has as diverse a set of sexual 'behaviors' as any other society, such as adultery, homosexuality, transgenderism, exhibitionism, prostitution, sadism/masochism, zoophilia, and necrophilia, even though modern India society places greater taboo and emphasis of privacy on sex. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x2089, 448 KB) Description: Title: de: Liebespaar Technique: de: Wandmalerei Dimensions: Country of origin: de: Indien Current location (city): de: Ajantâ (Nord-Dekhan, Indien) Current location (gallery): de: Höhlentempel Other notes: Source: The Yorck Project: DVD-ROM, 2002. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x2089, 448 KB) Description: Title: de: Liebespaar Technique: de: Wandmalerei Dimensions: Country of origin: de: Indien Current location (city): de: Ajantâ (Nord-Dekhan, Indien) Current location (gallery): de: Höhlentempel Other notes: Source: The Yorck Project: DVD-ROM, 2002. ... Ajanta (also Ajanta Caves) in Maharashtra, India are rock-cut cave monuments dating back to the second century BCE and containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art[1] and universal pictorial art. ... Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a partner other than the lawful spouse. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... Transgenderism is a grassroots political movement seeking transgender rights and affirming transgender pride. ... An exhibitionist exposing himself at a soccer game. ... Whore redirects here. ... Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004. ... Leda and the Swan, a 16th century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo. ... Look up Necrophilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Fresco murals from the Ajanta caves.

The most publicly known sexual literature of India are the texts of the sixty-four arts. These texts were written for and kept by the philosopher, warrior and nobility castes, their servants and concubines, and those in certain religious orders. These were people that could also read and write and had instruction and education. The sixty four arts of love-passion-pleasure began in India. There are many different versions of the arts which began in Sanskrit and were translated into other languages, such as Persian or Tibetan. Many of the original texts are missing and the only clue to their existence is in other texts. Kama Sutra, the version by Vatsyayana, is one of the well-known survivors and was first translated into English by Sir Richard Burton and F. F. Arbuthnot. The Kama Sutra is now perhaps the most prolific secular text in the world. It details ways in which partners should pleasure each other within a marital relationship. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x1682, 365 KB) Description: Title: de: Mahâjanaka Jâtaka Technique: de: Wandmalerei Dimensions: Country of origin: de: Indien Current location (city): de: Ajantâ (Nord-Dekhan, Indien) Current location (gallery): de: Höhlentempel Other notes: Source: The Yorck Project: DVD-ROM... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x1682, 365 KB) Description: Title: de: Mahâjanaka Jâtaka Technique: de: Wandmalerei Dimensions: Country of origin: de: Indien Current location (city): de: Ajantâ (Nord-Dekhan, Indien) Current location (gallery): de: Höhlentempel Other notes: Source: The Yorck Project: DVD-ROM... Modern translated version of the original Sanskrit. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Modern translated version of the original Sanskrit. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Richard Burton, portrait by Frederic Leighton, National Portrait Gallery, London. ... Modern translated version of the original Sanskrit. ...

Sculpture from a temple at Khajuraho

When the Islamic and Victorian English culture arrived in India, they generally had an adverse impact on sexual liberalism in India. Within the context of the Indian religions, or dharmas, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, sex is generally either seen as a moral duty of each partner in a long term marriage relationship to the other, or is seen as a desire which hinders spiritual detachment, and so must be renounced. In modern India, a renaissance of sexual liberalism has occurred amongst the well educated urban population, but there is still discrimination and forced marriage incidents amongst the poor. Image File history File links Khajurahosculpture. ... Image File history File links Khajurahosculpture. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( ▶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victorian morality is a distillation of the moral views of people living at the time of Queen Victoria (reigned 1837 - 1901) in particular, and to the moral climate of Great Britain throughout the 19th century in... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... Hinduism (known as in some modern Indian languages[1]) is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion and a philosophy. ... Jainism (pronounced in English as IPA ), traditionally known as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म), is a dharmic religion and philosophy originating in Ancient India. ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is a religion that began in sixteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human gurus. ...

Within certain schools of Indian philosophy, such as Tantra, the emphasis in sex as a sacred duty, or even a path to spiritual enlightenment or yogic balance is greatly emphasized. Actual sexual intercourse is not a part of every form of tantric practice, but it is the definitive feature of left-hand Tantra. Contrary to popular belief, "Tantric sex" is not always slow and sustained, and may end in orgasm. For example, the Yoni Tantra states: "there should be vigorous copulation". However, all tantra states that there were certain groups of personalities who were not fit for certain practices. Tantra was personality specific and insisted that those with pashu-bhava (animal disposition), which are people of dishonest, promiscuous, greedy or violent natures who ate meat and indulged in intoxication, would only incur bad karma by following Tantric paths without the aid of a Guru who could instruct them on the correct path. In Buddhist tantra, actual ejaculation is very much a taboo, as the main goal of the sexual practice is to use the sexual energy towards achieving full enlightenment, rather than ordinary pleasure. Tantric sex is considered to be a pleasurable experience in Tantra philosophy. Tantra (Sanskrit: तन्त्र weave denoting continuity[1]), tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in the religions of India. ... Tantra (Sanskrit: loom), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. ...

