Bodily autonomy is defined as the right to self governance over one’s own body without external influence or coercion. It is generally considered to be a fundamental human right. Bodily autonomy relates to the concept of affirmative consent, which requires full and eager participation in any sexual encounter. Bodily autonomy is also applicable to each…
Tag: Sex
Gender Binary
The gender binary is a system that pairs together sex (which is based on an individual’s reproductive anatomy) and gender (which refers to the socially constructed ideas and expectations that a culture has for certain sex). More specifically, it classifies two distinguishable, distinct, and oftentimes contrasting genders: males who identify as men and females who…
Regulation of Sexual Media Materials in Different Countries
Obscenity is generally defined as the state of being indecent, offensive to morality, or sexually explicit; however, every government and person has a different standard for what constitutes obscenity. Just as governments vary in their definition of obscenity, there is also variance in how they might restrict what they determine to be obscene material. Generally,…
Sex and Personality Disorders
Overview of Personality Disorders The term personality refers to patterns that characterize how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Personality is what makes each person unique. Personality disorders occur when certain personality traits are too rigid or compulsive. As defined by the American Psychological Association (APA), personality disorders are a group of mental illnesses that…
When to Lose Your Virginity
Defining “Losing Your Virginity” What exactly does “losing your virginity” mean? Virginity can be defined in different ways according to your sexual orientation, beliefs, and culture. Losing your virginity is often described as engaging in penetrative sex, including anal sex, for the first time. The definition can also be expanded to include oral sex and manual stimulation. Oftentimes, when sexual intercourse and virginity…
The Biology of Reproduction
Every organism must reproduce (create offspring) in order to pass a part of themselves on into future generations. Depending on the organism, it can either reproduce using sexual or asexual reproduction, which both involve cell division. The parental traits of sexually reproducing organisms will also mix to form a unique combination in the offspring, and…
Gender Dysphoria
Although traditionally, the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ have been used interchangeably, it is important to note that there is a significant difference between the meanings of the two. The term sex is used to describe a person’s biology. It can include gonads, sex chromosomes, sex hormones, internal reproductive organs, and external genitalia.3 Gender refers to a society’s…
The History of the Condom
Background Condoms are a barrier method of contraception that can prevent unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted infections. A male condom is a thin sheath that is placed over the user’s erect penis before sexual activity to prevent direct contact of the penis with the partner’s skin, mucosa, and genital secretions.1 Though not…
Anatomy Diagrams
These diagrams are to be used for the purpose of education. Within a classroom setting, teachers can either use the simplified depictions of the reproductive system as a viewable diagram to teach anatomy, or as an interactive learning tool. Each diagram includes a simplified drawing of the general organs, one with labeled boxes, and one…