Handouts in Health
Gender and Human Sexuality
Gender and Human Sexuality
Gender is a social concept on how men and women should think, feel, and act. It refers to femininity or
masculinity of a person’s role and behavior as defined by society.
Human sexuality is the quality of being male or female. It is the way in which we experience and express
ourselves as sexual beings. (Department of Education, 2013)
The following are the key terms related to gender and sexuality:
Sex is the biological basis of being a male or female.
Gender is a social view on how men and ladies should think, feel, and act. It refers to femininity or masculinity of
an individual’s role and behavior.
Gender Equality grants man and woman equal enjoyment of human rights.
Gender Role refers to certain roles, characteristics, and expectations of how a person should feel, think, and act
as influenced by parents, peers, and society.
Sexuality is a basic part of what we do and who we are; it is the way in which we experience and express
ourselves as sexual beings. It is the entire expression of an individual’s self-concept.
Dimension of Human Sexuality
Sexuality involves the physical, mental, social, emotional, and ethical dimensions of one’s personality.
Ethical Self – the way you value relationships
Emotional Self – the way you feel about yourself and others.
Social Self – the way you interact with others.
Mental Self – the way you think as man or a woman.
Physical Self – the way you look as a man or a woman.
Sexuality refers to your attitudes and behavior towards yourself.
Healthy sexuality encompasses the following characteristics:
Factors Affecting One’s Attitude and Practices Related to Sexuality and Sexual Behaviors
Family. It is a factor that oftentimes determines your family values. Family, especially the parents are usually the
first mentors of your sexual identity. They teach you about love, kindness and humility. Family’s relationship lays
the foundation of your personality, life options and total behavior. It can also affect the strength of your social,
physical, mental and emotional health. Making a strong connection within your family is significant in nurturing
yourself.
Culture. Cultural background can affect your values regarding sexuality. Sexual identities and orientations, the
contents of sexual behavior, and the social consequences of these behaviors vary largely across cultural contexts.
Cultures all over the world recognized standards for individuals to match your sex role prescriptions and feel
psychologically well adjusted.
Peers. Like your family, your friends can also have an important impact on your views on human sexuality. Peers
are the one of important sources of knowledge about sexuality, but they are not the most effective and efficient
sources. As an adolescent, you may begin to spend more time with peers – friends and classmates in your age
group. As a result, their values and beliefs may influence you.
Media. Media plays a significant role in your lives as you regularly watch televisions, listen to radio, search the
internet read newspaper, etc. Television and magazines are the main educational sources of youth’s sexual
relationships.
Personal Health Attitudes: Its Influence to Sexual Behavior
Virgin – is a person who has not had sexual interaction.
Virginity – clean, spotless never been having experience of sexual intercourse
Staying virgin until marriage keeps you...
SOCIALLY
free to develop many relationships
EMOTIONALLY
free from exploitation of others
free from guilt, doubt, disappointment, and loss of reputation
PHYSICALLY
free from pregnancy & venereal disease
free from having to choose a hurry- up wedding and an illegitimate child
