Human Sexuality Attitude towards the male sexual organs
Whether the human being is for it or not, sexuality is a major part of his or her personality. Human sexuality is defined as the way individuals express and experience themselves as sexual beings. Several factors aid in developing ones sexuality. The most important factor however is the actual gender. The notion of one being a male or female has an impact on the development of ones sexuality. Human sexuality, like people, is multi-dimensional and one can only begin to get a sense of what it is by the inclusion of many perspectives and ideas. (Molina, 1999).
Human sexuality is very important in everyones life. It is expressed and experienced through values, practices, relationships, identities, beliefs and attitudes. This is regardless to gender, race or age. There exists a lot of research on human sexuality and the attitudes in which various people hold about the male reproductive organs. There are several emotions associated with human sexuality in relation to the male reproductive organs (Dowshen, 2007).
The male reproductive organs are both external and internal .The internal organs consist of the Vas deferens, ejaculatory ducts, seminal vesicles, urethra, cowpers and prostrate glands. The external organs are the ones in which great emphasis is laid on as far as human sexuality is concerned. This is because they are the organs which are visible, and the man is able to see the changes that take place in them. They include the penis which is the male organ for sexual intercourse, the scrotum which is hanging loose skin behind the penis. It contains the testicles and its major function is to regulate the temperature of the testes. The testes are the ones responsible for the development of sperms and the major male sex hormone, testosterone. The last male reproductive organ is the epididymis, which is a coiled tube whose purpose is to transport the sperms into the vas deferens and also to bring them to maturity (Dowshen, 2007).
There is a great need to educate people on human sexuality. Human sexuality basically lies in an individuals mind, and it can be restructured by helping the individuals unlearn the attitudes they have towards human sexuality. Erroneous cognitive schemes such as fear of failure, guilt and worry are caused by lack of human sexuality education to individuals of a certain community. Sexual myths are the most common cases of misinformation as far as human sexuality is concerned. Most of the sexual myths that exist in different societies are usually incorrect, exaggerated and unscientific ideas that are believed to be true. These judgments are predetermined and they limit a free experience related to sexuality (Kukulu, 2009).
The most essential factor in the development and growth of a persons human sexuality is the attitude that a person has towards the sexuality of the culture in which he or she was raised. Some cultures have suppressed sexuality, others have supported it and yet others have limited it. Attitudes based on sexuality vary culturally. Most of these attitudes are brought about by the abstract sexual myths and unscientific ideas that are thought to be the truth. Lack of the correct and scientific information often affects the development and increase of sexually related disorders (Kukulu, 2009).
Methods used in the interview
There are several methods of research employed by various researchers as far as human sexuality is concerned. Some focus on identifying causal relationships, others in description and yet others focus on the relationships that exist between variables. The different methods of research as far as the human sexuality is concerned are the survey, case study, co- relational, experimental and the observation method (Molina, 1999). The best methods that were best suited for this research were the survey and the case study methods of research.
The first method that has been employed in this research is the survey method. The method has been borrowed from a successful research that was conducted on human sexuality and had excellent results because it employed the survey method. This group consisted of a man called Kinsey and his colleagues. They were interested in the occurrence of some sexual behaviors like masturbation and oral sex. This group interviewed over five thousand women and men through asking them various questions based on their sexual attitudes and behavior (Molina, 1999).
Survey method is the type of method where a researcher collects information through the use of interviews and administering of questionnaires or using interview schedules. This method is mainly used when the researcher is gathering information based on attitudes and sexual behaviors of a particular group of people or a population (Molina, 1999).
The next method that was employed in this research is the Case study method. This is the intensive study of a specific participant. A large amount of information is collected on a specific individual. As a result, the research method gives a more detailed presentation of an individual than what could be attained normally (Molina, 1999).The respondents in this research were representative of their larger communities.
The experimental method was not employed in this research. This is because this method involves changing the respondents into laboratory specimens. This would be against the world ethical standards. This method is only fit when using animals as the study specimen. Human beings cannot be subjected to this method of research. Since the co-relational method does not equal to causation, it was not used in this research. The observation method was also found inapplicable in this research as it required direct responses from the respondents (Molina, 1999).
In the Survey method, interview schedules were used to gather information from the interviewees. The study was based in one of the American universities in Atlanta.
Participants
One of the interviewees was an American professor with an African origin. The other one was an international student in the same university from the Middle East. The interviewees were interviewed at different times and the researcher filled in their responses. They were informed that whatever information they gave would be kept confidential.
