Cyber Space: A New Era in Sexuality?

Since the birth of the Internet and with millions of people now accessing the Information Superhighway every day, cyber relationships of one sort or another have become second nature for many individuals. Occasionally, these relationships will develop into real-life commitments or marriages. More often than not, however, cyber relationships merely offer people a way to fulfill a need or identity which they wouldn't otherwise be able or willing to do in reality.

The Internet provides us with an anonymous means to interact with others from the comfort of our homes. We can play any role that we'd like: a different gender, sexual orientation, and more. A person typing away on her keyboard can enact any fantasy she'd like without anyone knowing differently. For example, a timid wife can suddenly transform herself into a lesbian dominatrix and rule from behind her cyber-identity. Throughout the Internet, she can find numerous websites which will fit the niche she is searching for. Yet because she can remain anonymous, a faceless whip-wielder if you will, she can rest assured that her secret life is safely tucked away among the bits and bytes of her computer.

Cyber sex and cyber relationships can fulfill many unmet needs of people. They can provide individuals with a fairly safe way to express the sexuality that they might be too frightened to display to real partners or friends. Shy people can relate to others without the fear that might be produced in normal face-to-face situations. Other unfulfilled needs might include ways to combat loneliness or the effects of an unhappy relationship, boredom, laziness, or for the convenience of it.

Many experts believe that this surge in cyber sex is yet another sign of the expanding gap between people around the world. With the numbers of Internet users growing at a rapid rate, more and more social situations are now being moved to the convenient anonymity of the Superhighway. Instead of traditional courting and the occasional difficulties faced by people in real life relationships, individuals can now escape to the chat room for a sexual quickie or move on to an easier cyber coupling when reality becomes too hard to deal with.

In fact, cyber sex has become so prominent that numerous websites have been developed to address the various questions and concerns raised on this issue. For example, The New Electronic Relationship Advisor ( http://www.pan-arts.com/era/date-state/ ) offers articles on topics such as the morality of cyber affairs and safe cyber sex.

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