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Investigate the cultural shift of
SEXUALITY
Sexuality refers to the total expression of who you are as a human being, your femaleness
or your maleness. Our sexuality begins at birth and ends at death. Everyone is a sexual
being. Your sexuality is interplay between body image, gender identity, gender role, sexual
orientation, eroticism, genitals, intimacy, relationships, and love and affection. A person's
sexuality includes his or her attitudes, values, knowledge and behaviors. How people
express their sexuality is influenced by their families, culture, society, faith and beliefs.
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Difference between generations – talk to people and discover
India is the country of Vatsyayana and the land of Kamasutra. Still sexuality is almost taboo
in India. In India lust, love, shyness, rejection, seduction, manipulation that are part of our
sexuality. Indian sexuality remains deeply conservative but somewhat certain segments of
our society a bit of relax attitude or liberal. Indian upper class or metro city population is
more liberal and positive attitude had compared to small towns and villages. The best way
to see how the culture has changed in past 10 years to watch the English school students
[DPS..etc] and the government school students. There are huge different in all ways. I have
just enquiry of some students of “Leeds Metropolitan University” regarding sexuality. I am
virgin. But I know everything about everything, “17th year ‐old student said”. In 1990s, even
today in rural area or small town students are not open for talking on such topic like
sexuality.
Earliar especially women and girls were hardly talking about sexuality even they were
treated in different ways. There were huge different in female sexuality and the male
sexuality, a part of the gender difference in sexual behavior during youth may be the result
of over –reporting by men and under‐reporting by women. Girls tend to be secretive about
their sexual relationship since even the hint of friendship with boy can ruined their
reputation, their family status, marriage prospectus, so the chastity was the only solution.
But now the time has slightly changed, sex is cool because everybody’s doing, teenager,
adult, older.
Earliar hardly listen these words “living relationship, Gay, Lesbian, even fashion of single
status, unmarried but not virgin” but now these words are not just words but its ment.
Due to modernization and the influence of Western culture, arranged marriages are
becoming less popular and common, especially in metropolitan cities. In its place, marriages
based on the couple’s choice, often crossing caste and/or religious boundaries are becoming
more common.
CODE that has changed
Poonam Pandey’s statement regarding ICC world cup:
She has decided to go nude in front of the entire stadium if India ends up winning the World
Cup if BCCI give permission. It shows the influence of the western culture. In modern India
women and girls are ready to talk about everything. India has never seen such practices in
past. So, it shows the cultural code has slightly changed.
Gay Rights:
Homosexuality is generally considered a taboo subject by both Indian civil society and
the government. Public discussion of homosexuality in India has been inhibited by the fact
that sexuality in any form is rarely discussed openly. In recent years, however, attitudes
towards homosexuality have shifted slightly. On 2 July 2009, the Delhi High Court court
decriminalized homosexual intercourse between consenting adults, throughout
India, Where Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was adjudged to violate the fundamental
right to life and liberty and the right to equality as guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
Bobby Darling is famous name in today’s society.
Woman empowerment:
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few
years. In modern, India women have adorned and enjoyed high status in all departments of
society like: in family, office, politics etc. Earliar women were not so strong to take decision
in any area but in modern India they will take decision with their conviction for say:
• Celina Jaitly[Film actress] – Fighting for gay rights
• Aiswarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Susmita Sen
• Rakhi Swant, Mallika Serawat
Cross Marriage:
Due to modernization and the influence of Western culture, arranged marriages are
becoming less popular and common, especially in metropolitan cities. In its place, marriages
based on the couple’s choice, often crossing caste and/or religious boundaries are becoming
more common. Therefore the caste, religion factors has slightly decreased.
Living Relationship:
Now day’s it is becoming increasingly regular to see women enjoying income earning jobs
and developing independence. Women have proved that they are also an equally able
decision maker, they are also independent. Therefore, a trend now days to live living
relationship especially in metros to avoiding marriage institute, extra responsibility and they
are more focused in career simultaneously enjoying sexual life without “sindoor”.
Re‐marriage:
Divorce is considered to be a better way of parting rather than lifelong trauma and it is being
accepted by people and also by the society.
Celebrating rose day and Valentine day:
Earliar we were just celebrating our tradional cultural festival like for Hindu ‐Holi, Diwali,
Durga Puja, for Muslim‐ Kurbani, Eid,. But time has changed now today’s generation also
celebrating rose day , father’s day and chocolate day to adore their love.
