This study assessed sexuality education for clergy students provided by Christian accredited seminaries and theological schools in the US. The purpose was to identify perceived need, to quantify support and readiness, and ultimately to assist theological institutions with the process of sharing, implementing, or restructuring sexuality education and formation efforts within their professional education. To determine how and whether clergy students are being prepared to address sexuality concerns of their congregants, data were sought from all 183 graduate-level seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the US. Sixty-nine schools (37%) responded. Questions included: What educational and developmental experiences related to human sexuality are currently being offered? What sexuality-related experiences were offered in the past and if no longer offered, why not? How important is sexuality education as an aspect of formation within the mission of the seminary? How ready is the institution to share, implement, or restructure sexuality education experiences? Open-ended responses indicated that sexuality content is most often combined with other curricular offerings, especially courses in pastoral counseling and ethics. Only 47% of respondents indicated their institution currently offers a stand-alone sexuality course, whereas 85% said that sexuality content is embedded in other courses. Diffusion of innovations theory provided the framework for ranking institutional readiness.
(2001). Cybersex: The Dark Side of the Force. Edited by Al Cooper. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner-Routledge, 2000. v+149 pages, figures, tables, references, index. Paperback, ISBN 1-58391-305-X, $19.95. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 26, Special Issue on Cancer and Sexuality, pp. 235-236.
The visibility of lesbians and lesbian health care issues has increased over the past few years. Health care institutions and health-related federal agencies are beginning to recognize lesbian health disparities as well as the unique needs of this vulnerable population. Although lesbians' health care needs are fundamentally women's health care needs, there are factors specific to lesbians that place them at greater risk for diseases such as cancer. Perhaps the most important issue affecting lesbian health in this country is access to health care services. Barriers to health care access include heterosexual assumptions by health care providers, exclusion of lesbian experience, homophobia and discrimination, and misinformation about screening needs for lesbians. These barriers—be they real or perceived—impact health-seeking behaviors and utilization of important screening services. As the body of literature on lesbian health grows, we are better able to define lesbianism and identify the needs of this population as well as the barriers to meeting those needs. Much work needs to be done in communicating strategies to remove the barriers to care. Dismantling access barriers and creating inclusive, culturally competent health care settings are important steps in eliminating health disparities for lesbians.
(2001). The Sex Lives of Teenagers: Revealing the Secret World of Adolescent Boys and Girls. By Lynn Ponton. New York: Dutton, 2000. viii + 285 pp. Hardback, ISBN 0-525-94561-X, $24.95. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 146-146.
Western beliefs about the ‘proper’ role of sexuality were set by St. Augustine early in the development of the Christian Church. His ideas were influenced by some of the ascetic beliefs of the time as well as his own personal experiences. The medical tradition was different, emphasizing sexuality as a biological fact and as a necessary and pleasurable aspect of life. In general, however, medical views were descriptive and not prescriptive. In the 18th century development of new medical theories emphasizing homeostasis seemed to give support to the Augustinian views and there was an outpouring of books about the dangers of sex. It was not until the end of the 19th century, with the discovery of bacteria as major causal factor of disease, that scientific views challenged the traditional religious assumptions. Public attitudes and opinions slowly changed to more positive attitudes about sexual matters. Gradually religious views also reinterpreted to conform to the new findings.
In a number of cultures (e.g., Native American and Asian communities), the transgender experience has held positive, spiritual meanings—a value often denied to transgender people in today's Western society. We posit that gender dualism (male versus female, man versus woman, masculine versus feminine) has contributed to the social stigmatization of transgenderism, and that dualism in terms of the separation between science and religion (body versus spirit) has contributed to the medicalization (and pathologization) of transgenderism. A paradigm shift has been gradually occurring over the past decade, in which transgender individuals are affirming their identity and sexuality as distinct from both male and female identity and sexuality. This process can be described as a spiritual discernment or awakening, not only for the individual involved but also for family and community, including their community of faith. Attention to this coming-out process by mental health practitioners and spiritual counselors can help transgender individuals to transform stigma into pride and to integrate body and spirit. Case vignettes taken from the first author's clinical practice illustrate the spiritual aspects of the transgender coming-out process facilitated in psychotherapy.
(2001). Sex, Love, and Marriage in the 21st Century: The Next Sexual Revolution. Edited by Robert T. Francoeur, Martha Cornog, and Timothy Perper. Lincoln, NE: toExcel/iUniverse.com, 1999. xvi + 222 pp. Paperback, ISBN 1-583483-66-7, $14.95. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 368-369.
(2001). Sexually Aggressive Women: Current Perspectives and Controversies. Edited by Peter B. Anderson and Cindy Struckman-Johnson. New York: Guilford, 1998. xii +244 pages, index. Hardback, ISBN 1-57230-165-1, $31.00. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 153-155.
(2001). Women's Sexualities: Generations of Women Share Intimate Secrets of Sexual Self-Acceptance. By Carol Rinkleib Ellison. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2000. vii + 330 pages, references, index. Paperback, ISBN 1-57224-196-9, $15.95. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 26, Special Issue on Cancer and Sexuality, pp. 240-241.
Masturbation involving groups has been virtually unstudied. There is some evidence that a substantial percentage of heterosexual and homosexual men have participated in group masturbation as boys. Girls, who masturbate with lower incidence and less frequently than boys, appear to form pairs more often than groups for masturbation. At least 40 organized adult men's masturbation clubs exist worldwide. Probably many more small, informal male groups flourish less publicly. Adult women's recreational sex groups do not appear to focus on masturbation per se. A few mixed-gender adult masturbation clubs exist. Conjectures are given about participation by males versus females, number and characteristics of participants, and trends.
