A Youth Leader's Guide to Building Cultural Competence 

What are the expectations for what parents owe children and what children owe parents? Are 

children expected to live at home until marriage? After marriage? 

Are openly gay, lesbian or bisexual family members accepted? 

Is there a difference between the way in which homosexual behavior might be tolerated and 

toleration of openly gay 

Are same sex life partners of gay or lesbian relatives considered to be family members as well? 

How is that expressed? What about unmarried heterosexual partners? How is that expressed? 

What is the impact of marriage outside the cultural group? Of sexual affairs? Is there a difference 

between the two? 

How is privacy treated within the home? What family matters are not to be shared with outsiders? 

Sexuality 

Sexuality involves more than genital sexual activity. It includes five major 

areas: sensuality, sexual intimacy, sexual identity, reproduction/sexual health 

Sensuality is what 

and sexualization. These areas are described below. 

enables people to feel 

good about how their 

bodies look and feel. It allows them to enjoy the pleasure their bodies can give to them and others. The 

need to be touched by others in loving ways, the feeling of physical attraction for another person, body 

image and fantasy are all part of sensuality. 

Sexual intimacy is the ability and the need to be emotionally close with another and to have that 

closeness returned. While sensuality refers more to physical aspects of our relationships, sexual intimacy 

focuses on emotional needs.  

Sexual identity refers to people's understanding of who they are sexually, including 

1.  gender identity (their sense of being male or female), 

2.  their gender role (what men and what women are supposed to do) and 

3.  their sexual orientation (which gender they have primary affectional and sexual attraction to). 

Reproduction and sexual health is the most familiar aspect of sexuality. It includes all the behaviors and 

attitudes having to do with having healthy sexual relationships and having the ability to bear children.  

Sexualization is using sex to influence, manipulate or control other people. Termed the  shadow  side of 

sexuality, sexualization spans behaviors that range from mutually enjoyable to harmlessly manipulative to 

violent and illegal. It includes such behaviors as flirting, seduction, withholding sex, sexual harassment, 

sexual abuse, incest and rape.  

Questions to consider about cultural groups: __________ 

What are the  ideal  body types for men and women? Are those ideals different from the images 

represented in mainstream advertising? How? Are men and women generally happy with their 

bodies? Why or why not?  

How is intimacy expressed? Do men and women appear to have different needs for intimacy? Is 

hand holding, kissing or other forms of public affection considered acceptable or in bad taste?  

How do men express feelings of closeness to other men? Women to other women?  

Is sensuality expressed through clothing? How?  

Is dating allowed? Are young people permitted to socialize in coed groups?  

For heterosexual couples, which gender is encouraged to initiate romantic relationships by asking 

for a date? Which gender generally takes the lead in suggesting sexual involvement?  

Are some sexual acts taboo? Which ones? With whom? When?