Portal:Human sexuality
| Main page | Recognized content | Subcategories |
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
Hypersexuality is extremely frequent or suddenly increased sexual urges or sexual activity. Although hypersexuality can be caused by some medical conditions or medications, in most cases the cause is unknown. Mental health problems such as borderline personality disorder can give rise to hypersexuality, and alcohol and some drugs can affect social and sexual inhibitions in some people. A number of theoretical models have been used to explain or treat hypersexuality. The most common one, especially in the popular media, is the sexual addiction approach, but sexologists have not reached any consensus. Alternative explanations for the condition include compulsive and impulsive behavioral models.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) of the World Health Organization includes "Excessive Sexual Drive" (coded F52.7)—which is divided into satyriasis for males and nymphomania for females—and "Excessive Masturbation" (coded F98.8). A proposal to include a diagnosis called hypersexual disorder, simply describing the symptom without implying any specific theory, is under consideration for inclusion in the appendix of the DSM, but not in the main list of official diagnoses. (Full article...)
Selected image
Did you know
_Au_Salon_de_la_rue_des_Moulins_-_Henri_de_Toulouse-Lautrec_1894_MTL.inv180_(small).jpg)
• ... that the French lawyer and historian Nicolas Chorier was also a writer of erotic fiction (work pictured)?
• ... that Charles de Talleyrand described his wife, Catherine Grand (pictured), as "an Indian, very beautiful, very lazy, the most idle woman he had ever known"?
• ... that before becoming King of the United Kingdom, Edward VII was a frequent visitor to the luxurious Belle Époque brothel Le Chabanais in Paris and had himself built a special "love seat" there? (painting of Le Chabanais by Toulouse-Lautrec pictured)
• ... that some birds, including flamingos, display homosexual behavior?
• ... that more than 200 species of mammals display homosexual behavior including oral sex, genital stimulation, and urolagnia?
• ... that the erotic depiction on the Oinochoe (pictured) by the Shuvalov Painter is one of the most frequently illustrated works of Greek vase painting?
August - December 2007
Human sexuality in the news
- 17 September 2024 – LGBT rights in Georgia
- The Parliament of Georgia approves a law on "family values and the protection of minors" that would restrict LGBTQ+ rights in the country. (DW)
- 13 September 2024 – Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal
- Seven men receive prison sentences ranging from six to 25 years for sexual offences against girls aged 11 to 16 that occurred in the town of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, Northern England from the late 1980s until 2013. (BBC News)
- 11 September 2024 –
- Malaysian police rescue 400 minors suspected of being sexually abused at Islamic charity homes linked to Al-Arqam. (Reuters)
- 10 September 2024 –
- A Swiss appeals court convicts Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan of rape and sexual coercion, sentencing Ramadan to three years in prison, with two years suspension. (Al Jazeera) (BBC News)
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
.svg){kind=small}
Tasks
- 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
Related portals
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
-
Commons
Free media repository -
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals -
Wikidata
Free knowledge base -
Wikinews
Free-content news -
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
Free-content library -
Wikiversity
Free learning tools -
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus
