Redundancy

aww i didnt tell u? hmmm some fag came into their factory (where i work now) and shot them for simply beeying the ONLY honest business owners in this STUPID city... and get this! HE owned them money not the opposite, so instead of talkin to them he came and shot them...

i was in the church in the morning... well i had to go cause exacly 1 year ago my uncles were killed :cry: and i got back home about 1 hour ago... im so tired and need sleep :P what about you? :kiss:

oh well its a pleasure for me :D

Still Fix you :P

ah i dont wanna leave u alone ;) ill stay a bit more :kiss: :kiss: :kiss:

King Kong :cool: the movie is one the best in history by the way Nic ;) Beer or Wine?

last one... Coldplay - Gravity :heart:

byebye sweetheart :) have a good day! :kiss: :kiss: hope to speak to u later :)

we both rock :cool: King Kong or Godzilla? :P

me too... byebye buddy! take care and have a good day ;) :kiss: :kiss: (u know where they go) :rolleyes:

Belgian beer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Pierlala beer is one of the artisanal Belgian beersBelgian beer comprises the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world. Belgian beer-brewing's origins go back to the Middle-Ages, when monasteries began producing beers. Naturally, Belgians claim that theirs are the best beers in the world. This view is supported by beer experts such as Michael Jackson. Although beer production in Belgium is now dominated by Inbev (the world's largest brewer by volume) and Alken Maes, there remain 115 breweries in the country, producing about 500 standard beers. When special one-off beer styles are included, the total number of types of Belgian beer exceeds 1000. These days, Belgian beers are sold in brown (or sometimes dark green) tinted glass bottles (to avoid negative effects of light on the beverage) and sealed with a cork, a metal crown cap, or sometimes both. Some beers are refermented (subjected to a final fermentation phase) in the bottle. These are often labeled "bottle-conditioned." Although many major brands of beer are available at most supermarkets, beverage centers located throughout the country generally offer a far wider selection, albeit at somewhat higher prices. Fortunately, Belgium contains literally thousands of pubs (called cafés in Belgium) in spread throughout the country that offer a wide selection of beers usually served with care. To fully appreciate the wide variety of tastes in Belgian beers, each beer should be served at its "ideal" temperature (which is usually in the range of cellar temperature: 8–15°C or 46–59°F) and in an appropriate glass. The vast majority of Belgian beers are sold only in bottles—tap beers tend mostly to be pilsners and the occasional one-off. For the more adventurous, vintage beers are becoming somewhat easier to find. Beers that are bottle-conditioned and then aged often experience a taste evolution that, when successful, vastly improves the flavor of the beer. Although there are hundreds of beer cafés throughout Belgium, among the most famous are "Beer Circus," "L'atelier," "Moeder Lambic," and "Delirium Café" in Brussels; "de Kulminator" and "Kats" in Antwerp, "De Garre" and "t Brugs Beertje" in Bruges, and "Het waterhuis aan de bierkant", "Hopduvel" and "Trappistenhuis" in Ghent. Virtually each beer has its own glass. Beyond the basic shape of the glass (wide-mouth goblet, curvacious tulip glass, tall pilsener, etc), each glass is imprinted with a logo or name. The different basic shapes are designed to enhance the flavor and aroma of the particular beer. Different bottle sizes exist: 250 ml, 330 ml, 375 ml, 750 ml and multiples of 750. The 375 ml size is usually for lambics. Other beers are generally bottled in 250 or 330 format (depending on brands). The bigger bottles (750 ml) are sold almost in every food shop but the choice is often not wide. Larger size bottles are named following the terminology used for champagne but are quite rare. In Belgian cafés, when someone orders a demi (English: "half"), he receives a 500 ml glass (with beer from the tap, or from 2 bottles of 250 ml) whereas in France, demi means a 250 ml glass. [edit] Kinds of beers Chimay is one of Belgium's famous Trappist beers Leffe served in special glassesPilsner-style lager, or Pils: although Belgium is best known internationally for its unique top-fermented beers, it is the common bottom-fermented pilsner lager which heads the lists of both domestic consumption and exports. The most well-known brand internationally is Stella Artois, while Jupiler is the most popular in Belgium, along with Maes pils. White beers: a particular kind of wheat beer which often contains spices, such as coriander and orange peel. Some classical examples are La Binchoise Blond, Hoegaarden, Brugs and Steendonck. Abbey beers: these are top-fermented ales which are either associated in some way with an abbey or an imitation of abbey-style brewing. A few of these beers are still produced in abbey breweries to centuries-old recipes, while most are merely licensed by an abbey. The most internationally well-known brand of Abbey beer is Interbrew's Leffe. Others include Grimbergen, Tripel Karmeliet, Maredsous, Watou, Saint-Feuillien, Floreffe, and Val-Dieu. Dubbel beers: brown beverages brewed with double fermentation (Enghien, Grimbergen). Tripel beers: blond or sometimes brown, it uses the process of triple fermentation, which makes them strong in alcohol and taste (Sint-Iedesbald, Brugse Tripel). Quadrupel: Even stronger than a tripel, these add an additional fermentation phase. Rochefort 10 and La Trappe Quadrupel are examples. Blond beers: like Duvel, Delirium Tremens, Blond Ciney and Brigand. Brown beers: try Kwak, Brown Ciney or Forbidden Fruit. Trappist beers: top-fermented ales brewed in a Trappist monastery. For a beer to qualify for this category, the entire production process must be carried out by, or supervised by, Trappist monks on the site of the monastery. Only seven monasteries currently meet this qualification, all of which are in Belgium or the Netherlands. The current Trappist brands are Achel, Chimay, La Trappe, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren. Lambic Beers (including Gueuze and Fruit Lambics): unique to Belgium and distinguished by their tart taste, Lambics are neither top-fermented nor bottom-fermented, being prepared through spontaneous fermentation by wild yeasts endemic to the vicinity of Brussels. There are various types of Lambics. In its most natural form, Lambic is a draught beer which is rarely bottled, and thus only available in its area of production and one or two cafes in Brussels. Major brands include Mort Subite, Belle Vue, Cantillon and Saint-Louis. Some more mainstream brewers like Mort Subite and St. Louis do not suscribe to the orthodox rules of lambic production, adding extra sugars to sweeten their beers. Gueuze, also known informally as Brussels Champagne, is a sparkling beer produced by combining a young Lambic with more mature vintages. Exponents of this style are Girardin, Oud Beersel, Drie Fontijnen, Cantillon and Boon. Fruit beers are made by adding fruit or fruit concentrate to Lambic beer. The most common type is Kriek (made with cherries). Other fruits used are raspberry (Framboos), peach and blackcurrant. 'Belgian Red': typified by Rodenbach, the epynomous brand that started this type over a century ago, this beer's distinguishing features from a technical viewpoint are a specially roasted malt, fermentation by a mixture of several 'ordinary' high-fermenting yeasts and a lactobacillus culture (the same type of bacteria yoghurt is made with) and maturation in oak. The result is a mildly strong 'drinking' beer with a deep reddish-brown color and a distinctly acidic yet fruity and mouthy taste. Amber beers. Modifications of British-style ales (hence high-fermenting) that were developed in the first half of the twentieth century to accommodate the discerning Belgian taste. The undisputed market leader Palm has an extremely mouthy, almost gluey taste. The De Koninck brand with its distinctive spherical glasses ('bollekes') is wildly popular in its native city Antwerp, being one of the many sources of pride to her notoriously chauvinistic locals.

