Sexual maturity

Sexuality is intrinsically and inextricably bound up with the learning processes for moral development; and sexual development may be considered central to that line of moral development which implies the capacity for valuing another as a person. Thus sexual behaviour which intentionally depersonalizes one's self or another may be considered sexual immaturity. Behaviour which demonstrates a mature capacity for empathy, seeing one's self as separate and respecting the different perspective of another, indicates the high degree of emotional and intellectual development which is the distinguishing mark of both moral and sexual maturity. This includes the ability to consider alternative courses of action and act in accordance with one's deliberations, to act with knowledge and self-consciousness, to know and predict the consequences of one's actions and to distinguish activity in the world from fantasy. When such action involves another person then there is an awareness born of experience which relates the action to feeling and to knowing what the other is feeling. The sexually mature will have developed a personal and coherent system of moral values which encompasses their own desires and abilities and which allows for a complete sexual act in which bodily desire and mutual relationship with another are essential.