A written permission from the school authorities was first obtained before the interviews commenced. The researcher was given an informed consent. A written agreement of participation was also obtained by the researcher from the interviewee. The participants were to answer the same questions with the answers been recorded by the researcher.
Results
The first interviewee was quite open. He stated that he undergone the circumcision process in his home community in Africa. It was a very important rite for him as an African man. He got the cut when he was eighteen years old.
There was great sexual fulfillment when a man was circumcised. The interviewee stated that if it were not for the circumcision process, he could never have married a girl from his community. According to him, men who had not been circumcised did not enjoy sexual intercourse similarly, girls who readily agreed to be married by a man who had not gone through circumcision did not care about their sexual fulfillment. According to him, the removal of the foreskin enhanced the mans sexual drive. Therefore, the people in his community had a positive attitude towards circumcision. Most men also believed in it, so as to make sure they enjoyed their sexual relations with their wives.
From the first respondents argument, circumcision was also important as it ensured the cleanliness of the penis as the foreskin had been removed. According to him, the foreskin of the penis is the one which is usually cut. If it is not cut, it is responsible for storing the semen which is ejaculated. Therefore, this is considered as dirt, and it is perceived negatively. It was important then for a person to ensure that he was circumcised so as to save himself from the trouble.
The attitude of the respondents community members towards the circumcision process was that of respect .It gave the man very many benefits in the society, unlike for one who had not gone through the process. This is because it made him get an age- group in his society. This way, he qualified to be a leader in any of the kingdoms or nations in his community. Since he was an educated man, many traditional doctors from his community would approach him to bless the ceremony of the circumcision process on a yearly basis.
The attitude towards circumcision in his community was held with so much esteem such that the men who refused to conform to the circumcision rites were usually attacked and beaten. There existed therefore a high level of rejection to all those boys who at one time refused to be circumcised. Several mocking songs were sung during the initiation ceremonies so as to either mock the initiates who were afraid of the process or praise the ones who approached the initiation process with valor. Anyone who refused to be circumcised was believed to have been cursed, or was trying to defy the cultural rules of the society.
The interviewee discussed the question of the male genitalia at length. Different attitudes towards the size of a mans sexual organs existed in his community. According to him, it was a common belief that men with a large penis were considered to be more sexually active than those with a short one. The respondent was not shy in any way, as he stated that great embarrassment existed when a boy had a small penis. It was believed that erection for men with a small penis was difficult, and that sexual intercourse would not be pleasurable in any way. According to him, several men with small reproductive organs would often visit traditional herbalists to seek help. It was believed that such men were cursed. They were given some herbs which caused an erection during the sexual intercourse process.
The respondents answer towards masturbation was clear. His community perceived male masturbation as a sin, and a great abomination to the god of fertility. According to him, male masturbation was a sign of weakness. This is because the man was seen to be arousing himself instead of following the cultural procedures that existed in the community. These procedures were that a man was supposed to get a wife as soon as possible, especially after circumcision, so as to avoid the highly loathed behavior in their community. Any man who was caught in this kind of behavior was banished from the society. Therefore, masturbation was a great sin, and it was not supposed to be practiced by any society member.
According to the respondent, there existed nothing like male menopause in his community. What was referred to as male menopause in his community was just lack of sexual drive. Since women reached the menopause between the age of forty and fifty, a man was advised to marry many wives, so that they could fulfill him sexually incase the older wives reached the menopause stage. The number of wives a man had defined his wealth in a society. In this society, the strength of a man was judged from his sexuality. Therefore, a man was supposed to solve all his problems of lack of sexual fulfillment by getting young and virgin wives.
The second interviewee had also gone through the process of circumcision. Circumcision took place in his eighth day after he was born. Though he was too young to tell whether the process was painful, his father had told him that he had cried a lot during his circumcision.
The interviewee did not respond to the second question which was meant to get information of the importance of circumcision as far as sexual intercourse was concerned. According to him, his religion did not allow him to answer such kind of questions, as it was considered as immoral.
His views on cleanliness of the penis as far as circumcision was concerned were similar to the first respondents views. Though circumcision was performed when he was very young, its importance is seen once the boy becomes sexually active. This is because there will be no stored semen as the foreskin will have been removed. Several people from other communities claimed that since circumcision was done when the boy is young, the foreskin would grow as the baby developed. He refuted this claim and said that even if circumcision was performed when the boy was young, there existed no chances of the growth of the foreskin as it was assumed. The removal of the foreskin was permanent, and there was no way it could grow again.
