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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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Alfred Kinsey in 1955
Alfred Kinsey in 1955
Alfred Charles Kinsey (June 23, 1894 – August 25, 1956) was an American biologist, professor of entomology and zoology, and sexologist who in 1947 founded the Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University, now known as the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. He is best known for writing Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953), also known as the Kinsey Reports, as well as the Kinsey scale. Kinsey's research on human sexuality, foundational to the field of sexology, provoked controversy in the 1940s and 1950s. His work has influenced social and cultural values in the United States, as well as internationally. ( Full article...)

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Public health poster on the consequences of syphilis
Public health poster on the consequences of syphilis
Public health poster on the consequences of syphilis
Public health poster on the consequences of syphilis

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April - July 2007

Human sexuality in the news

26 November 2024 – LGBT rights in Hong Kong
Chief justice Andrew Cheung of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal rules to uphold housing and inheritance rights for same-sex couples in the city. (Al Jazeera)
24 November 2024 – LGBTQ rights in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a bill into law banning the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transition is legal. The bill also outlaws material that promotes childlessness. (AP)
12 November 2024 – Anglican Communion sexual abuse cases
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, resigns over his handling of barrister John Smyth's sex abuse scandal. (NPR) (AP)
11 November 2024 –
The International Criminal Court announces an investigation into prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan over accusations of sexual misconduct previously reported by The Guardian in October. (BBC News) (The Guardian)

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