Ethics of sexuality is an exceptional field within the realm of ethics, due to its close connection with extra-ethical concepts, mainly religious ones. This fact differentiates sexual ethics from other ethical disciplines, such as ethics of business or eco-ethics. This is because, however one can talk about Christian or non-Christian (e.g. utilitarian) concepts within those ethics, there is no way one could talk about utilitarian ethics of sexuality: such ethics as a separate discipline simply do not exist. In my article I would like to formulate and justify values and principles relating to sexual relations. In order to do so, one has on one hand to consider the values formulated by Christian ethics, as well as the principles built on them – and, on the other hand, to look at arguments for including the sphere of sexuality within “lay” ethical reflexion. In my considerations as main research problem I pose the thesis: should sexual drive and the behaviours immediately resulting therefrom undergo ethical evaluation, or as a private sphere, they should remain outside the scope of interest of ethics.
Cum fabulae satyricae nomen suum a choro satyrorum, quorum natura ad sexum conciliata semper hominibus in mentem veniebat, accepissent, materia sexualis in dramatibus invenienda erat. Notandum est choreutis unicum vestimentum peridzoma cum magno pene a fronte fuisse. Qua de causa iam imago speciesque participum chori obscoena fuisse videbatur. At in hac disputatione de lascivia et iocis sexualibus textis fabularum insertis narratur. Exempla a fragmentibus Dictyulcorum et Amymonae Aeschyli, Achillis amatores Sophoclis atque Sylei et Cyclopis Euripidis deducta quo modo tres tragici materia sexuali uti sint ad lusum hilarem construendum demonstrant.
Topic of homosexuality is gradually coming to consciousness (not only) in Slovak society and it also due to the many professional works, which after the political changes in the last decade in our country gradually emerge from the depths of the taboo spheres to the spheres of ideological confrontations and constructive discussions. We do not claim that our society has reached the necessary level of debate both groups, heterosexual majority and gay and lesbian minority. However, took a path whose goal has signs of democratic society. All new phenomena must strike a long way till they are completely understated, accepted by society and at last integrated to the common life of society. Homosexuality is such a phenomenon. This path is a test of endurance gays and lesbians and heterosexuals test of democratic thinking. The contribution we tried to transmit a little further from the general question of homosexuality, specifically one of the areas described below, which is an area of „presence” of the child in the gay and lesbian partnerships.
There is a sense in which we can speak of two levels of dominant and peripheral sexual spaces within the Nigerian discourse of sexuality. The dominant space deals with the generally acceptable sexual orientation that essentially draws its legitimacy from the biological configuration of sexuality within the African temper of mind. It lays claim, at one level, to the public/cultural sexual space and, at another level, to the private sexual space which also, presumably, directly follows from the cultural sexual course. On the other hand, the peripheral sexual space is seen, to put it in Guarav Desai phrase, as “any nonnormative sexual practices” (2007, p. 736). This marginal sexual orientation has perhaps largely operated within the level of private sexual space, but now it seeks to renegotiate the Nigerian cultural/public sexual space. It is this attempt to renegotiate the dominant cultural/public sexual space that seems to have raised the tension within the discourse of sexuality in Nigeria in recent times leading to the legislation that out-rightly criminalises alternative sexuality in Nigeria. It is this contentious sexual orientation within the African consciousness; its presumed origin, violence and politics of practice that forms the focus of Kunle Afolayan’s film, October 1. This paper looks at October 1 within the contentious discourse of that which is seen as a forbidden sexuality, its attendant violence and destruction in relation to the fluidity and the shifting bases of African cultural orientation in the face of individualism and fundamental human right.
This research project focuses on the presentation of sexuality in children before they enter the school system. The study provides theoretical basis of sexuality and sex education. Included in the research project are the result of the on site study with parents and children of the preschool and kindergarden age and also the teachers working with this target group. Results not only describe sexual presentation of the children but also the reactions of others to those presentations.
Purpose: To characterize the symptoms of urinary incontinence of women suffering from pelvic organ disorders (POP) and the effect of these problems on quality of life (QoL). Materials and methods: 215 women from rural regions diagnosed with POP were examined. The research implemented the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LISAT-11), used to assess quality of life; the Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQoL-F) questionnaire, which was employed to assess sexual activity; and the Gaudenz-Incontinence questionnaire, served to assess the occurrence of symptoms of urinary incontinence as well as to define the type of urinary incontinence and its degree of escalation. Results: The average age of the participants was 54.8 years. Most of the participants had urinary incontinence (159; 73.95%). Women with POP and symptoms of urinary incontinence achieved a lower indicator of the sexual function QoL (median - 61.00) when compared to those not suffering from urinary incontinence (median- 78.00). Differences between the groups were statistically significant (p=0.002). The general indicator of QoL for women with symptoms and those without symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) did not reveal any significant differences between the groups (p=0.643). Conclusions: Urinary incontinence in women with disorders of pelvic floor muscle functions has an insignificant effect on general QoL, whereas it has a decidedly negative impact on sexual function QoL.
