In contemporary Iranian society, sexuality is regulated by traditional cultural restrictions, prohibitions, taboos, and indirect regulations due to the country’s traditional and highly religious culture. The traditional restrictions on cross-sex associations are one of the many limitations that regulate the relationship between the sexes.
Socialization processes are gendered as a consequence of there being different rules of sexual behavior for men and women. Formal education is different for girls and boys, especially when some form of physicality is involved in the activities. Sexual activity such as masturbation, erotic behavior, and cross-gender associations such as boy-girl friendships, and premarital dating relationships are legally banned and culturally looked down upon.
Virginity plays an important role in women’s lives because it is highly valued to prove a woman’s purity/chastity level and is generally a required condition for a girl’s marriage. Although there are differences based on socioeconomic factors, ethnic background of the family and education in the approaches towards virginity, it is widely valued in the society. Masturbation is the major form of sexual activity during adolescence, especially among single youth as an alternative to sexual intercourse. Lack of sexual education until the late teenage years has caused a general ignorance about human sexuality and has led to mystification regarding sexual activity.
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Published by Ladan Rahbari
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