Mesopotamia

Matriarchy was practiced in the earlier period of Mesopotamian civilization.^{[citation needed]}, the southern area of Babylonia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to Assyria, the northern part of Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamian society practiced sexual openness.^{[citation needed]} Matriarchy is a form of society in which power is with the women and especially with the mothers of a community. ... Mesopotamia refers to the region now occupied by modern Iraq, eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and Southwest Iran. ... Babylonia, named for its capital city, Babylon, was an ancient state in the south part of Mesopotamia (in modern Iraq), combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ... The Tigris is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... Surfer Rosa The Euphrates (IPA: /juːˈfreɪtiːz/; Greek: Euphrátēs; Akkadian: Pu-rat-tu; Hebrew: פְּרָת Pĕrāth; Syriac: Prâth; Arabic: الفرات Al-Furāt; Turkish: Fırat; Kurdish: فرهات, Firhat, Ferhat, Azeri: Fərat) is the western of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia (the other... An Assyrian winged bull, or lemmasu. ...

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.^{[citation needed]} To quote the Greek historian Herodotus: Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate northwest Semitic goddess Astarte. ... Religious prostitution, the vulgar epithet for hieros gamos, is the practice of having religiously motivated sexual relationships. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

"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.^{[citation needed]}. 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. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

In some temples of Ishtar, even male prostitutes (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.

China

In the I Ching (The Book of Changes, a Chinese classic text dealing with what would be in the West termed metaphysics), sexual intercourse is one of two fundamental models used to explain the world. With neither embarrassment 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). Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ... // The Person Zhuāng Zǐ (pinyin), Chuang Tzu (W-G), or Chuang Tse (Chinese 莊子, literally meaning Master Zhuang) was a famous philosopher in ancient China who lived around the 4th century BC during the Warring States Period, corresponding to the Hundred Schools of Thought philosophical summit of Chinese thought. ...

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. This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Bride price also known as bride wealth or a dower is an amount of money or property paid to the parents of a woman for the right to marry their daughter. ...

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 Yingying zhuan (Biography of Cui Yingying), 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 Yingying 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. Among Chinese literature are the Taoist classical texts. [1] This philosophical tradition of China has developed Taoist Sexual Practices which have three main goals: health, longevity, and spiritual development. Jin Ping Mei (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; literally The Plum in the Golden Vase, also translated as The Golden Lotus) is a Chinese naturalistic novel composed in the vernacular (baihua) during the late Ming Dynasty. ... Dream of the Red Chamber (Chinese: 紅樓夢; pinyin: hóng lóu mèng) or Chronicles of the Stone (Chinese: 石頭記; pinyin: shí tóu jì), written by Cao Xueqin, is one of the greatest masterpieces of Chinese fiction, written in the 18th century during the... Dream of the Red Chamber (Traditional Chinese: 紅樓夢; Simplified Chinese: 红楼梦; pinyin: Hónglóu mèng), also known as A Dream of Red Mansions, The Story of the Stone, or Chronicles of the Stone (Traditional Chinese: 石頭記; Simplified Chinese: 石头记; pinyin: Shítóu jì) is one of the masterpieces of Chinese fiction. ... Dream of the Red Chamber (Chinese: 紅樓夢; pinyin: hóng lóu mèng) or Chronicles of the Stone (Chinese: 石頭記; pinyin: shí tóu jì), written by Cao Xueqin, is one of the greatest masterpieces of Chinese fiction, written in the 18th century during the... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... An ancient Chinese print depicting The Joining of the Essences. Daoist sexual practices (Simplified Chinese: 合气, Traditional Chinese: 合氣, pinyin: heqi) or The Joining of the Essences, is the way Daoists practiced sex. ...

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 so-called "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, especially 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.

Japan

A kabuki actor moonlighting as a sex worker, toys with his client; enjoying the favors of the serving girl. Nishikawa Sukenobu, Shunga-style woodblock print, ink on paper; Kyoho era (1716-1735)

In what is perhaps the very earliest novel in the world, the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji), which dates back to around the eighth century CE, 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. The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The Kabukiza in Ginza is one of Tokyos leading kabuki theaters. ... A sex worker in Germany A sex worker is a person who earns money by providing sexual services. ... The Doll Ceremony Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1750), often called simply Sukenobu, was a Japanese printmaker from Kyoto. ... Shunga ) is a Japanese term for erotic pictures. ... A woodcut is a method of printing in which an image is carved into the surface of a piece of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with chisels. ... Kyōhō (享保) was a Japanese era after Shōtoku and before Gembun and spanned from 1716 to 1736. ... Genji Monogatari (源氏物語), frequently translated as The Tale of Genji, is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. ... Genji Monogatari (源氏物語), frequently translated as The Tale of Genji, is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. ...

From that time down at least as far as the Meiji Reformation, there is no indication that sexuality is treated in a pejorative way. 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 discreetly but did not disappear. The Meiji Restoration (明治維新; Meiji Ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Meiji Revolution or Renewal, describes a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure; it occurred from 1866 to 1869, a period of 4 years that transverses both...

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 shame society is one in which the primary device for gaining control over children and maintaining control over adults is the inculcation of shame and the complementary threat of ostracism. ...

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. Women posing as maiko (geisha apprentices), Kyoto, Japan wearing traditional furisode and okobo Geisha ) are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as music, singing and dancing. ...

