Sexualities and Sexology Diary - Research Paper Example

 Reflective Diary – Sexualities Module (Week 1 – ADD DATE) This week’s lessons contributed to a history of sexology, dating back to the era of Hippocrates and Plato. Additionally, several sexual histories pertaining to the Middle Ages and Modern times were explored. Clearly, sexual interest and the examination of the human form has been a complicated matter in different eras with gender-role and expected sexual behaviours altering throughout the passage of time. It seems that pre-culture societies were less-affected by human sexuality than other figures in more modern history, which might be contributed to the discoveries of the biology behind sexology. It may have been the fundamentals of human biology, such as Leeuwenhoek’s initial discovery of the human sperm cell in 1677. This was a period of great discovery in a wide variety of situations, which changed the course of human thinking in many different ways. For example, it changed views on the value of different artistry and revolutionized product manufacture. This week got me thinking about the evolution of sex and how modernism and discovery seems to have radically-altered the view of human sexuality. Samuel Tissot, in 1760, discussed the dangers of masturbation. This doesn’t seem to be a topic of discussion in the more sexually-liberal eras of Roman influence, which might show that with modern discovery comes a changing attitude when you can link biology with personal sexual discovery and find that they take on two different meanings in each scenario. The lecture asked why we should look at historical perspectives? This week has taught me that the answer is because these perspectives have shaped today’s beliefs and knowledge on sexology and are still, in some fashion, a fundamental part of the modern view of sex and sex behaviour. (Week 2 – ADD DATE) Clearly, the 1940s era was a time where sexual behaviour and acceptable gender-related sexology was a very taboo subject. There was a great deal of criticism regarding the male and female sexual psyche in which people argued against exploring sexual detail and felt there should be laws which prevented it. It seems to be a time period where people were either on one side of the proverbial fence when it comes to sexual exploration: You were either totally against it for immoral (or other personal reasons) or you found value in sexology as a study topic and felt it completely natural to explore these behavioural patterns and responses related to sex activity. It seemed to be a time where educational professionals, and other research experts, wanted to explore sexology as an important concept which improved mankind rather than trying to exploit some sadistic view of sex from a crazed and delinquent perspective. Those who opposed sexual studies in this time seemed to argue it from a moral perspective, which showed that there might have been cultural divides during this time period where devotees to a traditional, moral society felt that sexual exploration perverted the essence of family values. Because this is a reflective diary, it made me consider issues of cultural struggles which are very much occurring today. There are questions about how far sexual research should go and those who criticise its merits still use a moral code which suggests it is unethical and somehow disturbed. This week also discussed the physical reactions which occur during sex, which I believe was very important to the lesson about how biology has become inter-mixed with sexual behaviour and emotion. The mathematical equation of biology makes sexual study an almost natural evolution of the human need to learn and explore. One interesting aspect of this week was Kinsey and his contribution to sexology with the belief that his work “destroyed forever the belief in American sexual innocence and virtue!” (Sexology, 2009, 12). However, did he? Or did he just lay a template for sexology and sexual behavioural studies which opened a new avenue of study in a unique area for discussion? (Week 3 – ADD DATE) This week really showed how theoretical perspectives have changed throughout the years. From the belief that the body would experience hemorrhoids, pimples, and other diseases through masturbation tends to show that this time period was still in research infancy. These appeared to be somewhat-commonly-believed which shows that culture was still standoffish regarding human sex and sexual behaviour. Believing that the loss of a small amount of sperm during masturbation would make an individual lose their vigor or masculinity tends to reinforce why sexual study was necessary in this time period. If people were reading this as fact during this time and were teaching it to their children in an attempt to instill knowledge on their youths, then the whole view of sexuality during the late 1800s and early 1900s was very distorted and required solid research evidence to disprove all of these claims. There was clearly not enough technology in this time period to provide the biological answers people were looking for, so this week made me realise that research and sexology go hand-in-hand at promoting not only interest, but in teaching facts about the reproductive process. If people still held to the beliefs as presented during this week’s lessons, there could still be an inaccurate view on human sexual behaviours. To believe that one should tie their child to a bedpost or lock them in another restraining contraption represents the infliction of emotional harm on the child. Theorists should realise that long-term negative emotions can have long-term impact into adulthood. This week also reinforced that some values which have changed in society have made significant, positive impacts on how issues of masturbation and human sexuality are viewed today. An interesting topic of study this week involved Kellogg and his publications highlighting the signs of masturbation to include acne, paleness, rounded shoulders, and convulsions (Sexology, 2009, 18); these among