Chapter 1. Communication Across Cultures: Let’s Talk about Sex

Instructions

After reading the passage below, answer the questions that follow. Be sure to "submit" your response for each question. You will initially receive full credit for each question, but your grade may change once your instructor reviews your responses. Be sure to check the grade book for your final grade.

Passage

Let’s Talk about Sex

Few subjects can make an audience as uncomfortable as sex. Religious beliefs, age, experience, and even politics inform not only people’s views about sex but also the degree to which they are willing to discuss sexual matters publicly. In many Muslim communities, for example, it is unthinkable to discuss sexual practices, especially with strangers, and state support or religious principles may impact attitudes toward same-sex relationships (Bonthuys & Erlank, 2012; Helbling & Traunmüller, 2016). In many villages in South Africa, sex is a taboo many women do not — or are told they should not — discuss (le Roux, 2006). And even in cultures without such restrictions, talking about sex is often considered impolite and can make listeners feel embarrassed or uneasy. In some cultures, however, the topic of sex is much more comfortable. One study found that Swedish respondents were quite open about how important sex is in their lives (Swedish Public Health Agency, 2019). Other research has shown that people from France also feel free and open about their sexuality (Mossuz-Lavau, 2018). Depending on the particular culture, speakers may find audiences more receptive to discussions of sex. In diverse populations like the United States, speakers — including healthcare providers, educators, social workers, and policymakers — must be responsive to the cultural groups in their audiences and the sensitive nature of sexual openness.

Heba Kotb has a weekly television program that offers information on sex to women throughout the Middle East (Jayyusi & Roald, 2016; Raman, 2007). Kotb, who has a doctorate in human sexuality, clinical sexology, and pastoral counseling and is a devout Muslim, remains respectful of her audience’s — and her own — religious beliefs by framing her discussion in a religious context, accompanying scientific information about the body with explanations of how Islamic texts address the subject at hand. Kotb’s sensitive approach, taking cultural taboos, norms, and beliefs into account, seems to allow her to talk more freely about this once forbidden topic.

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