Celibacy refers to a state of being unmarried, or a state of abstinence from sexual intercourse or the abstention by vow from marriage.

The English word celibacy derives from the Latin caelibatus, "state of being unmarried", from Latin caelebs, meaning "unmarried". This word derives from two Proto-Indo-European stems, *kaiwelo- "alone" and *lib(h)s- "living".

The words abstinence and celibacy are often used interchangeably, but are different. Sexual abstinence, also known as continence, refers to abstaining from all sexual activity, often for some limited period of time.Asexuality is considered distinct from abstention from sexual activity and from celibacy, which are behavioral and generally motivated by factors such as an individual's personal or religious beliefs.

In her book The New Celibacy, Gabrielle Brown states that "abstinence is a response on the outside to what's going on, and celibacy is a response from the inside." According to this definition, celibacy (even short-term celibacy that is pursued for non-religious reasons) is much more than not having sex. It is more intentional than abstinence, and its goal is personal growth and empowerment. This perspective on celibacy is echoed by several authors including Elizabeth Abbott, Wendy Keller, and Wendy Shalit.

Elizabeth Abbott is a Canadian writer and historian. She has a doctorate in 19th-century history from McGill University. She has written numerous books, and has contributed to many publications, including Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen, The Gazette (Montreal), Quill & Quire, Huffington Post and London Free Press. She is the former Dean of Women for St. Hilda's College at the University of Toronto and is currently a Senior Research Associate at Trinity College, University of Toronto.

Elizabeth Abbott's 2003 book examines the large, and often underground history of mistresses. Ranging from Roman Europe to Twentieth Century America, Abbott explores the lives of the 'scarlet women' and the implications of their extramarital relationships.

Elizabeth Abbot's third book in her trilogy on the history of relationships examines various rituals of courting, nuptials, marriage, sex, child-raising and divorce. The book was a finalist for the 2010 Governor General’s Literary Award in the category of English non-fiction.

Swami Vivekananda (pronounced: IPA: [ʂāmiː biːbeːkānoːnɗoː]  listen (help·info)) (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendra Nath Datta (IPA: [nôreːnd̪roː naːt̪ʰ d̪ôttoː] was the chief disciple of the 19th century saint Ramakrishna and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. He is considered a key figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world, mainly in America and Europe and is also credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the end of the 19th century CE. Vivekananda is considered to be a major force in the revival of Hinduism in modern India. He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech which began: "Sisters and Brothers of America," through which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Swami Vivekananda was born in an aristocratic Bengali Kayastha family of Calcutta on 12 January 1863. Vivekananda's parents influenced his thinking—his father by his rationality and his mother by her religious temperament. From his childhood, he showed an inclination towards spirituality and God realisation. His guru, Ramakrishna, taught him Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism); that all religions are true and that service to man was the most effective worship of God. After the Mahasamadhi of his guru, Vivekananda became a wandering monk, touring the Indian subcontinent and acquiring first-hand knowledge of conditions in India. He later travelled to Chicago and represented India as a delegate in the 1893 Parliament of World Religions. He conducted hundreds of public and private lectures and classes, disseminating Vedanta and Yoga in America, England and Europe. He also established the Vedanta societies in America and England.

Meagan Monique Good (born August 8, 1981) is an American film and television actress and occasional film producer. Beginning her career at the age of four, Good has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, feature films, and music videos.

Good was born in Panorama City, Los Angeles, the daughter of Tyra Doyle (who worked as Good's manager into her teens), and Leon Good, an LAPD police officer. According to Good, her maternal grandmother is "Jewish and African, so I guess that would be considered Creole. My mother's father was Cherokee and something else. My dad's mother's Puerto Rican and black, and his father was from Barbados." Good was raised in Canyon Country (now known as Santa Clarita), California with her three siblings. She began her acting career around the age of four or five. In the early stages of her career, Good started out doing work as an extra on television shows such as Doogie Howser, M.D. and Amen. When she was thirteen, Good was cast in her first film in the 1995 hit Friday. Good first began to gain recognition for her performance as troubled teen Cisely Batiste in Kasi Lemmons' critically acclaimed 1997 film Eve's Bayou, which earned Good two award nominations, including her first NAACP Image Award nomination.