Sexual Expression Research Articles

THE ALGORITHMIC MODERATION OF SEXUAL EXPRESSION: PORNHUB, PAYMENT PROCESSORS AND CSAM

Pornography platforms are increasingly required by payment processor business partners to mitigate harm in their content management systems through algorithmic moderation. Demands that adult merchants incorporate these tools are not proportional to instances of harmful content, but a response to the widespread conflation of pornography with harm and risk online. This paper explores co-governance by payment processors calling for algorithmic tools through the case of Pornhub, asking: what standards are required by financial firms, how are these enforced on platforms, and what effects does this arrangement have on porn content? I open with key context regarding the deplatforming of sex, antiporn campaigning and constructions of harm through 'reputational risk’. Following this, I detail financial firms infrastructural influence in platform co-governance. Next, a close reading of adult merchant terms identifies specific clauses calling for algorithmic moderation. Concluding this issue mapping, I provide a taxonomy of moderation tools in place on Pornhub. I close with an issue discussion to consider AI's positioning as a regulatory solution, CSAM data ethics, moderator labour, and the many technical problems obscured by promises of safety through automated content management systems. The resulting review of algorithmic measures enforced by financial firms offers a detailed case of the opaque governance conditions imperilling sexual expression across porn platforms.

INTERNET GOVERNANCE AND MORAL ENTREPRENEURS

A growing body of academic work on internet governance focuses on the “deplatforming of sex,” or the removal and suppression of sexual expression from the internet. Often, this is linked to the 2018 passing of FOSTA/SESTA – much-criticized twin bills that make internet intermediaries liable for content that promotes or facilitates prostitution or sex trafficking. We suggest analyzing both internet governance and the deplatforming of sex in conjunction with long-term agendas of conservative lobbying groups. Specifically, we combine media historiography, policy analysis, and thematic and discourse analysis of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s (NCOSE, formerly Morality in Media) press releases and media texts to show how conservative moral entrepreneurs weaponize ideas of morality, obscenity, and harm in internet governance. We illustrate how NCOSE has, directly and indirectly, interfered in internet governance, first by lobbying for rigorous enforcement of obscenity laws and then for creating internet-specific obscenity laws (which we argue CDA, COPA, and FOSTA/SESTA all were for NCOSE). We show how NCOSE adjusted their rhetoric to first link pornography to addiction and pedophilia and later to trafficking and exploitation; how they took advantage of the #metoo momentum; mastered legal language, and incorporated an explicit anti-internet stance.

From the Heart to the Bottom: A Study on the Sexual Life of Differently Abled Persons in Sulthan Bathery Taluk, Wayanad District of Kerala

Differently abled people face societal misconceptions and stigmas that hinder their sexual expression and fulfilment. This study explores the sexual lives of differently abled individuals, who suffering with Epilepsy and Locomotor disability, aged between 18-35 years in the Sulthan Bathery Thaluk of Wayanad District in Kerala, which recognizing their unique experiences, challenges, and desires. The main objective of this research is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the diverse perspectives, needs, and aspirations of differently abled individuals regarding their sexual lives, also make an expedition to the stigmas and discriminations. Also, it is analysing the barriers of sexual health education dedicated to the differently abled people. The study also investigates the role of assistive devices, accessible spaces, available resources, and supportive relationships in enhancing the sexual well-being of differently abled individuals. The aim of the study is to shed light on the physical, psychological, and societal factors that influence the sexual experiences of differently abled people. The study also aims to foster a more inclusive society that recognizes and respects the sexual rights and autonomy of all individuals, regardless of their abilities.

