Understanding Heterosexuality and Related Sexual Practices

Understanding Heterosexuality

Heterosexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction, love, or sexual desire for people of the opposite sex. This contrasts with homosexuality and is usually distinguished from bisexuality.

Besides referring to sexual orientation, the term heterosexual also refers to sexual behavior between individuals of the opposite sex. Many animal species (those that engage in sexual reproduction and internal fertilization), including humans, reproduce through heterosexual sex. This is unlike hermaphroditic species, in which all individuals possess both sexes.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality (from the Greek ομος, homo, meaning 'equal', and the Latin sexus, meaning 'sex') is a sexual orientation defined as interaction or sexual, emotional, and sentimental attraction towards individuals of the same sex. ^[1] Etymologically, the word homosexual is a hybrid of the Greek homos (which actually means 'same' and not, as one might think, derived from the Latin noun homo, meaning 'man') and the Latin adjective sexualis, suggesting sexual and emotional relationships between people of the same sex, including lesbianism. ^[2]

Threesomes

A trio or threesome involves the completion of a sexual act between three people, in any of the possible combinations of sexes.

Although it is a form of group sex, it is not usually considered an orgy. It may involve only heterosexual sex practices when a couple of a man and a woman is dedicated to pleasing the odd member of the opposite sex. Homosexual sex is practiced only when the three persons are of the same sex. Both types of relationships can be practiced when at least one member of the trio is bisexual and has relationships with both a man and a woman.

Other Sexual Practices

• Swinger: Swinging implies that two established couples exchange partners and have sex at the same time but in different locations (which may be two adjacent rooms or beds). It is not the same as group sex.
• Group sex: Group sex, also known as an orgy, involves a number of individuals of the same or different sexes having sex (oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse) at the same time and in the same place.
• Necrophilia: A perverse sexual relationship between an individual and a dead person.