Sexual inhibition

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A sexual inhibition is a conscious or subconscious constraint or curtailment by a person of behavior relating to specific sexual matters or practices, a discussion of sexual matters or viewing certain sexual material. To some extent such inhibitions may arise from cultural and social influences and conditioning, as well as from personal factors, including sexual orientation. In most partner relationships, the level of inhibition tends to decrease the higher the level of trust that develops between the partners. Such inhibitions also tend to decrease with improvements in a person's confidence in their sexuality. A person may take a drug, such as alcohol, to reduce their level of inhibition.

Contents

Though a person can be regarded as being sexually inhibited if they irrationally fear or are excessively averse to any sexual practice or discourse, the term is normally not applied to a person who refrains from certain sexual activities on moral and rational grounds (such as desire to avoid pregnancy or contracting a disease) or due to a psychological disorder. A person may also refrain from sexual activity with a particular person by choice or because of a simple disliking of that particular activity or person, for whatever reason. The person whose advances are rejected may dismiss the rejection as being due to sexual inhibition.

On the other hand, a person may be regarded as having low sexual inhibitions when they welcome a variety of non-conventional erotic practices. Hypersexuality is typically associated with lowered sexual inhibitions, and alcohol and some drugs can affect a person's social and sexual inhibitions.

Examples

Some inhibitions are expressed in terms of preferences for specific sexual practices and may be based on cultural attitudes. For example, cultural attitudes toward oral sex range from aversion to high regard. [1] It has been considered taboo, or at least discouraged, in many cultures and parts of the world, [1] especially with regard to fellatio. [2] People give various reasons for their dislike of oral sex. [1] Some state that since it does not result in reproduction, it is therefore unnatural. [3] Others find it less intimate because it is not a face-to-face practice, [1] or believe that it is a humiliating or unclean practice; [1] [4] that it is humiliating or unclean are opinions that are, in some cases, connected with the symbolism attached to different parts of the body. [4]

Sexual inhibitions among female same-sex sexual relationships have also been studied. The belief that all women who have sex with women engage in oral sex (i.e., cunnilingus) is a misconception; some lesbian or bisexual women dislike cunnilingus due to not liking the experience or due to psychological or social factors, such as finding it unclean. [5] [6] [7] [8] Other lesbian or bisexual women believe that it is a necessity or largely defines lesbian sexual activity. [7] [8] Lesbian couples are more likely to consider a woman's dislike of cunnilingus as a problem than heterosexual couples are, and it is common for them to seek therapy to overcome inhibitions regarding it. [7]

A female who cannot conceive by normal means and requires assistance to conceive may be constrained by social and sexual inhibitions and taboos from accepting a sperm donor or a friend to perform an intravaginal insemination, and the friend may be similarly inhibited; the friend may opt instead for the more expensive and arduous artificial insemination.

