As a 32-year-old Cuban/Hispanic only child from a family where my parents separated, I have realized that our ideas of gender and sexuality originate in the way we were raised and from the views of our surrounding environment. These matters can be very complex and dependent on how you perceive the world and interact with people. They blend my cultural origin, the family divide from which I have emerged, and the social environment I have engaged in. In the essay, the topic will explain how these areas symbolize my beliefs, values, and attitudes that separate me from other people and which elements have shaped them.
Premarital Sex
I have cultivated my view on premarital sex from the perspective of my cultural background, the experiences of my family, and the media’s representation of romantic unions. Being a Cuban/Hispanic who represents modesty and purity of marriage in the culture, I face the problem of a conservative point of view of premarital sex. Nonetheless, my childhood as an only child in a divorced family made me observe relationships in an individualistic manner as I was less administered by rigid traditional expectations (Sejati & Mufida, 2021). The media has also been a decisive factor. The movies, TV shows, and magazines frequently romanticize freedom in relationships and depict premarital sex as being more liberal. Through this, I have experienced a contrast with my cultural background, which has created a line stretching from traditional to liberal perspectives.
The diversity of these influences has caused my balanced attitude concerning premarital sex. I respect the culture I grew up in, but simultaneously, I accept the changing perceptions expressed through media. Mainly, I stand by the fact that personal freedom and respect for one’s individual beliefs are crucial when it comes to premarital sex, which both in my cultural background and in modern media often addressed.
Same-Sex Relationships
I have a liberal and positive perspective towards homosexual partners. This viewpoint has evolved due to multiple influences I grew up with, such as my education, social interactions, and, importantly, my Cuban/Hispanic culture. As a college student, I attended many classes and lectures on human rights and social justice, stressing the irreplaceable role of equality and respect for all humanity, irrespective of their sexual orientation (Blair et al., 2022). These sessions of education increased my understanding and tolerance of same-sex relationships. Socially, I interacted with people engaging in same-sex relationships, whether as friends or otherwise. The encounters with the individuals from the group have been enlightening and uplifting, seeding the doubts I formerly had and strengthening my conviction about all people being equal and worthy of love.
Contraception/Protection
In my view, birth control and condoms are essential points of planning for safe sex and overall health. My ideas on this matter have been developed by many things, including my school, family, and life experiences (Scull et al., 2021). Concerning healthy sex, my knowledge was chiefly based on my school’s health classes, where I was taught about different types of birth control and the significance of safe sex. In these classes, we were being made to understand the repercussions of having unprotected sex, such as sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies, and this new knowledge has ever since endured me.
I have never mentioned health and safety to my parents at home. My parents, they being divorced, bore traditional views and rarely gave us topics such as contraception for discussion, which subsequently left me to find the information from some other place. Without the proper communication facilities at home, I realize that being updated through different channels is meaningful. I always make certain that I do this as a matter of personal choice. The education I received and my awareness of the risks I faced when I was unprotected reinforced these decisions. Through my story, we learn how education and open communication play key roles in the formation of attitudes relevant to contraception and protection. Knowing the facts gives me confidence when it comes to decision-making, and I see awareness as a tool towards responsible reproductive education.
Abortion
I am of a mixed opinion on abortion, being aware of the fact that it is both a complicated and a very sensitive matter. My stance is the result of mixing media info with religion, ethics, and Cuban/Hispanic cultural narrative. Media has a crucial role in my opinion building because it creates exposure to the many angles that exist in the legal, medical, and personal aspects of abortion (Bueno et al., 2023). Through different articles, documentaries, and topics, I have been familiarized with profound ethical dilemmas surrounding the right to abortion and choice on the individual level. Firstly, ethically and religiously, I have grown up in a community rich in Catholic heritage that has challenged me with an internal moral dilemma about abortion. Nevertheless, I am also a proponent of empathetic understanding and the right of self-determination of individuals to decide what is best in their circumstances.
Pornography
I view pornography with care and criticism, and it is based on discussions with friends, media exposure, and personal ethical concerns. Talking with my peers has exposed me to different viewpoints that reflect on both the problem of pornography and its case for individual liberation. These discussions have helped me grasp the issue’s complexity from a social and relational point of view. Media which portrays sexual content, from mainstream movies to online platforms where I could access it, began at a young age. This exposure at this early stage and throughout my life has made me think about how pornography shapes the perception of sexuality and relationships (Healy-Cullen et al., 2021). In terms of thinking about the ethical dimensions of pornography, I am worried about problems such as the exploitation and unrealistic expectations which can be promoted by it. Nevertheless, the issue of personal choice in watching mature materials is not to be overlooked. These mixed influences have caused me to develop a balanced view that is a combination of both respecting individual freedom as well as taking into account the potential negative impacts of pornography.
Conclusion
This essay has discussed how my strong opinions on issues such as premarital sex, same-sex relationships, contraception, abortion and pornography are shaped by our culture, educational experiences, media exposure and introspection. All of the things that have happened have profoundly modified how I see and think differently, showing the specific influences of society and me as an individual. Facing the idea that regularly addressing our beliefs and updating them with newly acquired knowledge is essential. As time goes by and we get to experience new things and gather new perspectives, it is essential that we put aside our stubbornness and stay open-minded while also preserving the fundamental belief system within us. This technique not only helps build an enriching life for ourselves but also helps with the increased ability to empathize with and comprehend others.
References
Blair, K. L., McKenna, O., & Holmberg, D. (2022). On guard: Public versus private affection-sharing experiences in same-sex, gender-diverse, and mixed-sex relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 026540752210906. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221090678
Bueno, X., Amma, N., LaRoche, K. J., Dennis, B., Crawford, B. L., Turner, R. C., Lo, W.-J., & Jozkowski, K. N. (2023). People’s perception of changes in their abortion attitudes over the life course: A mixed methods approach. Advances in Life Course Research, 57, 100558–100558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2023.100558
Healy-Cullen, S., Taylor, J. E., Ross, K., & Morison, T. (2021). Youth Encounters with Internet Pornography: A Survey of Youth, Caregiver, and Educator Perspectives. Sexuality & Culture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09904-y
Scull, T., Malik, C., Morrison, A., & Keefe, E. (2021). Promoting Sexual Health in High School: A Feasibility Study of A Web-based Media Literacy Education Program. Journal of Health Communication, 26(3), 147–160. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2021.1893868
Sejati, P. E., & Mufida, R. T. (2021). The Effect of Sex Education on Premarital Sex Among Adolescents; Literature Review. Journal for Quality in Public Health, 5(1), 363–366. https://doi.org/10.30994/jqph.v5i1.280
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