Normative Sexuality in Children

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Normative sexuality is a terminology that is often employed to mean the normal sexual orientation of an individual implying that sexual and marital relations are to be endorsed if they only take place between a female partner and a male partner. Any other relationship that goes against this relationship is considered abnormal.

Various scholars and theorists observe that this form of relationships is always evident even in children below two years. This has been the main challenge among clinicians and other psychologists because it is rarely differentiated from sexual abuse (Golombok & Rust 1993, p. 809).

In the recent past, practitioners have been faced with the major task of dealing with issues related to normative sexual behaviour mainly because of its close relationship with child abuse. In this regard, paediatricians have endeavoured to come up with regulations and measures that would establish whether certain behaviour in a child would be considered a normative sexual behaviour or sexual abuse (Friedrich & Luecke 1988, p. 155).

Some children would portray behaviours demonstrating that they are aggressive towards other children. Research shows that children showing normative sexual behaviours during plays develop into responsible members of society in mature commitments. This means that sexual behaviours during childhood are productive in the sense that it contributes to normal functioning of various organs.

Moreover, it improves the health of a child. Toddlers and infants may perhaps show some sexual behaviours, which are related to body commotion, clasping and touch. For infants boys, complex sexual behaviours such as rubbing of the genitals and erection are always experienced, which are prove of the normal functioning of the various body organs (Gordon, Schroeder & Abrams 1991, p. 34).

Early school going children would also demonstrate some sexual behaviour that are of concern to various practitioners. For instance, children may start inquiring about the presence of certain body organs, as well as their functions. This form of behaviour would translate into sexual intercourse as children grow. Such behaviour would be related to affection and love towards members of opposite sex. As children approach early adolescence stage, they may start involving themselves in sexual relationships.

Nevertheless, children may start engaging in clearer sexual feelings. For some children, they may perhaps start touching and rubbing their sexual organs resulting to masturbation. This may behaviour may persist to adulthood. A number of cultures interpret child sexuality differently meaning that it is a concept whose meaning differ according to culture.

In the western societies, a brief history is offered regarding child sexuality (Lindblad, Gustafsson & Larsson 1995, p. 570). Fishman classified child sexuality based on the period. In the 17^th century, he notes that scholars and societal members paid little attention to issues surrounding child sexuality.

The case was different in the 18^th century since medical practitioners considered morals whereby they termed child sexuality, such as masturbation, as sinful and physically dangerous to the child and other children around him or her.

In the 19^th century, it was viewed that child sexuality was unacceptable and was even considered a social evil. A new approach to child sexuality was developed in the 20^th century under the leadership of Sigmund Freud, who noted that the behaviour is normal and natural. He commented that a child would express him or herself through sexuality.

Sexuality or sexual behaviour in children has attracted too much attention among scholar in the recent past. Some scholars classify it into various categories, with a number of these forms having behaviours that are similar to those of adults.

These behaviours consist of personal restrictions, exposition, sexual responsibility, self-motivation, sexual jumpiness, inquisitiveness, intrusiveness, familiarity, and voyeuristic demeanour. A child would perhaps keep a distance between him or herself and other children, which reflects the cultural practices.

Some may learn to stand close to other people while others would develop a behaviour related to touching the genitals of mother or father. Exhibitionist behaviour refers to child sexuality that makes them expose their body parts to other children or even adults. This behaviour is also interpreted to mean the playing doctor behaviour.

In some cultures, children are instructed to adopt certain behaviours because they reflect their sexuality (Lamb & Coakley 1993, p. 19). This is related to gender role sex typing. Self-stimulation refers to masturbation and behaviours related to rubbing of different body parts. Some children are known to portray sexual behaviours that are excessively modesty, which shows affection between themselves and their parents.

Others might develop behaviours that make them be attracted to members of opposite sex. Sexual intrusiveness on the other refers to the sexual behaviour that predisposes children to coercive actions. This would entail a behaviour whereby a child touches the genitals of another child mutually.

Conversely, sexual familiarity refers to the level of understanding among children regarding sexual education. Sexual education varies according to culture, the age of the child, and type of society. Voyeuristic behaviour is a variant to sexual interest (Friedrich & Grambsch 1991, p. 558).

A research conducted recently revealed that parental reports are rich sources of giving critical information regarding sexuality of children. In one of the studies conducted in Australia, it was established that children under the age of ten touch their mother’s breasts and genitals at least once their lifetime. The study revealed that between thirty and forty percent of children had this form of sexual behaviour.

Moreover, it was established in the study that sex typing behaviour increases during preschool years (Kendall-Tackett, Williams & Finkelhor 1993, p. 117). As children become older, they adopt gender roles meaning that cultural practices are observed strictly, when individuals grow older. Mothers perceived to be slim would still want to lose weight to attain the BMI index.

In the same way, such mothers would want their daughters to continue losing weight. The findings by above scholars indicated that mothers wanted their daughters to be thinner as compared to other girls in society. If given some drawings of girls showing various shapes, mothers would want their daughters to be close to the thinnest or emaciated drawings as opposed to the heavier or obese figures.

