A sexual norm can refer to a personal or a social norm. Most cultures have social norms regarding sexuality, and define normal sexuality to consist only of certain legal sex acts between individuals who meet specific criteria of age, relatedness or social role and status. For other uses, see Person (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Convention (norm) be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about human sexual perceptions. ... In behavior, normal means not deviating very much from the average. ...

In most societies, the term 'normal' is actually a spectrum. In other words, rather than each act being simply classified as "acceptable" or "not acceptable", in practice many acts are viewed as "more or less accepted" by different people, and the opinion on how normal or acceptable they are greatly depends on the individual making the opinion as well as the culture itself. Based on information gained from sexological studies, a great many ordinary people's sex lives are very often quite different from popular beliefs about normal, in private. In behavior, normal refers to a lack of significant deviation from the average. ... In most modern usages of the word spectrum, there is a unifying theme of between extremes at either end. ... Sexology is the systematic study of human sexuality. ...

If non-restrictive sexual norms are regarded positively, they may be called sexual freedom, "sexual liberation" or "free love". If they are regarded negatively, they may be called "sexual licence" or "licentiousness". Restrictive social norms, if judged negatively, are called sexual oppression or "compulsory heterosexuality;" if the restrictive norms are judged positively, they may be regarded as encouraging chastity, "sexual self-restraint" or "sexual decency", and negative terms are used for the targeted sexuality, e.g. sexual abuse and perversion. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The term free love has been used since at least the nineteenth century to describe a social movement that rejects marriage, which is seen as a form of social bondage, especially for women. ... Allegory of chastity by Hans Memling. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... “Pervert” redirects here. ...

Sexual norms and sexual practice

Studies have shown that human sexual behavior does not generally fit neatly within structures imposed by societies or religions, with masturbation being almost universal, and pre-marital sex, serial monogamy, adultery, paraphilia and homosexual and bisexual behavior being far more common than these societies are willing to acknowledge. Many societies which aggressively regulate sexual behavior tend to have high levels of hidden child sexual abuse or spousal abuse,^[1] the public discussion of which is taboo in polite society. This behavior has been documented in the Philippines, and Victorian England. This article is about sexual practices (i. ... Woman masturbating, 1913 drawing by Gustav Klimt. ... This article is primarily about religious attitudes to sexual morality. ... Serial polygamy is a form of marriage in which participants have more than one sexual partner in their lifetime (hence polygamy), but not at the same time (hence serial). ... This article is about the act of adultery. ... Look up paraphilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... “Bisexual” redirects here. ... Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. ... Spousal abuse refers to a wide spectrum of abuse. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ...

Social attitudes

In the West, many people have relaxed the traditional definitions of normality, choosing instead to define normal sexuality as any sexual practice which does not involve what are regarded as sexual perversions. However, using this definition makes use of a long list of sexual perversions which themselves show up hidden assumptions about cultural norms. Recently, in Western society, consensual paraphilias are becoming more acceptable, in particular "any activity, not otherwise illegal, performed between consenting adults in private." Look up paraphilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts and implications of an action. ... Look up paraphilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

This liberalization of attitudes has resulted in the legalization of homosexuality in many countries, following the ground-breaking Wolfenden report in the UK. Legalization is the process of removing a legal prohibition against something which is currently illegal. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... 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. ...

There is a tendency in Western countries towards serial monogamy as a normal heterosexual lifestyle. In the reverse direction, there is also a movement towards recognizing long-term homosexual relationships (see same-sex marriage). Serial polygamy is a form of marriage in which participants have more than one sexual partner in their lifetime (hence polygamy), but not at the same time (hence serial). ... International recognition Civil unions and domestic partnerships Recognized in some regions Unregistered co-habitation Recognition debated Civil unions legal, same-sex marriage debated See also Same-sex marriage Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box:      Same-sex marriage is a term...

There is also greater acceptance of sexual relationships (partnerships) without requiring the sanction of a form of marriage recognised by the church, state or legal system. In other words, there is freedom from the interference in people's sex lives by institutions. Sexual relationships are seen as a matter for individuals rather than for society as a whole.

These liberalizing trends can be contrasted with conservative social trends that seek to reverse these patterns of behaviour, with encouragement for young people to choose traditionally accepted roles, beliefs and behaviors, and to exercise sexual abstinence or non-promiscuous lifestyles before marriage. Ths article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... “Promiscuous” redirects here. ...

There is an opposing trend in reaction, that views such changes as a socially destructive force, and is opposed to them. It is often, though not exclusively, associated with people who have strong religious feelings, and are prevalent in much of Christianity in America, as well as Islam in the Middle East and Asia, and other devout religious groups such as Hasidic Jews in Israel. In such countries there is often strong criticism of non-traditional sexualities and sexual liberation. Religious is a term with both a technical definition and folk use. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Hasidic Judaism (Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. ... There are a variety of alternative sexuality practices and subcultures for people who hold that human sexual expression comes in a wide variety of forms which other people might consider immoral or unhygenic; it is noteworthy that people who hold to an encompassing imperative ethic as regards what they might... The sexual revolution was a substantial change in sexual morality and sexual behaviour throughout the West in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ...

Some social unrest in both Eastern and Western cultures is due to this conflict between these two trends, and views upon acceptability and control of social and sexual norms.

References

Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Religion and sexuality
• Same-sex marriage
• Sex-positive feminism
• Catholic teachings on sexual morality

Sexual morality varies greatly over time and between cultures. ... International recognition Civil unions and domestic partnerships Recognized in some regions Unregistered co-habitation Recognition debated Civil unions legal, same-sex marriage debated See also Same-sex marriage Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box:      Same-sex marriage is a term... Sex-positive feminism, sometimes known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism, is a movement that was formed in the early 1980s. ... Further information: Roman Catholic views on contraception Further information: Homosexuality and Catholicism Sexual morality evaluates the goodness of sexual behavior, and often provides general principles by which one is able to evaluate the morality of specific actions. ...

External links

• Investigative Reports Focused on Sexual Freedom
• Sexual Freedom Why It Is Feared