Healthy sexuality depends on feeling good about yourself. If you have a poor self-image or do not like certain aspects of your body or personality, how can you demonstrate to a lover why you are attractive? Imagine a man or woman who is overly concerned about his or her body while in bed with a partner. Maybe a woman is worried that her partner will not be attracted to the size or shape of chest, thighs, stomach, or her inverted nipples. Perhaps a man is consumed with anxiety over the size of his penis, worrying that his partner won’t find it appealing. All of these fears interfere with our ability to let go, relax, and enjoy the sexual experience. Before anyone else can accept us, we need to accept ourselves.
In American society, learning to like our bodies is often difficult. Magazines, television, and advertisers all play into our insecurities with their portrayals of the ideal body. The beauty images that the media present to us are often impossible to live up to, and leave many of us feeling unattractive by comparison. We are encouraged to buy products that will make us look more attractive or sexy. To sell products, advertisers must first convince us that we are not okay the way we are, that we need to change our looks, our smells, or our habits. The endless diet products currently on the market also help to increase our dissatisfaction with our bodies. In turn this has led to a preoccupation with weight and the development of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Many
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