Sexuality (definition)

All the words of the family sexuality , sex , sexual … refer to a fundamental biological phenomenon, the reproduction '' sexuée ''.

Schematically, one can distinguish two aspects in the sexuée reproduction:

  • a state Sexué, initial, which is characterized in general by the existence of a male organization and an organization female, which have each particular characteristic.
  • the consequences of this state sexué, which result in phenomena specific to the anatomical level, physiological, behavioral and psychic.

The bacterial sexuality indicates the phenomenon of bacterial conjugation, which is an exchange of genetic material between 2 Bactéries, without bond with a reproduction.

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Etymology

Étymologiquement, the words sexuality , sexué and sex are derived from the Latin words sexualis and sexus . The origin of the word sexus , which means “sex”, is discussed: it would come either from Latin secare “to cross, divide”, or of Latin sequi “to accompany” (cf O. Szemerenyi, Scripta Minora II, p. 874). The Roman Sextus Pompeius Festus, in his Of verborum significatione , brings closer sexus to the Greek hexis “manner of being, state”.

Nevertheless, whatever the origin of the word sexus , the important one is that this Latin root indicates the separation sexes, which is the characteristic first and principal of the sexuée reproduction.

Chronology and evolution of the direction

The words derived from the Latin root sexus are recent. The simplified chronology of their appearance and their first significances, in the Western company, is the following one:
  • XIIe century: appearance of the word sex .
  • XVIe century: generalization of the word sex , which designates the women (one says at the time: “the fair sex”, “people of the sex”).
  • XVIIIe century: appearance of the sexual word .
  • XIXe century: appearance of the words sexuality (which means “the character of what is sexué, and the whole of the specific characters to each sex”) and sexualism (which means “the manner of being of what is sexual”).
  • XXe century: the word sexuality takes its modern direction: “together of the various methods of sexual satisfaction”.

In the nonWestern companies, following the cultures and according to the times, one also observes variations of the direction and significances given to what is called " sexualité". For example, to cherish a center or to embrace with the language is not regarded as " sexuel" in many companies (Ford 1970).

Various contemporary significances

At the XXe century, if the word sexuality is preserved, on the other hand its significance continues to evolve/move. Initially, it rather indicated the sexué state, then it indicated the sexual behavior, before indicating the sexual pleasure and all that is directly related to this pleasure (Foucault M). With the development of the psychoanalysis, which affirmed that any pleasure is sexual, the term of sexuality ended up almost indicating all the whole of the behaviors and the emotional states of the human being.

Today, in the dictionaries, the definition of the word sexuality is still a little different. For the Robert: 1) Character of what is sexué, together specific characters to each sex; and 2) Together behaviors relating to the sexual instinct and its satisfaction. For Larousse: 1) Together phenomena sexual or related to the sex, observable at the living beings; and 2) Together various methods of instinctual satisfaction related to the reproduction of the species.

For the majority of the people, the usual definition of sexuality is vaguer, and recovers in a manner rather loose all that has more or less directly or indirectly relationship with the genitals, the erotogenic zones and the particular Plaisir coming from these body areas.

In conclusion, one observes that the definition of the concept of sexuality changes according to the time, of the theories and the cultures.

However, the biological phenomenon of the sexuée reproduction is always the same one. Then how to work out a more precise definition, and which, essentially, will not change with time?

Need for a biological base for the definition

For all the phenomena which have an important relationship with biology, it would seem that the least bad definition that one can work out is that which is based on the proven existence of material structures and/or functional in the studied organization. Indeed, in last analysis, it is the biological Structure which is at the origin of these phenomena. Moreover, the definitions can then be re-examined according to the evolution of future biological knowledge, and thus always to correspond as well as possible to reality structural and functional of the living organisms.

For these reasons, it seems absolutely necessary, in the study of sexuality, so much compared to the behaviors, with the psychic aspects or the cultural phenomena, to take account of the biological organization structural and functional calculus of the organizations.

Phylogenetic analysis

By taking account of the specific biological structure of the various animal species, the word sexuality indicates the following consequences of the sexué state:

  • the first consequence, anatomical and physiological, which is common to all the sexués animals, is in general the existence in each species of a male organization and an organization female. These sexués organizations have cells, bodies, apparatuses and physiological processes specialized and complementary (regulation by the sex hormones, cells germinal, reproductive apparatus, ovary, penis, uterus,…), which is specifically intended to allow the reproduction.

  • the second consequence, behavioral, is the existence absolutely necessary of a behavior known as sexual which allows the bringing together of the male and female organizations in order to carry out fecundation.
It should be noted that at the majority of the animals, because of the importance of the sex hormones and the phéromones, the sexual behavior is a behavior of reproduction (the goal is the copulation), while in the primates hominoïdes, because of the importance of the development of the cerebral cortex, the sexual behavior becomes an erotic behavior (the goal is the stimulation of the body and the genitals).
  • the third consequence, emotional, but which exists only in the animals most developed (birds and mammals) because of the appearance of the limbic system, is the existence of emotions specific to sexuality: in particular attachment with the partner, and, in certain species (chimpanzee, Man, and can be dolphin), erotic pleasure.
  • Lastly, the fourth consequence, cognitive, which exists only at the Man because of the extreme development of the neocortex, is the cognitive capacity to work out a whole whole of representations, symbols, beliefs and values specific to sexuality.

These four consequences are identified and distinguished from/to each other because they depend on the organization and the activity of biological and neurobiologic Système S distinct.

Conclusion

In conclusion and synthesis, the word sexuality indicates the following phenomena:
  1. the biological existence of organization S sexués, which has a sex male or female, and which specialized and complementary characteristic specifically intended each to allow the reproduction.
  2. the sexual Behavior, which is at the majority of the animals a Comportement of reproduction (the goal is the Copulation), and in the primates hominoïdes a erotic Comportement (the goal is the stimulation of the body and the genitals).
  3. All emotional and emotional aspects (Attachment, Desire S and erotic pleasures, passions…) in relation to the sexual behavior.
  4. All the cognitive and cultural aspects (manners, representations, Belief S, Value S, Symbol S, Love…) who are in relation to the three preceding phenomena.

See also

  • Sexuality
  • sexual Behavior
  • Sexué
  • Sexology

References

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