UNIT 1. Sexuality and Society

Part A. Historical and Cross-Cultural Perspectives

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. Women’s Ideal Bodies Then and Now, Julia Savacool, Marie Claire, April 2004

This fascinating travelogue spans a century and includes cultures as varied as China, South Africa, Fiji, and Jamaica. What was considered attractive, sexy, desirable—soft bellies, coca-cola bottle shapes, mampi-size (large boned), or compact statures—has changed, and often to a Westernized ideal.

3. Sex Around the World, Sharlene K. Johnson, More, December 2002/January 2003

Women from seven countries—Italy, Egypt, Mexico, Sweden, India, Brazil, and Japan—talk openly with seven foreign correspondents about sex, love, relationships, and their lives.

4. The Beauty Pageant Prevails, Esther Haynes, Jane, April 2004

Senior editor Haynes traveled to many poverty-ridden, struggling, crime-filled countries to learn about the paradoxical trend of beauty pageant contestants with guns. This article moves from Russia’s “Miss Bureau of Prisons Pageant” to Columbia’s hundreds of pageants year-round.

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

This sobering 1981 to 2006 timeline tells the story of AIDS in America. Noting how spending, knowledge, personal responses, and cultural responses have changed over the years is enlightening.

6. Remembering Bayard Rustin, John D’Emilio, OAH Magazine of History, March 2006

Bayard Rustin was a contemporary of the Reverend Martin Luther King who, historians say, made the March on Washington in the early 1960s happen. Being a gay, black man meant he stood in the background. Reading about Bayard Rustin gives powerful insights into attitudes then and now.

Part B. Changing Society/Changing Sexuality

7. The Magdalene Mystique:: Why Her Archetype Matters, Lila Sophia Tresemer and David Tresemer, Utne, November/December 2005

The archetype of partner or companion embodies femininity, as well as a feisty spirit and boldness. Whether or not this radical role really existed in the woman known as Mary Magdalene, it allows women today to combine power and passion.

8. The Manliness of Men, Harvey Mansfield, American Enterprise, September 2003

This article focuses on the evolution of modern society and gender roles. The author discusses how men are ideally to act in a “manly” way.

9. The Trouble with Boys, Peg Tyre, Newsweek, January 30, 2006

Educators and psychologists have become increasingly concerned about limitations of the “boy brain.” Evidence of growing consequences of treating boys like defective girls, as well as possible interventions involving older male role models, will give readers pause for thought.

10. The Gender Quotient Test, David Deida, Utne, November/December 2005

Take this ten-question test—by a best selling author and spiritual teacher—that addresses feminine and masculine traits. Relax though, as the goal is to understand and embrace your gender genius, so there are no bad scores.

UNIT 2. Sexual Biology, Behavior, and Orientation

Part A. The Body and Its Responses

11. The New Sex Scorecard, Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today, July/August 2003

It’s called the new imperative to explore sex differences, but its goal is not to prove either gender superior. Rather, it seeks to promote health and fight diseases from depression to heart disease and Parkinsons to autism that manifest differently in men and women.

12. Sudden Infertility, Karen Bruno, Ladies’ Home Journal, May 2005

Ten percent of women under 40 experience sudden, and usually undesired, early menopause due to premature ovarian failure. Because early identification and treatment are crucial, the information and suggestions contained here can be fertility-savers.

Part B. Hygiene and Sexual Health Care

13. Battling a Black Epidemic, Claudia Kalb and Andrew Murr, Newsweek, May 15, 2006

African-Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population but account for 51% of the new HIV diagnoses. Although recognizing the root of the problem as poverty, many say black leadership has been slow to respond. Fear that the now 63% of African-Americans who say they personally know someone who has died of AIDS or is living with HIV may continue to rise.

14. Positive Thinking, Regan Hofmann, Vogue, June 2006

Although statistics tell us over 27% of HIV positive Americans (and over 1/2 of all people worldwide) are women, this is a personal story. It has been ten years since Regan Hofmann’s HIV positive diagnosis. Consequently, Regan has learned and experienced a lot about learning to live with HIV.

15. Prison Outbreak:: An Epidemic of Hepatitis C, Kai Wright, The Progressive, March 2006

Hepatitis C is now the leading cause of death in several prison systems with infection rates as high as 42% in some states. Although some promising efforts exist for providing early treatment, to do so can cost $35,000 per person.

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

This straightforward, 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 C. Human Sexualities and Orientations

17. Everyone’s Queer, Leila J. Rupp, OAH Magazine of History, March 2006

The title of this history of 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.

18. Why Are We Gay?, Mubarak Dahir, The Advocate, July 17, 2001

This in-depth look at the theories of sexual orientation is both informative and human. Although science knows far more about the complex combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors involved, many researchers and others doubt science will ever be able to answer the question without sufficient attention to real people.

