AE:: Human Sexualities

Preface

Correlation Guide

Topic Guide

Internet References

UNIT 1:: Social and Cultural Foundations

Unit Overview

1. Vox Populi:: Sex, Lies, and Blood Sport, Heather Pringle, Discover, June 2006

The graffiti scratched on the walls of private residences over 2,000 years ago are known as Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. These well-preserved tablets contain gossip about drinking, love, sex, blood sports, and more from the glory days of Rome. . . .

2. The Baby Deficit, Michael Balter, Science, June 30, 2006

While developing nations population continues to rise, fertility rates in the developed world are declining to below the replacement rate. Many governments are offering incentives to encourage childbearing to ward off economic complications, yet their effectiveness is uncertain.

3. Three `Rules That Dont Apply, Stephanie Coontz, Newsweek, June 5, 2006

A noted family historian addresses three common myths about marriage, its present, future, and its past. Separating myths from realities will help us better understand a social institution that impacts everyone in society, whether single, partnered, or married.

4. Everyones Queer, Leila J. Rupp, OAH Magazine of History, March 2006

The title of this article on nonnormative sex may have caught your eye, but reading it is likely to maintain your interest, as well as increase your understanding of the evolution of what is considered normal over the last 60 years.

5. A Mind Dismembered:: In Search of the Magical Penis Thieves, Frank Bures, Harpers Magazine, June 2008

Thief! My genitals are gone! This article explores the phenomenon of penis theft in Africa. This article uses penis theft as a means to examine culture-related syndromes, calling into question many assumptions that are commonly made about disorders and diagnoses in Western and non-Western societies.

6. Afterbirths in the Afterlife:: Cultural Meaning of Placental Disposal in a Hmong American Community, Deborah G. Helsel and Marilyn Mochel, Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 2002, Vol. 13, No. 4

For the Hmong Americans, the placenta has special significance for the soul in the afterlife. Western medical practices and Hmong American cultural perspectives can sometimes be at odds over the disposal of the placenta.

7. Gender Is Powerful:: The Long Reach of Feminism, Nancy MacLean, OAH Magazine of History, October 2006

Readers of this article will gain a greater appreciation of the significance of the womens movement. By studying the womens movement, we are in a better position to fully understand civil rights, and numerous other social and political movements in the United States

8. How AIDS Changed America, David Jefferson, Newsweek, May 15, 2006

The 1981 to 2006 timeline tells the story of AIDS in America. This article describes the development in knowledge about HIV/AIDS, and the change in personal, social, and cultural responses towards HIV/AIDS over the quarter century.

UNIT 2:: Biological Foundations

Unit Overview

Part A. Reproductive Capacities

9. Starting the Good Life in the Womb, W. Allan Walker and Courtney Humphries, Newsweek, September 17, 2007

Choices that women make while they are pregnant may have a life-long impact on their baby. This article suggests ideas for mothers to improve their babys chances to grow into healthy adults.

10. Success at Last, Deborah Kotz, U.S. News & World Report, May 7, 2007

Couples fighting infertility have some control over conception through the alteration of diet, exercise, and stress levels. Many factors in these areas can affect ovulation and hormone levels in women, thus influencing fertility, but mens habits matter as well.

11. A Mans Shelf Life, Mark Teich, Psychology Today, September/October 2007

As men age, their fertility decreases. Thats not the only reproductive challenge men face as they get older. Some birth defects increase in frequency with paternal age. Potential parents need to know the information discussed in this article.

Part B. Pleasure and Desire

12. The Orgasmic Mind, Martin Portner, Scientific American Mind, April/May 2008

Sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm involve complex physiological, cognitive, and affective phenomena. This fascinating article explores the complexities of desire and orgasm through scientific research on the brain.

13. Womens Sexual Desire:: A Feminist Critique, Jill M. Wood, Patricia Barthalow Koch, and Phyllis Kernoff Mansfield, The Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 43(3), August 2006

The biomedical model of female sexual desire is challenged in this article. The authors offer an alternative approach, a New View, that calls into question the scientific and therapeutic communities current understanding of female sexual desire.

UNIT 3:: Sexualities and Development

Unit Overview

14. How to Talk about Sex, Heidi Raykeil, Parenting, February 2006

Although this article was written for partners who are also parents, it generalizes as well to couples with varying interest/towards needs for sex. Its encouragement of and guidance for outing the secret is important, as the risk of letting things go too long is real.

15. The Birds and the Bees and Curious Kids, Margaret Renkl, Parenting, June 2006

Read about the best strategies for handling the kinds of scenarios that catch parents off guard about bodies, body parts, and sexual behavior, as well as how to—and not to—approach the talk.

16. What to Tell the Kids about Sex, Kay S. Hymowitz, The Public Interest, Fall 2003

Sex education is a controversial subject. Sex education programs have recently morphed into comprehensive sexuality education programs. These programs appear more permissive than earlier programs that emphasized abstinence and conservatism.

