ABSTRACT
Humans possess many unique characteristics that set them apart from the rest of living things. No other animal has reached our proficiency in language, art, or war, for example. So, too, our sexual practices are far more diverse and imaginative than are those of other species in the animal kingdom. But what is possible is not always permissible, and human societies impose many restrictions on sexual practices. In the United States “acceptable” sexual behavior is limited to a certain age. Furthermore, the sexual relationships may not occur with anyone “for hire,” within sight of others, with coercion or by position of authority, and with more than one partner at a time. Even marriage does not confer complete sexual liberty, because certain “unnatural” sexual acts, whether occurring between wed or unwed people, are illegal in some states. And sexual taboos go beyond the law. For example, devices such as vibrators, whips, and other “marital aids” are not illegal, but few users leave them in view when in-laws or friends come to visit.
