“Sex has remained without a locus and has lost its point of reference: it is a kind of drifting mine,
a problem and at the same time an omnipresent power.2
Introduction
Man aboriginally lived in small communities, each with a single wife. Polygamy, as just started, is almost universally followed by leading men in each tribe.3 In any strict sense of the word, the habit of marriage has been gradually developed. Almost promiscuous or loose intercourse was extremely common throughout the world.4 The family has been considered as a permanent union of man and woman, meant for the procreation and rearing of children, satisfaction of love and sex tendencies, economic cooperation, and other secondary functions.5 Even in modern times, family continues to fulfill important functions being the principal agent of socialization. Marriage is generally taken to be the institutional or dynamic aspect of the family.6 All societies attempt to channel the sex drive in such a way that sexual relations take place between persons who have legitimate access to each other (who are married or otherwise legally united in a paired bond). Marriage has
been considered as a permit to indulge in sexual activity between husband and wife.
In personal relations, the social and legal changes are taking place. Society as a whole is interfering less in the relations between man and woman. The indulgence is more and more to protect the old7, young8, etc. Legal reforms have made marriages easier and liberalized divorces.9 Children’s rights vis-à-vis their parents and others have been strengthened. 10 Homosexuality has been slowly accepted around the world. 11 Even Constitutional provisions of some countries specify sexual orientation in their discrimination protections.12 The very right to live has been imbued with new and liberal meaning.
The subject of sex has romantic undertones, sacred aura and its roots frequently lie in passion. Sex is dealt with ignorance, sophistication, denial and indulgence, suppression, stimulation, punishment, exploitation, secrecy. Many prejudices and taboos have gathered round sex leading to inhibitions to talk about sex openly. Sex is thus viewed by many in an irrational way. Different cultures vary in regard to norms, including how they understand and perceive sexuality, how they influence the artistic expression of sexual beauty, how they understand the relationship between gender and sexuality, and how they interpret and/or judge particular sexual behaviors. The sexual morality and ethics vary in an industrially advanced community, primitive agricultural community, in different climates; and also in different stages of medical science facilities.
Around the turn of the 20th century, sex became an object of scientific study in the context of medicine and the social sciences. Sexual revolution or sexual renaissance has emerged as a reaction against puritanical restraint. A decade back, the barriers existed for discussing sex. A change has been under way throughout the past decade, in Indian society allowing discussions about sex in unrestrained manner. In present societies, sexual relations are given significant place between married couples; individuals who seek to enjoy sexual pleasure before marriage and the taboos are being replaced by freedom regarding it. Now days, there is prevalence of idea of “friends with benefits”. Casual sex is slowly in vogue. The Courts too have recognized the changed trend in Indian society by recognizing the role of sex in lives.13 Even after legal sanction to pre-marital relations, especially in Indian society, the social acceptance is still lagging behind. A focus on individual sexual rights
expands the discourse to encompass sexual activities outside the bounds of traditional relationships.
On one hand, individuals are opting new life styles and behaviours with respect to sex. Unfortunately, incidents of uneducated or insensible men indulging in masturbation publicly are really shocking.14 This shows how those individuals have been brought up and socialized. Greater need for making men sensitive about sexuality arises.
It is difficult to assess the extent of agreement on sexual norms because of the presence of half truths and distortions concerning sexual behaviour. The present paper makes the argument that sexual elations/intercourse is one of the biological needs among human beings. The paper further tries to throw light on the fact that the sexual moral standards in every society are different for men and women.15 Although, women across the globe have gained all kinds of emancipation. Further, the paper moves to new sexual trends in the society from pre-marital sex, cyber sex etc. The more acceptances of sexual needs are leading to openness, though not throughout the entire society. For the aforementioned purposes, the paper has been divided into various Parts namely the first ‘Sex and its related Concepts’ defines sex and its various manifestations; second part ‘Significance of Sexual Needs and Satisfaction’ focuses on significance of sexual satisfaction; next part ‘Ambit of Sexual Morality and Ethics’ covers various areas under moral scrutiny; fourth part ‘Sexual Morality vis-a-vis Sexual Revolution’ throws light on the change taking place with regard to sexual norms in the society.
The last part ‘Conclusion and Suggestions’ suggests a need for change in outlook of the society regarding the sexual behaviour. The sexual liberation is possible only when society understands the demarcation between emotional relationship and physical enjoyment. The various relations entered into not strictly fitting within the marriage have to be accepted with changed needs and aspirations. This calls for crystallization of mature code of sexual behaviour. Lack of correct scientific information about sexuality makes youngsters vulnerable to coercion, abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. It lastly emphasizes that sexual health can only be achieved by making people aware about the subject and breaking silence.
The term ‘sex’ has been used in the paper in the broad sense not as gender rather as physical relation among human beings.16 The paper develops its argument by using relevant secondary sources, and reviewing inter-disciplinary positions. Since the subject of sexuality and sexual relations can be studied under various disciplines, the paper to support the arguments has taken help from medical sciences, psychology etc.
