What is sexuality?
Sexuality is one of our basic needs. It is a fascinating and highly sensitive instinct that is present throughout our life cycle, from birth till death. It entails facing confronting ourselves genuinely and deeply, and forms a central part of our self and our personality as an evolving, changing and diverse individual.
The basis for our sexual self-image is formed in childhood and is affected by things such as what kind of treatment, interaction and body contact we are exposed to. Children learn very early on how to interpret understand their own bodies and what makes them feel good. Our sexuality reflects our early experiences in childhood and how we have learned to confront the past and the present of our sexuality and its emotional wounds. Sexuality, self-image and body image are all closely intertwined.
Sexuality and sex are not synonymous, just as sex and intercourse do not mean the same thing, although some people think they do. Sexuality is a property that exists in each of us, and everyone has the right to express it in their own way, as long as it does not violate other people’s sexual autonomy. Sexuality may or may not entail having sex. Sex, on the other hand, includes activities carried out alone or with others, and people may assign varying meanings to it. Sex should always be based on mutual consent and cooperation of all participants. In the absence of these, we are not talking about sex but sexual violence.
Part of holistic well-being
At it`s best, sexuality is a positive life force and source of vitality. It enables you to experience pleasure and offers a place for passion and affecting your quality of life in a positive way. If the situation is on the contrary, sexuality may feel repulsive, distressing and foreign, and you may associate it with difficult emotions. Issues related to sexuality can make a person feel very empty and vulnerable, which makes such problems difficult to discuss. For example, feelings of insecurity, shame, insufficiency or wrongness may cause challenges in expressing one’s own sexuality both alone and with partner(s). Good sexual health forms an important and inseparable part of every person’s holistic well-being.
Who (2006a) defines sexuality
“as a central aspect of being human throughout life encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. Sexuality is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviours, practices, roles and relationships. While sexuality can include all of these dimensions, not all of them are always experienced or expressed. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors.”
