Sexuality, according to the Declaration of Sexual Rights of the World Association for Sexual Health; It is an integral part of the personality of all individuals. Sexuality development depends on the satisfaction of basic human needs such as love, affection, pleasure, emotional expression, privacy, and contact. Sexuality, which is an integral part of personality, is in a development adventure that starts from the birth of a person.
When we say identity, we can define it as who a person is and the characteristics of his personality. Gender identity is a person's identification with masculinity or femininity. The gender with which a person perceives his body, thoughts and behaviors is evaluated by how masculine or feminine he sees himself psychologically. The sense of sexual identity begins with the discovery of the sexual organs and is the first phase in which the individual begins to know himself and his perception of himself begins to form. According to Freud, one of the scientists who shed light on sexual development, the 0-6 age period is important in this field. This period, known as the psychosexual development process, is briefly the oral, anal and phallic stages. It is a critical period in the development of sexual identity and personality.
In terms of sexual development, the 0-3 age period;
The oral period, from birth to 1.5 years of age. covers the process. During this period, the mouth is the pleasure zone, and behaviors such as sucking, biting and chewing are behaviors that create pleasure. Since the mouth is the pleasure zone, the baby puts everything he/she picks up into his/her mouth during this period. The pleasure a baby feels through sucking is similar to the relief an adult feels as a result of sexual satisfaction. A sexual stimulation like this is just a physiological reaction and is also completely free of sexual thoughts.
The period from 1.5 years old to 3 years old is the anal period. The pleasure zone during this period is the anus muscles. Behaviors that create pleasure are behaviors related to the anus. The child enjoys holding and releasing his feces. He started to control both his own body and his environment. If toilet training given during this period is punitive and oppressive, it will not be healthy for the child's development.
In terms of sexual development, the 3-6 age period;
3-6 age period It is called the phallic period. During this period, the child realizes that the sexual organs are the pleasure zone. arc. He enjoys playing with his genitals and explores them. In this process, daughters feel close to the father and do not want to share the father with the mother. The girl identifies with her mother and models behaviors related to her own gender. This condition is called electra confusion in girls. It is a normal process of sexual identity development. The boy also feels close to the mother and does not want to share the father and mother. This situation is called the Oedipus complex. The child identifies with his father, takes male gender behavior as a model and tries to replace the father.
Girls and boys may have hostile feelings towards the parent of the same gender. They begin to feel more closeness to the parent of the opposite sex, and they need to have a partner due to their social role. It should not be forgotten that these attempts of the child are only childish. She begins to learn gender roles by taking her parents or the adults who replace her as a model. The daughter may want to show affection to her father and get closer to him. Jealous of the father and the mother, he may want to take his place. By taking the mother's place, he begins to gain roles related to his gender. The boy wants to show love to his mother and possess her. He is jealous of his mother and father, and begins to gain roles related to his gender by trying to replace the father. They are in a state of competition during this period. There is a need for another's desire. It is an effort to imitate and learn the roles they identify with in order to gain attention and love. Finding appropriate examples of identification is an important factor in the development of sexual identity.
In this process, positive attitudes and behaviors should be exhibited towards the child, love and closeness should be shown, and their needs should be met. The first foundations of basic human needs such as intimacy, integration and belonging are laid in this stage. This is the origin of psychological dynamics such as love, closeness and attachment in adulthood. Likewise, in order for children to love when they reach adulthood, they must have been loved during this period. The first point at which the child discovers his own sexuality is the first moment when he learns the ways of establishing relationships. The child's interest in genital organs and sexuality has increased. Anatomical differences in men and women and questions about sexuality he asks. It should be explained that sexual organs are a part of our body like other organs.
The feeling of curiosity in this period is a transition between the stages of sexual development. Children feel the need to ask questions about sexuality in order to understand, discover and resolve the uncertainty in their minds. The sense of curiosity must be fed with accurate information, and prohibitive, accusatory attitudes and inconsistent answers should be avoided. In order for the child to solve the conflicts he or she experiences, it is necessary to direct the child's sense of curiosity correctly and not inhibit the desire to explore. During this period, children can satisfy their sexual curiosity with sexual games such as playing house or doctor. Playing doctor can be considered the beginning of establishing a relationship with the opposite sex. These playful behaviors seen in children may frighten families, but they are not abnormal. It means that the child is curious about these subjects. It is important for the child to see healthy models and resolve the conflicts he/she experiences in gaining a positive identity regarding his/her gender.
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