Recognition or Image of Sex Symbol: Acceptance in Our Society [Icon]
• John Abraham [Model and Actor]
• Bipasa Basu [Model cum Actress]
• Salman Khan
• Katrina Kaif
TV Program:
• Spilitvilla [MTV] – Sexuality and Bicthing
• Dare to Date [V TV]‐ Love, Dating and Cheating on TV
Examples from movies/ads/popular culture that shows the change
“Kamasutra” Slice campaign :
“Kamasutra kehta hai ki lilac ko jitna pakne do, milan utna hi meetha hota hai… sabr karo…
sabr karo aur barasne do abr ko… gehre sunehre pe rang theharne do, bahek yeh mahekne
do… kyunki sabr ka phal meetha hota hai…So I felt the brand proposition personified by
brand ambassador Katrina kaif[sexy, attractive]. Therefore, it shows sexuality in oblique
way.
“AXE Effect “get girl friend ...Deodorant campaign
Simply this campaign shows fantasy about sex. The other brand like Virgin mobil, Baniyan
Brands like Lux, somewhat they are associated their brand with sex.
Film like Fashion, Dostana, Life in a Metro, Fire, Salame Namaste, Dev‐D
Fire: Taboo Breaking
Fire is film by Deepa Mehta. It was one of the first mainstream films in India to explicitly
show homosexual relations. In 1996, when fire was released the opening day of the show,
some movie theatres were attacked by Hindu fundamentalist. But recently these things are
accepted by audience and society.
Life in a Metro:
Life in a Metro is a film by Anurag Basu. In fact this movie was about intertwined lives of
people living in the urban city. The lives of a group of people, who live in Mumbai are told in
this tale, which revolves around Rahul ‐ who occupies an apartment owned by his uncle, and
lets rich and influential people use it for their personal sexual past‐times. It also shows Post‐
marital relation. Film is always a mirror of our society. So, its shows what’s going on in
society?
Salame Namaste:
Salame Namaste is a film by Sidharth Anand. This movie was about two people who leave
their house to make their life on their way. It was also showed the concept of living
relationship. when Saif [Actor] and Preity[Actress] was live in same home and sharing bed
room without marriage.
Fashion:
Fashion is a film by Madhu Bhandakar. This movie was all about how a small town girl
becomes a super model. Therefore the film was a journey of Meghna [Priyanka chopra] a
small town girl but aspiration value is high. Here, it shows the real conditioned of Indian
middle family mentality because modeling is something still in India is not good reputation
especially in certain segment of society like middle class and the Hindu fundamentalist
family, they are not consider modeling is good profession. But somehow this trend has
slightly changed. In India there are some models, they created their own way and they are
welcomed by the society, models like Madhu Sapre, Puja Bedi even Aiswarya Rai. Aiswarya
Rai started her career as model and now she is an icon of millions girls.
Examples from talking to people‐ verbatim statements
"I am a virgin. But I know everything about everything," a 17-year-old student flips her
ponytail, looking around to make sure all eyes are on her.
A Delhi based girl: “Almost my classmates are not virgins. Some of them are into serious
romance, some are just for lust”
Ajay Sharma: “When I went to my city during vacation, I carried condoms in my wallet
even in campus [kyat pate cab Kama as jay]”
Marsh Saluja: “I have many girl friend ...but I’m not lucky yet”.
Medha Verma: “ I have many guy friends, we had a lot fun together, we often visiting
CCD and watching movie in multiplex”
Shape of things to come
Sexuality remains a taboo in Indian society. Amongst most Indian families thus deny
opportunities for open discussion. Such taboos and restrictions are accepted with no
question asked. Some examples are “The girl must be virgin”, “Homosexuality is sin against
nature,” “Women are unclean during menstruation”, “Men must be controlling partner in
sex”, “Sex with more than one partner is wrong”. All these are just variations on familiar
theme. Myths and misconceptions on menstruation, sexual intercourse, homosexuality,
sexual identity information and psychological development are not often addressed at all.
Existing gender bias puts young women at risk due to the high‐risk behavior of their partner.
Sexual experimentations are common amongst young people. Because of tremendous
societal pressure, trying to define their own sexual identity is a problem for both the sexes.
On one hand girls grow up with the idea of “having to fulfill male sexual desire in specific
way”. Women are seen primarily as being responsible for producing children and are not
expected to express sexual enjoyment. Women are not expected to express sex within the
‘desire’ and ‘pleasure’ perspective.
On the other hand, the “macho” image of masculinity as “the person always in control” puts
a lot of pressure on boys to conform to it and “prove their masculinity.
Submitted By:
Bhavish Shila Patel
MCM2009010 JICM, BHOPAL