This section tackles one of the most crucial aspects of human development, the sexual self.

It

highlights biological and environmental factors that shape sexual

development. Being a complex and amazing structure, the human body is a

source of strength, beauty, and wonder. Like a well-designed machine, a

healthy body has parts whose parts function smoothly together. Like a

harmonious orchestra that musicians play together, they produce beautiful

music, a healthy body that has parts whose operations are in harmony with

others.

Introduction

● Sexual selfhood is defined as how one thinks about himself or herself as a sexual individual. Human

sexuality is a topic that just like beauty is culturally diverse. This should be understood in varied

ways.

1. Historical.

● In Ancient Greece, it is the male that assumes the dominant

role. The male symbol, the penis, was viewed as the symbol

of fertility and how the male body was structured and was

greatly admired. Their wives were considered as objects to be

possessed just like property. Women, on the other hand, were

forbidden to own property and had no legal and only function

was to bear children. The Greek word for woman is “gyne”

means – bearer of children.

● In the Middle Ages (476-1450), bore witness to the strong influence of church particularly in

matters of sexuality. The church decreed that all sexual acts that do not lead to procreation were

considered evil. Women were labelled as either temptress (like Eve) or a woman of virtue (like

Virgin Mary).

● In the protestant reformation of the 16th century (1483-1546) Martin Luther, John Calvin and other

Protestant leaders initiated a movement against the Roman Catholic Church. Protestantism believed
that sexuality is a natural part of life and that priests should be able to marry and have families.

Martin Luther King and John Calvin believed that the reason for sexual intimacy was to strengthen

the physical and emotional bond between husbands and wives and not just procreation.

● By the 17th and 18th century, the Puritans, a group of people who were discontented with the Church

of England rallied for religious, moral and societal reformation. They had positive view on marital

sex and did not tolerate sex outside marriage. Premarital sex, therefore, was considered immoral.