Portal:Human sexuality


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Welcome to the human sexuality portal

Erotic Kama sculptures depicting human sexuality

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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Paraphilia is the experience of intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, or individuals. No consensus has been found for any precise border between unusual personal sexual tastes and paraphilic ones. There is debate over which, if any, of the paraphilias should be listed in diagnostic manuals, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases.

The number and taxonomy of paraphilias is under debate; one source lists as many as 549 types of paraphilias. Several sub-classifications of the paraphilias have been proposed, and some argue that a fully dimensional, spectrum or complaint-oriented approach would better reflect the evidence. (Full article...)

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Did you know

Luigi Ponelato, Il cicisbeo, etching, 1790
Luigi Ponelato, Il cicisbeo, etching, 1790
Rosemarie Nitribitt grave
Rosemarie Nitribitt grave

January-June 2006

Human sexuality in the news

16 April 2025 – Transgender rights in the United Kingdom
The UK Supreme Court rules that legal gender is based upon biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. (BBC)
14 April 2025 – LGBTQ rights in Hungary
The Hungarian government passes several constitutional changes that affect LGBTQ rights, including a provisional law that says people can only be male or female and codifying a law that bans LGBTQ events, including Budapest Pride. (DW)
9 April 2025 – 2028 Summer Olympics
The International Olympic Committee announces the program for the upcoming Olympic Games in Los Angeles with new events in multiple sports and mixed gender events. (USA Today)
18 March 2025 – LGBTQ rights in Hungary
The Hungarian parliament votes 136–27 to ban LGBTQ events in the country, including the annual Budapest Pride event. (DW)

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