Human sexuality

Human sexuality is liberal as far as sapient sexuality goes, but not as radical as Xanians sexuality is. Human sexual practices are quite standard and are strict in general. The physical, emotional, and biological aspects of sex both unique and common among humanoid sapient lifeforms. With the exception of social outcasts, humans have two sexes, male and female. Human males and females are quite similiar disregarding their reproductive systems and musculoskeletal systems. 

Biological and physiological aspects

The Humans are dioecious, meaning that there are only two genders within the species; male and female. There is a half-half split in population of the two sexes, although there is a slight majority of females in the population, it has rarely rose above 51% in human history. Males are the masculine population of the human species, who also take up the breadwinner population. In general it is their responsibility to protect the females and children of the species. Females are the caretakers of the species. They carry offspring from fertilization, breastfeed, and care for young until adulthood. The method of human reproduction allows for a very controlled population. Two to three children per couple on average allows for a sustainable population.

Physical anatomy and reproduction

A clothed human female

Some animals on Terra have vast sexual dimorphism; Unlike those animals, males and females are more physically similar than different. Nonetheless, there are a few key distinctions in physiques. Some of them are designed for the role it plays in reproduction, while others exist to tell sexes apart and to prompt in sexual attraction. The most notable traits is that females have protruding breasts, a slender, less muscular figure, smaller waists, and large hips. Males on the other hand, have flat chests, and inactive, useless mammary glands. In addition to this, males on average have a much more muscular figure and small hips. Males also have a voice 150% deeper than that of females, which can be frightening if used properly. Males also have much more body hair, and in general, females can't grow facial hair. Females store more extra fat in their breasts, hips, and buttocks.

Female anatomy and reproductive system

Human females have external and internal genitalia. External female genitalia have many variations, but all have the same components.

External female anatomy

The Mound of Venus, is a soft layer of tissue overlaying the pubic bone. Following puberty, this area grows in size. It has many nerve endings and is sensitive to stimulation. The labia minora and labia majora are collectively known as the lips of the vagina. The labia majora are two folds of skin extending from the mons to the perineum. In between the labia majora are the labia minora, two hairless folds of skin that meet above the clitoris to form the clitoral hood, which is highly sensitive to touch. The labia minora become engorged with blood during sexual stimulation, causing them to swell and turn red. The labia minora are composed of connective tissues that are richly supplied with blood vessels which cause the pinkish appearance. Near the anus, the labia minora merge with the labia majora. In a sexually unstimulated state, the labia minora protects the vaginal and urethral opening by covering them. The labia majora are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds that extend downward and backward from the mons pubis. In some females, the labia majora covers the vaginal opening and hides the labia minora. These types of vaginas are considered preferable. The breasts are the subcutaneous tissues on the chest of the female body. Their purpose is to provide milk to a developing infant. Breasts develop during puberty in response to an increase in estrogen. Each adult breast consists of 15 to 20 milk-producing mammary glands. It was previously thought that female undergarments prevent female breasts from sagging, but with genetic engineering and no undergarments, human breasts can remain firm for the vast majority of a female's life.

Internal female anatomy

The female internal reproductive organs are the vagina, uterus, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The vagina is a sheath-like canal that extends from the vulva to the cervix. The penis penetrates it during intercourse and serves as a depository for sperm. The vagina is also the birth canal; it can expand to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) during labor and delivery. The vagina is located between the bladder and the rectum. The vagina is normally collapsed, but during sexual arousal it opens, lengthens, and produces lubrication to allow the insertion of the penis.

The uterus or womb is a hollow, muscular organ where a fertilized egg (ovum) will implant itself and grow into a fetus. The uterus lies in the pelvic cavity between the bladder and the bowel, and above the vagina. It is usually positioned in a 90-degree angle tilting forward, although in about 20% of women it tilts backwards. The uterus has three layers; the innermost layer is the endometrium, where the egg is implanted. During ovulation, this thickens for implantation. If implantation does not occur, it is sloughed off during menstruation. The cervix is the narrow end of the uterus. The broad part of the uterus is the fundus.

During ovulation, the ovum travels down the Fallopian tubes to the uterus. These extend about four inches (10 cm) from both sides of the uterus. Finger-like projections at the ends of the tubes brush the ovaries and receive the ovum once it is released. The ovum then travels for three to four days to the uterus. After sexual intercourse, sperm swim up this funnel from the uterus. The lining of the tube and its secretions sustain the egg and the sperm, encouraging fertilization and nourishing the ovum until it reaches the uterus. If the ovum divides after fertilization, identical twins are produced. If separate eggs are fertilized by different sperm, the mother gives birth to non-identical or fraternal twins.