19. The Battle over Gay Teens, John Cloud, Time, October 10, 2005

What’s it like to come out as a kid? This article discusses the trends in and reactions to the declining age for first same-sex contact—14 for boys and 16 for girls—as well as for coming out to families and peers.

20. The End of Gay Culture, Andrew Sullivan, The New Republic, October 24, 2005

Located at the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown has been the center of gay America for two decades. However, it—like all gay culture—has changed with the times as gay/straight differences recede, and instead of one gay culture, there are now a variety of ways to be gay.

UNIT 3. Interpersonal Relationships

Part A. Establishing Sexual Relationships

21. Great Expectations, Polly Shulman, Psychology Today, March/April 2004

The expectation that our partner should be our soul mate is, according to this article that combines the research and experience of many relationship experts, a recipe for disaster and unhappiness.

22. In Search of Erotic Intelligence, Esther Perel, Utne Reader, September/October 2003

Pearl is a psychotherapist who grew up in Belgium and has lived in many other countries. Her global perspective confronts some American beliefs that contribute to boring sex. Readers will be challenged to reconsider the applicability of equalitarian ideals, directness, and domesticity in order to increase their erotic intelligence.

23. 24 Things Love and Sex Experts Are Dying to Tell You, Ellise Pierce, Redbook, June 2006

Fourteen experts share with readers their advice on love, sex, and intimate relationships. Their down-to-earth suggestions range from how to use compliments to when to (and not to) sweep problems under the rug. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it twice.

24. How to Tell Your Potential Love About Your Chronic STD, Jeff Gardere, Sister 2 Sister, July 2002

This message from Dr. Jeff Gardere, a clinical psychologist who frequently appears on television news and talk shows, focuses on the kind of honesty and caring that can build a good relationship (or end one that wouldn’t have had this potential).

Part B. Responsible Quality Sexual Relationships

25. The Viagra Dialogues, Deborah Pike Olsen, Good Housekeeping, January 2003

Heralded as the long-awaited and best solution for ED, erectile dysfunction, “vitamin V” or Viagra has been a blessing for some couples who say it has helped them recapture the intimacy they’d lost. But the experts cited in this article warn that Viagra and two similar newer drugs, Cialis and Levitra, do not solve all intimacy problems.

26. Save Your Relationship, Susan Johnson and Aviva Patz, Psychology Today, March/April 2003

EFT, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, is a short-term approach to marital counseling that focuses primarily on communication skills. EFT appears to be doubling the percentages of couples who successfully rekindle their love over other popular approaches. Readers are given the nine principles of EFT with clear examples for their use.

27. Be a Better Couple, Dorothy Foltz-Gray, Health, January/February 2006

This article explains the difference between marriage education and marital counseling, while illustrating the benefits for couples of do-it-at-home programs like CARE (Commitment and Relationship Enhancement).

28. How to Talk About Sex, Heidi Raykeil, Parenting, February 2006

Although this article was written for partners who are also parents, it generalizes well to couples with varying interest/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.

UNIT 4. Reproduction

Part A. Fertility, Contraception, and Abortion

29. Access Denied, Caroline Bollinger, Prevention Magazine, August 2004

Growing numbers of doctors and pharmacists across the country are refusing to prescribe or dispense birth control pills. This article discusses the anti-Pill movement, its ties to the anti-abortion movement, and stories of women denied access. It also explains what is known—and not known—about the post-fertilization effect.

30. You Can’t Do That on Television, Rachel Fudge, Utne, September/October 2005

Sex is all over television shows but 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 interesting article shows the shift in treatment of unplanned pregnancy and abortion from the Roe v. Wade ’70s to today.

31. 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 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 the FDA changed the rules for political reasons.

32. A Late Decision, a Lasting Anguish, Stephanie Simon, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2005

Although there has always been controversy about abortion, the strongest opposition has been toward late abortion. This article powerfully reports the circumstances surrounding four women’s decisions to end their pregnancies after the second trimester and why they are grateful for the doctor—one of the few who will perform abortions on viable fetuses.

33. Condoms, Contraceptives and Nonoxynol-9:: Complex Issues Obscured by Ideology, Heather Boonstra, The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy, May 2005

This article is part of the Issues and Implications series that draws together research on the safety of nonoxynol-9, the active ingredient in spermicides commonly used in condoms and a variety of vaginal contraceptive products.

Part B. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenthood

34. Sex Without Sex? Keeping Passion Alive, Marjorie Osterhout, ePregnancy, July 2004

Pregnant women (and their partners) vary in their interest and comfort with sex, and often over the span of the pregnancy. This practical and permission-giving article demonstrates how couples can stay connected despite physical and emotional obstacles to keep the passion through the pregnancy.

