Answer to Question 1
Responses should consider:
- Sexual kissing is unknown in many societies. On certain Polynesian islands, women are orgasmic and sexually active, yet kissing was unknown until Westerners and their popular films arrived.
- Many tribes across Africa and elsewhere believe that the soul enters and leaves through the mouth and that a person's bodily products can be collected and saved by an enemy for harmful purposes. In these societies, the possible loss of saliva would cause a kiss to be regarded as a dangerous gesture.
- Forms of mouth or nose contact are common, particularly the oceanic kiss, named for its prevalence among cultures in Oceania. The Tinguians place their lips near the partner's face and suddenly inhale. Balinese lovers bring their faces close enough to catch each other's perfume and to feel the warmth of the skin, making contact as the move their heads slightly. The oceanic kiss may be varied by the placement of the nose and cheek, the vigor of the inhalation, the nature of the accompanying sounds, the action of the arms, and so on.
- The cultures of China and Japan regarded sexual proficiency as high art, but cared little for tongue-kissing. In their voluminous displays of erotica, graphic depictions of every possible sexual position, angle of intercourse, and variation of partner and setting, mouth-to-mouth kissing is conspicuous by its absence. Japanese poets have rhapsodized for centuries about the allure of the nape of the neck, but they have been silent on the mouth; kissing is acceptable only between mother and child. In Western cultures, the number of nonsexual uses of the kiss is staggering. It is used for greeting and farewell, affection, religious or ceremonial symbolism, deference to a person of high status, among other uses. People kiss icons, dice, and other objects, in prayer, for luck, or as part of a ritual. Kisses make the hurt go away, they bless the sacred vestments, or seal a bargain.
Answer to Question 2
Responses should consider:
Masturbation refers to sexual activities performed on oneself, typically focusing on stimulation of the genitals to orgasm. Benefits of masturbation include:
- Sexual self-discovery. Masturbation provides a laboratory for exploring and experimenting with one's own sexual feelings and sensations. This learning process is important for achieving sexual satisfaction with a partner and in life in general.
- Release of sexual tension or frustration. Masturbation may be used to alleviate feelings of sexual frustration resulting from romantic and sexual activities with a partner that do not lead to orgasm or general sexual tensions that may build up over time.
- Enhancement of sexual interactions with a partner. Masturbation appears to be related to a person's sexual satisfaction with a partner now and in the future. Research has shown that people in relationships who masturbate are more sexually satisfied with their partners and their relationships.
- Resolution of sexual problems, including inhibited sexual desire, premature ejaculation, difficulty with orgasm, erectile problems, general arousal difficulties, and delayed orgasm. Many common sexual problems are treated with the help of masturbation. The therapeutic benefits of masturbation exercises may be part of a treatment program prescribed by a professional counselor or as a self-help strategy that individuals or couples may discover on their own.
- Orgasm. Masturbation has been reported, especially by women, as providing the most reliable and most intense orgasms.
- Relief from stress and depression. Many people who masturbate find it helpful in relieving stress, tension, sleeplessness, and depressive symptoms that are not necessarily related to sex activities per se.
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