:sneaky: :kiss: Or :heart:

Coldplay - The Scientist

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Jupiler From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Jupiler is a Belgian beer (pilsener), brewed by InBev, the largest brewery company in the world. It is the most famous and most popular beer in Belgium. However, InBev exports mainly Stella Artois. Its ingredients are malt, maize, water, hop and yeast. It consists of 5.2% ABV. Its name come from the municipality of Jupille where it was first brewed by Brasserie Piedboeuf. Jupiler is also the main sponsor of the highest Belgian football division

Fix You From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search "Fix You" Single by Coldplay from the album X&Y Released September 5, 2005 Format 7", CD, 10", 12" Recorded ? Genre Alternative Length 4:09 (Edit) 4:37 (Video Edit) Label Parlophone Writer(s) Producer(s) Coldplay, Ken Nelson Certification {{{Certification}}} Chart positions #4 (UK Singles Chart) #59 (US Billboard Hot 100) #20 (US Modern Rock Tracks) #4 (Canada) Coldplay singles chronology "Speed of Sound" (2005) "Fix You" (2005) "Talk" (2005) "Fix You" is the second single from Coldplay's third album, X&Y. It was released on September 5, 2005 to avoid competing against Oasis' "The Importance of Being Idle" (released August 22) on the UK Singles Chart. [1] When writing the song, Chris Martin was influenced by Muse's use of a church organ on the track "Megalomania" from their album Origin of Symmetry. To replicate that sound, Martin used an old keyboard that his late father-in-law (Bruce Paltrow) gave to his wife Gwyneth Paltrow. [2] However, in other instances Martin has claimed that "Fix You" is a copy of Elbow's 2003 anthem "Grace Under Pressure". [3] The song is the only song by the band in which all four members of the band sing simultaneously. The song was supported by 60 alternative rock radio stations in the United States, including WNNX (Atlanta), KNDD (Seattle), WAVF (Charleston), XTRA (San Diego), and WFNX (Boston). The song was also played on the popular television programme The O.C., and it was performed by the band at Saturday Night Live and Live 8. The song debuted on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart on August 28, 2005. It reached #18 on the chart. "Fix You" also reached #52 on the Billboard Pop 100, #38 on the Adult Top 40, and #29 on the Hot Digital Songs chart. On September 14, Coldplay released the Fix You EP on the iTunes Music Store. All of the sales will go to the American Red Cross Hurricane 2005 Relief and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences’ MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund. iTunes Link This song was also played on Shelter from the Storm. It has also became a tribute song for the victims and eventually became the anthem for the event. A portion of this song was featured on TV Spots ("Alone" and 'Epic") of Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong and was used as a promotional tool to attract younger audiences. However, the song was not featured in the final film nor the original soundtrack. Note: This album has been released with the Copy Control protection system in some regions. Contents [hide] 1 Track listings 1.1 In the UK 1.2 In Europe 1.3 In Australia 1.4 In Japan 1.5 iTunes EP 2 Music video [edit] Track listings [edit] In the UK 7" R6671, 10" 10R66771, 12" 12R6671 "Fix You" (edit) "The World Turned Upside Down" Enhanced CD CDRS6671 "Fix You" (edit) "The World Turned Upside Down" "Pour Me" (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) "Fix You" (video) [edit] In Europe CD "Fix You" (edit) "The World Turned Upside Down" [edit] In Australia CD 3410002 released September 12, 2005 by Capitol Records "Fix You" (edit) "The World Turned Upside Down" "Pour Me" (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) [edit] In Japan CD TOCP-40184 released September 14, 2005 by Toshiba-EMI "Fix You" (edit) "The World Turned Upside Down" [edit] iTunes EP "Fix You" (edit) "The World Turned Upside Down" "Pour Me" (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) "Fix You" (live) [edit] Music video The band performing "Fix You"The music video for "Fix You" was shot at the end of two concerts on July 4 and July 5, 2005 at Reebok Stadium in Bolton, England. The concertgoers doubled as extras for the video shoot, which required two takes on each day to complete. [4] In the first half of the video, Chris Martin wanders the streets of London, while the slogan "Make Trade Fair" is projected onto the National Film Theatre, using the same ITA2 colour scheme on the cover of X&Y. As soon as the guitar kicks in, Chris darts through streets corners at lightning speeds until finally reaching the Reebok Stadium, where he joins the rest of the band for the song's finale. Rumours in the USA suggesting that, given the location of some of the footage, the video was a tribute following the 7 July 2005 London bombings are untrue. The video was filmed before July 2005. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Coldplay - Till Kingdom Come