35. A Tale of Two Mothers, Cynthia Hanson, Ladies’ Home Journal, May 2003

An estimated 20,000 babies have come into the world through surrogacy, where a woman carries to term another couple’s child. This article tells the story of such a surrogate arrangement where one woman gave birth to a couple’s three children and the two families remain friends.

36. 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.”

UNIT 5. Sexuality Through the Life Cycle

Part A. Youth and Their Sexuality

37. The Sexual Revolution Hits Junior High, Kim Painter, USA Today, March 15–17, 2002

Researchers in Washington, D.C., targeted seventh and eighth graders for a program to prevent early sexual activity, only to find out that they needed to retarget fifth graders since so many of the seventh graders were already having sex. Read why experts have pronounced today’s world as rougher and sexier for our youth.

38. The Cuddle Puddle of Stuyvesant High School, Alex Morris, New York Magazine, February 6, 2006

What’s a cuddle puddle? Even our 20ish readers may ask. Remember what happened in the halls of your junior and senior highs? Today due to 11% of 15- to 19-year-old girls calling themselves pansexual, bi-queer, or metro flexible, the old public displays of affection may be with the same- or opposite-sex peers.

39. Your Turn:: Give Students the Knowledge to Make Wise Choices About Sex, American School Board Journal, January 2006

Controversy continues about what should and shouldn’t be included in sex education programs in school. This article from the American School Board Journal discusses the two sides:: abstinence only or comprehensive.

Part B. Sexuality and the Adult Years

40. Sex and Love:: The New World, Barbara Kantrowitz, Newsweek, February 20, 2006

Love (and sex!) at midlife…this article blends discussion, examples, and statistics to illustrate the increase in images of middle-aged sex that are beginning to permeate popular culture, calling it a sea of change from a generation ago.

41. 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.

UNIT 6. Old/New Sexual Concerns

Part A. Sexual Abuse and Violence

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

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

43. Silent No More, Robin D. Stone, Essence, August 2001

Healing from sexual abuse can begin only if the victim has the courage to let the secret out. After this important step the natural childhood tendency—often bolstered by the abuser—of self-blame can be replaced with the healthy self-image and intimacy-potential of a survivor.

44. Where Girls Marry Rapists for Honor, Amberin Zaman, Los Angeles Times, May 24, 2005

Thirteen-year-old Rojda was raped—a not uncommon event in Turkey where violence against girls and women is widespread due to poverty and lack of education. The “solution” endorsed by the patriarchal structure is shocking:: she is forced to marry her rapist to cleanse her honor.

45. A Cruel Edge, Robert Jensen, Ms., Spring 2004

Jensen is a University of Texas journalism professor who has done research of “adult” videos for the past seven years. He asserts the connection between pornography and pain:: the edge that sells is a vestige of the patriarchy of power and entreats men to be agents of change.

Part B. Sexual Relationship Crises

46. Sexual Heroin, Barry McCarthy, Jennifer Cintron, and David Treadway, Psychotherapy Networker, November/December 2005

This therapist’s discussion of a case involving an intimacy disorder will help readers better understand sexual addiction. Since 2–5 million men display a compulsive variant arousal pattern or fetish, many relationships are likely to be affected. Options for change are explained in ways all readers can understand.

47. The Secret Lives of Wives, Lorraine Ali and Lisa Miller, Newsweek, July 12, 2004

Called the new infidelity, marriage therapists now report that the gap between men and women who are unfaithful is narrowing. The article examines 3000 years of female adultery with a current-day focus on factors that appear to contribute to the rise—at home, in the workplace, and on the Internet.

48. My Cheatin’ Heart, Daphne Gottlieb, Utne, 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.

49. The New “Mixed” Marriage, Joe Kort and Michele Weiner-Davis, Psychotherapy Networker, September/October 2005

The mixed marriage written about here is a mixed (sexual) orientation where one partner is gay. The discussion of issues and impacts on individual partners and adult and parent-child relationships covers the range of arrangements from shrouded in secrecy to living openly with integrity.

Part C. Focus:: Valuing Sexuality

50. Good Sex:: Why We Need More of It and a Lot Less of the Bad Stuff, Jennifer Roback Morse, The American Enterprise, April 2006

Americans are set up to struggle with good sex, true love, and intimacy in relationships according to this article because of a batch of sociocultural concepts and beliefs that actively get in the way. Readers will be challenged to reconsider and replace some of the “bad” stuff in the American way.

51. Pillow Talk, Nina Utne, Utne, 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.

52. The Merry-Go-Round of Desire, Mark Matousek, Tricycle:: The Buddhist Review, Summer 2004

This interview with psychiatrist Mark Epstein, author of the ground-breaking book Open to Desire, explores both western and traditional Buddhist perspectives that have considered lust or desire as dangerous. Buddhists support this view in an effort to integrate lust for life as a middle path for an enlightened life and healthy relationships.