Homework Assignment

Researchers today laud to the boldness with which women are expressing their sexuality. Women are more expressive of themselves, their desires and their needs in regards to their sexuality and reproductive health. What was seen as taboo in the past decades is now more openly discussed. Consequently, people are now willing to study female sexuality and seek to understand it. Recent years have revealed a revolution. The oppression that women go through due to their femininity is quickly exposed and condemned (Dyhouse 53). Human rights movements are embracing feminism and defending the liberality expressed in female sexuality. Female sexuality is the embodiment of the female being and all its facets, from the physical changes at puberty to sexual orientation and reproduction (Constantin et al. 29).

Physiological Aspects

Physiologically, female sexuality can be said to begin at the onset of puberty. Before this age, children are pretty much the same and have no recognition of their physiological differences. At puberty, when the physical, sexual development begins, female sexuality can be said to be born. A woman becomes aware of the physiological changes occurring in her body. , this was the time when women were ‘taught how to dress and sit' so as ‘not to tempt the men'. Recently, though, a woman will dress as a way of expressing herself (Constantin et al. 29). While this was frowned upon, it is more freely done now. At puberty and after, more care is given to appearance with the aim of looking and feeling attractive.

With such development come sexual desire and the need to express them. Women were taught how to hide their desires. Their sexual needs and wants were never to be revealed. A woman was only meant to satisfy that which a man desired sexually, without much thought being given to hers. With the dawn of feminism, however, sexuality in the female is more expressed. Their desires are slowly becoming the focus and pivot of sexual fulfillment for both men and women (Clough 34). More women are demanding sexual satisfaction from their partners. Effects of sexual oppression in different cultures are being exposed and discouraged.

Psychological Aspects

A woman's sexual experiences affect their mental state and reaction to their sexuality. Case in point is female children who are sexually molested. Such children express depression, insecurity, and fear that, most of the time, affect every decision of their lives. Others become overly expressive of their sexuality without a care of who it might change. Healthy female sexuality is borne of a feeling of safety and protection around its development and expression. Many women have had sexual experiences that psychologically affect the way they react to any sexual experience (Constantin et al. 58). Examples include the inability to have healthy sexual relationships, a fear of commitment and others. Such experiences shape the sexual behavior of a woman and how freely they can express their sexuality.

Psychologists concur that negative sexual experiences like rape, molestation, and early childhood exposure to gender violence affect a person's relational behavior in the future. Female sexuality can be suppressed by traumatic childhood experiences. Others have been known to present sexual hyperactivity such as nymphomania as a result of such experiences. However, many women with such traumatic pasts use their pain to rise into healthy sexuality and learn how to have thriving sexual relations (Constantin et al. 35). The psychological state of a woman, therefore, plays a great role in the health of their sexuality.

Social Aspects

Female sexuality has its place in society. One of the more freely expressed social aspects is the gender role of women. In years past, female characters were confined to household duties, giving birth and raising children. A woman would hardly be allowed to lead in any way (Dyhouse 29). Women who were expressive of themselves as far as being outspoken was concerned were shunned by the society. Recent years has seen women take a bolder step towards speaking out for their rights. The disparity of gender roles is slowly being bridged, with women taking up more positions that were initially thought only to be a man's.

Ana Castillo speaks of being raised in a society and time when female sexual expression was unheard of. A woman was meant to be obedient and subdued, only going about their motherly and wifely duties. Ana's outspoken character had her rejected by her society. Her expression of sexual freedom for women was uncomfortable to many (Castillo 20). She was termed rebellious and had to be to keep up her defense of female sexuality and rights. She advocated for freedom of sexual expression and acceptance of one's choice of sexual orientation. Her interpretation of bisexuality took time to be accepted. She has been labeled an outcast for most of her life, just because she did not fit into the society's idea of how a woman should behave.

Cultural Aspects

Many cultures look down upon the expression of female sexuality. One of the cultural ways that female sexuality is suppressed is through female genital mutilation. Genital mutilation has been practiced for ages in many cultures around the world. Apart from the psychological trauma that the victims of genital mutilation are subjected to, they also experience a detachment to their sexuality. One of the major causes for feminists and human rights activists around the world is to eradicate female genital mutilation as a rite of passage (Constantin et al. 61). This cause seeks to replace FGM with more esteem and capacity building rites that encourage a young woman to embrace and accept her sexuality.