In 1987, the American Cancer Society sponsored the first Workshop on Psychosexual and Reproductive Issues Affecting Patients with Cancer. I was halfway through a joint postdoctoral fellowship in psycho-oncology and human sexuality at the time (at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center, respectively). Since then, we have become more sophisticated with medical techniques, measurement devices, and medication to treat the psychosexual sequelae of cancer. Not surprisingly, the medical advances precede our ability to handle the subtler emotional repercussions. Sexual problems after cancer, depending on how you measure them, the type and severity of the cancer, its treatment, and the gender of the patient may occur in as few as 10% or as many as 90% of cancer survivors (Syrjala et al., 2000). Patients who talk about their sexual problems are probably treated more appropriately and with more respect than in the past. However, given the extent to which sexual problems are hypothesized to exist among this population, too few patients are being asked or told about sexual side effects. My colleagues in the field and I have continued to see too many patients who mourn the loss of sexual function after cancer treatment, claiming that "no one told me." These patients often feel betrayed by their doctors as well as their own bodies. For most patients, only brief intervention is required to get their sex lives back on track. For example, since the advent of sildenafil (Viagra), somewhere between 40% and 70% of men treated for prostate cancer are getting help from just a little pill (Kaufman, 2001). Knowing this and having an open mind should lead each and every cancer professional to prepare all patients and their partners for the likelihood that cancer will impact their sexual lives, and how and where to get help. My hope in organizing this special issue titled Cancer and Sexuality is to mobilize cancer professionals to
Ostomy surgery not only diverts the urinary or intestinal tract to and through the abdominal wall, it also causes an upheaval in an individual's body image and sexual functioning. Without proper care and rehabilitation, it can be one of the most overwhelming and disruptive surgeries performed. It is estimated that about 450,000 Americans of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations have an ileostomy, colostomy, or urinary diversion and that approximately 120,000 new surgeries are performed each year. After ostomy surgery, both the loss of control over elimination of stool and/or urine and the need to wear an external collection device, called an ostomy pouching system, create feelings of depression, low self-esteem, and fear of rejection by current or potential sexual partners. In some cases, these concerns become so extreme that individuals withdraw entirely from their family or other types of socialization. As a consequence of removing the bladder or the rectum, many males experience erectile dysfunction (ED) or retrograde ejaculation. Many women are concerned about body image, pregnancy, or being sexually desirable. Because it is estimated that the average age of individuals with stomas is about 68, education about sexuality and sexual functioning after ostomy surgery is often overlooked. Due to reduced postoperative hospitalization stays, new patients are often discharged with little or no instruction or counseling. Health care educators and professionals must have a clear understanding of the ramifications of ostomy surgery on their clients and their clients' partners in order to assist them in regaining their feeling of sexuality and desirability.
(2001). Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking Sense About Sex. By Deborah Roffman. Cambridge, MA: Perseus, 2001. xviii+325 pages, chapter notes. Hardback, ISBN 0-7382-0293-2, $26.00. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 26, Special Issue on Cancer and Sexuality, pp. 238-239.
Although erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common problem, it had not traditionally received much attention from medical educators in either undergraduate or continuing medical education. Recognizing that family physicians have an important role to play, an intensive interactive case-based, 1-day educational program was developed and run throughout Canada. The course included a precourse needs assessment to prepare physicians for the program and a postcourse reflective component offered 6 months after the program. The impact of the program was assessed by comparing pre- and postcourse questionnaire data which queried physicians' comfort with history taking, knowledge of male sexual dysfunction, and their usual management strategies. The course was run in 21 Canadian centers from January 1997 to May 1999 for family physicians, general practitioners, and specialists. There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and postcourse comfort scores. At the 6-months post course, physicians reported providing more care themselves and referring fewer patients for ED. The McNemar test indicated all therapeutic treatments were used by more physicians at the time of the postcourse measure. These findings suggest that the unique course design with the accompanying print material, coupled with recent physician and media interest in ED, provided an impetus for these changes.
This paper responds to a survey of 10 sexuality textbooks that revealed pervasive uncertainty about the nature of sexual ethics and inconsistency about the role of social scientists vis-à-vis ethics. To help bring more consistency to the textbook offerings and to argue the legitimacy of including scientifically based ethical judgments in sexuality textbooks, this paper invokes the long-standing Western tradition of natural law theory, which holds that adherence to, or violations of, the inherent requirements of healthy and wholesome collective human functioning are the essential meaning of right and wrong, good and evil. Proposing an empirically grounded tripartite model of the human (organism, psyche, and spirit), this approach clarifies the nature of human sexuality and specifies the interpersonal as the determinative consideration. The overall suggestion is that, on such a philosophical basis and in cases where research findings approach a consensus, not only can sexologists qua sexologists responsibly say what ought or ought not to be done sexually—that is, they can make ethical judgments—but also, as a matter of professional responsibility, they are ethically bound to do so and to report such judgments in the sexuality textbooks.
Homophobia is the irrational fear and hatred of homosexual individuals. Results from studies indicate that exposure to and interaction with gay men and lesbians via a college human sexuality course can decrease homophobia levels. More specifically, it has been demonstrated that educational interventions such as panels of gay individuals and information from textbooks, lectures, and classroom discussions serve to positively transform attitudes toward homosexuality. The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand our knowledge in this area. This investigation was designed to examine changes in students' levels of homophobia, erotophobia, and sexual conservatism in relation to educational interventions. A total of 109 participants from a large Midwestern university completed the following questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire, the Sexual Opinion Survey, the Derogatis Information subscale, the Derogatis Attitude subscale, the Homophobia scale, and the Bern Sex Role Inventory. Results revealed that students' homophobia, erotophobia, and sexual conservatism levels were significantly less after participation. This study has implications for the elimination of barriers and stereotypes through the acquisition of greater knowledge and personal contact in a college human sexuality course.
