After Irom Sharmila last year, Anna Hazare wins IIPM's 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of Rs. 1cr. To be handed over on 9th May
Society is changing fast and so are sex norms, the effects will be telling and drastic
Satya Mitra Dubey
Senior sociologist and socio-political analyst
The relationship between a man and a woman is the foundation of the family and the society. Sex and love are the major binding factors behind human relationships. In different historical, social and cultural contexts, the human genius has tried to evolve codes and institutions to regulate sexual behaviour. Among the codes, the important methods are customs, traditions, mores, religious prescriptions and law. Among the institutions, the most significant are marriage, family, community and state.
In the light of academic discussion, according to classical Marxism, sex regulations through family and marriage are related to property relationship. In Freud's psychoanalysis, libido is the potent driving force behind human actions and creativity. The idea of sin associated with sex is the outcome of the growing ideological impact of organised religions. Most tribal communities across the world do not have a sense of guilt towards sex unless they have come in contact with the big religions. In traditional Indian society, there was equal emphasis on Dharma, Artha, Kama and Mokshha. The Indian sage, Vatsayan, wrote Kamasutra. In several Hindu temples, vivid sex scenes are depicted with reverence. But a clear distinction between healthy and unhealthy sex has to be kept in mind.
Sociologists, while considering issues about sex, do not only consider the biological aspect. In sociological perspective, there are four aspects of sex: biological sex related to love making, getting sexual gratification, pregnancy, birth, procreation; gender division related to the male and the female; gender ideals related to dress, make-up, behavioural patterns for the male and the female; and finally, sex roles such as raising children, cooking and housekeeping for women and working, earning and supporting the family for male in a male-dominated society.
There has been a tremendous change in all the four areas of sex relationship over the last two centuries. The process of industrialisation, urbanisation, large-scale migration, education, liberal political ideology and medical research, brought about a change in perceptions of sex and relationship in the western society. At that stage, the hold of traditions and religion was still strong. So, sexual freedom was still looked down upon, it was considered as permissiveness in spite of the fact that the ratio of women in factories and in the job market was gradually increasing. Political radicalism, growing education among women, large scale death of male soldiers, destructions of material and normative roots during the two World Wars, growing influence of films in the first part of the 20th century transformed the nature of men-women relationships all over the world. But its maximum impact was felt in the western world. The rural, peasant and agricultural societies of Asia continued to cling to customs and religious beliefs where talks about sex were a taboo. The second part of the 20th century brought about radical transformation in the nature and perception of sexual relationships. The feminist movement, emancipation of women, concept of sexual freedom, change in job market, large scale urbanisation, declining hold of customs and religion, open availability of different types of contraceptives, sex toys, market forces and globalisation have accelerated the process of sexual freedom. Sexual freedom is visible in the form of open sexuality, live-in relationships, one night stands, call girl rackets, increased pre-marital and post-marital permissiveness in sexual relationships, increasing rate of divorces and abortions. Even in the relatively conservative societies of Asia, particularly India and China, there are clear trends of relaxation of the sex norms. Several surveys indicate that 65 to 70 per cent teenagers in these two countries are found to be sexually active and have had experience of pre-marital sex. Live-in relationships are common in metros and now they are legally approved. The same is the case with homosexuality and lesbianism. There has been a manifold increase in cases of teenage pregnancies, abortions and divorce cases.
Society is changing fast and so are sex norms. They are affecting the structure and functioning of the society. Alarming cracks are visible in the institutions of marriage. As a result, a large number of educated, well-placed young men and women prefer to remain single. The romantic, idealistic concept of love is turning into mundane, unstable, mechanical sex relationship. The act of sex has become so open that it is leading to aversion and frigidity. Family bonds have weakened. Millions of poor rural migrants in the growing economies of India and China live a life of isolation from their wife, children and family in the slums of Delhi-Mumbai and Beijing-Shanghai. They are visiting red light areas and having promiscuous relations. This is leading to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Social planners and sociologists need to pick their brains as to how to create a healthy society with a healthy approach towards sexuality.
