Portal:Human sexuality

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Main pageRecognized contentSubcategories

Welcome to the human sexuality portal

Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied with historical contexts over time, it lacks a precise definition. The biological and physical aspects of sexuality largely concern the human reproductive functions, including the human sexual response cycle.

Someone's sexual orientation is their pattern of sexual interest in the opposite and/or same sex. Physical and emotional aspects of sexuality include bonds between individuals that are expressed through profound feelings or physical manifestations of love, trust, and care. Social aspects deal with the effects of human society on one's sexuality, while spirituality concerns an individual's spiritual connection with others. Sexuality also affects and is affected by cultural, political, legal, philosophical, moral, ethical, and religious aspects of life.

Interest in sexual activity normally increases when an individual reaches puberty. Although no single theory on the cause of sexual orientation has yet gained widespread support, there is considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial causes of sexual orientation than social ones, especially for males. Hypothesized social causes are supported by only weak evidence, distorted by numerous confounding factors. This is further supported by cross-cultural evidence, because cultures that are tolerant of homosexuality do not have significantly higher rates of it.

Evolutionary perspectives on human coupling, reproduction and reproduction strategies, and social learning theory provide further views of sexuality. Sociocultural aspects of sexuality include historical developments and religious beliefs. Some cultures have been described as sexually repressive. The study of sexuality also includes human identity within social groups, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and birth control methods. (Full article...)

Selected article

Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior toward both males and females, and may also encompass romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender identity or to a person irrespective of that person's biological sex or gender, which is sometimes termed pansexuality.

The term bisexuality is mainly used in the context of human attraction to denote romantic or sexual feelings toward both men and women, and the concept is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation along with heterosexuality and homosexuality, which are each parts of the heterosexual–homosexual continuum. A bisexual identity does not necessarily equate to equal sexual attraction to both sexes; commonly, people who have a distinct but not exclusive sexual preference for one sex over the other also identify themselves as bisexual.

Bisexuality has been observed in various human societies and elsewhere in the animal kingdom throughout recorded history. The term bisexuality, however, like the terms hetero- and homosexuality, was coined in the 19th century. (Full article...)

Selected image

Astarte, 3rd century BC–3rd century AD
Astarte, 3rd century BC–3rd century AD
Astarte, 3rd century BC–3rd century AD
Astarte, 3rd century BC–3rd century AD

Did you know

Sigurður Hjartarson
Sigurður Hjartarson
Rihanna in early 2012
Rihanna in early 2012

July - December 2011

Human sexuality in the news

1 May 2024 – Homosexuality and Methodism
The United Methodist Church votes 692–51 to repeal a longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy while additionally prohibiting superintendents from forbidding a same-sex wedding. (AP)
30 April 2024 –
French prosecutors announce that actor Gérard Depardieu will be tried for the alleged sexual assault of two women in 2021. (euronews)
27 April 2024 – LGBT rights in Iraq
Iraq's parliament votes to criminalize same-sex relationships, to be punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison. (Reuters)
25 April 2024 – Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases
The New York Court of Appeals overturns former American film producer Harvey Weinstein's 2020 conviction in the state for rape by a vote of 4–3, and orders a new trial. However, Weinstein will still remain in prison on a 2022 conviction in California for rape. (AP) (CNN)

Get involved

For editor resources and to collaborate with other editors on improving Wikipedia's Human sexuality-related articles, see WikiProject Sexology and sexuality.

Topics

Tasks

Tools
Tools

Related portals

Associated Wikimedia

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Discover Wikipedia using portals

Purge server cache