Thinking about the Bodies

A child is able to cope well with the challenges of society in case he or she is able to define his role in society. The self plays an important role in development and acquisition of necessary strategies needed for survival (Johnson 2001, p. 113). Children who are able to define their positions in society have high chances of excelling as compared to those who are confused as regards to self-definition.

Research shows that the social-cognitive development of a child starts from the understanding of the physical world before it moves to the comprehension of theoretical world. This implies that children would first understand the noticeable characteristics surrounding them, including those of their friends before they become aware of the internal processes.

Body dissatisfaction has always been considered more prevalent among girls and women than it is among boys and men. However, recent research indicates that boys and men are increasingly likely to report body dissatisfaction.

Moreover, adoration of the beauty of the female body is a historical trend observed by many authors and researchers, which indicates that both girls and boys are subjected to beauty ideals via the media and popular culture that dictates what their bodies should look like. Popular culture implies that women should be feminine while men should be masculine.

Femininity is associated with thin bodies while masculinity is related to muscles meaning men should have strong muscles. Female ideals are conceptualized as more rigid and unachievable in the modern media, which brings about greater rates of dissatisfaction with their bodies nowadays.

Nevertheless, male ideals of body image also exist, which are reinforced by various media. Hence, males have become obsessed with developing a muscular figure that often leads to health-threatening behaviors such as use of steroids, ephedrine, and dangerous diets (Jaffe & Worobey 2006, 116).

The present trends regarding body image among children have been observed within centuries, and they continue to be true at the contemporary period despite the societal revolution that took place in the middle of the 20^th century and marked the fundamental change in women’s perceptions regarding themselves (Holmstrom 2004, p. 216).

These changes have been brought about by cultural evolution and industrialization, which have altered the perceptions of females regarding their bodies. The size and shape have been transformed in the contexts of health and attractiveness. Thus, thin body types promoted by the contemporary fashion magazines and other resources (Grogan 1998, p. 12), replaced ample curves of women in the middle Ages.

The fashion industry has produced and popularized a vast amount of “the physically impossible, tall, thin, and busty Barbie-doll stereotype” models like Claudia Schiffer and Elle MacPherson (Grogan, 1998, p. 204). Though today’s female body image involves a muscle tone, which reflects gender equality, slenderness has remained the key feature of the social perception of women’s physical beauty (Grogan 1998, p. 93).

It is obvious that muscles are observed better on slim bodies with flat stomachs. Though men are typically less obsessed by the media images and are less apt to have dissatisfaction with their bodies, their perceptions regarding their own bodies is also shaped by social factors such as media images, peer pressure, self-identity, and self-esteem (Hayes & TantIeff-Dunn 2010, p. 414).

Thus, men are reported to see slenderness and muscularity as symbols of fitness, and believe that this shape of men’s bodies is strongly associated with being in control of one’s own eating and lifestyle habits (Grogan 2008, p. 90). As a result, the contemporary culture and its perception of bodily beauty affect both women and men of all ages.

List of References

Friedrich, WN & Grambsch, P 1991, “Normative sexual behaviour in children”, Paediatrics, Vol. 88, no. pp 456–464.

Friedrich, WN & Luecke, WJ 1988, “Young school age sexually aggressive children”, Professional Psychology, Vol. 19, no. pp 155–164

Golombok, S & Rust, J 1993, “The measurement of gender role behaviour in preschool children: a research note, Journal of Child Psychology Psychiatry, Vol. 3, no. 4, pp 805–811.

Gordon, BN, Schroeder, CS & Abrams, JM 1991, Age differences in children’s knowledge of sexuality”, Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, Vol. 19, no. pp 33–43.

Grogan, S 1998, Body Image: Understanding Body Dissatisfaction in Men, Women, and Children. Routledge, London.

Grogan, S 2008, Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women, and children, Routledge, East Sussex.

Hayes, S & TantIeff-Dunn, S 2010, “Am I too fat to be a princess? Examining the effects of popular children’s media on young girls’ body image”, British Journal of developmental Psychology, Vol. 28, no. 2, pp 413-426.

Holmstrom, AJ 2004, “The Effects of the Media on Body Image: A Meta-Analysis,” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Vol. 48, no. 2, pp 196-217.

Jaffe, K & Worobey, J 2006, “Mothers’ attitude towards fat, weight, and dieting in themselves and their children,” Body Image, Vol. 3, no. 1, pp 113-120.

Johnson, C A 2001, Self-esteem comes in all sizes: How to be happy and healthy at your natural weight, Gurze Books, Carlsbad.

Kendall-Tackett, KE, Williams, LM & Finkelhor, D 1993, “The impact of sexual abuse on children: a review and synthesis of recent empirical studies”, Psychology Bull, Vol. 113, no. 1, pp 164–180.

Lamb, S & Coakley, M 1993, “Normal childhood sexual play in games: differentiating play from abuse”, Child Abuse Neglect, Vol. 17, no. 2, pp 515–526.

Lindblad, F, Gustafsson, PA, & Larsson, I 1995, Preschoolers’ sexual behaviour at day care centres an epidemiological study”, Child Abuse Neglect, Vol. 19, no. pp 569–577.

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Normative Sexuality in Children

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