Ritual Homosexuality Among The Sambia Of New Guinea Essay, Research Paper

Deviant Behavior: Ritual Homosexuality among the Sambia of New Guinea

 The Sambia are a former war-like tribe.

 They believe that every man is a warrior at heart.

 They separate boys from their village at 7-10 years of age.

 These boys lead a ritual homosexual life for the next 10 years.

 The boys always act as the fellator: the insertee.

 The men and older boys act as the fellated: the insertor.

 This is the only way that boys can acquire the semen that is needed for puberty and growth.

 Once the boys are older, they are fellated by younger boys. They “share the wealth”.

 Once married, they lead a bisexual life.

 Once they become fathers, all homosexual behavior stops, until the next batch of boys are initiated.

 Deviant Sambian acts are: fellating boys, leading a homosexual life outside of the ritual, and having any non-homosexual sex during the rites of passage.

 The Sambian style of homosexuality is vastly different than the American version, i.e., there is no physical/emotional/sexual attraction between the men and the boys- it is simply a practice that ensures the strength of the men.

Bibliography

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