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 people 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. In 1992, the government of Japan justified its continued refusal to allow oral contraceptives to be distributed in Japan on the fear that it would lead to reduced condom use, and thus increase transmission of AIDS.^[1] As of 2004, condoms accounted for 80% of birth control use in Japan, and this may explain Japan's comparably lower rates of AIDS.^[2]

Greece

See also: Homosexuality in ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, the phallus, often in the form of a herma, was an object of worship as a symbol of fertility. This finds expression in Greek sculpture and other artworks. One ancient Greek male idea of female sexuality was that women envied penises of males. Wives were considered as commodity and instruments for bearing legitimate children. They had to compete sexually with eromenoi, hetaeras and slaves in their own homes. Same-sex love was an sporadic part of civic life in ancient Greece from the seventh century until the Roman era. ... This article is about the symbol of the erect penis. ... Herma of Demosthenes on the market place of Athens, work by Polyeuktos, ca. ... A sculpture is a three-dimensional object, which for the purposes of this article is man-made and selected for special recognition as art. ... In the pederastic tradition of Classical Athens, the eromenos (Greek ἐρόμενος, pl. ... Hetaera (Greek: singular: Εταίρα Hetaera, plural: Εταίραι Hetaerae)In ancient Greece, hetaerae were courtesans, that is to say, sophisticated companions and prostitutes. ...

Homosexuality, in the form of pederasty, was a social institution in ancient Greece, and was integral to education, art, religion, and politics. Relationships between adults were not unknown but they were disfavored. Lesbian relations were also of a pederastic nature. Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... Pederastic courtship scene Athenian black-figure amphora, 5th c. ... A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ...

Ancient Greek men believed that refined prostitution was necessary for pleasure and different classes of prostitutes were available. Hetaera, educated and intelligent companions, were for intellectual as well as physical 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. Whore redirects here. ... Peripatetic means wandering. The Peripatetics were a school of philosophy in ancient Greece. ... Corinth, or Korinth (Greek: Κόρινθος, Kórinthos; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a Greek city-state, on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. ... Look up Aegean Sea in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Rape - usually in the context of warfare - was common and was seen by men as a “right of domination”. Rape in the sense of "abduction" followed by consensual lovemaking was represented even in religion: Zeus was said to have ravished many women: Leda in the form of a swan, Danae disguised as a golden rain, Alkmene disguised as her own husband. Zeus also ravished a boy, Ganymede, a myth that paralleled Cretan custom. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia Phidias created the 12-m (40-ft) tall statue of Zeus at Olympia about 435 BC. The statue was perhaps the most famous sculpture in Ancient Greece, imagined here in a 16th century engraving Zeus (in Greek: nominative: Zeús, genitive: Diós), is... Leda, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. ... Danae by Gustav Klimt, 1907. ... 82 Alkmene is an asteroid. ... The Rape of Ganymede, by Rubens In Greek mythology, Ganymede, or closer to the Greek Ganymede the great man that leads (in Greek — Γανυμήδης, GanumÄ“dÄ“s) was a divine hero whose homeland was the Troad. ... Zeus and Ganymede The Cretans, a Dorian people described by Plutarch as renowned for their moderation and conservative ways, practiced an archaic form of pederasty [1] in which the man enacted a ritual kidnapping (known as the harpagmos, or seizing) of a boy of his choosing, with the consent of...

Etruria

The 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. The Etruscan civilization existed in Etruria and the Po valley in the northern part of what is now Italy, prior to the formation of the Roman Republic. ...

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. Theopompus, a Greek historian and rhetorician, was born at Chios about 380 BC. In early youth he seems to have spent some time at Athens, along with his father, who had been exiled on account of his Laconian sympathies. ... For other uses, see Plato (disambiguation). ... // Illegitimacy is a term that was once in common use for the status of being born to parents who were not validly married to one another. ...

Rome

See also: Homosexuality in ancient Rome

The sexual atmosphere in the earlier stages of Roman civilization included celebrations associated with human reproductive organs. Over time there emerged institutionalization of voluntary sex as well as prostitution. This resulted in 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 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 travelers. Handsome adolescent menservants known as concubini would serve their master in bed, until they matured and fell into disfavor. Roman cameo portrayal of man and youth Roman attitudes toward same-sex relations varied over time. ... Delicatue, literal meaning “kept mistresses” – belonged to highest category of women prostitutes in ancient Rome. ... Famosae, connotes “soiled doves from respectable families”. In ancient Roman civilization, Famosae referred to unmarried girls and married women of higher status who indulged in sex for the fun of it. ... Lupae means she wolves. Lupa is the singular. ... It has been suggested that Pilegesh be merged into this article or section. ...

The sexual revolution

Main article: Sexual revolution This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

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 birth control pill. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Sexual behavior is a form of physical intimacy that may be directed to reproduction (one possible goal of sexual intercourse) and/or to the enjoyment of activity involving sexual gratification. ... Oral contraceptives are contraceptives which are taken orally and inhibit the bodys fertility by chemical means. ...

Psychology and sex

Especially before the development of dependable methods of contraception, the control of sexual behavior was of extreme practical importance to parents in some societies. 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 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. Dysfunctions 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 (in the case of premature ejaculation), or even more deleterious drugs. // Also known as rapid ejaculation, premature climax, early ejaculation, or by the Latin term ejaculatio praecox, is the most common sexual problem in men, affecting 25%-40% of men. ... Inhibited sexual desire (ISD), sometimes called frigidity, sexual aversion, Sexual apathy or Hypoactive sexual desire, refers to a low level of sexual desire and interest manifested by a failure to initiate or be responsive to a partners initiation of sexual activity. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A Cannabis sativa plant The drug cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. ...