The ovaries are the female gonads; they develop from the same embryonic tissue as the testicles. The ovaries are suspended by ligaments and are the source where ova are stored and developed before ovulation. The ovaries also produce female hormones progesterone and estrogen. Within the ovaries, each ovum is surrounded by other cells and contained within a capsule called a primary follicle. At puberty, one or more of these follicles are stimulated to mature on a monthly basis. Once matured, these are called Graafian follicles. The female reproductive system does not produce the ova; about 60,000 ova are present at birth, only 400 of which will mature during the woman's lifetime. If the ovum is not fertilized and does not implant, menstruation begins.

Male anatomy and reproductive system

The human male reproduction system is average in terms of complexity. Having two sexes in the race, humans produce by sexual reproduction via internal insemination. Human males produce sperm from the onset of puberty to death. Originally, humans were polygamous, able to rebuild an entire population with 250 females and 250 males. However, with the start of modernity, this was not required and humans became monogamous, for the most part, with the exception of outcast groups. 

External male anatomy

The external genitalia serves both as a urinary exit and a delivery for sperm into the human female during reproduction, both of which are supported by multiple internal organs. The average size of the human penis when erected during sexual intercourse is 6 inches (15 cm) in length and 1 1⁄2 inches (3.8 cm) in diameter, but can range with extremes ranging from 13.5 inches to smaller than 2 inches in length. The penis is divided into the shaft, glans, and the root.  The raised rim at the border of the shaft and glans is called the corona. The urethra runs through the shaft, providing an exit for sperm and urine. The root consists of the expanded ends of the cavernous bodies, which fan out to form the crura and attach to the pubic bone and the expanded end of the spongy body (bulb). The penis has a foreskin that usually covers the glans. In several outcast cultures and far back in human history, this foreskin is removed at birth. In the scrotum, which dangle below the penis, the testicles are held away from the body. This is so sperm can be produced in an environment slightly lower than normal body temperature.

Internal male anatomy

Male internal reproductive structures are the testicles, a duct system, the prostate, and seminal vesicles.

The testicles are the male gonads where sperm and male hormones are produced. Millions of sperm are produced daily in several hundred seminiferous tubules. Cells called the Leydig cells lie between the tubules; these produce hormones called androgens; these consist of testosterone and inhibin. The testicles are held by the spermatic cord, which is a tubelike structure containing blood vessels, nerves, the vas deferens, and a muscle that helps to raise and lower the testicles in response to temperature changes and sexual arousal, in which the testicles are drawn closer to the body.

The prostate gland and the seminal vesicles produce seminal fluid that is mixed with sperm to create semen. The prostate gland lies under the bladder and in front of the rectum. It consists of two main zones: the inner zone that produces secretions to keep the lining of the male urethra moist and the outer zone that produces seminal fluids to facilitate the passage of semen. The seminal vesicles secrete fructose for sperm activation and mobilization, prostaglandins to cause uterine contractions that aid movement through the uterus, and bases that help neutralize the acidity of the vagina. 

Sexual response cycle

Humans are quite sexual, although not as extreme and active as the Xanians. Like most sexual reproducing races, the sexual response is arousal, plateau, orgasm, and resolution, each stage leading to the next. During the excitement phase, one attains the intrinsic motivation to have sex. The plateau phase is the precursor to orgasm, which is mostly biological for males and mostly psychological for females. Orgasm is the release of tension, and the resolution phase, which for male is now in an unaroused state consisting of a refractory (rest) period before the cycle can begin. This rest period may increase with age, but can be as short as a minute or non-existent in teens and young adults.

The female sexual response begins with the excitement phase. Flushed skin or blotches of redness may occur on the chest and back; breasts increase slightly in size and nipples may become hardened and erect. What comes next is swelling of the clitoris, labia minora, and vagina. The muscle that surrounds the vaginal opening tightens and the uterus elevates and grows in size. The vaginal walls begin to produce a lubricating liquid. The second phase, called the plateau phase, is characterized primarily by the intensification of the changes begun during the excitement phase. The plateau phase extends to the brink of orgasm, which initiates the resolution stage; the reversal of the changes begun during the excitement phase. During the orgasm stage the heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and breathing rates peak. The pelvic muscle near the vagina, the anal sphincter, and the uterus contract. Muscle contractions in the vaginal area create a high level of pleasure, though all orgasms are centered in the clitoris. This cycle is quite long, possibly even taking a few minutes.

