Sexuality is a normal part of human experience. However, the types of sexual behaviour that are considered normal vary greatly within and among different cultures.
In fact, defining “normal” sexuality may be impossible.
There are wide variations in people’s sexual behaviour, including the frequency of or need for sexual release. Some people desire sexual activity several times a day, but others are satisfied with infrequent activity (for example, a few times a year).
However, when sexual behaviour causes significant distress for an individual or the individual’s partner or harms another person, the individual may need to be evaluated by a health care practitioner and treated.
An individual’s attitude toward sexual behaviour is influenced greatly by parents, who can damage their children’s ability to develop sexual and emotional intimacy by doing things such as the following:
- Being emotionally distant;
- Punishing children too severely;
- Being overtly seductive and exploiting children sexually;
- Being verbally and physically hostile;
- Rejecting children; and/or
- Being cruel.
Societal attitudes about sexuality and gender change with time.
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