Ghent From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This page is about the Belgian city. For other places called Ghent, see Ghent (disambiguation). Ghent Province: East Flanders District: Ghent Area: 156.18 km² Population: 230.951 (2005) Population density: 1478.74 /km² Ghent (Gent in Dutch, Gand in French, formerly Gaunt in English) is a city located in Flanders, Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders Province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and became in the Middle Ages one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe. Today it is a busy city with a large harbour and University. The city is connected to the sea by the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, it lies at the intersection of the European highways E17 and E40 and it has one of the busiest railway stations in Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Ghent proper and the towns of Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Gentbrugge, Ledeberg, Mariakerke, Mendonk, Oostakker, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Wondelgem and Zwijnaarde. With around 230 000 inhabitants Ghent is Belgium's second largest municipality and the country's third largest conurbation. The current major, Frank Beke, leads a coalition of the SP.a and VLD. Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Tourism 2.1 Architecture 2.2 Restaurants 2.3 Festivities 2.4 Museums 3 Economy 4 Famous people 5 See also 6 External links 7 References [edit] History Ghent in 1775Archeologic evidence shows human presence in the region of the confluence of Scheldt and Lys going back as far as the Stone Age and the Iron Age[1]. Most historians believe that the older name for Ghent, 'Ganda' is derived from the Celtic word 'ganda' which means confluence[1]. There are no written records of the Roman period but archeological research confirms that the region of Ghent was further inhabited. When the Franks invaded the Roman territories (from the end of the 4th century and well into the 5th century) they brought their language with them and Celtic and Latin were replaced by (ancient) Dutch. Around 650 Saint Amand founded two abbeys in Ghent the Saint Peter Abbeye and the Saint Bavo Abbeye. The city grew from several nuclei, the abbeys and a commercial centre. Around 800 Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, appointed Einhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, as abbot of both abbeys. In 851 and 879 the city was however attacked and plundered twice by the vikings. Belfry of Ghent. Behind it the Saint Nicholas church is visible.The city recovered and flourished from the 11th century on. Until the 13th century Ghent was the biggest city in Europe after Paris; it was bigger than London, Cologne or Moscow. Within the city walls lived up to 65.000 people. Today, the center of the city still has several large towers, the belfry and the towers of the Cathedral and Sint-Niklaas Church are just a few examples of what could be called the 'Manhattan of the Middle Ages'. The rivers flowed in an area where a lot of land was periodically inundated. These richly grassed 'meersen' ("water-meadows": a word related to the English 'marsh', but not meaning exactly the same, a 'meers' is not permanently under water) were ideally suited for herding sheep, the wool of which was used for making cloth. In fact, Ghent was during the middle ages the most important city for cloth. Ghent was a city where the wool-industry originally established at Bruges (Brugge) created the first European industrialized zone in the High Middle Ages; the mercantile zone was so highly-developed that wool had to be imported from England. This was one of the reasons for Flanders' good relationship with England. Ghent was the birthplace of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. The trade with England suffered a lot in the hundred years war and in the 15th century other cities like Antwerp took over in economic prosperity. In 1500 Juana of Castile gave birth to Charles V, who became Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Although native to Ghent, he punished the city's rebellion severely in 1540 and obliged them to walk in front of the emperor barefoot with a noose (Dutch: strop) around the neck. Since this incident the people of Ghent are called "Stroppendragers" (noose bearers). The late 16th and the 17th century brought a lot of troubles because of the Religious wars. At one time Ghent was a calvinistic city, but eventually the Spanish army reinstated catholicism. In the 18th and 19th century Ghent the textile industry flourished again in Ghent. Lieven Bauwens introduced the first mechanical weaving machine on the European continent, of which he smuggled the plans out of England. Ghent was also the site of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent which formally ended the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States of America. After the battle of Waterloo Ghent made part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands for 15 years. In this period Ghent got its own university (1817) and a new connection to the sea (1824–27). After the Belgian Revolution, the first Belgian trade-union originated in Ghent. In 1913 there was a World exhibition in Ghent. As a preparation for these festivities the Sint-Pieters railway station, was completed in 1912. [edit] Tourism [edit] Architecture Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its center is the largest carfree area in Belgium. Interesting highlights are the Saint Bavo Cathedral with the Ghent Altarpiece, the belfry, the Gravensteen castle, and the splendid architecture along the old Graslei harbour. Ghent established a nice blend between comfort of living and history - it is not a city-museum. The city of Ghent houses also three béguinages and numerous churches, among which the Saint-Jacobs church and the Saint-Nicolas Church are the most beautiful examples. There is an opera house and a few theatres. Highlights of modern architecture are the University buildings (the "Boekentoren" or Book Tower) by Henry Van de Velde. [edit] Restaurants As most Belgian cities, Ghent offers a rich variety of local and foreign cuisine. Especially the quarter called "Patershol" has a concentration of restaurants. The "Sleepstraat" a little bit further north houses a bunch of Turkish restos and food bars. [edit] Festivities The city is host to some big cultural events such as the Gentse Feesten, I Love Techno, Flanders International Film Festival Ghent and Festival van Vlaanderen. Night bus services (weekends only) are free of charge. [edit] Museums Important museums in Ghent are the Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts), with paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Jean Fouquet, and many Flemish masters; the SMAK or Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (City Museum for Contemporary Art), with works of the 20th century, including Joseph Beuys and Panamarenko; and the Designmuseum. The Huis van Alijn (House of the Alijn family) was originally a beguinage and is now a museum for folk art. This museum often presents theatre and puppet shows for children. There is also a museum presenting the industrial strength of Ghent, the Museum voor Industriële Archeologie en Textiel or MIAT. Here you can find recreations of workshops and stores from the 1800s and can see the spinning and weaving machines that remain in this building what was once a weaving mill. [edit] Economy Ghent has in the north of the city the third largest harbour of Belgium, which is accessed by the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, which ends near the Dutch port of Terneuzen on the Western Scheldt. The harbour house, among others, big companies like Sidmar, Volvo Cars, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Parts, Honda, Stora Enso. The Ghent University any group of reasearch oriened companies are situated in the centre and southern part. As the biggest city of East-Flanders, Ghent has many hospitals, schools and shopping streets. More and more tourism becomes a major segment of employment. [edit] Famous people Statue of Jacob van Artevelde on the Friday market in GhentFamous people that were born or lived in Ghent include John of Gaunt Leo Baekeland Lieven Bauwens Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Johan Daisne Einhard Jan Hoet Victor Horta Maurice Maeterlinck Richard Minne Gerard Mortier Jacques Rogge Jodocus Hondius Joseph Plateau Jacob van Artevelde Frits van den Berghe Hugo van der Goes :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

dirty Nipple! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

holly shit its... LIVELY NIPPLE :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

NICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC WTS VIEZE EIKEL? :P aw poor sweetheart :( hope u get better very soon! im fine ;)

:sneaky: :sneaky: :sneaky: Love From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Love (disambiguation). The heart, a frequent modern symbol of loveLove has several different meanings in the English language, from something that gives a little pleasure ("I loved that meal") to something one would die for (patriotism, pair-bonding). It can describe an intense feeling of affection, an emotion or an emotional state. In ordinary use, it usually refers to interpersonal love. Probably due to its emotional primacy, love is one of the most common themes in art. Love might best be defined as acting intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote overall well-being. Or to put simply, "love responds intentionally to promote well-being". (Thomas Jay Oord). Love is inherent in all human cultures and thus may be seen as a defining trait of humanity, that is, love is a quality that makes one human. It is precisely these cultural differences that make any universal definition of love difficult, but not impossible, to establish. See the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Expressions of love may include the love for a soul or mind, the love of laws and organizations, love for a body, love for nature, love of food, love of money, love for learning, love of power, love of fame, love for the respect of others, etcetera. Different people place varying degrees of importance on the kinds of love they receive. Love is essentially an abstract concept, easier to experience than to explain. Love may be compared to the truth, for one must love to find the truth, but most will find love on more instinct levels. Emotions Acceptance Anger Anticipation Boredom Disgust Envy Fear Guilt Hate Hope Joy Jealousy Love Regret Remorse Sadness Shame Sorrow Surprise Contents [hide] 1 Impersonal love 2 Religious love 3 Scientific models 3.1 Attraction and attachment 3.2 Companionate vs. passionate 3.3 Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love 3.4 Love styles 3.5 Phases 4 Cultural views 4.1 Chinese 4.2 Japanese 4.3 Ancient Greek 4.4 Latin 4.5 Indonesian and Malaysian 5 Religious views 5.1 Buddhist 5.2 Christian 5.3 Hindu 5.4 Islamic 5.5 Jewish 5.6 Mythological 5.7 Theological 6 See also 6.1 Human love 6.2 Other types of love (philias) 7 References 8 External links [edit] Impersonal love Eros Mythological God and symbol of loveA person can be said to love a country, principle, or goal if they value it greatly and are deeply committed to it. Similarly, compassionate outreach and volunteer workers' 'love' of their cause may be born not of interpersonal love, but impersonal love coupled with altruism and strong political convictions. People can also 'love' material objects, animals, or activities if they invest themselves in bonding their identity with that item. (ex: "I love cheese.") In some cases there may be an erotic component to such feeling of love. If that desire reaches the point of being acted out, it may be considered unhealthy, and fall under the category of paraphilia. [edit] Religious love Whether religious love can be expressed in similar terms to interpersonal love is a matter for philosophical debate. Religious 'love' might be considered a euphemistic term, more closely describing feelings of deference or acquiescence. Most religions use the term love to express the devotion the follower has to their deity, who may be a living guru or religious teacher. This love can be expressed by prayer, service, good deeds, and personal sacrifice. Lizzie religiously loves Jeff. Emily Skinner is Lizzie's neighbor. Reciprocally, the followers may believe that the deity loves the followers and all of creation. Some traditions encourage the development of passionate love in the believer for the deity. Refer to Religious Views below. [edit] Scientific models Swans forming a heart shape, the shape a common symbol for love.Biological models of love tend to see it as a mammalian drive, just like hunger or thirst. Psychology sees love as more of a social and cultural phenomenon. There are probably elements of truth in both views — certainly love is influenced by hormones (such as oxytocin) and pheromones, and how people think and behave in love is influenced by their conceptions of love. [edit] Attraction and attachment The conventional view in biology is that there are two major drives in love — sexual attraction and attachment. Attachment between adults is presumed to work on the same principles that lead an infant to become attached to his or her mother or father. In the February 2006 issue of National Geographic, Lauren Slater's cover page article "Love: The Chemical Reaction" discusses love and the chemicals responsible. In it Slater explains some of the research in the area. Some key points: The serotonin effects of being in love have a simliar chemical appearance to obsessive-compulsive disorder. For this reason some assert that being on a SSRI, which treats OCD, impedes ones ability to fall in love. The long-term attachment felt after the initial passion is over is a result of chemicals such as oxytocin. Things like massaging and "making love" can help trigger oxytocin. Novelty triggers attraction, so nerve-racking activities like riding a roller coaster are good dates. [edit] Companionate vs. passionate The traditional psychological view sees love as being a combination of companionate love and passionate love. Passionate love is intense longing, and is often accompanied by physiological arousal (shortness of breath, rapid heart rate). Companionate love is affection and a feeling of intimacy not accompanied by physiological arousal. [edit] Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love It has been suggested that triangular theory of love be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) In psychologist Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love, love is characterized by three elements: intimacy, passion and commitment. Each of these elements can be present in a relationship, producing the following combinations: Combinations of intimacy, passion, and commitment intimacy passion commitment Liking or friendship x Infatuation or limerence x Empty love x Romantic love x x Companionate love x x Fatuous love x x Consummate love x x x Liking includes only one of the love components - intimacy. In this case, liking is not used in a trivial sense. Sternberg says that this intimate liking characterizes true friendships, in which a person feels a bondedness, a warmth, and a closeness with another but not intense passion or long-term commitment. Infatuated love consists solely of passion and is often what is felt as "love at first sight." But without the intimacy and the commitment components of love, infatuated love may disappear suddenly. Empty love consists of the commitment component without intimacy or passion. Sometimes, a stronger love deteriorates into empty love, in which the commitment remains, but the intimacy and passion have died. In cultures in which arranged marriages are common, relationships often begin as empty love. Empty love can also be seen in couples that are estranged but feel that they are bound by commitment. Romantic love is a combination of intimacy and passion. Romantic lovers are bonded emotionally (as in liking) and physically through passionate arousal. Companionate love consists of intimacy and commitment. This type of love is often found in marriages in which the passion has gone out of the relationship, but a deep affection and commitment remain. Fatuous love has the passion and the commitment components but not the intimacy component. This type of love can be exemplified by a whirlwind courtship and marriage in which a commitment is motivated largely by passion, without the stabilizing influence of intimacy. Consummate love is the only type of love that includes all three components--intimacy, passion and commitment. Consummate love is the most complete form of love, and it represents the ideal love relationship for which many people strive but which apparently few achieve. Sternberg cautions that maintaining a consummate love may be even harder than achieving it. He stresses the importance of translating the components of love into action. "Without expression," he warns, "even the greatest of loves can die." (1987, p.341) [edit] Love styles Susan Hendrick and Clyde Hendrick developed a Loves Attitude Scale based on John Alan Lee's theory called Love styles. Lee identified six basic theories that people use in their interpersonal relationships: Eros (romantic love) — a passionate physical love based on physical appearance and beauty. Ludus (game playing)— love is played as a game; love is playful; often involves little or no commitment and thrives on "conquests". Storge (companionate love) — an affectionate love that slowly develops, based on similarity and friendship. Pragma (pragmatic love) — inclination to select a partner based on practical and rational criteria where both will benefit from the partnership. Mania (possessive love) — highly emotional love; unstable; the stereotype of romantic love; its characteristics include jealousy and conflict. Agapē (altruistic love) — selfless altruistic love; spiritual The Hendricks found men tend to be more ludic and manic, whereas women tend to be storgic and pragmatic. Relationships based on similar love styles were found to last longer. [edit] Phases Helen Fisher suggests three main phases of love: lust, attraction, and attachment. Generally love will start off in the lust phase, strong in passion but weak in the other elements. The primary motivator at this stage is the basic sexual instinct. Appearance, smells, and other similar factors play a decisive role in screening potential mates. However, as time passes, the other elements may grow and passion may shrink — this depends upon the individual. So what starts as infatuation or empty love may well develop into one of the fuller types of love. At the attraction stage the person concentrates their affection on a single mate and fidelity becomes important. Likewise, when a person has known a loved one for a long time, they develop a deeper attachment to their partner. According to current scientific understanding of love, this transition from the attraction to the attachment phase usually happens in about 30 months. After that time, the passion fades, changing love from consummate to companionate, or from romantic love to liking. 'Sacred Love versus Profane Love' by Giovanni Baglione[edit] Cultural views [edit] Chinese In contemporary Chinese language and culture, several terms or root words are used for the concept of "love": Ai (愛) is used as a verb (e.g. Wo ai ni, "I love you") or as a noun, especially in aiqing (愛情), "love" or "romance." In mainland China since 1949, airen (愛人, originally "lover," or more literally, "love person") is the dominant word for "spouse" (with separate terms for "wife" and "husband" originally being de-emphasized); the word once had a negative connotation, which it retains among many on Taiwan. Lian (戀) is not generally used alone, but instead as part of such terms as "being in love" (談戀愛, tan lian'ai—also containing ai), "lover" (戀人, lianren) or "homosexuality" (同性戀, tongxinglian). Qing (情), commonly meaning "feeling" or "emotion," often indicates "love" in several terms. It is contained in the word aiqing (愛情); qingren (情人) is a term for "lover". In Confucianism, lian is a virtuous benevolent love. Lian should be pursued by all human beings, and reflects a moral life. The Chinese philosopher Mozi developed the concept of ai (愛) in reaction to Confucian lian. Ai, in Mohism, is universal love towards all beings, not just towards friends or family, without regard to reciprocation. Extravagance and offensive war are inimical to ai. Although Mozi's thought was influential, the Confucian lian is how most Chinese conceive of love. Gănqíng (感情), the feeling of a relationship. A person will express love by building good gănqíng, accomplished through helping or working for another. Emotional attachment toward another person or anything. Yuanfen (緣份) is a connection of bound destinies. A meaningful relationship is often conceived of as dependent strong yuanfen. It is very similar to serendipity. A similar conceptualization in English is, "They were made for each other," "fate," or "destiny". Zaolian (Simplified: 早恋, Traditional: 早戀, pinyin: zǎoliàn), literally, "early love," is a contemporary term in frequent use for romantic feelings or attachments among children or adolescents. Zaolian describes both relationships among a teenaged boyfriend and girlfriend, as well as the "crushes" of early adolescence or childhood. The concept essentially indicates a prevalent belief in contemporary Chinese culture that due to the demands of their studies (especially true in the highly competitive educational system of China), youth should not form romantic attachments lest they jeopardize their chances for success in the future. Reports have appeared in Chinese newspapers and other media detailing the prevalence of the phenomenon and its perceived dangers to students and the fears of parents. [edit] Japanese In Japanese Buddhism, ai (愛) is passionate caring love, and a fundamental desire. It can develop towards either selfishness or selflessness and enlightenment. Amae (甘え), a Japanese word meaning "indulgent dependence", is part of the child-rearing culture of Japan. Japanese mothers are expected to hug and indulge their children, and children are expected to reward their mothers by clinging and serving. Some sociologists (most notably, Takeo Doi) have suggested that Japanese social interactions in later life are modeled on the mother-child amae. Linguistically, the two most common words for love are ai （愛）and koi (恋). Generally speaking, most forms of non-romantic love are expressed using the former, while romantic love is expressed using the latter. "Parental love", for example, is oya no ai (親の愛), while "to be in love with" is koi suru (恋する). There are of course exceptions. The word aijin (愛人) means "lover" and implies an illicit, often extra-marital relationship, whereas koibito (恋人) has the connotation of "boyfriend", "girlfriend", or "partner". In everyday conversation, however, ai (愛) and koi (恋) are rarely used. Rather than using ai shiteiru (愛している) or koi shiteiru (恋している) to say "I love you", for example, most Japanese would say suki desu (好きです), which literally means "I like you" -- suki (好き) being the same word used to express preferences for food, music, etc., as in sushi ga suki desu (寿司が好きです), or "I like sushi." Rather than diluting the sentiment, however, the implied meaning of "love" is understood. [edit] Ancient Greek Greek distinguishes several different senses in which the word love is used. For example, ancient Greek has the words philia, eros, agape, storge and xenia. However, with Greek as with many other languages, it has been historically difficult to separate the meanings of these words totally. At the same time the ancient Greek text of the Bible has examples of the verb agapo being used with the same meaning as phileo. Agape (ἀγάπη agápē) means love in modern day Greek. The term s'agapo means I love you in Greek. The word agapo is the verb I love. It generally refers to a "pure", ideal type of love rather than the physical attraction suggested by eros. However, there are some examples of agape used to mean the same as eros. It has also been translated as "love of the soul". Eros (ἔρως érōs) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. The Greek word erota means in love. Plato refined his own definition. Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. Eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth by eros. Some translations list it as "love of the body". Philia (φιλία philía), means friendship in modern Greek, a dispassionate virtuous love, was a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. Philia is motivated by practical reasons; one or both of the parties benefit from the relationship. Storge (στοργή storgē) means affection in modern Greek; it is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Xenia (ξενία philoxenía), means hospitality in modern Greek, was an extremely important practice in ancient Greece. It was an almost ritualized friendship formed between a host and their guest, who could previously be strangers. The host fed and provided quarters for the guest, who was only expected to repay with gratitude. The importance of this can be seen throughout Greek mythology, in particular Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. [edit] Latin The Latin language has several different verbs corresponding to the English word 'love'. Amare is the basic word for to love, as it still is in Italian today. The Romans used it both in an affectionate sense, as well as in a Romantic or sexual sense. From this verb come amans, a lover, amator, 'professional lover', often with the accessory notion of lechery, and amica, 'girlfriend' in the English sense, often as well being applied euphemistically to a prostitute. The corresponding noun is amor, which is also used in the plural form to indicate 'love affairs' or 'sexual adventures'. This same root also produces amicus, 'friend', and amicitia, 'friendship' (often based on mutual advantage, and corresponding sometimes more closely to 'indebtedness' or 'influence'). Cicero wrote a treatise called On Friendship (de Amicitia) which discusses the notion at some length. Ovid wrote a guide to dating called Ars Amatoria (The Art of Lovers), which addresses in depth everything from extramarital affairs to overprotective parents. Complicating the picture somewhat, Latin sometimes uses amare where English would simply say to like; this notion, however, is much more generally expressed in Latin by placere or delectare, which are