Perspectives on Sexuality
I am 23, an only child and my parents are married. My perspectives on sexuality have been characterized by mixed experiences that have contributed in one way or the other to them. Besides, such experiences have significantly added to the formulation and development of my beliefs, attitudes, and values regarding sexuality. I have been raised in a mostly conservative family, and issues of sexuality were not explicitly discussed. However, the contemporary society in which I have I have existed for the last couple of years has led to continued legal developments on matters associated with reproductive and sexual rights (Grimwood, 2013). Over, the last decade, I have found my belief and attitudes on sexuality being informed through the various discourses that have been happening in the mainstream, medial, social, and political scenes. In light of such experiences, my understanding of sexual rights occurred during the adolescent stage of development which contributed significantly to the inculcation of the values that have assisted me in conceptualizing sexuality in later years.
Moreover, the influence from, my parents, religious upbringing, and education has been critical in shaping, my attitude, beliefs, and values concerning the general subject of sexuality. For instance, I have been able to understand that there is an intrinsic link between my reproductive and sexual rights on one side and social acceptance as well as legal rights on the other hand. From my experiences, since I was a child, the development of my perspectives on sexuality has often revolved around issues of legal and social protection to the extent that the definition of my moral and religious ideologies have found a firm basis on gender and sexual expression. Some of my challenges included a lack of adequate information concerning various internal and external social, and cultural restrictions to the realization of my rights to sexuality.
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Gender Issues
Some of the negative experiences that have impacted my sexual development over the years are linked to discrimination based on my gender. During my upbringing gender roles were often reemphasized through various common phrases such as "a mother is supposed to stay at home to look after the kids." I found it difficult for me to understand the difference in sexuality and gender between a male and a female to the extent that my parents had differed facility roles to play (Vijayasiri, 2011). Moreover, some of the family members influenced my thinking in a manner that seems to be discriminative of the female gender as the weaker sex. For example, I think that it is unfair and even disgusting for one to imagine that boys are always supposed to be better or more effective than girls. From my personal experience, I believe that effectiveness has nothing to do with the sex or gender of an individual. I have also been able to understand that different cultural structures and social dynamics primarily influence the definition of gender relations.
It is noteworthy that females have always been struggling with the issue of inequality and gender discrimination in my society especially concerning matters such as salaries and wages, roles and responsibilities, career paths, and image among others. During my upbringing, I have witnessed and experienced both genders struggling with the establishment of matters of fairness and equality. Besides, gender has a way of influencing how an individual may view and conceptualize sexuality owing to the difference in sexual roles played by the male and female genders (Grimwood, 2013). The understanding I have obtained by my experience is that the male gender has a more substantial level of dominance compared to the male gender when it comes to matters involving sexuality.
Love and Communication
My initial understanding and acknowledgment of the existence of the concepts of love and communication are mainly dependent on the kind of treatment I got from my parents as their only child. However, I discovered that love is a broad concept that is also extensively influenced by sexuality. As an adolescent, I found realized that my communication appeared to be changing owing to the development of an attraction to the opposite sex (Hawkes & Scott, 2015). One of my positive experiences includes the development of emotions that gave me the impression of loving and being loved. To that extent, I have been able to understand that emotional intelligence has a critical role to play in influencing my tendencies and ways of communicating with others. Owing to emotional intelligence, I have managed to develop a stronger sense of self-awareness that has system me to have a better understanding of my sexuality and how I need to communicate with others effectively.
One of my low moments as a teenager was characterized by struggling with low self-esteem when I thought I did not get adequate love from my peers especially the opposite sex. The outcome of this situation was that I could not communicate effectively since I failed to appreciate myself and my strengths. Later on, I managed to develop a stronger sense of emotional control and through emotional intelligence to the extent that I was willing to have an honest look at myself and know both my weaknesses and strengths. I believe that my ability to develop the concepts of love and communication through my upbringing has played a vital role in enhancing my perspectives on sexuality (Andersen & Guerrero, 2018). I also believe that love and communication are interrelated in the sense that communication plays a crucial role in facilitating the experience of love between people who are in love.
References
Andersen, P. A., & Guerrero, L. K. (2018). Handbook of communication and emotion: Reserch, theory, applications, and contexts . San Diego: Academic Press.
Grimwood, S. (2013). Some Foucauldian Perspectives on Issues in Human Sexuality. Theology & Sexuality , 2002 (16), 97-119. doi:10.1177/135583580200801608
Hawkes, G., & Scott, J. G. (2015). Perspectives on human sexuality . South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Vijayasiri, G. (2011). The Allocation of Housework: Extending the Gender Display Approah. Gender Issues , 28 (3), 155-174. doi: 10.1007/s12147-011-9103-6