The sexuality of women with disabilities is an issue that still requires exploration despite the growing interest of researchers and clinicians in the topic. The focus of the deliberations is on analysis of factors that hamper the sexual life of women with motor disabilities. This phenomenon is presented based on the findings of available studies and analyses. The following issues are described: stereotypes, myths, and prejudice concerning sexuality, sexual knowledge, sexual violence, body image, and sexual identity. Also, sexual health and medical counseling are analyzed.
The main concern of a skilled storyteller is not to report a sequence of events, but to tell a ‘tellable’ story and to ward off the question ‘so what?’ coming from the listener. However, what happens when the story has little to recommend it as ‘tellable’? This is the case of Tristram Shandy who uses sexuality as elaborate rhetorical strategy to constantly tease and arouse his narratees’ imagination.
Masturbation is still a controversial issue among researchers. A historical view, presented in this article, provides us with a wide range of interesting facts concerning its assessment from a medical, philosophical and religious perspective. Similarly, modern psychology, pedagogy and other disciplines dealing with mankind try to perceive masturbation in a wider, anthropological context. Therefore, moral assessment of masturbation has to based on a comprehensive approach to a man, because only in such perspective one can form justifiable judgments on such delicate matters. Catholic Church explicitly expressed its opinion on moral assessment of masturbation in a range of documents issued by the Teaching Office of the Church.
Introduction and aim. Sexuality is one of the basic human needs. The coronavirus has adversely affected every aspect of people’s lives. The nurses who were in the closest contact with the patients were affected more negatively due to the many unknowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the sexual quality of life of nurses. Material and methods. The sample of this descriptive-cross-sectional study consisted of 390 nurses who met the inclusion criteria. The data were collected over the social networks between November 2020-January 2021. The data were collected through social networks using the “Personal Information Form” and “Quality of Sexual Life Scale-Women” using the self-report method. Results. The mean age of the nurses was 32.44±6.83, and 59.2% of them had a university level education. The mean score of the women’s sexual quality of life scale was calculated as 87.37±20.83. It has been determined that there is a statistically significant difference between the scores obtained from the sexual life quality scale according to the status of the nurses having (p<0.05). Conclusion. In the COVID-19 pandemic, it was determined that the sexual life quality of nurses was above the medium level and their sexual life was adversely affected.
The aim of the article is to analyse two British contemporary operas: Thomas Adès’s Powder Her Face and Mark Anthony Turnage’s Anna Nicole from the perspective of celebrity studies. Both of these works were inspired by the biographies of celebrities – Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll’s and Anna Nicole Smith’s. The text analyses how their biographies were edited both in literary and musical terms, attempting to determine to what extent they are either pioneering or embedded in the traditions of the opera.
Masturbation is still a controversial issue among researchers. A historical view, presented in this article, provides us with a wide range of interesting facts concerning its assessment from a medical, philosophical and religious perspective. Similarly, modern psychology, pedagogy and other disciplines dealing with mankind try to perceive masturbation in a wider, anthropological context. Therefore, moral assessment of masturbation has to based on a comprehensive approach to a man, because only in such perspective one can form justifiable judgments on such delicate matters. Catholic Church explicitly expressed its opinion on moral assessment of masturbation in a range of documents issued by the Teaching Office of the Church.
Background. Combined oral contraceptive pills containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel are the most common contraceptives that are used by women of the reproductive age. Moreover, sexual function is linked to sexual hormones. Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sexual function of hormonal contraceptive (OCP) and non-hormonal contraceptive (traditional or withdrawal) methods in Iranian reproductive-age women referred to healthcare centers. Material and methods. This was a cross-sectional study on 206 married women of the reproductive age (18–45). Ninety-six women used OCP to prevent pregnancy, and 110 women did not use any contraceptives, instead using a traditional (withdrawal) method for at least 6 months before the study. Data on sexual function was collected via the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. The independent t-test was used for statistical purposes. Results. The results showed that there were no significant differences in all domains of sexual function in the two groups, except in the area of sexual arousal (3.87 in OCP users and 4.14 in withdrawal user methods) (p < 0.05). There was an association between the arousal domain and oral contraceptive use, but there was no relation between OCP and other domains of sexual function. Conclusions. The combined oral and withdrawal contraceptive methods have no impact on sexual function, except in the area of sexual arousal.
The essential attribute of socio-cultural anthropology and ethnography – fieldwork – is a process that interferes in the intimate lives of the population under observation, and that of the researcher as well. This study reconceptualises the issue of sexuality and gender, as they are for the individual the primary characteristic which determines a researcher’s position in field. The article highlights the discrepancy between the way fieldwork techniques are taught, and the real practice of fieldwork. One solution could entail relaxing methodological formalism, which may be in practice unachievable, and the removal of the taboo surrounding the whole issue. Different strategies for dealing with the researchers’ own sexuality and gender in the field, and their accompanying adaptation to the situation, are considered. Attention is paid to the issue of sexual violence in fieldwork.
