- Published: September 27, 2022
- Updated: September 27, 2022
- Level: Masters
- Language: English
- Downloads: 11
What is sex? What is sex? The question of what sex means can answered from two angels; sex as a gender construct and sex as the coitus or intimate physical activity between a man and a women. In some cases the intimate physical activity may be between a man and a man or a woman and a woman.
From the gender construct perspective, WHO (2012) refers to sex as “ the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women”. From this perspective one is a man or a woman on the basis of his or her biological and physiological characteristics. Biological and physiological characteristics that one must possesses to be categorized as a woman or female include menstruation, possession of big breasts, vagina and lean body. For one to be categorized as a man or male the following characteristics should be present including possession of testicles, massive bones in men and penis among others. These characteristics are universal and hence do not vary between different human societies. In other words, difference between the male and female gender is based on the differences of their reproductive organs. The type of reproductive organs that one possesses determines his or her sex.
Sex is also any number of different things people freely choose to do to actively express their sexuality which is what they identify or know to be their sexual feelings. Sexual feelings are expressed in many different ways including sexual intercourse, kissing, cuddling, nibbling, biting and all kinds of stimulation that are done for pleasure and sexual satisfaction.
As indicated above, sex can be defined from two perspectives; as a gender construct and physical activities that involve intimate encounter between individuals of the same or opposite genders. Neverthless, in most cases the second perspective of sex is the one mostly referred to. All in all what sex is to one person is totally different to another person.
References
WHO. (2012). Gender, women and health. Retrieved from
http://www. who. int/gender/whatisgender/en/