Talking back: linguistic exploration of female artistes’ ‘responses’ to patriarchy and stereotypes in Nigerian hip-hop

ABSTRACT Patriarchal tendencies are normative in hip-hop culture, necessitating contemporary calls for gender equality and wholesome gender representations. These have encouraged a ‘talking back’ where the marginalised re-appropriate established norms and consciously recreate their identities. Interrogating lyrics and videos of popular female Nigerian hip-hop artistes, we explore female agency and discuss how these artistes combat patriarchy and achieve linguistic reclamation of feminine identities. The Multimodal Social Semiotic Analysis framework is complemented with Womanism – an Africa-rooted strand of the feminist movement. The ‘talking and taking back’ were catalogued under four classifications: reactions and responses to female denigration and assault; combating patriarchy through challenging and reinventing gender roles; re-appropriation of pejoratives and assertion of stereotypes; and the use of sexual expressions, slurs, and slang in the renegotiation of female agency. These findings are important in a strongly patriarchal Nigerian society where female voices do not enjoy significant propagation. The re-creations and ‘responses’ assert female agency and consolidate the advocacies for equality and equity in gender relations.

Sexual Health and Sexual Expression in Women Transitioning to Long Term Residential Settings: Challenges and Individual Rights

Sexual health and sexual expression can be controversial topics at any age. Ageism in Western society makes this discussion, as it pertains to the elderly, even more taboo because sexual health is not usually a focus for healthcare providers serving the geriatric population (Bauer et al., 2015). However, sexual rights are human rights fully acknowledged by the World Health Organization, through its Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health (2021). The ability to fully express one’s sexuality is part of the human experience across the lifespan and any barrier to this expression will have an impact in one’s quality of life.
 Considering this, how do elderly women transitioning to long-term residential facilities (assisted living or nursing homes) rate their sexual health and their opportunities to express their sexuality? This presentation will describe the current state of affairs in these facilities as it pertains to services and supports related to sexual health, how residents rate the current sexual health related services and support, and current barriers to services that are more person-centered, dignified, and respectful of older people’s sexual expression, with specific emphasis on the LGBTQIA+ aging population. 

‘You see all these really beautiful people… and then, you look at yourself’: bodies matter in teenage girls’ engagement with porn

ABSTRACT This article focuses on South African teenage girls’ engagement with pornography. Using a decolonial approach and drawing upon new feminist materialism, this study focuses on the ways in which bodies, gender and sexuality configure to produce and constrain girls’ capacities for sexual expression. The paper makes three claims. First, the article turns away from a one-sided representation of girls as only possible to know through the lens of sexual suffering while challenging childhood sexual innocence. Second, the online pornographic field is situated in a gendered and racialised system of organisation whereby the perfect body is naturalised as an esteemed object of desire. Third, the desire for the perfect, slim, blemish-free, hairless body through self-surveillance constricts capacities in line with normative standards of female beauty. A decolonial porn assemblage is harnessed to illustrate the contradictions produced as girls both desire and object to idealised bodies that are naturalised through heterosexual and racialised hierarchies. The paper concludes by considering the implications of approaching girls’ engagement with pornography in relation to the expansion and limitation of their capacities and the body as an intense site of power.

Perspectives of Women with Intellectual Disabilities Regarding Affective Sexual Relationships: a Systematic Literature Review

IntroductionDespite the recognition of the right to sexual identity and expression for all people, individuals with intellectual disabilities continue to face significant restrictions in these aspects of their lives. The prevailing myths and stereotypes surrounding their sexual-affective relationships place people with intellectual disabilities—especially women—in a position of great vulnerability.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted, examining the content of the following databases: BASE, Dialnet, ERIC, La Referencia, Microsoft Academic, Redalyc, REDIB, Redined, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and World Wide Science. A total of 178 potentially relevant articles were identified, out of which 11 met the eligibility criteria. Finally, the themes covered in the articles were identified and analyzed.ResultsThe results obtained were classified into six categories: perceptions regarding sex and sexuality, experiences of abuse, views and experiences of relationships between couples, the LGTBIQ + community, knowledge about contraception and related experiences, and, finally, beliefs regarding gender scripts.ConclusionsThis study offers valuable insights into the knowledge (or lack thereof) and beliefs regarding sex and sexuality, experiences of abuse among women with intellectual disabilities, the lack of independence and external intervention, and the influence of traditional gender scripts. Furthermore, this research also establishes a theoretical foundation for future support resources and initiatives, as well as social and public implications.