The article contains reflections on the phenomenon of sexuality in old age and socio-cultural perspec- tive, an indication of the different valuation of old women and men, and analysis of the Polish sexol- ogists discourse on sexuality seniors. Old age and sexuality is experienced by women differently from men. In women, the beginning of old age and problems with sexuality is linked to menopause. Women already starting to think about old age too, and withdraw from sexual activity, despite the fact that they live longer. The reason for the differences in experiencing the identity of the woman's age is strongly associated with body. Sexuality of the elderly in the discourse of the expert is therefore seen as a clinical disorder and its associated problems. There are also criteria for the norm of sexual behavior is full sexual intercourse, other sexual behaviors are the only associated activities. Accepted definition of old age is also not clear, old age is no concern menopausal women and men over 80 years old, although it is noted changes in the intensity of sexual behavior from 50 years of age.
The paper is a short theoretical summary of relationships between the notions of nation, gender and sexuality in a nationalistic discourse. It is also an attempt at applying this knowledge for analyzing selected artifacts of pop culture. In the first part of the paper, theoretical and research findings on the constructs of gender and sexuality in a nationalistic discourse are presented. In the second part these findings are used for a discursive analysis of gender and sexuality constructs in selected songs / stage acts presented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 and a pastiche cover version of one of them.
According to the ecological model, all sexual activity results from experiences gathered during the biologically based process of socialization. Therefore, analysis of the impact that visual impairment has on the psychosexual functioning of adolescents should consider not only the functional aspect but mainly the sociocultural aspect. Specific upbringing and education conditions in childhood and adolescence (e.g.: compulsory schooling in a special center - often in a live-in environment, parental overprotectiveness, lack of or unadapted sexual education curricula, etc.) may hinder learning of typical interpersonal interaction patterns and delay one’s sexual identification process. The limited range of social experiences may result in a low mentalization of the need, and, in consequence, a lack of its stimulation, which manifests itself, for instance, in a lower frequency of autoerotic behaviors among blind adolescent boys as compared to their nondisabled peers. Moreover, a lowered self-esteem and sense of interpersonal attractiveness relating to the lack of acceptance of one’s disability, awareness of being dependent on others, and negative reactions of people around which are based on false beliefs about blind people’s sexuality can also make it difficult to build close relationships and form emotional and sexual bonds. A review of studies on the sexuality of blind and visually impaired adolescents does not allow unambiguous conclusions to be drawn about the course of this group’s development. The data collected are generally descriptive in nature and do not fully reflect the specificity of sexual functioning in the whole population of adolescents with visual impairments as, frequently, the studies were conducted with small samples and did not take into account different types and severity of visual impairment. Also, discrepancies in the findings relating to individual aspects of psychosexual development may be due to differences in instruments used by researchers as well as to the sociocultural nature of the approach to sexuality that is specific to the country where the study was carried out.
Designed to familiarize the younger audience with the Bard’s work, while at the same time catering to their tastes and interests, not only have Shakespearean adaptations moved the original plots to unusual milieus and exotic cultures, but have also ‘translated’ them to new media. This paper analyzes the portrayal of sexuality in two transmediations of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The paper compares and contrasts two manga versions of the play (a British and a Japanese one), aiming to highlight the ways in which the “star crossed lovers’” relationship has been adapted and appropriated by the two cultures in the twentyfirst century.
This study is a commentary on the chapter of Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception that deals with the question of sexuality. In opposition to the traditional causal conception of sexual behaviour as a series of reflexes, Merleau-Ponty conceives sexuality as a specific type of intentionality and a relation between the individual and the world. Figuring in his complex argumentation is clinical casuistry, as well as references to Freudian and Binswangerian psychoanalysis. Special attention is given to Merleau-Ponty’s comment on Babinsky’s conception of hysteria which provides the impetus for a new treatment of the ambivalence of consciousness and embodiment. The aim of this text is, however, also to show that Merleau-Ponty’s analysis is in no way intended just as a particular analysis of one type of behaviour. Rather, sexuality becomes, in Merleau-Ponty’s work, a truly emblematic structure which exemplifies human existence itself in its significative and expressive dimension. As such, sexuality resonates with, for example, Merleau-Ponty’s conception of language, the radicalisation of which led him to his final analyses in The Visible and the Invisible.
The article is an attempt of commentary on the Aristophanes’ comedy in feminist/gender perspective. Images of women, stereotypes of both sexes and sexual identity in the old-Greek comedy are an object of analyses and interpretation. This article uses arguments of many commentators of Aristophanes’ theatre, for example Christopher A. Faraone, Lisa P. Vetter, Angus M. Bowie, Kenneth J. Dover or Jerzy Łanowski in order to illustrate how an individual can go beyond the limits of durable and common social or sexual games. I try to show that the works of the old-Greek writer are constantly opened for new strategies of interpretation and many-sided description of his comedies is in fact the matter of the humanities of future.
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