17. Teenage Fatherhood and Involvement in Delinquent Behavior, Terence P. Thornberry, Carolyn A. Smith, and Susan Ehrhard, The Prevention Researcher, November 2004

This paper investigates the relationship between teenage fatherhood and various indicators of deviant behavior. By using a large sample of students, first interviewed in the 7th or 8th grade and again when they were 21 years old, the authors are able to explore the link between teenage fatherhood and delinquent behavior along the adolescent life course.

18. Torn between Two Mothers, Christine Koubek, Ladies Home Journal, September 2008

A woman adopted as an infant recounts her touching story of being reunited with her birth mother, and describes the complexities of managing a relationship with two mothers.

19. Staying up Late with Sue, Anne Matthews, AARP Bulletin, May 2004

Labeled a dirty old lady by some, the Julia Child of sex by others, this Canadian sex educator tells it like it is (or could be) on cable television stations for teens through octa-generations. Although some readers will blush and others will be shocked, all will learn something from this short article and introduction to (not your) Granny Sue.

20. Womens Sexuality as They Age:: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same, Patricia Barthalow Koch and Phyllis Kernoff Mansfield, SIECUS Report, December 2001/January 2002

The authors examine womens sexuality over the life cycle, in an attempt to determine whether there are any changes in female sexuality as a result of aging or menstrual status.

UNIT 4:: Intimacies and Relationships

Unit Overview

21. Free as a Bird and Loving It, Sharon Jayson, USA Today Newspaper, April 12, 2007

Is marriage becoming less desirable? Being single is not seen as a temporary and undesirable state anymore; more individuals are choosing to put off marriage or simply not marry at all. This article addresses some of the benefits of remaining single.

22. Happily Never Married, Nadia Berenstein, Ms., Summer 2007

Nadia Berenstein explores the implications of laws covering marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships, and concludes that unmarried couples are treated unfairly.

23. This Thing Called Love, Lauren Slater, National Geographic, February 2006

What we recognize as passionate love or infatuation shares a chemical profile that is surprisingly similar to that of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In order for relationships to last, we cannot depend on retaining feelings of passionate love throughout the duration of the relationship.

24. Pillow Talk, Nina Utne, Utne Reader, March/April 2006

Stephen Levine is a writer of best sellers on death and dying. He and his wife, Andrea, have had three unsuccessful marriages between them before their current 26-year one. Their responses to a range of questions about lust, the meaning of marriage, love, and true intimacy will give all readers much to think about.

25. Behind the Cloak of Polygamy, Andrea Moore-Emmett, Ms., Summer 2008

There has been a significant amount of recent media coverage of religious polygamist sects in the United States. Former members of some of these sects recount their experiences with polygamy. This article raises many important concerns including abuse and human rights.

26. Love at the Margins:: Extreme Relationships Demand Extreme Commitment, Mark Teich, PsychologyToday, September/October 2006

For non-traditional couples, the demands can be high. These relationships can mean a need for extreme commitment, and coping with social disapproval and self-doubt.

27. My Cheatin Heart, Daphne Gottlieb, Utne Reader, March/April 2006

Infidelity . . . affair . . . new and forbidden love versus committed monogamy. All of these are bluntly and powerfully addressed in this essay that looks at cheating from both sides—the cheater and the partner.

UNIT 5:: Gender and Sexual Diversity

Unit Overview

Part A. Perspectives on Gender

28. A Case for Angry Men and Happy Women, Beth Azar, Monitor on Psychology, April 2007

People are faster at identifying anger on mens faces as well as seeing happiness on womens faces. This process has been linked to the evolutionary advantage of being able to spot and avoid an angry and potentially dangerous male. This article addresses the deeply rooted connection between gender, emotions, and evolution.

29. Learning and Gender, Michael Gurian, American School Board Journal, October 2006

Michael Gurian examines gender differences as they impact the educational experiences and potential of boys and girls. Achievement gaps in math, science and literacy need no longer exist.

30. Goodbye to Girlhood, Stacy Weiner, The Washington Post, February 20, 2007

This article describes the troubling trend in the way women and girls are depicted by the media. Pop culture images are targeting younger girls, potentially influencing the development of eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and depression.

31. (Rethinking) Gender, Debra Rosenberg, Newsweek, May 21, 2007

Debra Rosenberg opens the window on people who are born one gender but feel that they are the other gender. Some use surgery and/or hormones to bring their bodies into compliance with their identity . . . Their stories are riveting and their lived experiences raise many questions about gender.

Part B. Perspectives on Sexual Orientation

32. Finding the Switch, Robert Kunzig, Psychology Today, May/June 2008

Is a homosexual orientation influenced by biological processes? Research on the influence of genetics and hormones on the development of homosexuality is explored in this article. Scientific evidence suggests that there are multiple developmental pathways to homosexual orientations, including multiple biological influences.

33. Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents, Charlotte J. Patterson, Current Directions in Psychological Science, October 2006

Does parental sexual orientation affect child development? After years of research, little difference has been found between children of same-sex parents and those of other sex parents. In fact, the quality of relationships in the family seems to matter more than parents sexual orientation.

34. Broadcast News:: The Insider Is Out, Greg Endries, The Advocate, June 17, 2008

What happens when a popular CNN news anchor comes out as openly gay? Is there room for gay and lesbian anchors in broadcast news? This article explores the story of Thomas Roberts and other gay news personalities.