The role of reticence in the comprehension of metaphorical taboo expressions in the foreign language

AbstractThe present study focuses on the influence of L2 learners’ attitudes toward and perception of sexual taboos on their comprehension of metaphorical taboo expressions. Other aspects such as the presence of contextual information and the L2 learners’ stay‐abroad experience were also included in the study design. A total of 53 students of Spanish as a foreign language were presented with metaphorical taboo expressions from the MadSex corpus. They also were asked to rate their reticence to talk about sex and to use sexual taboo expressions. The results show that a higher degree of reticence to talk about sex is associated with a worse performance on the metaphor comprehension test. Furthermore, learners with a stay‐abroad experience outperformed their counterparts on the comprehension test, but they did not guess the meaning from the context more successfully. Finally, participants with stay‐abroad experience found it more acceptable to use sexual taboo expressions.

Online streaming as an expression of digital sexuality under the criminal law of the Republic of Moldova

Online streaming, as an expression of digital sexuality, came under the purview of the Criminal Code of the Re-public of Moldova as a result of the adoption of art. 2201. The online space represents the ambience for committing the offenses provided by this article. Only information technologies or electronic communications can represent the means of committing the crimes specified in art. 2201 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova. This article cannot be applied when online sexual services are provided independently, without incitement, determination or facilitation of another person. Only an adult person can be a victim of the offenses provided by the art. 2201 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova. In the case of the minor victim, liability must be applied for child pornography. Both the coercion of the victim and the purpose of exploiting her are excluded in the case of offenses provided by the art. 2201 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova. In such cases, liability must be applied for human trafficking.

P207: Pilot testing of the Health and Social Care Professionals’ Knowledge & Attitudes towards Later Life Sexuality (HSCP-KALLS) instrument

Objective:Due to a lack of validated assessment instruments, this study aimed to pilot test the newly developed Health and Social Care Professionals’ Knowledge & Attitudes Towards Later Life Sexuality (HSCP-KALLS) instrument. The HSCP-KALLS instrument is designed to assess health and social care professionals’ knowledge (46 items) and attitudes (40 items) towards later life sexuality including components related to dementia, sex worker services and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex or Queer/Questioning (LGBTIQ+).Methods:A group of health and social care professionals (n = 22) and Healthcare-related educator (n = 2) were invited to complete the HSCP-KALLS instrument. Feedback on items phrasing and the experience of completing the instrument was sought.Results:Written feedback regarding either phrase of items or use of the instrument was not specifically addressed by participants. A high level of internal consistency was revealed for both the knowledge and attitude items (α = 0.84 & 0.88, respectively). A decent level of knowledge (M=39.75, SD=4.90) and positive attitudes (M=161.04, SD=13.50) towards later life sexuality were demonstrated by participants. Participants had greater knowledge on items related to ageing, intimacy, and sexuality (95%), with a lower level of knowledge on items related to sexuality diversity (e.g., LGBTIQ+). Providing more trainings about later life sexuality was frequently addressed in the knowledge written feedback. Participants generally demonstrated positive attitudes towards later life sexuality. However, a high proportion of ambivalent responses were noted on some attitude items (e.g., A9 & A18) that participants indicated in written feedback that their responses would depend on circumstances.Conclusion:Preliminary reliability and feasibility of using the HSCP-KALLS instrument has been encouraging, with further testing in large samples now, required to robustly establish psychometric properties. Supporting later life sexuality is essential and the use of HSCP-KALLS instrument can inform and identify professional development needs of health and social care professionals to improve care provision for older people by supporting their expression of sexuality in healthcare settings.

Not just females and males: Unravelling the complex sex determinism of the hemp palm, Trachycarpus fortunei.

