Sex and Culture in the United States Question Answer

Cross Cultural Variation

Self in a Multicultural Society

Instructions. You will need the textbook for this assignment. Read Chapter 10 and complete the following questions.

On the section “Cross-Cultural Variation” (pp. 176-177), the authors explain that “cultural codes of sexual expression dictate whether an act is legal, normal, deviant, or pathological.”

1. Choose one of the countries or cultures included in that section and describe their sexual norms and customs (at least 8 sentences)

One of the countries included in the section is the United States. As with the other countries that have been mentioned, the U.S. has its own sexual norms and customs. It is important to note that there are clear legal provisions that govern some aspects of sexual relations in America. For instance, as it has been pointed out in the text, “both sibling incest and parent-child incest are illegal” in the United States (176). This essentially means that a parent would go to jail for having sex with his or her own child. It should also be noted that unlike is the case in some other countries such as Greece, some forms of sexual attention are deemed illegal in the U.S. For instance, compliments of a sexual nature that are deemed too aggressive could be considered sexual harassment in the U.S. In Greece, however, sexual attention is something that young women are trained to expect. This goes to show just how different sexual norms and customs are between countries.

2. Provide your reaction (you have the right to agree or disagree) (at least 10sentences)

I am in total agreement with the assertion made to the effect that sexual norms and customs vary from country to country. However, I am surprised that some countries are too casual and liberal on sexual matters. For instance, we are told that “homosexual acts are part of initiation rites among the Etoro and the Sambia of Papua New Guiney” (176). The authors also point out that sexual freedom happens to be largely normative in Northern India amongst the Lepcha of Sikkim. Here, it is not unusual to see girls engaging in sexual activities way before puberty. I am of the opinion that the U.S. cultural inclination is the most rational. This is more so the case given that legal provisions ensure that sexual relations emerge out of consent between two adults.