As most people might expect, when it comes to discussing intimate sexuality, opinions between Chinese and Western societies are very different. Westerners' views on sex and intimacy are always considered much more open-minded than Chinese people. However, this assumption is not always true. Indeed, there were times when Westerners were extremely conservative about sexual matters, largely due to religious influences. This essay discusses the major differences between Chinese and Western perspectives on sex and intimacy, considering cultural, sociological, and religious factors from the past to modern times. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThere were times when Westerners were extremely conservative on sexual matters, mostly due to religious influences, i.e. when Christianity controlled society and the rule of an empire took over. Between the 5th and 15th centuries, in the Middle Ages (or Medieval Period), sexual desires and affections were condemned by political and religious bodies. Enjoying sex was considered a sinful act, regardless of marital status. It was a mortal sin even for married couples if they conducted sexual activities without the purpose of procreation. When it comes to sexuality, gender inequalities were stark and men took control over sex and intimacy. As part of this phenomenon, women were treated as objects rather than living human beings, essentially viewed as "birthing machines." The Catholic Church has been preaching conservative sexual notions for over a thousand years. St. Thomas Aquinas, an early theologian, argued that pleasure in sex is always sinful; sexual positions for the procreation process other than "man on top" were completely unacceptable, clearly reflecting that female pleasure was never taken into consideration. To be clear, sexual intercourse other than "man in the head" were all considered "acts against human nature." For example, masturbation, considered abnormal, was a shameful behavior. After a long period, some people began to pursue freedom and individualism and began to deny that sex was bad during the Renaissance (started around the 16th century). The values ​​pursued by Western society at that time were similar to the sexual attitudes of modern Westerners. It was until the invention of contraceptive tools in the 20th century that allowed people to start enjoying carefree sexual activities and eventually reduced their guilt over enjoyment. Contraception was an invention that greatly influenced the entire world's attitude towards autonomy in having sex. Since the 1960s, the women's movement has enlightened people to be more open towards sexual freedom and more willing to engage in sex than in past decades. During that time, more and more people (in urbanized areas) began to adapt sexual activities to be a source of excitement, joy, and expression of love. There was a time in the history of Chinese society when sexual intercourse was believed to make man stronger, ultimately allowing men to have more sexual partners to nourish themselves. However, it was similar to the Western world, where women's desires were never taken into consideration. During Mao's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, people were advised to leave personal desires behind in everything.