other medical conditions. In today’s medicine, none of these determinations could be linked to masturbation in any reputable fashion, however they were accepted during the time period as clinically-sound. Why? This week’s reflection involves how the evolution of culture, since the time of Kellogg and other unsound medical practitioners, has come to change the overall social and even medical communities in relation to sexology and the links to human behaviours. (Week 4 – ADD DATE) The first week asked why historical perspectives should be examined. This week again reinforced the importance of sexology as a research tool and the positive changes which have resulted from research studies. It seems that today’s liberations experienced by many homosexuals are the product of not just social evolution, but were launched by research studies which highlighted lesbians and homosexuals as humans with the ability to love one another in the same fashion as the heterosexual. Not having had much experience with human sexuality from this type of perspective, this week highlighted that homosexual progression in society could not have been achieved without the professional insight of various expert researchers. The model which highlighted the various stages of the homosexual identify formation process was also interesting and it would be unique to apply these stages to a real-life person and find whether it proves or disproves the model. For example, in Stage Five: Identity Pride, one becomes content with their gay identity and moves to reject all things heterosexual. This homosexual series of stages tends to illustrate the homosexual as one who accepts themselves and then, as a matter of social outcry, rejects the original rejectors to affirm themselves in society. Perhaps it is just a matter of removing this long-standing bias against a groups’ historical oppressors which could make the most positive change? Though there were criticisms proposed of models which attempt to categorise all homosexuals or lesbians, these models might offer insight on how best to handle homosexual and lesbian issues. (Week 5 – ADD DATE) There seems to be, and always has been, debate and conflict over the role of the bisexual in society. Does it exist or is it just a stage one progresses through as they attempt to come to grips with their homosexuality? It is interesting that this week identified that bisexual behaviour is much more widespread than generally believed, which might ask the question whether it is biological or more a result of emotional attachments or personal values. This week pointed out very philosophical questions regarding the concept of bisexuality, such as whether a man who has sex occasionally with other men while being married should be categorised as bisexual. It would likely depend on whether the married man is looking for sex with other men as a measure of attractiveness or whether he finds emotional attachment that his wife cannot provide. In one dimension, this would shout toward being a biological construct. If the man were seeking emotional attachment, this could be a psychological dimension of being straight where periodic homosexual behaviour is merely a product of frustration or the need to connect with other men with like values. The different typologies of bisexuality shows that there is a wide chasm of research gaps which point to why men and women are attracted to both genders. There is also a great deal of debate regarding why lesbians and homosexuals view bisexuality differently from heterosexual men and women. The theoretical arguments proposed during this week made me reflective in terms of how historical perspectives have shaped the cultural view of bisexuality. It could be that bisexuality has so many personal and ambiguous factors that a conclusion has not yet been reached. It would seem so with the variety of unique perspectives on the subject. (Week 6 – ADD DATE) It seems that many theorists described in this week’s lessons view heterosexual behaviour and the relevance of the heterosexual relationship as a natural outcome of biology in which the drive to plant the male seed is the primary driving force behind why these relationships develop. It does not seem that there is as much research information pertaining to the heterosexual relationship other than reactions or responses related to sexology as a whole. For example, the culturally-related responses such as I went on the pill for him are studied to determine the relationship aspects of heterosexual coupling. Few could argue that biologically, sex was built for the insertion of the penis into the female reproductive organ. Thus, the expected reaction would be for both parties to derive pleasure in the activity. However, this week opened opportunities for exploring the behavioural aspects of heterosexual coupling to find out why it differs (or if it even does differ) from other sexual practices. The one-size fits all perspective on heterosexual sex does not describe the inter-woven aspects of male gender role and female gender role in heterosex environments. Naturally, men and women are equipped to perform heterosex in a wide variety of positions. However, with the research information provided by previous weeks’ lessons on lesbianism and the use of penile substitutes in sexual activity, it does not seem that heterosex receives the same attention in terms of why one group would prefer one position over another (etc). Clearly, more research is needed to explore heterosex in the same dimension as other non-heterosexual study groups. (Week 7 – ADD DATE) Homophobic bullying was one topic of extreme interest this week as thought was given to the many homosexual and lesbian students in today’s schools which are faced with stigmas and false understandings about gay and lesbian lifestyle. Even though previous lessons identified changing values toward homosexuals and their capacity to live normal, moral lives, there still seems to be a cultural phenomenon in the youth groups which links homosexual lifestyle with a form of unclean sexual activity. This high ratio of bullying clearly shows why research into these topics are of important study in order to change social values on homosexual and lesbian behaviours. This week also explored the adulthood dimensions of gay and lesbian relationships, pointing out that there are small differences but even more noticeable similarities. However, it was learned that gay relationships are often less monogamous than heterosexual relationships, however this could be a result of the male psyche in terms of how they view sexuality and how it helps them identify with themselves. 