Why are certain body parts considered private but not others?

[Anonymous]

Who decides which part of the body is private? Who decides which part of the body is sexual? Why is it acceptable to shake hands or even to pinch cheeks but not grab someone’s butt? What decides what constitutes as private or even sexual? Nature and human psychology? Society and culture?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who decides which part of the body is private? Who decides which part of the body is sexual? Why is it acceptable to shake hands or even to pinch cheeks but not grab someone’s butt? What decides what constitutes as private or even sexual? Nature and human psychology? Society and culture?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

“Society and culture” didn’t decide that certain parts are sexual. You can’t reproduce by rubbing elbows with another person.

[Anonymous]

Is there something you would like to take off the list? Or add to the list?

[Anonymous]

I'm sure at least some of it is the puritans who founded our country--most other cultures don't have so many bodily hangups as Americans.

[Anonymous]

Some women have to wear a burqa because every body part is considered private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Society and culture” didn’t decide that certain parts are sexual. You can’t reproduce by rubbing elbows with another person.

That doesn't explain why women's breasts are considered sexual or why ancient China considered women's feet sexual or Orthodox Jews consider married women's hair private.

[Anonymous]

Even my dogs don’t want their private and feet touched. Seems normal to me that we would feel that way too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure at least some of it is the puritans who founded our country--most other cultures don't have so many bodily hangups as Americans.

? It goes back way farther than that. When you see paintings of Adam and Eve, which parts are covered up? They were naked and they were ashamed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Society and culture” didn’t decide that certain parts are sexual. You can’t reproduce by rubbing elbows with another person.

That doesn't explain why women's breasts are considered sexual or why ancient China considered women's feet sexual or Orthodox Jews consider married women's hair private.

Except they wear a wig that looks exactly like their real hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Society and culture” didn’t decide that certain parts are sexual. You can’t reproduce by rubbing elbows with another person.

That doesn't explain why women's breasts are considered sexual or why ancient China considered women's feet sexual or Orthodox Jews consider married women's hair private.

without going into explicit territory if you don’t know how the breasts are sexual you have not been with the right person yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Society and culture” didn’t decide that certain parts are sexual. You can’t reproduce by rubbing elbows with another person.

That doesn't explain why women's breasts are considered sexual or why ancient China considered women's feet sexual or Orthodox Jews consider married women's hair private.

without going into explicit territory if you don’t know how the breasts are sexual you have not been with the right person yet.

The pp defined sexual as used in reproduction, which breasts are not. Lots of areas can feel good/sensual/sexual when touched.

[Anonymous]

Because stroking the arm of an 8 year old is not going to cause life long trauma.

OP must be a troll

[Anonymous]

It seems to change. Just look at fashion trends. I think it's kind of creepy actually that breasts have been made to be sexual when their original and main purpose is for feeding children, to the point that some women don't even want to use them for their intended purpose as if they have been totally brainwashed into thinking that's not what they are for.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Africa for a while. In the country I was in, women openly breastfed their children, in public, at church, by taking down their top and making no effort to be discreet at all. On the other hand, women did not wear pants. Only skirts or dresses were socially acceptable. Pants were seen as sexual for women. It was a totally different cultural understanding of private.