UNIT 6:: Sexual Health and Well-Being

Unit Overview

Part A. Problems and Interventions

35. Sex, Health & Happiness, Deborah Kotz, U.S. News & World Report, September 15/September 22, 2008

A healthy, active sex life is not only for the young and acrobatic. Adult Americans of all ages can enjoy an active sex life. This article presents some of the benefits and challenges of maintaining a healthy sex life at any age.

36. Fighting the Cancer a Mammo Cant Catch, Margaret Renkl, Health Magazine, June 1, 2008

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare, yet highly aggressive form of breast cancer that is often misdiagnosed. Learn about the signs and symptoms of IBC, as well as one womans courageous journey of fighting the disease.

37. When Sex Hurts, Lisa Collier Cool, Good Housekeeping, March 2003

This fact-filled article addresses a rarely talked about, but often devastating problem for women and couples:: painful intercourse. Citing medical research and experts, the seven most likely conditions associated with painful sex are explained along with how and where to get help and effective treatments.

Part B. Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV

38. Popping the Other Question, Adrienne P. Samuels, Ebony, June 2008

Asking about sexual history, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV status can be especially challenging for a variety of reasons. This article explores issues that all single people and couples need to be aware of, in order to protect their health.

39. Sex, Drugs, Prisons, and HIV, Susan Okie, The New England Journal of Medicine, January 11, 2007

Risky behaviors among prison inmates are common, including high-risk sexual encounters and drug use. Both of these behaviors increase the risk of transmitting HIV. Providing condoms and clean needles could slow the spread of HIV, but many prison officials are reluctant to make these available to prisoners.

40. HIV Plan B, Justine Sharrock, Mother Jones, May/June 2008

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment can prevent HIV infection in many people who are at-risk of becoming infected after a suspected or known exposure. PEP is FDA approved, but not always available to those who need it. High cost and lack of knowledge are among the reasons why some people may have limited access to it.

41. HIV Apathy, Zach Patton, Governing, February 2007

Many new drugs to combat HIV Disease have changed HIV from a terminal to a chronic condition that can be managed in some people infected with the virus. Partially as a result of new treatments available, some individuals engage in high risk behaviors that put them at risk for HIV infection. To combat this, health officials are trying to make testing for HIV more available and widespread.

UNIT 7:: Sexualities and Social Issues

Unit Overview

42. Flower Grandmas Secret, Susan Wicklund, Ms., Fall 2007

A physician specializing in reproductive health and abortion is about to go public on national television. She now must visit her grandmother to tell about her medical specialty. The doctor soon discovers that she does not want to hear about her Flower Grandmas secret.

43. You Cant Do That on Television, Rachel Fudge, Utne Reader, September/October 2005

Although depictions of sex and sexuality on television are extraordinarily common, according to the Center for the Study of Popular Culture and Television at Syracuse University, the portrayal of abortion is conspicuous in its absence. This article explores the shift in treatment of unplanned pregnancy and abortion from the Roe v. Wade 70s to today.

44. Sex, Politics, and Morality at the FDA:: Reflections on the Plan B Decision, Frank Davidoff, Hastings Center Report, March/April 2006

The author of this article was a consultant with the Food and Drug Administration. He and others resigned in order to protest the August 2005 decision to delay a final ruling on the over-the-counter availability of Plan B, the emergency contraceptive. Learn why he believes that the FDA changed the rules for political reasons.

45. Guess Whos Watching Porn, Monique Polak, Macleans, June 3, 2008

The Internet has made porn more easily accessible to everyone, including young children. Parents are discovering that their young children are accessing graphic pornography via the Internet. Is this indicative of what has been called the pornification of society?

46. Breeder Reaction, Elizabeth Weil, Mother Jones, July/August 2006

The Constitution of the United States identifies the right to procreate as a fundamental human right. Yet there is almost no public policy in the United States regarding reproductive rights and access to reproductive technology. The provocative article discusses this thorny issue; and the results are thought provoking.

47. The Sex Offender Next Door, Amy Engeler, Good Housekeeping, January 2006

Megans Law was passed in 1996, two years after the rape and murder of 7-year-old Megan. It requires sex offenders to register, so that information about their where-abouts can be available to the public, but states have much discretion on how this happens. Are children being protected enough?

48. Sexual Assault on Campus:: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing about It, Heather M. Karjane, Bonnie S. Fisher, and Francis T. Cullen, NIJ Journal, December 2005

Congress asked the National Institute of Justice to find out what schools are doing to prevent and respond to reports of sexual assault. Among other facts, the study found that in most cases of rape, victim and assailant know each other, and half of all student victims do not consider such incidents to be rapes.

49. Human Rights, Sex Trafficking, and Prostitution, Alice Leuchtag, The Humanist, January/February 2003

One of the evil plagues haunting the world today is sex slavery, and it is getting worse. It is the product of extreme poverty and the considerable profits involved in the trade. However, the exploitation involved is horrendous. Human rights groups are trying to stop the practice. Alice Leuchtag covers many aspects of this issue.

Test-Your-Knowledge Form

Article Rating Form