Portal:Human sexuality
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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...)
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The ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated phallic festivals and built a shrine with an erect phallus to honor Hermes, messenger of the gods. Those figures may be related to the Egyptian god Min who was depicted holding his erect phallus. Figures of women with a phallus for a head have been found across Greece and Yugoslavia. Phallic symbolism was prevalent in the architecture of ancient Babylon, and the Romans, who were deeply superstitious, often used phallic imagery in their architecture and domestic items. The ancient culture of many parts of Far East Asia including Indonesia, Mali, and the Buddhist parts of Korea and Japan, also used the phallus as a symbol of fertility in motifs on their temples and in other areas of everyday life. (Full article...)
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Did you know
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Perelachaise-FelixFaure-p1000345.jpg/100px-Perelachaise-FelixFaure-p1000345.jpg)
- ... that contemporary reports claimed that French President Félix Faure (grave pictured) died receiving fellatio and his penis had to be surgically removed from his mistress's locked jaw?
- ... that the Soft and Hard Adult Film and Television Awards are the only pornographic film awards in the UK to have winners determined by public votes?
- ... that Zurich recently opened its first sex drive-in?
- ... that Gerda Munsinger, the Mata Hari of the Cold War, caused Canada's first national sex scandal?
- ... that the first mass protests against prostitution of children were led by ECPAT in the 1990s?
April - December 2013
Human sexuality in the news
- 21 July 2024 – 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement
- The Supreme Court of Bangladesh reduces the government job quota reserved for families of veterans who fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War from 30% to 5%, leaving 93% of jobs to be allocated on merit and 2% set aside for ethnic minorities, transgender, and disabled people. (AP)
- 18 July 2024 – LGBT rights in South Korea
- The Supreme Court of South Korea rules that same-sex couples are eligible to receive the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples. (AP)
- 12 July 2024 – LGBT rights in Burkina Faso
- Burkinabè Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala announces a ban on homosexuality in the country. (BBC News)
- 12 July 2024 – Same-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
- The Supreme Court of the Netherlands rules that same-sex marriage is legal in Aruba and Curaçao. (De Telegraaf)
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For editor resources and to collaborate with other editors on improving Wikipedia's Human sexuality-related articles, see WikiProject Sexology and sexuality.
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- Cleanup listing for WikiProject Sexology and sexuality — bot-generated list of articles within the scope of this WikiProject tagged as needing attention
- Cleanup listing for WikiProject LGBT studies — bot-generated list of articles within the scope of this WikiProject tagged as needing attention
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