used more colloquially, and the latter of which is used frequently in the love poetry of Catullus. Diligere often has the notion 'to be affectionate for', 'to esteem', and rarely if ever is used of romantic love. This word would be appropriate to describe the friendship of two men. The corresponding noun diligentia, however, has the meaning 'diligence' 'carefulness' and has little semantic overlap with the verb. Observare is a synonym for 'diligere'; despite the cognate with English, this verb and its corresponding noun 'observantia' often denote 'esteem' or 'affection'. Caritas is used in Latin translations of the Christian Bible to mean 'charitable love'. This meaning, however, is not found in Classical pagan Roman literature. As it arises from a conflation with a Greek word, there is no corresponding verb. [edit] Indonesian and Malaysian In Indonesian and Malaysian linguistics perspective, love can be defined in several ways: Cinta is a word that defines lust or love that involves physical attraction. Jatuh cinta literally means falling in love: the initial action that triggers love. Sayang is a word to express unconditional love, but also to express deep regret in losing something. [edit] Religious views [edit] Buddhist In Buddhism, Kāma is sensuous, sexual love. It is an obstacle on the path to enlightenment, since it is selfish. Karunā is compassion and mercy, which reduces the suffering of others. It is complementary to wisdom, and is necessary for enlightenment. Advesa and maitrī are benevolent love. This love is unconditional and requires considerable self-acceptance. This is quite different from the ordinary love, which is usually about attachment and sex, which rarely occur without self-interest. Instead, in Buddhism it refers to detachment and unselfish interest in others' welfare. The Bodhisattva ideal in Tibetan Buddhism involves the complete renunciation of oneself in order to take on the burden of a suffering world. The strongest motivation one has in order to take the path of the Bodhisattva is the idea of salvation within unselfish love for others. [edit] Christian "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." —1 Corinthians 13:4-7 There are several Greek words for Love that are regularly referred to in Christian circles. Agape - In the New Testament, agapē is charitable, selfless, altruistic, and unconditional. It is parental love seen as creating goodness in the world, it is the way God is seen to love humanity, and it is seen as the kind of love that Christians aspire to have for one another. Phileo - Also used in the New Testament, Phileo is a human response to something that is found to be delightful. Also known as "brotherly love". Two other words for love in the Greek language -- Eros (sexual love) and storge (needy child-to parent love) were never used in the New Testament. C.S. Lewis, an influential Christian theologian, wrote a book called The Four Loves. Christians believe that to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and Love your neighbour as yourself are the two most important things in life (the greatest commandment of God, according to Jesus). See The Gospel of Mark chapter 12, verses 28-34). Saint Augustine summarised this when he wrote "Love God, and do as thou wilt". Saint Paul glorified agape love as the most important virtue of all in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. Attempting to define it he wrote, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails."(NIV 13:4-8) Christians also believe that God felt so much agape love for man that he sacrificed his son for them. John the Apostle wrote, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but the save the world through him." (NIV John 3:16-17) Many Christian theologians see God as the source of love, which is mirrored in humans and their relationships. [edit] Hindu In Hinduism kāma is pleasurable, sexual love, personified by the god Kama. For many Hindu schools it is the third end in life . In contrast to kāma, prema or prem refers to elevated love. Karuna is compassion and mercy, which reduces the suffering of others. Bhakti is a Sanskrit term from Hinduism meaning 'loving devotion to the supreme God'. A person who practices bhakti is called bhakta. Hindu writers, theologians, and philosophers have distinguished nine forms of devotion that they call bhakti, for example in the Bhagavatha-Purana and according to Tulsidas. The booklet Narada bhakti sutra written by an unknown author distinguishes eleven forms of love. [edit] Islamic In a sense, love does encompass the Islamic view of life as universal brotherhood which applies to all who hold the faith. There are no direct references stating that God is love, but amongst the 99 names of God (Allah), there is the name Al-Wadud or 'the Loving One', which is found in Surah 11:90 as well as Surah 85:14. It refers to God as being "full of loving kindness". In Islam, love is more often than not used as an incentive for sinners to aspire to be as worthy of God's love as they may. One still has God's love, but how the person evaluates his own worth is to his own and God's own counsel. All who hold the faith have God's love, but to what degree or effort he has pleased God depends on the individual itself. Ishq, or divine love, is the emphasis of Sufism. Sufis believe that love is a projection of the essence of God to the universe. God desires to recognize beauty, and as if one looks at a mirror to see oneself, God "looks" at itself within the dynamics of nature. Since everything is a reflection of God, the school of Sufism practices to see the beauty inside the apparently ugly. Sufism is oftentimes referred to as the religion of Love. God in Sufism is referred to in three main terms which are the Lover, Loved, and Beloved with the last of these terms being often seen in Sufi poetry. A common viewpoint of Sufism is that through Love humankind can get back to its inherent purity and grace. [edit] Jewish "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." —Deuteronomy 6:5 In Hebrew Ahava is the most commonly used term for both interpersonal love and love of God. Other related but dissimilar terms are Chen (grace) and Hesed, which basically combines the meaning of "affection" and "compassion" and is sometimes rendered in English as "loving-kindness". Judaism employs a wide definition of love, both between people and between man and the Deity. As for the former, the Torah states: "Love your neighbor like yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). As for the latter, one is commanded to love God "with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5), taken by the Mishnah (a central text of the Jewish oral law) to refer to good deeds, willingness to sacrifice one's life rather than commit certain serious transgressions, willingness to sacrifice all one's possessions and being grateful to the Lord despite adversity (tractate Berachoth 9:5). Rabbinic literature differs how this love can be developed, e.g. by contemplating Divine deeds or witnessing the marvels of nature. As for love between marital partners, this is deemed an essential ingredient to life: "See life with the wife you love" (Ecclesiastes 9:9). The Biblical book Song of Songs is a considered a romantically-phrased metaphor of love between God and his people, but in its plain reading reads like a love song. The 20th-century rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler is frequently quoted as defining love from the Jewish point-of-view as "giving without expecting to take" (from his Michtav me-Eliyahu, vol. I). Romantic love per se has few echoes in Jewish literature, although the medieval rabbi Judah Halevi wrote romantic poetry in Arabic in his younger years (he appears to have regretted this later). [edit] Mythological Different cultures have deified love, typically in both male and female form. Here is a list of the gods and goddesses of love in different mythologies. Áine — goddess of fertility and passionate love in Irish mythology Amor or Cupid — god of passionate love in Roman mythology Aonghus or Aengus— god of beauty, youth, and sensual love in Irish mythology Aphrodite — goddess of beauty and passionate love in Greek mythology Astarte — goddess of love in Canaanite mythogy Eros — god of passionate love in Greek mythology Freya — goddess in Norse mythology Inanna — goddess of love and war in Sumerian mythology Ishtar — goddess of love and war in Babylonian mythology Kama — god of sensual love in Hindu mythology Rati — goddess of passionate love in Hindu mythology Venus — goddess of beauty and passionate love in Roman mythology Xochipilli — god in Aztec mythology [edit] Theological Even though in monotheistic religions, the God is considered to represent love, there are often angels or similar beings that represent love as well. Haniel — Angel of Venus, and of eros, in Judeo-Christian theology. Raphael — Angel of love(agape) in Judeo-Christian theology. Mihr — angel of love in Persian mythology