A fear of being nude in front of others can be regarded as a sexual inhibition[ citation needed ]. Some people feel uncomfortable being nude in front of another person, even in private with their sex partner. For example, a person may feel comfortable being nude only during a sexual activity, and then only with subdued lighting, or covered by a sheet or blanket. [9] Some people decline medical examinations that involve disrobing.[ citation needed ] In an interview in March 2007, Halle Berry said that her toplessness in Swordfish (2001) was "gratuitous" to the movie, but that she needed to do the scene to get over her fear of nudity, and that it was the best thing she did for her career. Having overcome her inhibitions, she went on to a role in Monster's Ball , which included a nude scene. [10] In 2002, Eva Green in her first film role needed director Bernardo Bertolucci's guidance during the filming of the nude and sex scenes in The Dreamers (2003), but was embarrassed when her family saw the film. [11] Some actresses prefer not to expose their bodies to others and use a body double even for exposure of breasts. [12] [13]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Janell L. Carroll (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 265–267. ISBN   978-0-495-60274-3 . Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  2. "The History of Fellatio" Archived 2006-05-24 at the Wayback Machine , Salon.com, May 22, 2000.
  3. Buschmiller, Rev. Robert. "Oral Sex in Marriage". Presentation Ministries. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Pina-Cabral, Joao de (1992). "Tamed Violence: Genital Symbolism is Portuguese popular culture". Man. N.S. 28 (1): 101–120. doi:10.2307/2804438. JSTOR   2804438.
  5. Belge, Kathy. "Do All Lesbians Like Oral Sex?". About.com . Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  6. Naomi B. McCormick (1994). Sexual Salvation: Affirming Women's Sexual Rights and Pleasures. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 207. ISBN   978-0-275-94359-2 . Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 Ginny Vida; Karol D. Lightner; Tanya Viger (2010). The New Our Right to Love: A Lesbian Resource Book. Simon and Schuster. p. 74. ISBN   978-0-684-80682-2 . Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  8. 1 2 Jerry J. J. Bigner; Joseph L. L. Wetchler (2012). Handbook of LGBT-Affirmative Couple and Family Therapy. Routledge. p. 102. ISBN   978-1-136-34032-1 . Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  9. Sexual Behavior in the Human Female: By the Staff of the Institute for Sex Research, Indiana University, Alfred C. Kinsey ... [et al.] ; with a New Introduction by John Bancroft. Indiana University Press, 1998. ISBN   0-253-33411-X
  10. Jam Showbiz Movies, 22 March 2007: Halle Berry bares her soul [usurped]
  11. Stealing beauty, a February 2004 article from The Guardian
  12. Harris, Richard Jackson (1 April 1999). A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication. Lawrence Erlbaum. ISBN   0-8058-3088-X . Retrieved 11 September 2009. ... the use of body doubles, even for attractive stars, is common.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  13. Jeffries, Stuart (26 January 2007). "He's the Bond girl, not me". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 27 August 2007.

Related Research Articles

Anal sex or anal intercourse is generally the insertion and thrusting of the erect penis into a person's anus, or anus and rectum, for sexual pleasure. Other forms of anal sex include anal fingering, the use of sex toys, anilingus, pegging, as well as electrostimulation and erotic torture such as figging. Although anal sex most commonly means penile–anal penetration, sources sometimes use anal intercourse to exclusively denote penile–anal penetration, and anal sex to denote any form of anal sexual activity, especially between pairings as opposed to anal masturbation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fellatio</span> Oral sex on the penis by a sexual partner

Fellatio is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a penis by using the mouth. Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed fellatio, or colloquially as teabagging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human sexual activity</span> Manner in which humans engage sexually

Human sexual activity, human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone to acts with another person in varying patterns of frequency, for a wide variety of reasons. Sexual activity usually results in sexual arousal and physiological changes in the aroused person, some of which are pronounced while others are more subtle. Sexual activity may also include conduct and activities which are intended to arouse the sexual interest of another or enhance the sex life of another, such as strategies to find or attract partners, or personal interactions between individuals. Sexual activity may follow sexual arousal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual intercourse</span> Penetrative sexual activity for reproduction or sexual pleasure

Sexual intercourse is a sexual activity involving the insertion and thrusting of the male penis inside the female vagina for sexual pleasure, reproduction, or both. This is also known as vaginal intercourse or vaginal sex. Sexual penetration has been known by humans since the dawn of time, and has been an instinctive form of sexual behaviour and psychology among humans. Other forms of penetrative sexual intercourse include anal sex, oral sex, fingering and penetration by use of a dildo, and vibrators. These activities involve physical intimacy between two or more people and are usually used among humans solely for physical or emotional pleasure. They can contribute to human bonding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biphobia</span> Aversion to bisexual people

Biphobia is aversion toward bisexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being bisexual. Similarly to homophobia, it refers to hatred and prejudice specifically against those identified or perceived as being in the bisexual community. It can take the form of denial that bisexuality is a genuine sexual orientation, or of negative stereotypes about people who are bisexual. Other forms of biphobia include bisexual erasure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tribadism</span> Vulva-vulva or vulva-body rubbing