The ornamental Asian palm Trachycarpus fortunei (Arecaceae: Coryphoideae) is widely planted in temperate regions. In Europe, it has spread outside of gardens, particularly on the southern side of the Alps. Sexual expression in the species is complex, varying from dioecy to polygamy. This study investigated (1) sexual floral development and (2) genetic markers implicated in sex determinism. The morphology and anatomy of floral organs at different developmental stages were studied using SEM observations and anatomical section. Sex determinism was explored using a genome-wide association study approach, searching for correlations between 31,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and sex affiliation of 122 palms from 21 wild populations. We observed that sexual differentiation appears late in floral development of T. fortunei. Morpho-anatomical characters of flowers conducive to panmixia were observed, such as well-differentiated septal nectaries that are thought to promote cross-pollination. At the molecular level, homozygous and heterozygous allelic systems with closely linked regions were found for sex determinism in individuals with female and "dominant-male" phenotypes, respectively. Through our wide sampling in the southern Alps, the closely linked genetic regions in males suggest that at least fifteen percent of wild palms are the direct offspring of "males" that can also produce fertile pistillate flowers. Trachycarpus fortunei is a further example of unstable sexual expression found in the family Arecaceae and represents an evolutionary path towards an XY genetic system. Our structural and genetic results may explain the high species dispersal ability in the southern Alps.

P36: Intimacy and Sexuality Expression Preference (ISEP) Tool: Usage experience and creation of a practical user guide

AbstractAgeing and dementia affect many aspects of life, including intimate relationships, sex and sexual expression. Older people, including those living with dementia, can have sexual relationships and form new ones. Their sexual and physical health, quality of life, and psychological well-being can be improved by respecting their intimacy and sexuality expression preferences. However, due to ageism and stigma, healthcare professionals often ignore the sexual feelings and needs of those with dementia living in long-term care. Discussions with stakeholders and literature show limited attention paid to understanding the sexual preferences of people living with dementia in health and social care. In 2020, the Intimacy and Sexuality Expression Preference (ISEP) tool was developed for use in long-term care to gather information on intimate and sexual expression preferences of older people, including those living with dementia, to assist in care provision. The ISEP tool was trialled in a Queensland, Australia, nursing home with 14 older residents. This presentation will share insight into the use of the ISEP tool and how it informs the development of ‘ISEP: A Practical User Guide’. This guide provides information on how to (a) use the ISEP tool for assessment; (b) interpret and integrate findings into care (i.e., identify a potential course of action); and (c) evaluate outcomes. Illustrative examples will be included. It will inform how preferences for the expression of sexuality can be practically addressed to improve care practices and care outcomes (i.e., satisfaction and quality of life) for people with dementia.

'All the progressive forms of life are built up on the attraction of sex': Development and the social function of the sexual instinct in late 19th- and early 20th-century Western European sexology.

This article explores the relationship between sexual science and evolutionary models of human development and progress. It examines the ways in which late 19th- and early 20th-century Western European sexual scientists constructed the sexual instinct as an evolutionary force that not only served a reproductive purpose, but was also pivotal to the social, moral, and cultural development of human societies. Sexual scientists challenged the idea that non-reproductive sexualities were necessarily perverse, pathological, or degenerative by linking sexual desire to the evolution of sociality, often focusing on forms of relationality and care that exceeded biological kinship. As a result, non-reproductive sexual expressions, including homosexual and non-reproductive heterosexual behaviours, were interpreted as manifestations of a sexual instinct operating in the service of human development. These claims were reliant on cross-cultural and historical comparisons of sexual values, behaviours, and customs that rehearsed and reinforced imperial narratives of development premised on racialized, gendered, and classed hierarchies. Sexual scientists mapped diverse sexual behaviours in terms of their perceived evolutionary benefits, contributing to colonial narratives that distinguished between different cultures according to imagined trajectories of development. These contestations around the sexual instinct and its developmental functions played a vital role in allowing sexual science to authorize itself as a field of knowledge that promised to provide expertise required to manage sexual life and secure the global development of human civilization.