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

Shah Abbas and Wine Boy Muhammad Qasim (1627) Wine Pourer Illuminated miniature of Shah Abbas I (1571-1629) of Persia, embracing his wine boy. ...

Historiographic considerations

Interestingly, 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" invented later in the same century to contrast with 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 predominantly 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 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. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... The word queer has traditionally meant strange or unusual, but it is also currently often used in reference to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual communities. ...

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.

Ancient Egypt

Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum are considered by many to be the first male couple in history. They shared the title of Overseer of the Manicurists in the Palace of King Niussere during the Fifth Dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs, and are listed as "royal confidantes" in their joint tomb. From the tomb of Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep. ... Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for the Fifth Dynasty. ...

Ancient Greece

Greek men had great latitude in their sexual expression, while their wives were severely restricted and could hardly move about the town unsupervised. It was said that a woman could travel about town freely only if she was old enough that people would ask not whose wife she was, but whose mother.

Unmarried adult women had more freedom, but often had to sell their favors to survive. Besides the common prostitutes there was a class of highly educated and paid entertainers known as hetairas who frequented men's symposia, drank with them, debated politics and philosophy with them, and slept with them. Hetaera (Greek: singular: Εταίρα Hetaera, plural: Εταίραι Hetaerae)In ancient Greece, hetaerae were courtesans, that is to say, sophisticated companions and prostitutes. ... Symposium originally referred to a drinking party (the Greek verb sympotein means to drink together) but has since come to refer to any academic conference, whether or not drinking takes place. ...

Men could also seek adolescent boys as partners as shown by some of the earliest documents concerning same-sex pederastic relationships, which come from Ancient Greece. Often they were favored over women. One ancient saying claimed that "Women are for business, boys are for pleasure." Though slave boys could be bought, free boys had to be courted, and ancient materials suggest that the father also had to consent to the relationship. Such relationships did not replace marriage between man and woman, but occurred before and concurrent with it. A mature man would usually not have a mature male mate, though there frequent exceptions (among whom Alexander the Great) but he would be the erastes (lover) to a young eromenos (loved one). Dover suggests that 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, Dover's theory has been questioned in light of massive evidence of ancient art and 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. The term pederasty or paederasty embraces a wide range of erotic practices between adult and adolescents, generally between males. ... The Temple to Athena, the Parthenon Ancient Greece is a period in Greek history that lasted for around three thousand years. ... Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1] Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC–June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history. ...

Ancient Rome

The deification of Antinous, his medals, statues, temples, city, oracles, and constellation, are well known, and still dishonor the memory of Hadrian. Yet we remark, that, of the first fifteen emperors, Claudius was the only one whose taste in love was entirely correct. --Edward Gibbon

• Tiberius
• Caligula and Lepidus
• Nero and Sporus
• Otho
• Elagabalus
• Hadrian and Antinous
• Trajan

It was said by some that Julius Caesar, at the age of twenty, had an affair with King Nicomedes of Bithynia. Of his tastes, a political opponent once said that "He is every woman's man and every man's woman." Edward Gibbon (1737–1794). ... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC – March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), more commonly known by his nickname Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ... For other uses, see Nero (disambiguation). ... Emperor Otho. ... A bust depicting Elagabalus. ... Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus (January 24, 76 – July 10, 138), known as Hadrian in English was Roman emperor from 117 – 138, as well as a Stoic and Epicurean philosopher. ... Template:Infobox boobies the Roman emperor This article is about the Roman Emperor. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC – March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ...

The Middle Ages

Two male lovers are burned at the stake, Zurich 1482 (Zurich Central Library)

Through the medieval period, homosexuality was condemned and thought to be the moral of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Historians debate if there were any prominent homosexuals and bisexuals at this time, but it is argued that figures such as Edward II, Richard the Lionheart, Philip II Augustus, and William Rufus were engaged in same-sex relationships. Download high resolution version (500x623, 69 KB)The burning of the knight of Hohenberg with his servant before the walls of Zürich, 1482 Taken from the German-language Wikipedia (:de:Bild:Sodomie. ... Download high resolution version (500x623, 69 KB)The burning of the knight of Hohenberg with his servant before the walls of Zürich, 1482 Taken from the German-language Wikipedia (:de:Bild:Sodomie. ... The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, John Martin, 1832. ... Edward II, (25 April 1284 – 21 September? 1327), of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until deposed in January, 1327. ... Richard I (September 8, 1157 – April 6, 1199) was King of England from 1189 to 1199. ... Philip Augustus seal, note the fleur de lis in his right hand. ... William II (called Rufus, perhaps because of his red-faced appearance, or maybe his bloody reign) (c. ...

Renaissance

Chaucer's Pardoner [2] Chaucer: Illustration from Cassells History of England, circa 1902 Chanticleer the rooster from an outdoor production of Chanticleer and the Fox at Ashby_de_la_Zouch castle Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. ...