Tribadism or tribbing, commonly known by its scissoring position, is a sexual practice involving vulva-to-vulva contact or rubbing the vulva against the partner's thigh, stomach, buttocks, arm, or other body parts, especially for stimulation of the clitoris. A variety of sex positions are practiced, including the missionary position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual penetration</span> Sexual activity that involves inserting a persons body part into another person

Sexual penetration is the insertion of a body part or other object into a body orifice, such as the mouth, vagina or anus, as part of human sexual activity or sexual behavior in non-human animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irrumatio</span> Type of oral sex

Irrumatio is a form of oral sex in which someone thrusts his penis into another person's mouth, in contrast to fellatio where the penis is being actively orally excited by a fellator. The difference lies mainly in which party takes the active part. By extension, irrumatio can also refer to the sexual technique of thrusting the penis between the thighs of a partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oral sex</span> Sexual activity involving stimulation of the genitalia by use of the mouth

Oral sex, sometimes referred to as oral intercourse, is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth. Cunnilingus is oral sex performed on the vulva while fellatio is oral sex performed on the penis. Anilingus, another form of oral sex, is oral stimulation of the anus.

Lesbian bed death is the concept that lesbian couples in committed relationships have less sex than any other type of couple the longer the relationship lasts, and generally experience less sexual intimacy as a consequence. It may also be defined as a drop-off in sexual activity that occurs two years into a long-term lesbian relationship.

The Romance of Lust, or Early Experiences is a Victorian erotic novel written anonymously in four volumes during the years 1873–1876 and published by William Lazenby. Henry Spencer Ashbee discusses this novel in one of his bibliographies of erotic literature. In addition the compilers of British Museum General Catalogue of Printed Books list this book.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-penetrative sex</span> Sexual activity that usually excludes penetration

Non-penetrative sex or outercourse is sexual activity that usually does not include sexual penetration. It generally excludes the penetrative aspects of vaginal, anal, or oral sex, but includes various forms of sexual and non-sexual activity, such as frottage, manual sex, mutual masturbation, kissing, or cuddling. Some forms of non-penetrative sex, particularly when termed outercourse, include penetrative aspects, such as penetration that may result from forms of fingering or oral sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual practices between women</span> Sexual activity between women

Sexual activities involving women who have sex with women (WSW), regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity, can include oral sex, manual sex, or tribadism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Facesitting</span> Sexual activity

Facesitting, also known as queening or kinging, is a sexual practice with one partner sitting over the other's face, sometimes allowing for oral–genital or oral–anal contact. The sitting partner may face in either direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cunnilingus</span> Oral sex on the vulva by a sexual partner

Cunnilingus is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a vulva by using the tongue and lips. The clitoris is the most sexually sensitive part of the vulva, and its stimulation may result in a woman becoming sexually aroused or achieving orgasm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anilingus</span> Orally stimulating the anus of another person

Anilingus is an oral and anal sex act in which one person stimulates the anus of another by using their tongue or lips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Guam</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Guam have improved significantly in recent years. Same-sex sexual activity has not been criminalized since 1978, and same-sex marriage has been allowed since June 2015. The U.S. territory now has discrimination protections in employment for both sexual orientation and gender identity. Additionally, federal law has provided for hate crime coverage since 2009. Gender changes are legal in Guam, provided the applicant has undergone sex reassignment surgery.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human sexuality:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual practices between men</span> Sexual activity between men

Sexual activities involving men who have sex with men (MSM), regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity, can include anal sex, non-penetrative sex, and oral sex. Evidence shows that sex between men is significantly underreported in surveys.

In LGBT slang, a "gold star lesbian" is a lesbian who has never had sex with a man, and a "gold star gay" is a gay man who has never had sex with a woman. The terms can be joking, sincerely held identities, or stereotypes within the LGBT community. When used sincerely, the terms have been criticised as exclusionary towards bisexuality and other experiences of gender and sexuality, and as stigmatising survivors of sexual violence.

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