간호대학생의 성태도에 미치는 영향 요인

This study is a descriptive research study to identify gender role stereotypes, gender expression, positive gender perception and self-esteem, and to identify factors that affect nursing students' sexual attitudes for nursing students. This study intends to use it as a basic educational material for developing a program that can improve the sexual competencies of nursing students as a prospective nurse who can contribute to sexual culture and sexual safety in the future and for the development of major subjects.
 The subjects were randomly selected the nursing departments of two universities. The minimum number of samples calculated using the G-Power 3.1.3 program. The questionnaire consists subject reads and checks directly, and it took about 15 minutes to fill out. The data collection period was from April 1 to April 30, 2022, and among the 290 recovered copies, 272 copies were used for data analysis, excluding 8 copies with insufficient responses.
 As a result of the study, sexual assertiveness scored an average of 60.69 points and their self-esteem averaged 35.54 points, which was above average. Nursing students showed an open attitude toward sex with an average of 117.01 points. Sexual attitudes were related to gender stereotypes (r=-.357, p=<.001), and positive gender perception (r=-.299, p=<.001) and there was a significant correlation. The factors affecting the sexual attitudes of nursing students were gender stereotypes, religious presence, sexual experience, and sexual expression. Of these, gender stereotypes (β=-.384, p<.001) had the greatest influence on the sexual attitudes of nursing students, and the second was sexual experience (β=-.306, p<.001). The degree to which these factors explained the nursing students' sexual attitude can vary according to changes in social and cultural environment. It is necessary to investigate the sexual attitude of nursing students as prospective nurses who can contribute to sexual culture and sexual safety in the future. that would make sense It is necessary to develop and apply an iterative educational program that can improve the performance-related competency of college students and further enhance the sexual assertiveness training by instilling the right sense of sexuality.

The Subjective Construction of the Female Body: How Sex Toys Break down Stigmas on Women's Bodies and Sexuality

This paper explores the role of sex toys in dismantling the stigmatization of womens bodies and sexuality within contemporary society. Historically, womens sexual desires and pleasure have often been subjected to societal taboos and restrictions, contributing to the perpetuation of gender inequalities and the marginalization of womens sexual autonomy. However, the emergence and widespread availability of sex toys have challenged these stigmas and provided women with a means to reclaim agency over their bodies and sexuality. Drawing upon interdisciplinary research and feminist theories, this paper examines the ways in which sex toys have played a transformative role in challenging oppressive norms and fostering positive attitudes towards womens sexuality. By providing women with tools to explore their own pleasure, sex toys offer a means of empowerment, allowing them to break free from societal expectations and reclaim ownership of their bodies and desires. Furthermore, sex toys have been instrumental in promoting sexual education, enhancing communication between partners, and facilitating discussions on consent, pleasure, and body positivity. The findings of this paper underscore the importance of recognizing sex toys as tools of empowerment and liberation, contributing to the broader movement towards sexual liberation, gender equality, and the acceptance of diverse sexual expressions. By breaking down stigmatization and facilitating open discussions about womens bodies and sexuality, sex toys serve as catalysts for positive social change and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Promiscuous Technologies: Shifting Notions of Gender and Sexuality in Nigeria’s Digital Public Sphere

This paper critically examines the emergence of sexual technologies in Nigeria's digital public sphere. In particular, it explores how the use of sexual technologies like vibrators and dildos in public spaces is viewed as transgressive, and how cultural, social, and religious factors shape Nigerians' perceptions. The paper adopts the concept of transgressive publics to describe how social media enables minoritized groups to challenge dominant norms around sexuality. Two recent cases are analyzed – one involving a Nollywood actress publicly distributing dildos at an event, and another with a blogger recording Nigerian women using vibrators. To examine public discourse around these events, social media comments on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were collected and analyzed thematically. Key findings show sexual technologies are condemned as immoral, demonic, disrespectful to cultural values, and a threat to masculinity. Criticism relies heavily on moral and religious beliefs that cast non-normative sexual expressions as sinful. Reactions also expose gender anxieties related to female autonomy and shifting power relations. However, some pragmatic comments defend women's actions given Nigeria's difficult economic climate. While stigmatized, the public emergence of sexual technologies constitutes a transgressive public for asserting women's sexual agency and pushing boundaries. The study demonstrates how cultural narratives regulating sexuality are negotiated through technology, highlighting tensions between tradition and modernity.

