By: Anderson, Aperna, Henry, and Jonathan
Table of Content
Control of Sexual Relation
 Rules of Sexual Access
 The Incest Taboo
 Endogamy
 Exogamy
 The Distinction between Marriage and
Mating
 Common-Law Marriages
 Same-Sex Marriages

Control of Sexual Relations
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Humans engage in sexual relations when it
suits them and when it is deemed
appropriately by their cultural mores.
Many of the controls or restrictions on sexual
activity involve adolescents.
Control over gay and lesbian sexuality varies
from culture – culture.
As Christianity exerted its influence, rejection
of homosexuality became more common.
Today, in Western societies, gays and lesbians
are fighting for social, economic, and political
recognition.
Rules of Sexual Access
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1.
2.
Limits sexual behaviours in relations
In Canada and the US it was limited to marriages only
Marriage is the recognition to claims of sexual activity
between the two persons
For the Nayar, they have 3 transactions
The first is called a tali-tying ceremony where a girl
becomes recognized as an adult woman and becomes
eligible for sexual activities later on. Lasts a few days.
The second is called the sambandham which specifies who
has sexual rights to whom to avoid conflict. Women create
formal relationships with men and get gifts 3 times a year at
intervals as long as the relationship persists. The men gain
sexual privileges. He has no economical obligations and
her home was not considered his
Rules Continued
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The third transaction is one man out of the
many a woman forms a formal relationship
with claims paternity for the child she becomes
pregnant with. He gives more gifts and may
hold interests, but still has no more obligations
as the mother’s brothers takes care of the
child. This establishes the childs legitimacy
Households don’t necessarily house affinal kin
– relatives by marriage, and individuals with a
conjugal bond – married couples, but rather
with consanguineal kin – blood relatives.
The Incest Taboo
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A prohibition of sexual activities between parent and offspring or
siblings
Mostly universal except for a few exceptions
Instinct explanation or familiarity breeds contempt shows longterm association with family members discourages sexual
interest. This is the simplest and least satisfying explanation for
incest taboos
Psychoanalytical explanations are the attempts of offspring
repressing their sexual feelings towards their opposite parent.
Genetic Explanation is the recognition of potential impaired
offspring
Social Explanation or peace in the family theory suggests that
competition would disturb family functions. E.g. gathering food
resources
Incest taboos are not just cultural however since chimpanzee’s
have been proven to follow them too.
Endogamy
The practice of marriage within a
particular group of individuals
 Goes against incest taboos
 Any prohibition to incest goes against
endogamy which includes marriage
between cousins or in-laws
 Endogamy is usually discouraged for
immediate members of a family
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Exogamy
Marriage between individuals which is
only permitted outside of a social group
 Cultures that follow this encourage
marriage outside of the group, unlike
endogamy.
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The Distinction between Marriage
and Mating
Mating is biological and marriage is
cultural. Mating being biological means
that it is done to satisfy sexual needs or
to produce offspring whereas marriage
ties one person to the other socially.
 Marriage is Monogamous which means
that they generally only have one
partner in their lifetime
 Mating patterns, are not monogamous.
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Common-Law Marriages
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Common-law marriages are defined as the relationship
between two persons who cohabit or live together for a
period of at least one year before their partnership is
recognized
 These couples have all the rights and responsibilities of
husband and wives such as pension plans, old-age
security, and taxation.
Canadians entering common-law marriages are increasing.
 Close to 1.2 million couples lived in common-law
relationships in 2001,
up to 20% from 1995.
 Quebec leads the provinces in common-law
relationships.
 Common-law families have grown more than any other
type of family.
○ One couple in seven living in common-law in 1996 in
comparison to one in nine in 1991.
Same-Sex Marriages- Western
However, in western culture, same-sex
marriage happens for homosexual
reasons. Also, they can enjoy pension
plans and can be considered commonlaw partners.
 Restrictions
 - Church
 - Law
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Same-Sex Marriages - Nandi
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In Nandi culture the wife of a man may change her status
into that of a man and marry another woman. Reasons for
this include the need of a male heir to inherit properties and
it enhances social statuses too. The Wife acting as a man
must abandon all sexual activities, but she gains power
equal to other men. The wife of the woman might’ve had a
pre-marital pregnancy and this would normally destroy her
social status which is avoidable in a same-sex marriage