The relationship between religion and sexual experience is multifaceted and varies across cultures and historical periods.
Some religious traditions emphasize chastity before marriage, while others promote polygamy. Some religions allow interfaith marriages, while others forbid them. Some religions encourage celibacy, while others permit prostitution. Sexual practices vary within a single culture too, depending on social class, age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
Religion often provides a framework for understanding gender roles, which can influence how individuals think about and express their sexuality.
Islam views men and women differently regarding sexual attraction, arousal, and pleasure. Islamic culture generally teaches that men are stronger and more sexual than women, who must be submissive to male desire. This belief system reinforces patriarchal power dynamics and shapes female sexual experiences. In contrast, Christianity stresses modesty and purity but does not explicitly exclude women from sexual activity or pleasure. Therefore, Christian women may feel more entitled to pursue intimacy and eroticism.
Cultural expectations can also shape the psychological experience of sex.
Many Western societies view heterosexual relationships as normative and homosexual relationships as deviant. This stigma creates feelings of shame and guilt in LGBTQ+ individuals, who often face discrimination in the workplace, school, and family life. Gender-nonconforming people may struggle with acceptance and belonging due to society's narrow definition of masculinity and femininity.
Some religious cultures consider premarital sex immoral or sinful, creating anxiety around exploring one's sexual desires before marriage.
Religion may affect mental health by promoting negative beliefs about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Many faith communities believe HIV/AIDS is divine punishment for illicit behavior, leading to avoidance of condoms and testing. This attitude increases risky behaviors among uninformed populations, especially those already marginalized by poverty, education, and access to care. Religious leaders may also encourage abstinence-only education, which denies adolescents accurate information about birth control and safe sex practices.