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Society is changing fast and so are sex norms, the effects will be telling and drastic
Satya Mitra DubeySenior sociologist and socio-political analyst
The relationship between a man and a woman is the foundation of the family and the society. Sex and love are the major binding factors behind human relationships. In different historical, social and cultural contexts, the human genius has tried to evolve codes and institutions to regulate sexual behaviour. Among the codes, the important methods are customs, traditions, mores, religious prescriptions and law. Among the institutions, the most significant are marriage, family, community and state.
In the light of academic discussion, according to classical Marxism, sex regulations through family and marriage are related to property relationship. In Freud's psychoanalysis, libido is the potent driving force behind human actions and creativity. The idea of sin associated with sex is the outcome of the growing ideological impact of organised religions. Most tribal communities across the world do not have a sense of guilt towards sex unless they have come in contact with the big religions. In traditional Indian society, there was equal emphasis on Dharma, Artha, Kama and Mokshha. The Indian sage, Vatsayan, wrote Kamasutra. In several Hindu temples, vivid sex scenes are depicted with reverence. But a clear distinction between healthy and unhealthy sex has to be kept in mind.
Sociologists, while considering issues about sex, do not only consider the biological aspect. In sociological perspective, there are four aspects of sex: biological sex related to love making, getting sexual gratification, pregnancy, birth, procreation; gender division related to the male and the female; gender ideals related to dress, make-up, behavioural patterns for the male and the female; and finally, sex roles such as raising children, cooking and housekeeping for women and working, earning and supporting the family for male in a male-dominated society.
There has been a tremendous change in all the four areas of sex relationship over the last two centuries. The process of industrialisation, urbanisation, large-scale migration, education, liberal political ideology and medical research, brought about a change in perceptions of sex and relationship in the western society. At that stage, the hold of traditions and religion was still strong. So, sexual freedom was still looked down upon, it was considered as permissiveness in spite of the fact that the ratio of women in factories and in the job market was gradually increasing. Political radicalism, growing education among women, large scale death of male soldiers, destructions of material and normative roots during the two World Wars, growing influence of films in the first part of the 20th century transformed the nature of men-women relationships all over the world. But its maximum impact was felt in the western world. The rural, peasant and agricultural societies of Asia continued to cling to customs and religious beliefs where talks about sex were a taboo. The second part of the 20th century brought about radical transformation in the nature and perception of sexual relationships. The feminist movement, emancipation of women, concept of sexual freedom, change in job market, large scale urbanisation, declining hold of customs and religion, open availability of different types of contraceptives, sex toys, market forces and globalisation have accelerated the process of sexual freedom. Sexual freedom is visible in the form of open sexuality, live-in relationships, one night stands, call girl rackets, increased pre-marital and post-marital permissiveness in sexual relationships, increasing rate of divorces and abortions. Even in the relatively conservative societies of Asia, particularly India and China, there are clear trends of relaxation of the sex norms. Several surveys indicate that 65 to 70 per cent teenagers in these two countries are found to be sexually active and have had experience of pre-marital sex. Live-in relationships are common in metros and now they are legally approved. The same is the case with homosexuality and lesbianism. There has been a manifold increase in cases of teenage pregnancies, abortions and divorce cases.
Society is changing fast and so are sex norms. They are affecting the structure and functioning of the society. Alarming cracks are visible in the institutions of marriage. As a result, a large number of educated, well-placed young men and women prefer to remain single. The romantic, idealistic concept of love is turning into mundane, unstable, mechanical sex relationship. The act of sex has become so open that it is leading to aversion and frigidity. Family bonds have weakened. Millions of poor rural migrants in the growing economies of India and China live a life of isolation from their wife, children and family in the slums of Delhi-Mumbai and Beijing-Shanghai. They are visiting red light areas and having promiscuous relations. This is leading to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Social planners and sociologists need to pick their brains as to how to create a healthy society with a healthy approach towards sexuality.
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again...
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES
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