Why has our culture shamed sexuality so much?

Question

Im not trying to debate or fight, i really want opinons. Why has our culture made the human body and sex such a shameful thing?
Why do so many men and (mostly) women associate guilt with sex?

***This is not a question about marriage and sex or God or anything like that, please refrain from those answers!!***

Answer 1

You don't want religion used as an answer, but that IS the primary reason. Sex and the body are less of a "taboo" in many other countries (many in Europe) and they have fewer unwanted pregnancies, and other sexual issues that we have, because they are taught from a young age that sex is natural, the human body isn't dirty, etc.

The U.S. is definitely backward in this area and it's a shame. People tend to be curious about that which they've been told to stay away from...thus, when kids are told not to have sex, what do you imagine they are going to do?

Answer 2

Actually it has alot to do with organized religion. Human sexuality was not an embarrassing topic for the ancient cultures (Greeks, Romans, ect, ect). Just by looking at their art, one can tell that they admired the human form and the were awed by the creation of human life. Only with the rise of Christianity did the negative attitudes take hold. Many Christians believe that they must give up the pleasures of the flesh in order to be closer to God (not just sexual pleasures, many gave up all their money and belongings). As with any religion or ideology, extremists arose. These extremists taught followers to deny all sexual urges, even though they are perfectly natural.

To make a long story short, Christianity spread and so did the ideas that sex is wrong/unnatural/embarrassing because it feels good. Things like oral sex were especially wrong because they didn't produce offspring. After a while it became less of a Christian thing and more of a "good person" thing because Christian values are so ingrained into our society. The sexual revolution of the 60's and 70's has helped alleviate this a bit.

Answer 3

I don't know why guilt is associated with sex nowadays but I think it's getting out of hand. I think the reason sex has become shameful is that people are abusing sex and relationships, thus giving the whole idea of sex a "bad" thing nation wide. Maybe if people only slept with someone they were actually in a relationship with, it wouldn't be so shameful. Instead, women and men are selling their bodies to make a living and doing it just for sport, making it seem as if sex should be looked down on.

Answer 4

It really does have a lot to do with religion, even though you said not to use it. A lot of people take what their religion has taught them and use it towards everything. Hence why many people believe waiting until marriage. Not because you will be damned a whore, but because it is the most purest thing you can give your partner. If you are sexually open, you are not pure.

I personally could care less about the purity nonesense. I say as long as you get tested every 3-6 months and keep yourself safe, thats all that matters. Sex is not a bad thing and many people make it something bad because they are afriad of it and what other people will think.

Answer 5

i think society has become a lot more open about sex in recent years. specifically the past 50 years.

it's tough when there are 100s of years for which sex is only associated with marriage and reproduction..

then the 60s came along and the world is still recovering!

in 2006, it's quite normal for people to have sex on a casual basis, with tons of different partners. and heck, things like homo-sexuality and self-pleasure are now considered acceptable and normal..

i think everybody as an individual needs to be made aware of the history and also be made aware of the current societal values.. but most importantly, each person should come to their own conclusions about sex based on what's best for them as an individual

Answer 6

We are raised to believe sex is evil until marriage. When you started dating, what is the 1st thing your parents say not to do, in church what do they tell you is a sin, in health class what do they say will kill you? Its a decency thing that comes up every time sex almost becomes acceptable some guy from a church in the midwest begins to start a war against it and wins. In fact if it wasnt shamed as much as it is there would be less people getting knocked up because they were curious.

Answer 7

exciting question, and thank you for asking this. I agree that it particularly is perplexing. What I actual have come to have self belief is that the recent testomony, the guideline for Christians, is extra the observe of Paul than the observe of the Lord. Paul grow to be a petty, jealous misogynist and had lots time to write down by way of fact at the same time as his smarter and extra open-minded acquaintances have been killed, Paul depended on his Roman citizenship to maintain his *** lined and, on the government, penned each and all of the seditious and misogynistic issues that we evaluate the recent testomony in the present day. the classic religions have been feminist and female and the adult males have been in awe of females's skill to reproduce. in the event that they'd administration the skill of females, they might administration the inhabitants. The male Father conquered and replace the delicate female mom and function controlled society by employing controlling females and their sexuality ever in view that. it particularly is female sexuality that's the sin. adult males are nevertheless inspired to sow their wild oats, and their lives are many times little tormented by employing the made of their sexuality one way or the different. Merlin Stone, a cultural anthropologist wrote an astonishing e book approximately it, "while God grow to be a female" I tremendously propose it!

Answer 8

Sex is supposed to be private, intimate thing. Sharing the details of it with public just reduces its beauty.

I think the guilt is based out of judaistic religions. The idea is that sex should be used only for procreation and not for pleasure is the foundation of judaistic sexual teaching. So sex devoid of procreation is a sin. Your only reason to have sex is because you want to create offspring

Even oriental religions like Hinduism or Buddhism did not encourage sex to be discussed in public.

Answer 9

You are asking a question that has everything to do with God and people. We (most of us) were raised understanding that sex outside of marriage is a sin. When we do it, outside of marriage, we do feel guilty and ashamed. The human body is awesome, it's Holy even. You don't display a holy object for lustful purposes.

Answer 10

You raise some very good points. The reason is because today society places alot of importance on being socially correct. In short, people are afraid they might offend others, or not fit in with what is deemed socially acceptable.

I do not subscribe to those views myself, I'm my own man.