19th century

• Oscar Wilde
• Boston marriage
• Edward Carpenter
• The single-sex public school
• Seafarers

Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and short story writer. ... In the 19th century, Boston marriage was a term used for households where two women lived together, independent of any male support. ... Edward Carpenter (29 August 1844 – 28 June 1929) was a socialist poet, anthologist, and an early homosexual activist. ... Public school in the United Kingdom is a label applied to certain fee-paying independent schools in England and Wales; in Scotland and Ireland it is heard less often in this sense (and indeed in Scotland the phrase has long been an alternative name for council schools in the state...

Early twentieth century

For events in Germany see the articles on Magnus Hirschfeld and History of Gays during the Holocaust. Magnus Hirschfeld in 1933 Magnus Hirschfeld (Kolberg, May 14, 1868 - Nice, May 14, 1935) was a prominent German-Jewish physician, sexologist, and gay rights advocate. ... Prior to the Third Reich, Berlin was considered a liberal city, with many gay bars, nightclubs and cabarets. ...

Mesopotamia

• Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Babylonia and is among the earliest known literary works. ...

China

• See Homosexuality in China.
• "Passion of the cut sleeve" - Emperor Ai of Han China and Dong Xian
• "Passion of the half-eaten peach[3]" Ling (534 - 493 B.C.E.) and Mizi Xia

Young men sipping tea, reading poetry, and making love; Individual panel from a hand scroll on homosexual themes, paint on silk; China, Qing Dynasty (eighteenth to nineteenth centuries); Kinsey Institute, Bloomington, Indiana The situation of homosexuality in China and Taiwan is currently quite ambiguous, although many instances have been recorded... Emperor Ai of Han (51 BC–7 BC) was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. ... Dong Xian (董賢) (23 BC(?)-1 BC) was a Han Dynasty politician who quickly rose from obscurity as a minor official to being the most powerful official in the imperial administration of Emperor Ai within a span of a few years. ... Ling may refer to: Several species of fish: Burbot, Lota lota. ...

Japan

Main article: Homosexuality in Japan Homosexuality has been recorded from ancient times in Japan; indeed, at some times in Japanese history love between men was viewed as the purest form of love. ...

Wolfenden Report

Main article: Wolfenden report. The Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (better known as the Wolfenden report, after Lord Wolfenden, the chairman of the committee) was published in Britain on September 3, 1957 after a succession of well-known men, including Peter Wildeblood, were convicted of homosexual offences. ...

Psychiatry

Freud, among others, argued that neither predominantly 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. Alfred Charles Kinsey (June 23, 1894 – August 25, 1956), was an American biologist and professor of entomology and zoology who in 1947 founded the Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University, now called the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction. ... The Kinsey Reports are two books on human sexual behavior, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953), by Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey, Wardell Pomeroy and others. ...

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 1973 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. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association The poopDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States. ... Due to the epidemic of medical errors, readers are cautioned to be aware that the American Psychiatric Association isnt immune to this. ...

The sexual revolution

During the Sexual Revolution, the different-sex sexual ideal became completely separated from procreation, yet at the same time was distanced from same-sex sexuality. Many people viewed this freeing of different-sex sexuality as leading to more freedom for same-sex sexuality. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Gay-rights movement

See also Gay rights, Timeline of LGBT history and Category:LGBT history. The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence This timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history details notable events in the Common Era West. ...

Stonewall riots

Main article: Stonewall riots LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence This box:      The Stonewall riots were a series of violent conflicts between New York City police officers and groups of gay and transgendered people that began on June 28...

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, although some advances in gay rights had taken place previously (Canada had legalized sodomy earlier that year, whereas France had legalized it in the 18th century). The Washington Square Arch Greenwich Village (IPA pronunciation: ), also called simply the Village, is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown (southern) Manhattan in New York City named after Greenwich, London. ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... François Elluin, Sodomites provoking the wrath of God, from Le pot pourri de Loth (1781). ...

Religion and sex

Although not the case in every culture, most religious practices contain taboos in regard to sex, sex organs and the reproductive process. A sex organ, or primary abnormal characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those anatomical parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; namely: Male: penis, prepuce, testicles, scrotum...

Judaism

In Jewish law, sex is not considered intrinsically sinful or shameful when conducted in marriage, nor is it a necessary evil for the purpose of procreation. Sex is considered a private and holy act between a husband and wife. Certain deviant sexual practices, enumerated below, were considered gravely immoral "abominations" sometimes punishable by death. The residue of sex (as with any lost bodily fluid) was considered ritually unclean outside the body, and required ablution. Ablution may refer to the practice of removing sins or diseases through the use of ritual washing, or the practice of using ritual washing as one part of a ceremony to remove sin or disease. ...

Recently, some scholars have questioned whether the Old Testament banned all forms of homosexuality, raising issues of translation and references to ancient cultural practices. However, rabbinic Judaism had unambiguously condemned homosexuality up until the reform movements of the modern era.

Mosaic law

• And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the sky and over all the beasts that tread upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)

The Torah, while being quite frank in its description of various sexual acts, forbids certain relationships. Namely, adultery, some forms of incest, male homosexuality, bestiality, and introduced the idea that one should not have sex during the wife's period: This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a partner other than the lawful spouse. ... Incest is sexual activity between close family members who are forbidden by law or custom from marrying. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... Look up Bestiality in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Menstrual cycle The menstrual cycle is a recurring cycle of physiological changes in the females of some animal species that is associated with reproductive fertility. ...

• You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to become defiled by her. (Lev. 18:20)
• Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. (Lev. 18:22)
• And with no animal shall you cohabit, to become defiled by it. And a woman shall not stand in front of an animal to cohabit with it; this is depravity. (Lev. 18:23)
• And to a woman during the uncleanness of her separation, you shall not come near to uncover her nakedness. (Lev. 18:19)

The above passages are, however, open to modern interpretation. The original meanings of these verses may have changed after they were translated into English and other languages.

Christianity

Christianity supplemented the Jewish attitudes on sexuality with two new concepts. First, there was the idea that marriage was absolutely exclusive and indissoluble, thereby restricting the sphere of sexual activity and eliminating the husband's ability to divorce at will. Second, there was the notion of virginity as a moral ideal, rendering marital sexuality as a sort of concession to carnal weakness and the necessity of procreation.

New Testament

The Council of Jerusalem decided that, although Jesus 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, Wikisource has original text related to this article: Book of Acts, Chapter 15 Council of Jerusalem is a title applied in retrospect to an unnamed meeting described in Acts of the Apostles chapter . ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... A Gentile refers to a non-Israelite; the word is derived from the Latin term gens (meaning clan or a group of families) and is often employed in the plural. ...

That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Acts 15:29

It is unclear exactly which sexual practices are considered fornication (sometimes translated as sexual immorality). Throughout the New Testament, there are scattered injunctions against adultery, promiscuity, homosexuality, and incest, consistent with earlier Jewish ethics supplemented by the Christian emphasis on chastity. Fornication is a term which refers to sexual intercourse between consenting unmarried partners. ...

• It is good for a man not to touch a woman. (1 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV))
• They that have wives be as though they had none; (1 Corinthians 7:29)

This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ...

Later Christian Thought

A general consensus developed in medieval Christianity that sexual acts were at least mildly sinful, owing to the necessary lust involved in the act. Nonetheless, marital relations were encouraged as an antidote to temptations to promiscuity and other sexual sins. St. Augustine opined that before Adam's fall, there was no lust in the sexual act, but it was entirely subordinate to human reason. Later theologians similarly concluded that the lust involved in sexuality was a result of original sin, but nearly all agreed that this was only a venial sin if conducted within marriage without inordinate lust. “Augustinus” redirects here. ... According to Christian tradition, original sin is the general condition of sinfulness (lack of holiness) into which human beings are born (Psalm 51:5). ...

In the modern era, many Christians have adopted the view that there is no sin whatsoever in the uninhibited enjoyment of marital relations. More traditional Christians will tend to limit the circumstances and degree to which sexual pleasure is morally licit.

Hinduism

In 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. Hinduism (known as in some modern Indian languages[1]) is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian text on sex, widely considered the standard work on love in the Sanskrit literature. ... In Hinduism, Kamashastra (from Kama = pleasure shastra = specialised knowledge or technique) was a document about sex written by Nandi, the disciple of lord Shiva. ... Vatsyayana is a scholar (Rishi) from India. ...

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 leaving desires (kama). Sculpture from a temple at Khajuraho Hermit monk performing auparashtika on a princely visitor. ...

Apart from Vatsyayana's Kamashastra, which is no doubt the most famous of all such writings, there exist 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 poet named Kukkoka. He is believed to have written 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 names Koka Shastra and Kama Shastra are used indiscriminately. The Ratirahasya is an Indian love manual written by Kokkoka. ...

Islam

In Islam sexual intercourse is allowed only after marriage and only with one's spouse. Sex outside of marriage, called zina, is considered a sin and strictly prohibited. According to the chapter Al-Israa', verse 32 of the Qur'an, Allah (God) prohibits Muslims from getting close to (engaging in) zina.

Politics of sex

With the rise of government and laws, personal behaviors, including sex, became increasingly politicized. Lady Justice or Justitia is a personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system (particularly in Western art). ...

The politics (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 sexual intercourse between 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.

• Partner laws regulate the choice of the partner. There are several restrictions on the choice of the partner.
  • Specie: Human partner is allowed while a non-human one [sex with animals (zoophilia)] is prohibited.
    • State (Living/dead): A living human is allowed while a dead one (sex with the dead Necrophilia) is prohibited.
      • Sex: Opposite sex is allowed while same sex is prohibited e. g. a law that prohibits sexual activity between partners of the same sex.
      • Number: Number of partners for sexual activity.
        • At a single time: e. g. monogamy (monandry, monogyny) and polygamy (polyandry, polygyny)).
        • At different times in life: e. g. sequential monogamy.
      • Age: A certain age is allowed while a certain other is prohibited. These restrictions are of two types.
        • Absolute age: The age or the partener has to be greater than or equal to the age of consent as determined by the applicable law. This ranges from 9 to 21.
      • Group: Certain race, religion, creed, caste, community and/or group is allowed while certain other is prohibited. These are of two types.
        • Same: Partner from the same group is allowed while that from a different one is prohibited.
        • Different: Partner from a different group is allowed while that from the same one is prohibited. (A law that prohibits sexual activity between partners of the same sex can be classed here.) e. g. a law that prohibits sexual activity between blood-relatives.
      • Time: The time in the life of the partner e. g. a law that prohibits the woman from engaging in sexual activity while she menstruates.