Psychological aspects

Gender identity is a person's sense of self-identification as female, male, or some outcast identity. However, the vast majority of the human population do not have any gender disorders. Orientation is a human's sexual attraction. Heterosexual people are attracted to the members of the opposite sex. Homosexual people are attracted to people of the same sex. Those who are bisexual are attracted to both men and women. Previously in human history, it was thought that these were decided by environmental factors in a human's childhood. From the 21st century, it was known that all of these are caused by hormone exposure in a woman's womb while the child is a fetus. Due to major advances in medicine and the development of utility fog, a massive decrease in dysphoria and homosexuality has taken place, from 2.3% of the population for homosexuality to 0.023% of the population. Gender dysphoria is virtually non-existent in the human species with the advances of medicine.  

Other than the need to procreate, there are many other reasons people have sex. The other four main reasons for sexual activities are; physical attraction, as a means to an end, to increase emotional connection, and to alleviate insecurity.

Sexuality and age

Human children are typically not truly sexually interested or active until puberty, starting typically at 11 years of age. Children are naturally curious about their bodies and sexual functions. Human children wonder where babies come from, they notice the differences between males and females, and many engage in genital play, which is often mistaken for masturbation. Child sex play includes exhibiting or inspecting the genitals. Many human children take part in some sex play, typically with siblings or friends. Sex play with others usually decreases as children grow, but they may later possess romantic interest in their peers. Curiosity levels remain high during these years, but the main surge in sexual interest occurs in adolescence, approximately starting in 11 to 13 years of age. Along with this, a general understanding of sex and sexuality gradually grows as a human ages. In tropical and subtropical climates, human children wear no clothing and frequently bathe or play in groups without adults or supervision, leaving many opportunities for sexual exploration. By puberty, primary reproductive parts are covered, such as the male penis or testiciles, and female vagina, but the breasts of both sexes remain uncovered except for the most formal of events. This almost never occurs in climates where average temperatures go below 10 °C (50 °F), as the weather is too cold for such activities. After puberty, humans usually have sexual intercourse for the first time at 17 years of age.

On average, from puberty to death, males are more sexually aggressive than their female counterparts. Males can easily be excited and generally have high libido. The mere sight of a female with a well-shaped figure can trigger preparation for sexual intercourse. Females early on are highly selective but eventually settle with a male later on in life, although still early; typically mid-twenties.

Age does not necessarily change the need or desire to be sexually expressive or active. A couple in a long-term relationship may find that the frequency of their sexual activity decreases over time and the type of sexual expression may change.

Sociocultural aspects

Religious sexual morality

Throughout human history, religion and sexuality have often been deeply intertwine, with numerous religious texts having a powerful influence on the role of human sexual behavior. Sexual behavior and sexual expression were traditionally suppressed in the past, with ancient religions, primarily the monotheistic religions of Judaeo-Christian origin, condemning various aspects of human sexuality. However, following the advent of spaceflight and loosening moral behavior, human religions sought to adapt themselves to remain relevant in human society. Christianity grew to become the dominant religion in human civilization not long after the colonization of new worlds by humanity, growing to encompass more than 90% of the total human population. As it grew, the religion's various branches merged to form a largely liberal form of Christianity. Within this new iteration of the religion, aspects of human sexuality became more widely accepted within the ranks of the religious elite, and the morals norms which the new church stood form were adapted to the preferences of the majority of its adherents.

Homosexuality itself is tolerated within human societies throughout known space, however, with Christianity as the dominate religion and moral compass for humans in the galaxy, it is highly stigmatized, and carried out in secret far from others. Bisexuality itself is less stigmatized, but remains on the fringes of society with homosexuality given the culture of the human population. Most humans are willing to tolerate same-sex relationships, but they will never accept marriages between members of the same gender. Gay couples who seek to solidify their relationship have access to civil unions sponsored by the state, but the churches have clarified their position on the matter, and refuse to officiate gay marriages or gay relationships. Marriage itself remains a religious institution within the Conglomerate, and sex before marriage is often looked down upon but never explicitly targeted by adherents. However, sexual behavior is no longer as heavily regulated by the religious authorities as it had been in humanity's past.