Sex From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about biological sexes — male, female, etc. For alternate uses, such as the activity of sex, see Sex (disambiguation) Sex, in the scope of this article and category, refers to the male and female duality of biology and reproduction. The somewhat similar term gender has more to do with identity than biology. The concept is confined to organisms that reproduce sexually. The female sex is defined as the one which produces the larger gamete (i.e., reproductive cell) and which typically bears the offspring. The category of sex reflects the biological reproductive function, rather than sexuality or other behaviors. In some lower animals, sex may be assigned to specific structures rather than the entire organism as some species, such as earthworms, are normally hermaphroditic. Sexuality Portal Look up Sex in Wiktionary, the free dictionaryContents [hide] 1 Sex in non-animal species 2 Sex among humans 2.1 Discordance 2.2 Biological varieties of discordance 2.3 Psychological, behavioral, and cultural varieties of discordance 2.4 Social and legal considerations 3 See also 4 External links and further reading [edit] Sex in non-animal species Main article: Plant sexuality Plants are generally hermaphrodites, but this terminology is quickly complicated by variations in the degree of sexuality. As with animals, there are only two types of gametes. These are generally called male and female based on their relative sizes and motility. In flowering plants, flowers bear the gametes. In some cases, flowers may contain only one type of gamete, while in others they may contain both. In other varieties of multicellular life (e.g. the fungi division, Basidiomycota), sexual characteristics can be much more complex, and may involve many more than two sexes. For details on the sexual characteristics of fungi, see: Hypha and Plasmogamy. [edit] Sex among humans See Human sexuality for information about sexual activities (having sex, making love), sexual sensation, sexual gratification, and sexual intimacy between human beings In humans, sex is conventionally perceived as a dichotomous state or identity for most biological and social purposes, such that a person can only be female or male. However, when the criteria which are generally used to define femaleness and maleness are examined more closely, it becomes apparent that the assignment or determination of 'sex' occurs at multiple levels. Environmental, biological, social, psychological and other factors are all believed to have some role in this process, and the complex interaction of these factors is expressed in the diversity of biological and psychosocial 'states' or levels found amongst the human population. A significant fraction of the human population simply does not correspond exclusively to either 'female' or 'male' with regard to every level of definition expressed in the following table. This discordance is discussed in more detail below. This table outlines the major levels at which society currently recognizes a difference between human females and males. Some criteria are dichotomous and some, such as body size, exhibit sexual dimorphism (i.e. characteristics which are statistically more likely to be found in one sex than the other). Some of the levels are more amenable to scientific study or measurement than others; some are "imputed" or assigned to individuals by the society of which they are members (e.g. whether human males must wear trousers is a result of social norms); and some seem to be generated within each individual as a subjective identity or drive. "Primary" sexual characteristics are typically present at birth and directly involved in reproduction. "Secondary" sexual characteristics typically develop later in life (usually during puberty) and are not directly involved in reproduction. Level of definition Female Male Biological levels (Sex) Primary sex characteristics (Sex) Usual sex chromosomes XX in humans XY in humans Usual gonads ovaries testes Usual level of sex hormones oestrogen, gestagen testosterone Usual anatomy of internal genitalia clitoral crura, vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes corpora cavernosa, urethra, prostate, seminal vesicles Usual anatomy of external genitalia glans clitoris, labia, vulva, clitoral hood, perineal urethra glans penis, scrotum, phallus, foreskin fused perineum Secondary sex characteristics (Sex) Usually Breasts, menstrual cycle, development of "hourglass" body form (i.e., 8), relatively shorter height, relatively more body fat Facial and body hair, development of "triangular" body form (i.e., ▲, ►, ▼, or ◄, depending on the occasion), relatively higher height, relatively less body fat, relatively lower voice Usually both sexes Pubic hair, underarm hair Psychosocial levels (Gender) Usual Assigned sex "It's a girl" "It's a boy" Usual Gender of rearing "You are a girl" "You are a boy" Usual Gender identity "I am a girl/woman" "I am a boy/man" Usual Gender role "feminine" social behavior "masculine" social behavior Usual sexual orientation androphilic gynephilic The relationship between the various levels of biological sexual differentiation is fairly well understood. Many of the biological levels are said to cause, or at least shape, the next level. For example, in most people, the presence of a Y chromosome causes the gonads to become testes, which produce hormones that cause the internal and external genitalia to become male, which in turn lead parents to assign 'male' as the sex of their child (assigned sex), and raise the child as a boy (gender of rearing). However, the degree to which biological and environmental factors contribute to the psychosocial aspects of sexual differentiation, and even the interrelationships between the various psychosocial aspects of differentiation, is less well understood (see the nature versus nurture debate). [edit] Discordance As indicated above, the levels of this paradigm imply a certain level of 'discordance' amongst the human population, as a result of diversity amongst humans. Some discordances are purely biological, such as when the sex of the chromosomes (genetic sex) does not match the sex of the external genitalia (anatomic sex). This type of discordance is fairly well understood and is described briefly in the next section, and more fully in the article on intersex. Discordances