• Activity laws regulate the choice of the sexual activity e. g. a law that prohibits genital-genital intercourse. Activity laws are of the following types.

Leda and the Swan, a 16th century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo. ... Look up Necrophilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Faithfulness redirects here. ... Faithfulness redirects here. ... Faithfulness redirects here. ... The term polygamy (many marriages in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology and sociology. ... In social anthropology and sociobiology, polyandry (Greek: poly- many, andros- man) means a female forming a sexual union with more than one male. ... The term polygyny (neo-Greek: poly+gune Many + Wives) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ... Serial monogamy is a form of monogamy in which participants have only one sexual partner at any one time, but have more than one sexual partner in their lifetime. ... While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes,[1] when used with reference to criminal law the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be capable of legally giving informed consent to any contract or behaviour regulated by...

Technology and sex

Scientific and technological advances have significantly affected the enjoyment and outcomes of sex, especially in recent history. By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ...

Recreational uses

Sex toys such as vibrators were introduced to the market in the late 1880s, some 10 years before domestic vacuum cleaners [4]. More recently, Internet sites dealing in sexual images developed the infrastructure for Internet commerce well in advance of most other sectors. A sex toy is a term for any object or device that is primarily used in facilitating human sexual pleasure. ... Vibrators are devices intended to vibrate against the body (including insertion in a body cavity), thereby stimulating the nerves and giving a pleasurable and possibly erotic feeling. ... Regular vacuum cleaner for home use. ...

Birth control

Main article: Birth control

Withdrawal, various herbal contraceptives and abortifacients, as well as crude pessaries, were available to cultures in ancient times. The invention of vulcanized rubber in the nineteenth century, and the promotion of condoms made from that rubber, began the modern birth control movement. A large number of birth control options are now available. Birth control is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. ... Coitus interruptus, also known as withdrawal or the pull out method, is a method of contraception in which, during sexual intercourse, the man removes his penis from the womans vagina just before he reaches orgasm. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Technology and infertility

In the mid 20th century advances in medical science and modern understanding of the menstrual cycle led to observational, surgical, chemical and laboratory techniques to allow diagnosis and treatments many forms of infertility. Menstrual cycle The menstrual cycle is a recurring cycle of physiological changes in the females of some animal species that is associated with reproductive fertility. ...

Pederasty

Many cultures normalized or promoted adult males and male youths, usually teenagers, entering into pedagogic friendships or love affairs that also had an erotic dimension. These were usually sexually expressed, but chaste ones were not infrequent. If sexual, that phase of the relationship lasted until the youth was ready for adulthood and marriage. Other cultures saw such relationships as inimical to their interests – often on religious grounds – and tried to stamp them out.

See Pederasty, Shudo, Pederasty in ancient Greece, Historical pederastic couples The term pederasty or paederasty embraces a wide range of erotic practices between adult and adolescents, generally between males. ... Man and youth Tryst between a man and a male youth. ... Pederastic courtship scene Athenian black-figure amphora, 5th c. ... Whitman & Duckett Over the course of history there have been a number of recorded love affairs between adult men and adolescent boys. ...

Zoosexuality

Prior to and outside the influence of the major Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), sex with animals (also known as zoophilia, or bestiality) was sometimes forbidden, and sometimes accepted. Occasionally it was incorporated into religious ritual. The Abrahamic religions by and large forbid it, and make it a sin against God, and during the Middle Ages in Europe people and animals were often executed if found guilty. With the age of enlightenment, bestiality became subsumed into sodomy and a civil rather than religious offence. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Leda and the Swan, a 16th century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... François Elluin, Sodomites provoking the wrath of God, from Le pot pourri de Loth (1781). ...

Since the 1980s, many alternative sexualities have formed social networks, and zoosexuality (a more modern name for the spectrum of affinity and attraction to animals) is no exception to this. Although society in general is hostile, several decades of research seem to form a consensus that it is commonly misunderstood and mistaken for zoosadism. Regardless, although there are signs of slow attitude change over decades, it is usually considered a crime against nature in public, and illegal in most countries, and for that reason it is not much evidenced other than online, in private, and in the light of prosecution. Ernest Bornemann (1990, cited by Rosenbauer 1997) coined the term zoosadism for those who derive pleasure from inflicting pain on an animal, sometimes with a sexual component. ... Online means being connected to the Internet or another similar electronic network, like a bulletin board system. ...

See main articles: Zoophilia, Historical and cultural perspectives on zoophilia Leda and the Swan, a 16th century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo. ... This article covers the historical and cultural aspects of zoophilia and zoosexuality (also known as bestiality), from prehistory onwards. ...

Prostitution

Main article: Prostitution Whore redirects here. ...

Prostitution is the sale of sexual services, such as oral sex or sexual intercourse. Prostitution has been described as the "world's oldest profession". Men, women and transgender people may engage in prostitution, although the majority of prostitutes in history have been women. Transgender (IPA: , from trans (Latin) and gender (English) ) is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies that diverge from the normative gender role (woman or man) commonly, but not always, assigned at birth, as well as the role traditionally held by society. ...

