The taboo on sex stems from Christian values

Daniela Perez/Staff Writer

Although sex sells in the United States when it comes to celebrities and models, it’s almost frowned upon in regards to the average person. There’s a calmness that is associated with a Victoria Secret campaign, but there’s a shock that comes with a mother breastfeeding her child in public.

The topic of sex seems to be shunned in normal conversation. Even images of nude women in Renaissance paintings produce a near feeling of disgust in those who lack artistic intellect. Phallic symbols never really took place in the United States, and according to the Pew Research Center, 70.6 percent of 35,000 Americans consider themselves Christian. Not to mention that Christianity and sex in America is a fickle subject.

Despite the vague line that separates the Church and State, the  majority of the Republican party has expressed their interest in interjecting their Christian beliefs and values in regards to sex, especially towards women.

Republican governments have continuously intervened in the notion of sex, women’s reproductive health and their freedom to be pro-choice.  However, there seems to be a hush when the topic of sex regards men.

The nuanced image of sex with the association of religious values produces a deep dent in the American community. Sex is accepted when there’s money profiting from it, but only under legal circumstances.

Although Christianity has influenced the natural act of sex, there seems to be a lack of maintaining traditional values. The probability of a mother being shunned for breastfeeding in public is higher than being shunned for being a promiscuous super model; this bolds the hypocrisy that lies in American sex values.

To further explain this hypocrisy,  The Daily Beast released an article titled “America’s Sexual Hypocrisy.” Journalist Samantha Allen labels the majority of Americans as “sexual hypocrites.” There seems to be a paradox that intertwines within sexual behavior and sexual beliefs amongst Americans.

Allen writes, “As a society, we wag our fingers at porn viewers, sexually active teenagers, cheaters, and the promiscuous, but we’re only chastising ourselves.”

According to Gallup’s “Values and Beliefs” survey, there’s a large percentage of the American community that watches porn. However, only a small dose of that population admits to it. Among the other statistics, 50 percent of adolescents have sex before they are 20, with the average age being 17 years old.

Therefore, if Christianity is such a vast religion in America, why are actions not coinciding with words? Is there more to sex than meets the eye?  

There’s a blurred moral ground when it comes to sex in America. And there seems to be no advancement in the horizon in regards to annulling the taboo that is the idea and the action of what creates us.

 

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The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

 

Image retrieved from Flickr.