Undoubtedly, sex is a special and special word, with uses full of connotations of all kinds, always at the top of internet searches or in countless conversations in bars, sex is a topic that is talked about a lot and, at the same time, silenced. , very popular and largely ignored.
We already know it’s a polysémic word, but it’s funny how this polysemia has to do with how this word has been corrupted throughout history. The meaning of words gradually changes. In the case of “sex”, its meaning has changed as a result of facts, whether social, political or religious. Let’s go a little further.
- The Athenian playwright Aristophanes (444 a.
- C.
- – 385 a.
- C.
- ) is responsible for the presence of this word in our vocabulary.
- One of the characters we find in Le Banquet.
- A series of dialogues written by Plato and of incalculable philosophical value.
- Place during a dinner where several guests.
- Including Socrates and Aristophanes himself.
- Talk about love and Eros.
In this dinner, Aristophanes talks about the famous myth of androgens, in this myth beings could belong to three different categories: male, female and androgen, androgen is all being that has both male and female characteristics, and comes from Latin (andrs, male and giné, woman), which represents the union of the first two categories.
Specifically, this playwright described androgens as “complete” beings, with four arms, four legs, two faces, and two distinct genitalia, these beings defined as round, complete, and powerful, so powerful that they tried to challenge the gods. who decided to punish them for this offense. The punishment was to split these beings in half, so that they would no longer be vigorous, powerful and, above all, complete.
Once this division had been carried out, all the men and women who turned out aspired to meet their other part, so that they could feel ”complete’ again (hence the myth of half the orange). For “cut,” it’s precisely this last word that gives rise to what we call “sex. “Sex comes from sexare and means “separate”, “cut” or “cut”.
The etymology of this word contrasts with the uses we currently use, which is often summarized in three:
This use reduces the word sex to situations of intimate encounter with one or more people. I mean, phrases like “Haven’t I had sex in a long time?”Or did I sleep with a guy yesterday, in the media, in any title of any story.
If we go further and discuss what it means to have sex based on the original meaning, would we talk about relationships, between the sexes?(Of any kind). For this reason, people often talk about “erotic relationships” because this term describes a more specific and intimate type of relationship (does it refer to Eros, which involves desire, attraction, love?).
This use refers to the genitals and is not an appropriate use, because, despite what many people may still believe, the genitals do not define our sex or, in other words, the genitals do not determine our sexual identity.
It is true that the use of sex as synonymous with genitalia is not as common as the previous use, but phrases such as ‘shaved sex’ can still be found.
It is the most correct and harmonious use of the word in relation to its origins, it is this expression that gives meaning to sexology, because it refers to gender identity, to the fact that we are sexual beings, using this?Sex?differentiator, a very powerful source of diversity.
Language builds behaviors, attitudes, and mental patterns. Therefore, it is important that the word sex has a use that allows us to speak more harmoniously. In this way, we can put each concept in place, so that we can describe reality in the best possible way: if there is not a good description of reality, we will hardly be able to ask the right questions. subject, let alone get answers.