Chapter X: Cultural Diversity in Sexuality
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Ethnography
Cultures or subcultures
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Ethnology
Comparative study
• What Is “Normal” Sexual Behavior?
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Culture defines as normal sexual behavior
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Children accept society teachings
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Criteria Used to Define “Normal” Sexual Behavior
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Prevalence
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Moral Correctness
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Naturalness
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Adaptiveness/comfort
• Historical Variations in Definitions of “Normal” Sexual Behavior
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Ethnocentrism Versus Cultural Relativism
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Ethnocentrism
Viewing one’s own culture as superior
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Cultural Relativism
Understanding other cultures
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Personal Choices: Is a Cultural-Relativistic Perspective Amoral?
Understanding sexual practices and beliefs does not mean you accept them
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Cultural Variations in Sexuality
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Culture
Characteristics of a society
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Central Elements of Culture
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Beliefs

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Norms
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Folkways
 Laws: Political authority
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Mores: Norms that have a moral basis
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Western and Eastern Conceptions of Sexuality
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Sexual performance, orgasm, and physical satisfaction
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Spiritual development and personal transformation
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Permissive and Repressive Cultural Contexts
Mangaians and Inis Beag
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Age at First Sexual Intercourse
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Mangaians (live in the South Pacific)
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Sexual pleasure focus
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Romantic love
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Premarital sex
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Kissing
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3x 7
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2x 5-6
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Inis Beag (island off coast of Ireland)
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Sex is evil
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Menstruation disgusting
 Breast feeding
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Sex
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Bathing

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Premarital Sex
Wide variations
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Positions and Frequency of Intercourse
Influenced by culture
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Extramarital Sex
Prohibitions against extramarital sex
 Patriarchy
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Incest
Incest is disapproved of in most societies
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Homosexuality
Societies differ in terms of how they regard homosexuality.
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Berdache: gender line crossings
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Two-spirit Men
Term for traditional Native American men who have both masculine and feminine traits
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Female genital operations/Female genital mutilation (FGM)
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Male Genital Operations/Male genital mutilation (MGM)
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Female genital operations/Female genital mutilation (FGM)
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Types of FGM
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Types I
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Types II
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Types III
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Type IV (Unclassified)
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Pricking, piercing, or incising of the clitoris and/or labia
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Stretching of the clitoris and/or labia
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Cauterization by burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissue.

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Male Genital Mutilation
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Type I
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Type II
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Type III
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Type IV
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Expression of Gender Role
Sex-differentiated roles vary from culture to culture
Social structures and traditions may vary
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Applications of Cultural Study
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Culturally Competent Health Care
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Culturally Relevant Educational Programs