Reproductive and sexual rights

Humans have long held the belief that all members of their species have the inalienable right to choose who they share their body with, and thus, they have a very strong view of sexual and reproductive rights and liberties, which have dominated the various cultures of their species. The most hotly debated topic was that of abortion, and the role the mother and father play in the fate of their unborn child. Throughout human history, the rights of the mother and the rights of the unborn child were debated extensively. The mother was given the right to abort her child on demand in many highly-developed and culturally open societies, while more religious and less developed states highly opposed such actions. These views changed as advances in medical technologies were made, and certain birth defects which would have harmed the mother and made the birth itself unviable became easier to fix. Contraceptives became more effective, and sexual education made it easier for new couples to plan out their births, while accepting any unplanned ones without resorting to abortion. Because of all the existing alternatives, abortion itself have become prohibitively expensive, and only couples which can afford an abortion have one, and only under the cover of darkness.

Sexual behavior

General activities and health

In humans, sexual intercourse and sexual activity in general have health benefits, such as an improved sense of smell, stress and blood pressure reduction, increased immunity, and decreased risk of illness. Sexual intimacy and orgasms increase levels of oxytocin, which helps people bond and build trust. Sexual intercourse can also be a disease vector. About 6% of the human population gets infected with a sexually transmitted disease every year, Conglomerate-wide. Almost 100% of these can be annihilated easily due to modern advances in medicine.

Human sexual behavior is driven by desire for sexual gratification, with the eventual byproduct of reproduction. Species-wise, females are seen as the more valuable sex, sexually; given their sexual control and crucial importance in reproduction. Sex depends greatly on the pair and can have diverse social, cognitive, emotional, behavioral impacts. This also means there can be diverse sets of personal bonding and shared emotions during sex, ranging from careless to life-changing.

Sexual attraction

Humans have many views of what they consider attractive, many ranging from the minute to the bizarre. This can range from skin color, facial structure, smile, to hairstyle or length. However, there remains a clear theme on average. In general, any two humans of different sexes and similiar ages can be sexually attracted to each other given time and relationship growth. Females generally find males with tall height, facial hair, big shoulders, a solid chest, a broad back, an angled jawline, and most importantly, forearms, attractive. Males, on the other hand, have lower criteria. They find females with large, plump buttocks, moderately sized breasts, thick thighs, and a low waist-to-hip ratio attractive. With advances in technology, obese populations have dropped as low as human homosexuals.

Creating a relationship

Humans both consciously and subconsciously seek to attract others with whom they can form deep relationships. This may be for companionship, reproduction, or an intimate relationship. This involves interactive processes whereby people find and attract potential partners and maintain a relationship. These processes, which involve attracting one or more partners and maintaining sexual interest, include, and typically lead to:

1. Flirting, the attraction of the sexual attention of another to encourage romance or sexual relations. It can involve body language, conversation, joking, or brief physical contact. Flirting is a socially acceptable way of attracting another human. There are different types of flirting, and most people usually have one way of flirting that makes them most comfortable. When flirting, people can be polite, playful, physical, etc.
2. Seduction, the process whereby one humans deliberately entices another to engage in sexual behavior. This behavior is one that the human seducing would not usually do, unless sexually aroused. This can include groping, fondling, kissing, etc. 

Humans have a somewhat regular system of creating relationships. However, relationships can start in a vast array of ways. In general, if a human male and female find sexual attraction in one another, they may agree to go on a date: a gathering of the two. After getting comfortable with each other, they may enter a semi-permanent union. If even more familiarity is gained, the couple may enter a marriage, a permanent union. It is usually at this point the human couple has intercouse with intention to reproduce. A male and female may skip the dating process all together and may enter a sexual relationship. Partners are often chosen from childhood friends, acquaintances met in during education or at a workplace. Given that humans live in groups of entire families ranging from three to 30 humans, nudity is not minded, but is taboo in public. Thus, sexual intercourse is a private matter between two parties.

Legal issues

Humans have few laws against sexual activity, as any deviants are cast out from society. Adultery in humans is complex and varies across humans. If not pleased by one other, an open relation may be allowed, and the relationship carries on as if nothing as ever happened. In other ways, adultery may result in the annihilation of a relationship. Sex in public is rare, if not non-existent in public, only occurring in socially outcast asteroid colonies, away from important centers of human development. However, since human couples often sleep in rooms in pairs of 4, sex is often ignored in these settings.

Non-consensual intercourse in humans leaves psychological scars on the victim and is considered a grave crime. The perpetrator of the act often receives long sentences or even death at certain times. If the "victim" turns out to have made the whole incident up, they receive the equivalent sentence the perpetrator would have received. Pedohilia is considered a similiar act in human society and convicted perpetrators are either imprisoned for life or are executed. Execution is almost certain for extreme pedophilia. The age of consent Conglomerate-wide is 18 years of age, although in some regions, it may be as low as 16.