Is the “Abnormal” Becoming the New Norm in Sexual Behavior?

While ‘normal’ is no standard of sexual behavior, we cannot define what the global behaviors of healthy sexuality are other than what between two consenting adults find pleasurable and rewarding in their relationship, there are alternative behaviors that are outside of the generally agreed upon views of sexuality. And it appears that many people are also finding them intriguing.

This is interesting for many reasons. Importantly, half of the behaviors listed as paraphilic behaviors in the DSM-5 are found to be very common. This means that sex therapists and sex educators have to share information with anyone who might be having experiences outside of the “average” sexual experience and ‘normalize’ their interest and intrigue in those things that might be turn ons or bring pleasure.

Times are changing in our sexuality, or perhaps we have always been interested in kinky and alternative sexual behaviors, but we are more aware of people’s interests because we are doing research and publishing the results more broadly than ever.  Perhaps we are also only beginning to understand how sexual expressions might be changing.   And sexual interest and desire and arousal are a personal, intrinsic experience.