Sexuality in America Understanding our Sexual Values and Behavior

by Francoeur, Robert T.; Koch, Patricia; Weis, David

• ISBN13: 9780826411938
• ISBN10: 0826411932
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-08-01
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

Now available in a new paperback edition, this survey is different in both breadth and scope from all other reports on sexuality in the United States. It covers every topic imaginable, from a multicultural point of view, in order to reflect fully the complex society in which we live: the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of our sexual lives.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
American Demographics and a Sketch of Diversity, Change, and Social Conflict	p. 1
Demographic Overview	p. 1
A Sketch of Recent Diversity, Change, and Social Conflict	p. 3
Basic Sexological Premises	p. 10
From Colonial Times to the Industrial Revolution	p. 10
The Twentieth Century	p. 15
Religious, Ethnic, and Gender Factors	p. 18
Sources and Character of Religious Values	p. 18
General Character and Ramifications of American Religious Perspectives on Sexuality	p. 18
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints	p. 29
Racial, Ethnic, and Feminist Perspectives	p. 42
African-Americans	p. 42
Latino Perspectives on Sexuality	p. 49
Feminism and Sexuality in the United States	p. 62
Sexual Knowledge and Education	p. 70
A Brief History of American Sexuality Education	p. 70
Current Status of Sexuality Education	p. 78
Youth-Serving Agencies	p. 78
Schools	p. 79
Informal Sources of Sexual Knowledge	p. 84
Peers as a Sexual Information Source	p. 84
The Media	p. 84
Parents as a Source of Sexual Information	p. 87
Autoerotic Behaviors and Patterns	p. 88
Research Weaknesses and Challenges	p. 88
Children and Adolescents	p. 88
Adults	p. 89
Interpersonal Heterosexual Behaviors	p. 91
Childhood Sexuality	p. 91
Childhood Sexual Development and Expression	p. 93
Professional and Social Issues of Childhood Sexuality	p. 102
Adolescent Sexuality	p. 105
Courtship, Dating, and Premarital Sex	p. 105
Trends in Adolescent Sexuality	p. 106
Circumstances of Adolescent Sexual Experiences	p. 110
Explanations of Adolescent Sexuality	p. 115
Adolescent Sexual Relationships: The Neglected Research	p. 122
Adult Heterosexuality	p. 124
The National Health and Social Life Survey	p. 124
Sexuality and Single Adults	p. 127
Marital Sex	p. 129
Extramarital Sexual Relationships	p. 133
Sexuality and People with Physical and Developmental Disabilities	p. 141
Sexuality and Older Persons	p. 143
Homoerotic, Homosexual and Ambisexual Behaviors	p. 145
Children and Adolescents	p. 146
Adults	p. 148
Research on Gender Orientation	p. 148
Incidence	p. 151
Clinical, Legal, Religious, Social, Family, and Health Issues	p. 152
Homosexuality in the Later Years	p. 161
Gay Men, Lesbian Women, and Bisexuals--Comparisons	p. 161
Bisexuality	p. 162
Cross-Gendered Persons	p. 165
Conceptualizations	p. 165
Current Status of American CD/CG Paraculture	p. 169
Significant Unconventional Sexual Behaviors	p. 171
Coercive Sex	p. 172
Sexual Assault and Rape	p. 172
Child Sexual Abuse and Incest	p. 181
Clergy Sexual Abuse	p. 191
Satanic Ritual Abuse	p. 192
Recovered Memories and False Memory Syndrome	p. 192
Sexual Harassment	p. 194
Prostitution-Sex Workers	p. 196
Pornography and Erotica	p. 201
Paraphilias and Unusual Sexual Practices	p. 205
Contraception, Abortion, and Population Planning	p. 216
Contraception	p. 217
Childbirth and Single Women	p. 228
Abortion	p. 232
Sexually Transmitted Diseases	p. 238
Hiv/Aids	p. 239
National Perspective	p. 239
Five Specific Emerging Issues	p. 244
The Impact of AIDS on Our Perception of Sexuality	p. 248
Sexual Dysfunctions, Counseling, and Therapies	p. 251
Brief History of American Sexual Therapy	p. 251
Current Status	p. 254
Recent Developments	p. 256
Education and Certification of Sex Therapists	p. 257
Sex Surrogates: The Continuing Controversy	p. 257
Research and Advanced Education	p. 262
A Research Assessment	p. 262
Advanced Sexological Institutes, Organizations, and Publications	p. 263
Sexuality Education of Physicians and Clergy	p. 265
A Door to the Future: Sexuality on the Information Superhighway	p. 270
Current Developments	p. 278
The Interaction of Gender and Race	p. 278
Sexuality and African-American Women	p. 278
Sexuality Education	p. 280
Abstinence-Only Sexuality Education	p. 280
Intersexuality and the Politics of Difference	p. 281
Sexual Health	p. 284
Puberty	p. 284
Infertility and Reproductive Issues	p. 284
Abortion	p. 286
Condom Distribution in the Schools	p. 287
Sexually Transmissible Diseases	p. 288
HIV Disease	p. 290
Sexual Dysfunctions, Counseling, and Therapies	p. 291
Incidence Rates	p. 291
Culturally Appropriate Counseling and Therapy	p. 292
Sexuality of Menopausal Women	p. 292
Male Erectile Problems	p. 293
Concluding Remarks on Change, Diversity, and Conflict	p. 296
References and Suggested Readings	p. 302
Supplementary References for Updated U.S.A. Volume	p. 332
Contributors and Acknowledgments	p. 335
American Sexological Organizations	p. 341
Index	p. 343
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