Sex

During my years in college, I did a lot of investigative research on a wide-spread act of such depravity that is exercised under the guise of "tradition", called F.G.M. (Female Genital Mutilation). It is considered a rites of passage in some cultures. Excuse my ethnocentricity when I say this, but it borders on sheer abuse & torture in the name of an out-dated belief. This was practiced on girls & women, of various ages, through the world & time, for many reasons that, although have no relevance, seems to make sense to the perpetrators. One of the most commons beliefs for condoning this was to curtail or limit the sexual desires of the females until such time when those urges & feelings would be deemed "acceptable", usually within the framework of a marriage. In short, they would not be allowed to have sex until the society chose for them to, not themselves, taking away that very right.
Although I am aware that I am in no position to judge, as a human being I have spoken tirelessly on the aforementioned act, to the point where several colleagues & I "had the holy hell beaten out of us" for attempting to prevent such an act upon an eight-year-old-girl (who was later "circumcised" & had died some time later. I do have nights when I think about it. Rest in Peace, sweet sister). However, that incident gave me new perspective on something that has always gave me great curiosity, the concept of the act of sex.
In most cultures & societies, even today, the idea of sex is still a sensitive issue. So much so, that much awareness has been raised over the past couple of decades involving the practice of safe sex & abstinence. This for various reasons ranging from the prevention of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases & unwanted pregnancies, to the instilment of the right of both parties to engage in the act, either on their respective wedding nights or "when they feel the time is right".
We live in a complex world, where diseases & illnesses pop up on a daily basis, some having more significance & a greater threat to man than others, especially such sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS & god knows what else. Like any like-minded individual, I can not over-emphasize the need for awareness & smart thinking on this issue. However, I also have my own beliefs on the matter.
We live in different times than the previous generation. Women are much more assertive of their rights, tradition has questionable value in today's world & the youth are playing a large role in today's world, although they are a demographic that has not always been known to make the wisest choice. Sex is everywhere. On the news, magazines, commercials, printed advertisements, on the internet & so on. The Adult Film industry has had a soar in video sales, convention attendance, profit from the retailing of "toys' & "marital aids" & so on, compounding them to even hold annual awards for the main-stream "artists" within this sub-culture & sub-genre of the film industry.
However, it is my belief that sex is not just an industry, a dirty act outside of marriage, a way to get sick, an act of perversion, a way to boost one's gross profit of a particular product or a way to kill time on a boring afternoon. The clash of conflicting beliefs & values of the present & previous generations have fogged the concept.
Sex is not just an act of "recreational fucking". By popular definition, it is an act of two people engaging in a celebration of intimacy. However, do not be fooled by my choice of words, because although intimacy is a key factor, to some misguided, it is more of a means to an end. They believe that the act itself is the goal, but in reality, the act is just a way of establishing this aforementioned intimacy. But, that is not to say that all relationships are based solely on sex, but it does play a key role. It's not just two people, bumping pelvises, screaming at the tops of their lungs & engaging in "bedroom acrobatics".
Sex has a dual role in any given relationship. It is a symbolic act, nurturing in essence, strong in its own right. It provides an element of passion in a relationship, not necessarily marriage, but entails an intimate nature within the relationship. But sex can also be another level of connection between two people. It can be viewed as an attempted to achieve some compatibility & level-work between the two, emphasizing on the need for mutual satisfaction. Bottom line, it's not just two or more people being "groin-buddies". It's two people exploring each other, together, learning & experiencing something real, something special, something intimate, even just for a moment.
The reality is, sex, like quite a lot of things, has been corrupted, by the media, by the beliefs of others, by the misunderstanding & irresponsibility of others and by those who would seek to profit from it. Sex is as natural as breathing or eat. It is a craving that is satisfied, a thirst that is quenched, but it is not just a random act that is committed in order for a pair to "bust a nut". It is a piece of magic, shared between a pair of souls.
"I need someone to love", are popular lyrics in sad love songs, but it is a rather accurate statement. We all desire to love & be loved, but only if it's real, not some elaborate action to satisfy a temporary itch. In the end, life is nothing more than a series of moments, bunched up together into, what seems to be, a lifetime. We, however, choose how these moments are spent & who these moments are spent with. But the funny thing about life is that one moment is all you need to discover something you never knew was there. One moment is all you need to realize what it is you truly want. One moment is all you need to acknowledge whatever you've been denying. One moment is all you need to make the much needed change in your life. And it is that moment that you share with whoever you choose, that determines what you mean to them.
I personally have had my own doubts, but I do believe that a moment will come, where it will all be made clear. But a moment is like an opportunity. I, therefore, can only hope that whatever moment, it has not passed.