between the biological and psychosocial levels, such as when the gender identity does not match the anatomic sex, or between the various psychosocial levels, such as when the gender role does not match the gender identity, are even more common, but less well understood, generally speaking. These levels of definition and discordance are described below and in individual articles. Understanding of discordance is important for several reasons. We can learn much about the processes of sexual differentiation, both biological and psychosocial, from people with biological discordances. Some of the levels of discordance have enormous significance to the lives of those affected and their relationships with society. In some cases, the causes of the discordances have acquired controversial political significance. Societies vary on the values placed on some discordances. In the last several decades, the public consensus of many Western societies has come to view some discordances as less undesirable and more tolerable than much of the rest of the world, although this view may exhibit a certain level of cultural imperialism. [edit] Biological varieties of discordance Human variability occurs in all the levels by which sex and gender are defined. Discordance at the biological levels is often referred to as an intersex condition. For example, some women may have an XY karyotype (chromosomal constellation); these women usually have a condition known as Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome. Some boys may have a rudimentary uterus, or an extra X chromosome (Klinefelter's syndrome). In a small subset of boys and girls with intersex conditions, the external genitalia may be undervirilized or overvirilized. If the degree of virilization is "in-between", the genitalia are described as "ambiguous". Many people with intersex conditions do not have ambiguous genitalia. However, for these people, the relationships between biological factors (such as hormones i.e. progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone), environmental factors, and the psychosocial levels of sexual identity, such as gender identity and sexual orientation, have proven to be complex, with numerous exceptions to proposed theoretical systems. For example, there have been cases of people with male genetic/chromosomal sex, but with female external genitalia, assigned and raised as female, but discovering or deciding upon a male gender identity by adolescence. The degree to which a person's gender identity is affected by hormones, by genetic factors distinct from hormones, by early education, by social factors, and by "existential choice" remains imperfectly understood and a subject of superfluous contention. [edit] Psychological, behavioral, and cultural varieties of discordance In contrast to the small percentage of people with biological discordances of sex, a fairly large proportion of human beings may be "discordant" in one or more behavioral or psychological dimensions. The vast majority of these people who are discordant in some aspect of psyche or behavior do not have any detectable biological intersex condition, although some recent studies point towards biological factors in at least some of those conditions. Human societies respond to, or accommodate, these behavioral and psychological discordances in many different ways, ranging from suppression and denial of difference to acknowledging various forms of "third sex". It may be significant that some societies identify youths with atypical behavioral characteristics and, instead of giving them corrective therapy or punishing them, socialize them in such a way that their individual characteristics let them provide a needed and/or useful function for the society in a recognized and respected role (e.g. individuals who take on the role or customs of shaman, medicine man or tong-ki). Pictograms of men and women are often used to indicate the respective toilets designated for each sex. An example of this in the article pictogram shows the man with broader shoulders (sex dimorphism) and the woman in clothing that is, in the western world, rarely worn by men, and which functions as a gender signal. (Presumably these "male human" and "female human" pictograms are not used in countries where men wear dress-like clothing.) In many current societies, it is considered improper for a person of one sex to misrepresent himself or herself as a member of the opposite sex by donning gender-specific clothing of that sex, thereby practicing transvestism or cross-dressing. Such behavior receives severe social and/or legal sanctions in some cultures, whilst being tolerated or even celebrated in others. See also berdache, hijra, xanith and transgender. Such complex situations have led some scientists to argue that the two sexes are cultural constructions. Some people have sought to define their sexuality and sexual identity in non-polar terms, in the belief that the simple division of all humans into "males" and "females" does not fit their individual conditions. A proponent of this movement away from polar oppositions, Anne Fausto-Sterling, once suggested we recognize five sexes: male, female, merm (male pseudo-hermaphrodite), ferm (female pseudo-hermaphrodite) and herm (true hermaphrodite). Although this theory was quickly rejected by many as a bizarre flouting of human nature and social reality, inimical to the interests of those whom she was attempting to champion, it expresses the difficulty and imperfection of the current social responses to these variations. [edit] Social and legal considerations Forms of legal or social distinction or discrimination based on sex include sex segregation and sexism. Notably, some businesses, public institutions, and laws may provide privileges and services for one sex and not another, or they may require different sexes to be physically separated. Recently, western societies have moved towards greater sexual equality. In gender theory, the term "heteronormativity" refers to the idea that human beings fall into two distinct and complementary categories, male and female; that sexual and marital relations are normal only when between two people of different genders; and that each gender has certain natural roles in life.

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Coldplay - A Message

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