Cultural Differences

Catholicism and Argentinian sexuality

Catholicism shaped views of the body as sinful and sex as morally conflicted; tension between desire and shame; stigma around premarital sex; lack of sexual education about contraception and STIs

Why Argentinian boys saw sex workers historically

Seen as a rite of passage to prove virility; influenced by machismo (exaggerated masculinity and male pride)

Gender roles in Argentina

Men expected to be strong and dominant; women seen as fragile; stigma against feminine men, homosexuality, and transgender individuals

Tanzanian views of women historically

Men hold power; women are subordinate; roles focused on childbearing, domestic work, and marriage; limited formal power; bridewealth practices

Kinship patterns in Tanzania

Patrilineal: inheritance and power through father’s line (majority ~80%); Matrilineal: status through mother’s clan

Sexual life in Tanzania

Sex tied to reproduction, kinship expansion, and pleasure; taught through initiation; pleasure is accepted; adultery, homosexuality, incest, and rape are prohibited; virginity valued in some groups

Dry sex definition and risks

Sex without lubrication or foreplay; ignores female pleasure; causes pain and lack of arousal; risks include vaginal tearing, disruption of natural bacteria, and higher STI/HIV risk

Practices banned in most Tanzanian tribes

Adultery, homosexuality, incest, and rape

Illegal sexual practices in Tanzania

Pornography and same-sex sexual activity

Three submissions under Confucianism

Women must submit to father, husband, and eldest son

Vietnamese women and jewelry

Jewelry used as personal financial security; belief that women should not depend fully on men

Vietnamese views on marriage

Marriage often delayed; historically age norms (girls ~14+, men ~16+); influenced by Confucianism; often viewed pragmatically rather than romantically

Vietnamese views on gender diversity

Practices like “bong cai” involve spirit possession and gender expression; transgender women (“sixers”) typically have relationships with men; LGBTQ+ identities often considered taboo