The effects of infidelity on the sexual relationship

The effects of infidelity on the sexual relationship of the couple are often a neglected part of affair recovery. Therapists may minimize the need to do a thorough assessment of the sexual relationship, or perhaps feel at a loss about how to intervene. This article presents four common clinical presentations of the possible effects of an affair on the sexual relationship of a couple: (1) a marked decrease in sexual activity/complete abstinence, (2) a marked increase in frequency, (3) the development of sexual dysfunction, or (4) shifts in sexual behavior and/or expression. Case studies highlight the ways in which an affair can have an immediate and/or ongoing impact on the sexual relationship of the couple. Assessment and brief intervention suggestions are included that clinicians can incorporate into their existing affair recovery protocols.

The Pathways to Join, Engage in, and Quit Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE): A Qualitative Study of Sexual Minority Individuals who Self-Initiated SOCE in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Despite the growing recognition of their harmful effects, sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) continue to be practiced in various societies. This study examines the experiences of 11 sexual minority individuals in Hong Kong who have undergone SOCE. The findings reveal the pervasive influence of deeply ingrained homonegativity values within religious, family, educational, and soiocultural contexts during LGBTQ+ individuals’ formative years. These prevailing stigmas compelled them to pursue SOCE through different methods. However, these methods have been proven ineffective and psychologically harmful, leading to increased distress and internalized homonegativity. The availability of knowledge and access to affirming LGBTQ+ values within religious, community, and sociocultural spheres played a crucial role in helping the respondents come to accept their sexual orientation and cease their attempts at SOCE. This study shed light on how the interplay of Chinese familial values and Christian doctrine in Hong Kong contributes to the promotion of homonegativity, consequently restricting the diverse expressions of sexuality. It is important to recognize that the notion of individuals actively “choosing” to undergo SOCE is misguided, as these decisions are often driven by social stigma and external pressures. Progress in this area requires confronting the systemic heteronormativity embedded within Hong Kong’s cultural fabric.

Origin stories: Framing 25 years of Dutch political discourse on child sexual exploitation by tourists and travelers

Sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and tourism (SECTT) has been described as a serious and growing problem. This study critically analyzes political debates and policy measures proposed by the Dutch government between 1995 and 2020 to combat SECTT. To understand how SECTT is framed in Dutch political discourse, Bacchi's ‘what's the problem represented to be?’ approach guided a systematic critical discourse analysis of over 200 political documents. Our analysis shows that SECTT has, over time, predominantly become framed as a crime problem. Offender detection, international cooperation, awareness raising, public–private partnerships, and prevention targeted at known sex offenders are the most commonly proposed solutions. Despite the focus on apprehending offenders, the political discourse offers no concrete clues as to who they are; still, conducting research or evaluating policies' effects is seldom proposed as a response. This problem representation overlooks the connections of SECTT with structural issues, such as victim vulnerabilities, colonization, and global inequality on the one hand, and mental health, sexual expression, and cultural values on the other.

A Life Course Approach on Older Portuguese Gay and Bisexual People: The Multifactorial Development of Sexual Identity

Research shows that successful development of sexual identity is essential for healthy and well-adjusted ageing. Gay and bisexual (GB) older people have experienced cumulative events throughout their lives that may have affected the development of their identity. In addition, the few previous studies show an alarming lack of community connectedness among older GB people in Portugal. This study assessed the factors that have contributed to the development of sexual identity in Portuguese GB older adults throughout their lives, using an inductive qualitative cross-sectional approach based on Life Course Theory. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were carried out with older (60+ years) GB people living in the community and using the lifeline technique. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis with a codebook approach. Results suggest a multifactorial contribution of factors throughout the life cycle that have affected the development of GB older people’s sexual identity. These include historical–cultural factors (e.g., sexual repression and traditionalism of the dictatorship), psychosocial factors (e.g., cumulative sexual stigma), relational factors (e.g., relational clandestinity) and intrapersonal factors (e.g., concealment of sexual orientation). The existence of the Internalized Sexual Minority Disconnectedness phenomenon and its contribution to the formation of the sexual identity of older GB adults were also verified. These results reveal important clues about the development of older GB people in Portugal and the factors that may be affecting the current invisibility of these people in the social and health-related context. Relevant implications for the clinical context are also discussed.