Political Aspect

Women were not known to take up political stands and leadership positions until a few decades ago. Women, the likes of Ana Castillo, who was outspoken on political and societal matters and sought leadership posts were rejected by their society. It is only recently that women who ran businesses and took up political positions started gaining support and respect. Although there has been a change, it is still more challenging for a woman to attain the same goals a man easily would. Glass ceilings have been known to exist for women, including more work for less pay than men. However, with the embrace of feminism and acceptance of female sexuality and prowess, these have changed.

Abnormal Sexual Behavior

Women who chose not to be married, to have sex before marriage or pick the person they would marry were frowned upon. A woman who was outspoken about her sexuality and made demands for her consideration and pleasure was unheard. Although women have always had their sexuality with them, they were repressed from expressing them. In the recent years, women express themselves more in their choice of partners and whether they would get married or not. Reproduction was expected of every woman, and those without children were considered cursed or an outcast (Clough 50). Now, a woman can choose whether to have children or not. They can want to have a partnership or marriage but no offspring. Such choices were not available to women before the advent of empowerment.

Relationship Aspect

The freedom of expression of female sexuality has changed the way women relate. Relationships are focused on the satisfaction of the female desires, now more than ever. Sexual orientation is the one female sexual expression that has taken deep root in recent years. Ana Castillo had a relationship with a woman at some point in her life. The event caused her to be sidelined by the society. Women are no longer expected only to have heterosexual relationships only (Castillo 46). Many countries are now embracing same-sex marriages, allowing women to be in legal relationships with other women. Bisexualism is another of the ways that female sexuality has been expressed. The fact that a woman can choose to be with whichever gender for a partner is a testimony to sexual freedom.

Spiritual Aspect

Religion played a great role in the way a woman should behave and express herself. The most significant pressure religion placed on a woman was directly connected to her sexuality. Women were expected to maintain their virginity until they were married. Once married, they were supposed to obey their husbands and give in to every sexual demand without question. A load of guilt was associated with women who behaved otherwise (Clough 48). They were cast out, shunned and neglected. With the freedom of expression of sexuality came a reduced stance on such expectations. Women now have free relations and waiting for marriage to have sex is a choice.

Over time, the religious guilt associated with female sexuality and its expression has dramatically reduced. Many religions deny women the right to sexual expression, free dressing and even personal advancement like driving and education. A rebellion was cited as the most significant reason, with women being asked to submit to the authority of men. Anything a man has not authorized would not permit. Certain religions do not allow women to drive vehicles or ride horses as this would lead them to sexual arousal and thus sexual sin (Clough 59). The heavy burden associated with a woman's arousal led to women believing that enjoying arousal and sex was wrong. This has changed, leading to women demanding and finding pleasure in sexual experiences without the guilt that women in the past carried.

Conclusion

Female sexuality has many facets that include the social, cultural, physiological and psychological aspects. Religion, spirituality and the society play a great role in shaping the expression of female sexuality. In years past, women hid their sexuality, albeit unwillingly, due to different pressures. Recently, however, they can express themselves more. Women exercise the choice of partners and their reproduction. They also demand a focus on their sexual satisfaction in a relationship, unlike the case in decades ago. The confidence with which women continually express and carry themselves is a testament to the changing times. More freedom is seen in women acquiring leadership, political and family roles. 

Works Cited

Castillo, Ana. Black Dove. The Feminist Press at CUNY, 2016. Internet resource.

Clough, Miryam. Shame, the Church, and the Regulation of Female Sexuality. New York (N.Y.: Routledge, Taylor & Francis group, 2017. Print.

Costantini, Elisabetta, Donata Villari, and Maria T. Filocamo. Female Sexual Function and Dysfunction. Cham: Springer, 2017.

Dyhouse, Carol. Heartthrobs: A History of Women and Desire. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017. Print.