The State of Sexuality

Abstract

While many GCC states have been embracing widespread modernization reforms across various sectors in the past few decades, sexual and reproductive health education, social awareness campaigns, and relevant penal codes criminalizing sexual crimes still remain dangerously outdated. This article reviews the state of sexual norms and practices amongst khalījī youth, and argues that Persian Gulf states and families’ protectionist attitudes in restricting, regulating, and policing sexualities, has neither decreased the rate of sex crimes nor has it adequately defined the parameters of what is “acceptable” regarding sexual norms and behaviors. It argues that the domain of sexual norms needs to be renegotiated as a shared responsibility between the family unit and the state, considering that many youths’ mental and physical well-being is often contingent on the provision of sufficient sexual information, counseling, and education in their respective societies.