sexual deviance

Aberrant erotic behavior

Sexual deviance refers to sexual interests, behaviors, or practices that fall outside what a given society considers normal or acceptable.

The term is descriptive rather than diagnostic—what counts as deviant varies enormously across cultures and eras.

Homosexuality was classified as sexual deviance until recently in Western medicine; some paraphilias once considered deviant are now mainstream.

The phrase often carries judgment, implying the behavior is harmful or pathological, though it may simply mean statistically uncommon.

Related
  • fetishIrrational devotion to something
  • tabooCultural or social prohibition
  • taboo subjectTopic considered inappropriate to discuss
  • kinkTight twisted spot
  • perversionCorruption or deviant distortion

paraphilia · transgression · forbidden · forbidden fruit · abnormal · obsession · compulsion · secret · shame · guilty pleasure · desire · fantasy · voyeurism · exhibitionism · sadism · masochism · bondage · dominance

Categories
Opposites
conformity to sexual norms

sexual devianceheteronormativity

Assumed universal straightness

monogamy · missionary position · chastity · celibacy · abstinence

intensity/unconventionality of preference

sexual deviancevanilla

Orchid pod extract

missionary position · unadventurous

moral/clinical judgment

sexual deviancesexual health

Care of intimate functions

sexual wellness · sexual purity · chastity

Family

sexual, sexes, sexed, sexing, sexuality, sexualize, sexualized, asexual, bisexual

Familiarity
Top 50,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Rated R