According to him, circumcision is important as it is a total fulfillment of a divine command as stated in the Torah. It is viewed as a covenant between the Jewish people and the Almighty. He had accurate facts, as he stated that for the last three thousand years, the circumcision process in his community had been practiced as a religious commandment. The interviewee stated that circumcision had greater importance in his community and religion. It was considered as a very necessary commandment from God. Circumcision was seen to be divine. This marked a period when a child was accepted into the Abrahamic covenant.
According to the interviewee, any man who was not circumcised was not considered as a full community member. It is after circumcision of the boy that a name was given to him. The boy was also accepted in the society after being circumcised. The ceremony was also held with great honor as it brought people together .Unity was considered as one of the greatest virtues in the interviewees community.
According to the beliefs of the community, the second respondent came from, whether the male sexual organs of the man were large or small did not in any way affect sexual activity. He claimed that God had a sole purpose of creating each person in a unique way, and he knew that man would need sexual fulfillment at a stage in his life .Therefore, sexual fulfillment was not perceived to be dependent on the size of the male sexual organs. The attitude towards all men was the same, regardless of the size of their male reproductive organs.
Masturbation was one of the greatest sins as far as the male reproductive organs were concerned .The Torah condemned it at all costs. It stated that it was a sin for a mans seed to fall on the ground. Therefore, any man who practiced masturbation received a curse from The Almighty.
The second respondent did not refute the fact that there was a stage in a mans life when he had no interest in sexual activity. However, he stated that this was not menopause, but a defect which could be corrected by being treated by a specialist. It was also believed that this behavior could have been caused by mutilation of the boys male reproductive organs when he was going through circumcision. It was therefore necessary for any parent or guardian to ensure that the best specialist was hired when circumcising the boy.
Discussion
The first respondent stated that circumcision aided in more sexual fulfillment and the cleanliness of the penis. However, scientific research refutes the first interviewees views, that circumcision keeps the penis cleaner. It is not circumcision that aids in the cleanliness of the penis rather, it is the individual who really matters. According to medical doctors, the foreskin in fact enhances sexual pleasure. It does not in any way reduce pleasurable sexual activity. This is because it is not seen to prevent premature ejaculation. Many medical associations have claimed that the circumcision process is unnecessary, as it only adds risks of infections and diseases, including HIVAIDS and related cases (Ritter Denniston, 2008).
However other clinicians claim that the circumcision process has been found to reduce the chances of HIVAIDS, HPV virus (Human Papilloma Virus) which causes prostrate cancer and the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV).However, this research is controversial, as it has not been proved (Haaretz Service, 2009).
From the two interviewees results, it was found out that their attitude towards circumcision was held with great esteem. The second interviewee suggested that circumcision was divine and a commandment from God, and was supposed to be done on the eighth day. However, this process is considered to be very dangerous. This is because it is viewed as abusive, and it inflicts a diminished penis on the baby boy. It is also considered as a traumatizing and painful experience, therefore a very terrible way to welcome the child. Emotional and psychological pain is experienced by both the child and the parents. The circumcision process robs the man an important birthright, that of a fully functioning penis. In fact, some men who were circumcised when they were babies restore their foreskins when they become adults (Ritter Denniston, 2008).
According to the first and second respondents, there was no menopause in a mans life. Menopause only occurred to women when they attained the age of forty five. However, male menopause exists and is characterized by fatigue, loss of sexual interest and depression. It is caused by the changes in the function of the testes. Male menopause is caused by the decline in the level of the testosterone levels. The only way this defect can be corrected is through a hormone replacement therapy. Therefore, traditional specialists cannot help to solve the problem, even if they refute the fact that menopause exists in men. (Dowshen, 2007).
The first respondent stated that there was a direct relationship between sexual fulfillment and the size of the male organs. This is not the case, as sexual fulfillment depends highly on an individual. Also, the most determining factor for sexual fulfillment is the erection of the penis, and not the size.
Conclusion
There are very many views regarding sexuality based on the male sexual organ. The only way that the attitudes of various cultures on human sexuality can be changed is through offering sex education to the members. Otherwise, some human sexuality cultural myths will continue to exist, which may lead to problems to certain individuals.
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