10 – 30 percent of gay men and women having children, also, is statistically-significant because it shows that interest in parenting makes these couples closely-linked to the research evidence showing they are both willing and capable of nurturing a family and children. This evidence could give pause to think, socially, that homosexuals and lesbians looking to adopt have the same needs for belonging and family as others in society. These research statistics, again, seem to reinforce the importance of contemporary sexology in promoting learning both social and biological. Badgett, Gates and Maisel (2008) offer that the driving factor which often invites cohabitation in male partnered relationships is financial, which is another underlooked aspect of the homosexual dimension. Does income offer a new kind of flexibility which further enhances identity formation, as part of the previously-identified model of identity formation in the homosexual group? For lesbian cohabitation, the authors offer that these rise with age, perhaps a factor of social belonging and family needs which can be attributed to lesbian age? This is clearly why more research needs to be conducted in this area of study. (Week 8 – ADD DATE) This week discussed transgender persons and transsexual individuals to describe the differences between them. Gender dysphoria, for example, seems to be the common link between the driving force to compel oneself to look like the sex they feel they most identify with. A man who dresses in women’s clothing is fulfilling this urge whilst a woman who changes her sex to biologically-resemble a man is also acting, in more extreme fashion, to this urge. Research has provided the opportunity to remember that transgender and transsexual individuals are seeking to attain a common need associated with establishing identity. Clearly, there are a wide variety of physical and emotional responses associated with the realisation that one is essentially living as the wrong sex and wishes to change this persona visibly. For some, it appears that adorning clothes of the opposite sex is satisfying enough to calm the gender dysphoria. For others, full-scale biological changes are the only method to cure gender dysphoria. This group is only recently achieving its own social status, which is evident by watching today’s television channels, which is a positive step. However, the difficulties this group faces, especially when they understand the risks to losing orgasmic ability (et al) if they choose to become the opposite sex, must be monumentally-challenging for transgenders and transsexuals. There is much opportunity for further research study to help this group cope. (Week 9 – ADD DATE) This week discussed the phenomenon of intersex and the challenges faced by this group. This represented a group of individuals who are born with sexual genitalia that does not fit in with the biological norm for men and women. Before this class, I often thought of hermaphrodites as being those with male and female sex organs, but this class has disproved this mythology. The main learning from this week is that this is indistinguishable from biology and does not necessarily involve the more complicated or socially-deviant stigmas associated with other conditions. Biology determines whether the human will have small testes and small penis with the emergence of female reproductive systems (et al) therefore this might be viewed more as a clinical problem than one of whether sexual preference is driven by behavioural needs. The only significant problems with intersex are in self-concept and the gender assigned to them at birth by parents who are aware of the condition. These lessons gave opportunities to explore other aspects of how intersex children adjust to their environment. Since the concept of reflection offers opportunities to explore further information, Marom, Itskoviz and Ostfeld (2008) provide an interesting case study of an intersex patient with CAIS who was serving in the military. Since these cases are so rare, there was no template by which to judge decision-making on her authority to stay in the military. The authors recommendation was that the intersex patient be allowed military service, but not in combat situations. The point of the research was to validate the relevance of the existing research as a form of sexology so as to create new templates of design by which the intersex human can be evaluated. Since there is likely to be a social calling to ensure that the rights of biologically-different humans are respected, the intersex individual becomes an interesting topic of study. Bibliography Badgett, M., Gates, G. and Maisel, N. (2008). ‘Registered domestic partnerships among gay men and lesbians: The role of economic factors’, Review of Economics of the Household, Dordrecht, 6(4): 327-347. www.proquest.com. (accessed 19 Mar 2009). Kitzinger, C. (1987). The social construction of lesbianism, London: Sage. 301-424KIT Marom, T., Itskoviz, D. and Ostfeld, I. (2008). ‘Intersex Patients in Military Service’. Military Medicine, Bethesda, 173(11): 1132-1136. www.proquest.com. (accessed 18 Mar 2009). Nye, R.A. (1999). Sexuality: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 301.424SEX Sexology. (2009). ‘Lecture 2’. Sexology. (2009). ‘Masturbation (genitalia and gender): Lecture 3’. Weeks, J. (1981). Sex, politics and society: The regulation of sexuality since 1800. London: Longman. 301.424WEE Read More