Women's Sexuality across the Life Span Challenging Myths, Creating Meanings

by Daniluk, Judith C.

• ISBN13: 9781572309111
• ISBN10: 1572309113
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-06-09
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

This essential book explores how women experience and express their sexuality from childhood through old age. Moving beyond a traditional focus on sexual functioning, the book emphasizes the complex interaction of psychological, social, cultural, and biological influences on the creation of individual sexual meanings--meanings central to each woman's experience of herself as a sexual person. The author shows how these meanings are often problematic and contradictory, causing many women to feel disconnected from their bodies and from their needs and desires. Demonstrating how problematic myths and messages can be challenged, the book outlines ways that women can be empowered to create a more comfortable and self-defined sexuality throughout life.

Author Biography

Judith C. Daniluk, PhD, is Professor and Director of Training in the Counselling Psychology Program at the University of British Columbia.

Table of Contents

I THE ENIGMA OF WOMEN'S SEXUALITY
Opening Pandora's Box	3	(20)
Everyone Knows What Sex Is, Don't They?	3	(3)
If It's Not Just Intercourse, What Is It?	6	(3)
The Meaning of Sexual Meanings	9	(1)
The Construction of Sexual Meanings	10	(6)
Problematic Meanings	16	(3)
Conclusion	19	(4)
II CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE
Teaching the Children	23	(17)
``Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice'': Biological Development	24	(3)
Girls' Psychological Development	27	(2)
Messages and Meanings	29	(8)
Summary and Recommendations	37	(3)
Adolescence: Biological and Psychological Development	40	(13)
Biological Development	40	(5)
Psychological Development	45	(7)
Conclusion	52	(1)
Menstruation: Initiation into Womanhood	53	(21)
The Things We Needed Mother ``and Dad'' to Tell Us: Parental Messages	54	(5)
A Friend in Need: Messages of Peers	59	(2)
Of Cleanliness and Womanliness: Media Messages	61	(1)
Religious and Medical Messages	62	(2)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	64	(1)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	64	(9)
Conclusion	73	(1)
``Bawdy'' Image: From Subject to Object	74	(29)
Changing Roles and Expectations: Messages of Significant Others	75	(5)
Objects of Desire: Media Messages	80	(4)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	84	(3)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	87	(15)
Conclusion	102	(1)
Who Loves Ya, Babe?: Sexual Intimacies and Expression	103	(40)
Sex as Love: Parental Messages	104	(3)
Sex as Status: The Messages of Peers	107	(1)
``Intimate'' Partners: Mixed Messages	108	(5)
Sex as Surrender: Media Messages	113	(4)
Sex as Weapon: Sexual Violence	117	(4)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	121	(1)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	122	(16)
Conclusion	138	(5)
III YOUNG ADULTHOOD
Biological and Psychological Development	143	(20)
Biological Development	143	(11)
Psychological Development	154	(8)
Conclusion	162	(1)
Creating a Life	163	(23)
Sexual Invisibility: Messages to Mothers	164	(2)
Sexuality as Loss: Messages to Infertile Women	166	(2)
Incomplete Sexuality: Messages to the Voluntarily Childless	168	(1)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	169	(2)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	171	(15)
In the Prime of Life: Living in Our Bodies	186	(25)
Have You Gained a Little Weight Lately?: Messages of Friends and Lovers	187	(2)
One Standard of Beauty---Tight, Light, and White: Media Messages	189	(2)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	191	(3)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	194	(15)
Conclusion	209	(2)
Fanning the Flames of Desire	211	(30)
He Shoots, He Scores: The Male Model of Sexual Expression	212	(4)
Too Hot to Handle: Media Portrayals of Sex	216	(2)
Sexologists: The Purveyors of Scientific ``Truths,''	218	(1)
Intimate Partners: Myths and Miscommunication	219	(3)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	222	(2)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	224	(13)
Conclusion	237	(4)
IV THE MIDDLE AND LATER YEARS
Biological and Psychological Development	241	(30)
Biological Development during the Middle Years	241	(14)
Psychological Development during the Middle Years	255	(8)
Biological Development in Later Life: ``You're as Young as You Feel,''	263	(4)
Psychological Development in Later Life: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained	267	(4)
When Being ``Hot'' Takes on New Meaning: Menopause	271	(23)
All ``Dried'' Up: Medical Messages	272	(2)
All ``Used'' Up: Media Messages	274	(2)
Secret Shame: Messages of Significant Others	276	(4)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	280	(1)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	281	(12)
Conclusion	293	(1)
The Festival of Lipid Migration: Bodily Changes and Body Image	294	(21)
Forever Young: Media Messages	295	(2)
Hourglass Figures, or ``Time Is Running Out'': Messages of the Beauty Industry	297	(2)
Between Lovers: Messages of Significant Others	299	(1)
Between Women	300	(4)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	304	(2)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	306	(8)
Conclusion	314	(1)
Intimate Connections: Sexual Expression and Relationships	315	(24)
The Serviceable Vagina: Medical Messages	316	(3)
On the Downhill Slide: Media Images	319	(1)
Lovers and Other Strangers: Messages of Significant Others	320	(4)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	324	(1)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	325	(13)
Conclusion	338	(1)
Coming Full Circle	339	(18)
Over the Hill: Medical Messages	340	(1)
Rocking Chairs and Apple Pies: Media Messages	341	(1)
Intimate Relationships: Messages of Significant Others	342	(3)
Summary: Problematic Meanings	345	(1)
Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings	346	(11)
Epilogue	357	(2)
Appendix A The Sexual Development of Children and Adolescents	359	(3)
Appendix B Body Image and Struggles with Weight	362	(2)
Appendix C The Aftermath of Sexual Violence	364	(2)
Appendix D Lesbian Identity and Sexual Orientation	366	(3)
Appendix E Reproductive Health and Decision Making	369	(5)
Appendix F Disability and Illness	374	(3)
Appendix G Issues for Women in the Middle and Later Years	377	(4)
References	381	(30)
Index	411