Sex-positive
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The sex-positive movement is a loosely defined term that applies to a wide variety of elements that embrace social and philosophical attitudes promoting open sexuality with few limits.
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[edit] Overview
The sex-positive movement does not in general make moral or ethical distinctions between heterosexual or homosexual sex, or indeed masturbation for people who are otherwise celibate, regarding these choices as matters of personal preference. The sex-positive position also includes acceptance of BDSM and polyamory, as well as transsexuality, transgenderism, and other forms of gender transgression, in general.
Most elements of the sex-positive movement advocate comprehensive and accurate sex education as part of its campaign.
One definition of sex-positivity, from (Queen, 1997):
Sex-positive, a term that's coming into cultural awareness, isn't a dippy love-child celebration of orgone – it's a simple yet radical affirmation that we each grow our own passions on a different medium, that instead of having two or three or even half a dozen sexual orientations, we should be thinking in terms of millions. "Sex-positive" respects each of our unique sexual profiles, even as we acknowledge that some of us have been damaged by a culture that tries to eradicate sexual difference and possibility.[1]
Some advocates of sex-positivity define their philosophy in contrast to sex-negativity, which they identify as the dominant view of sex in Western culture. According to these advocates, traditional Christian views of human sexuality define traditional Western values in relation to this subject. Thus, such proponents of sex-positivity claim that under the Western, Christian tradition, sex is seen as a destructive force except when it is redeemed by the saving grace of procreation, and sexual pleasure is seen as sinful. Sexual acts are ranked hierarchically, with marital heterosexuality at the top of the hierarchy and masturbation, homosexuality, transsexuality, and other sexualities that deviate from societal norms closer to the bottom. Medicine and psychiatry are said to have also contributed to sex-negativity, as they may, from time to time, designate some forms of sexuality that appear on the bottom of this hierarchy as being pathological (see Mental illness). [2] However, Western societies which predate Christian influence, such as ancient Greece, have often endorsed forms of sexuality that strongly conflict with Christian beliefs. For instance, Socrates, certainly not the most libertine of the Greek writers, supports homosexuality:
Let no one whom he [a soldier] has a mind to kiss refuse to be kissed by him while the expedition lasts. So that if there be a lover in the army, whether his love be youth or maiden, he may be more eager to win the prize of valour.[3]
[edit] Criticisms
Some advocates of relational views of human sexuality claim that "sex-positivists" have invented "sex-negativity" as a Straw man argument against which they can assert "sex-positivity".[4] In this view, human sexuality is regarded as an expression of love between two people. Thus, from this perspective, pornography, masturbation, and other aspects of "sex-positivity" are regarded as degradations of human sexuality with a tendency to destroy romantic love and promote heartless physical hedonism. Morality in Media, a prominent advocacy organization in the Anti-pornography movement, articulates this viewpoint:
"The pornography business takes the beauty of real love and converts it into soulless, commercialized slime. The porn-fighters protect healthy sexuality with the key ingredients of love, tenderness, commitment, and the privacy of intimate moments." [1]
Morality in Media has also claimed that an increased rate of sexual assaults is an acceptable consequence of a reduction in "sexual promiscuity". In the context of an editorial discussing the massive growth of the pornography industry over the last thirty years, and the concomitant decrease in rates of sexual assault, Robert Peters, the president of Morality in Media, stated that
Even were we to assume that there is less “forcible rape” today than there was 30 years ago and that the increase in promiscuity and proliferation of pornography contributed to the decline - after all who needs rape when you can have sex whenever you want and who needs women when porn is so accessible and affordable... does anyone in their right mind think promiscuity and pornography are good things and should be encouraged? [2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Queen, Carol (1997). Real Live Nude Girl: Chronicles of Sex-Positive Culture. Pittsburgh (Cleis Press). ISBN 1-57344-073-6
- ^ Rubin, Gayle (1984). Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality. In Carole S. Vance (Ed.), Pleasure and Danger: exploring female sexuality, pp. 267–319. Boston (Routledge & Kegan Paul). ISBN 0-7100-0074-6
- ^ Plato, Republic, translated by Benjamin Jowett. line 8823
- ^ Morality in Media: "When porn defenders challenge obscenity law enforcement, here's how to answer them", Section 11
