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Essay / Attitudes towards sexuality in Chinese and Western societies
As most people might expect when it comes to discussing intimate sexuality, the views between Chinese society and Western society are very distinct. Westerners' views on sex and intimacy are still considered much more open-minded than those of Chinese people. However, this assumption is not always true. In fact, there was a time when Westerners were extremely conservative on issues related to sexuality, mainly due to religious influences. This essay discusses the main differences between Chinese and Western perspectives toward sex and intimacy, considering cultural, sociological, and religious factors from the past to modern times. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThere was a time when Westerners were extremely conservative on issues related to sexuality, mainly due to religious influences, c This is when Christianity controlled society and took over. the domination of an empire. From the 5th to the 15th century, in the Middle Ages (or medieval period), sexual desires and affection were condemned by political and religious authorities. Enjoying sex was considered a sinful act, regardless of marital status. It was also a mortal sin for married couples if they engaged in sexual activities without the purpose of procreation. When it came to sexuality, gender inequalities were stark and men were taking control of sex and intimacy. As part of this phenomenon, women were treated as objects rather than living human beings, essentially seen as “birthing machines.” The Catholic Church had been preaching conservative sexual notions for over a thousand years. Saint Thomas Aquinas, an early theologian, argued that sexual pleasure is always sin; Sexual positions for the reproductive process other than "man on top" were all unacceptable, clearly reflecting that female pleasure was never concerned. To put it simply, sex other than "with a man on top" were all considered "acts against human nature." For example, masturbation, considered abnormal, was a shameful behavior. After a long time, some people began to seek freedom and individualism and began to deny that sex is evil during the Renaissance (which began around the 16th century). The values held by Western society at this time were similar to the sexual attitudes of modern Westerners. It was until the invention of birth control instruments in the 20th century that allowed people to start enjoying sexual activities without worries and ultimately reduce their guilt for this pleasure. Contraception is an invention that has greatly influenced attitudes around the world toward sexual autonomy. Starting in the 1960s, the women's movement caused people to be more open-minded about sexual freedom and to be more willing to have sex compared to previous decades. Around this time, more and more people (in urbanized areas) began to adapt their sexual activities to be a source of excitement, joy and an expression of love. There was a time in the history of Chinese society when sexual intercourse was seen as strengthening sexual relationships. man, ultimately allowed men to have multiple sexual partners in order to feed themselves. However, as in the Western world,.