Sex

Sex

Humans are sexual beings. We want it. We all need sex. It is an important part of us. Sex can be simply a pleasurable act, yet it can also be an expression of our love for someone else. In short, sex is wonderful. However, it is relatively rare to encounter a rational discussion about sex, even between partners. As with all activities about which people are passionate and which involve biological drives, the topic of sexuality is rife with controversy, misunderstanding, moralizing, and stereotypes. It is my belief that the widespread availability of information about sexual matters help facilitate better communication in relationships. Progress can never be made in human affairs by the suppression or repression of information, or by spreading disinformation. In essence, sexuality should be celebrated to improve our sexual health and happiness.

In today's society, where sex is unfortunately too often viewed as "the nasty," I would not necessarily call the act of having sex taboo because people are beginning to realize more about who we are and what we need. This is not to say that we are considering sex to be a cool thing now, but our attitudes are a lot better than they used to be. Still, we Americans have much to improve on our views and acceptance of sex. A non-virgin today is often looked down upon in the younger age groups (high-school and under). Teenagers label them with harsh vocabulary such as "whores", "skanks", "sluts", and "players." In the older age groups, sex is more "the thing to do". If you have a long-term girlfriend or boyfriend, wife or husband, it is expected that you are having a sexual relationship. We are more comfortable with admitting that we are sexually active when we are older. However, knowing that certain individuals are having sex and talking about it often elicits an "eiuwwww." Are most people comfortable with telling their friends whether or not they are having sex? For most people, I believe not. There is much room for improvement in the ways we handle sex and its importance in our lives. I am not saying that we should invade other people's privacy or blatantly share intimate details of our sex lives, but that we should not feel embarrassed or guilty for having sex and enjoying ourselves.

The United States is probably one of the more uptight countries about sex. For example, in Europe, parents often condone their teenaged children having sex. One of my good friends is from Hungary, and while he was going out with his girlfriend, he was asked by her parents if he wanted condoms. Now in America, this is unheard of - a parent asking the daughter's boyfriend whether or not he needed condoms for the night. The Hungarian parents' behavior may shock you, as it shocked me, but that's only because we've never been exposed to an environment regarding sex like the one in Europe.

Fortunately, throughout the past five years, I can see America slowly changing for the better. There used to be this intangible barrier people never crossed when talking about sex. One was never to ask about who was having sex with who and what "else" they were doing. It was either assumed or unnecessary to be known. Even parents had difficulty talking to their children about sex education and protection against sexually transmitted diseases. However, through advertising, the movies, and the Internet, I believe we are growing more aware of our sexual nature and beginning to accept our sexual desires. The media is paving the new path of sexual liberation for the average American to follow.

Advertising is one factor changing how people view sex today. For example, I find that models for clothing companies are exposing more flesh in their advertisements. Men are usually topless (with big muscular bodies) and their pants are rather tight, almost outlining the figure of the penis. Women are wearing skimpier clothing that expose most of their chest and legs. Through catalogs, mannequins, posters, and models on the runway, we can see that it is becoming more acceptable to expose as much as you can.

The showing of a penis has become less taboo then it used to be. In the movie "Any Given Sunday", when Cameron Diaz walks into the men's locker room, several naked men stand right in front of her talking to the camera. When I was in the movie theater watching this film, the audience gasped at the sight of a penis. The crowd responded as they did only because they had not been used to seeing the male sexual organ on the screen. But given time, when films show the penis more often, we will become accustomed to it. Movies and other forms of media are beginning to expose the male genitals just as much as we currently see the female genitals and breasts on the large screen.

To further prove my observations, I went on to my web-browser and typed the word "sex" on a search engine. To my surprise, I found a great deal of information on the topic. There was an innumerable amount of links to sex shops, sex forums, improving sex-health programs, sexology, etc. Everything imagined possible was there, and more! Unable to find information about America's view on sex and how it evolved over the past 100 years, through the plethora of web-sites dedicated to sexual freedom and knowledge, I was convinced that America's acceptance on sex has been changing.

The Internet is an excellent tool for the average individual to express his or her sexual desires. It provides a mask for the person who wishes to post secret fantasies, bizarre fetishes, and sexual experiences on web-sites and chat-rooms without revealing the identity of that person. This ability to say and do what you want is allowing the common person to voice suppressed feelings and shows