In some cultures, prostitution has been an element of religious practises. Religious prostitution is well documented in the ancient cultures of the near East, such as Sumer, Babylon, ancient Greece and Israel, where prostitutes appear in the Bible. In Greece the hetaerae were often women of high social class, whereas in Rome the meretrices were of lower social order. The Devadasi, prostitues of Hindu temples in south India, were made illegal by the Indian government in 1988. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sumer (or Å umer) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in the southern part of Mesopotamia (southeastern Iran) from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term Sumerian applies... Babylon (in Arabic: بابل; in Syriac: ܒܒܙܠ in Hebrew:בבל) was an ancient city in Mesopotamia (modern Al Hillah, Iraq), the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Baghdad. ... The Temple to Athena, the Parthenon Ancient Greece is a period in Greek history that lasted for around three thousand years. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress. ... In ancient Greece, Hetaerae were courtesans, that is to say, sophisticated companions and prostitutes. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... In ancient Rome, registered prostitutes were called meretrices while the unregistered ones fell under the broad category prostibulae. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ...

Abortion

Main article: Abortion

Abortion is an ancient means of ending a pregnancy, practiced since antiquity. Its legality has varied from country to country. At the present time it is, particularly in the US, the subject of vigorous debate in political and religious circles due to claimed conflicts with the definition of life, issues of personal freedom, and other beliefs.

Sexually transmitted diseases

For much of human history, sexually transmitted diseases have been the scourge of humanity. They raged unchecked through society until the discovery of antibiotics. For a period of about thirty years (in the second half of the twentieth century) their threat subsided. However, due to the free movement of people and the lack of sexual hygiene in certain groups, new diseases resistant to antibiotics quickly spread and at the present time pose a threat to people who are sexually active. An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ...

Main article: sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) — also referred to as sexually transmissible diseases(STDs), venereal diseases (VD), or infrequently, social disease — are diseases or infections that have a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual contact, vaginal intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex. ...

AIDS

AIDS has profoundly changed modern sexuality. It was first noticed (although many historians feel that the first case was in 1959) spreading among gay men and intravenous drug users in the 1970s and 1980s. 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 twentieth century human sexuality. Fear of contracting AIDS has driven a revolution in sex education, which now centers far more the use of protection and abstinence, and spends much more time discussing sexually transmitted diseases. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Heterosexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by esthetic attraction, romantic love or sexual desire exclusively for members of the opposite sex or gender, contrasted with homosexuality and distinguished from bisexuality and asexuality. ... A developing country is a country with low average income compared to the world average. ... Sex education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. ... Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. ...

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." [5]

Main article: AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ...

Outside Reading

Ancient Greece

• Hubbard, Thomas K. (ed.) Homosexuality in Greece and Rome: A Sourcebook of Basic Documents, University of California Press, 2003.
• Percy, William A. Pederasty and Pedagogy in Archaic Greece, Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1996.

Homosexuality

• Bullough, Vern L. Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context. Harrington Park Press, 2002.
• Dynes, Wayne R. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Homosexuality. New York and London, Garland Publishing, 1990

History of Sexual Underworlds

• George Rousseau and Roy Porter. Sexual Underworlds of the Enlightenment (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1987). ISBN 0-7190-1961-3

See also

• Historical pederastic couples
• History of feminism
• The History of Sexuality (book series)
• Ephebophilia
• Kamashastra
• Paraphilia
• Pederasty
• Pedophilia
• Polyamory
• Pornocracy

Whitman & Duckett Over the course of history there have been a number of recorded love affairs between adult men and adolescent boys. ... This article is becoming very long. ... The History of Sexuality is the title of a three-volume series of books by Michel Foucault written in 1976. ... An Ephebe Kisses A Man Tondo from an Attic kylix, 5th c. ... In Hinduism, Kamashastra (from Kama = pleasure shastra = specialised knowledge or technique) was a document about sex written by Nandi, the disciple of lord Shiva. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The term pederasty or paederasty embraces a wide range of erotic practices between adult and adolescents, generally between males. ... Pedophilia or pædophilia (see spelling differences) is the paraphilia of being sexually attracted primarily or exclusively to prepubescent or peripubescent children. ... Start of polyamory contingent at San Francisco Pride 2004. ... Pornocracy is a term that has been used to mean government by or domination of government by prostitutes. ...

Sexual orientation

• Heterosexuality
• Homosexuality
• Bisexuality
• Timeline of LGBT history
• Transvestophilia

This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence This timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history details notable events in the Common Era West. ... Transvestophilia, or paraphilic transvestism, is a paraphilia in which a person with an apparently normal somatic sexual differentiation has the conviction that he or she is actually a member of the opposite sex. ...

External links

• Sex Scrolls - Journey through the hormones of history
• History of Sexuality
• University of California, Santa Barbara's SexInfo

Sexual orientation

• The Invention of Heterosexuality by Jonathan Katz
• The World History of Male Love
• Encyclopedia of GLBQT cuture
• Who's Gay? What's Straight?
• The Myth of Ancient Greek Sexuality by Bruce Thornton

Jonathan Katz Jonathan Katz is an American comedian, actor, and voice actor who is best known for his starring role in the animated sitcom Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. ... Bruce S. Thornton is a classicist at California State University, Fresno. ...

References

1. ^ Stanford University News Service (96-14-02). Djerassi on birth control in Japan - abortion 'yes,' pill 'no'. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-08-23.
2. ^ Japanese Women Shun The Pill. HealthWatch. CBS News (August 20, 2004). Retrieved on 2006-08-23.