The topic of human sexuality is gaining more and more recognition and awareness in modern society. As individuals grow older, they form their own views on this topic. Of particular importance in the formation of these beliefs are upbringing and the society with which they interacted. As part of the study of human sexuality, special attention should be paid to such values as safe and consensual sex and gender roles. Within the framework of this work, it becomes an analysis of the influence of the values and biases that I knowingly or unknowingly hold towards human sexuality topics and to think critically about them.
Regarding the topic of gender roles, discussions in the classroom helped strengthen my views on this topic. Thus, from a reasonably early age, I saw an example that the division of roles between a man and a woman is not a problem and a source of conflict. I firmly believe that this aspect only has a positive effect on the development of society and many spheres of human activity. Therefore, it can be said that my values regarding gender roles have greatly influenced the choice of point of view when examining this topic in the classroom. Moreover, I can say with confidence that my worldview has not changed in any way regarding the topic under study. On the other hand, it has strengthened, and I realized that in modern society, this is the most productive way to achieve equality between men and women.
Another topic that was discussed as part of the educational program was safe and consensual sex. This aspect is of particular value to me, as it primarily concerns the health and well-being of people. Research stated that it is “core part of overall health, thus sexual health and wellbeing is a fundamental aspect of general health that is often overlooked or even denied for some” (Sladden et al., 2021, p. 565). I believe that contraception, especially for women, is critical since there are a large number of sexually transmitted infections in the world. Moreover, consent should always be the primary concern of both women and men. This can protect both partners from the possibility of acquiring an unwanted disease. These values regarding safe and consensual sex also did not change when studying the topic of people’s sexuality and contributed to the formation of strong arguments when discussing it.
It is worth noting that there is a topic that I did not write about in the first part of the assignment that challenged my values this semester became variations in sexual identity and sexual education. I believe that these topics need to be studied, as they contribute to the dissemination of awareness about the importance of knowledge about sexuality and the sexual life of people. Moreover, sex education provides valuable knowledge about possible sexually transmitted diseases, how the female and male bodies work, what sexual identity is, and the importance of contraception.
In conclusion, the sexuality of people plays a great role in determining their own identity and largely affects aspects of the interaction of individuals with society. The main values for me in this topic are safe and consensual sex and equality in gender roles. Moreover, topics such as sexual identity and sexual education are of interest to me. I believe that the discussion of these topics is critical for both the adult and younger generation.
Reference
Sladden, T., Philpott, A., Braeken, D., Castellanos-Usigli, A., Yadav, V., Christie, E., Gonsalves, L., & Mofokeng, T. (2021). Sexual health and wellbeing through the life course: Ensuring sexual health, rights and pleasure for all. International Journal of Sexual Health, 33(4), 565-571. Web.