Thursday 29 December 2011

The G-Spot and Female Ejaculation

            This post will be taken from a paper I did for my Human Sexuality class in university. I will edit it for presentation and will make my citations available to anyone who asks. I figured that I wrote a few papers that I can use here, why just let them collect dust on my hard drive when I worked so hard on them.
I have had the chance to hear much anecdotal evidence for the existence of the g-spot and of female ejaculation. The amount of personal evidence I have accumulated on these topics leaves no room for doubt of their existence in my mind amid much scientific speculation. I will present arguments that support my view with scientific evidence, as well as different views presenting doubts from other academic individuals.
            First, I will discuss the g-spot, named after the individual who first recorded its existence in 1950, Dr. Ernst Grafenberg. The g-spot can be located in any woman quite easily on the anterior wall of the vagina, when stimulating this area; the result is an intensely pleasurable experience. Approximately thirty seconds to one minute after the initiation of the manual stimulation, this region will begin to swell noticeably. In a study the g-spot was located without any problem in all 27 of their female subjects, demonstrating the ease of which it can be located if one knows where to look. Much of the literature has called the g-spot the ‘female prostate’, making reference to the idea that the g-spot is homologous to the male prostate. Although it is quite easy for the woman to feel the difference, the g-spot is not easily located visually.
            Accompanying the g-spot in some women is what has been called female ejaculation. Many women have sought out professional help for a problem they took to be urinary incontinence. In a 2005 case study, the woman described an intense feeling of the need to urinate during intercourse. The subject in this study also reported an amount of fluid being expelled from her urethra upon orgasm; believing that she was wetting the bed, this caused her great distress. This could in fact be a problem for a lot of women who are afraid or embarrassed to bring the subject up to a family doctor. The embarrassment and fear of wetting the bed caused the woman in this case study to have a lower sex drive and to inhibit her sexual reaction and; therefore, her orgasms.
            Education about the female body is very important for both men and women. In the 2005 case study,  the woman’s avoidance behaviour was interpreted as a loss of interest in sex by her partner. Proper education about her sexual reaction allowed her to realize that she was not suffering from the embarrassing problem of incontinence, and allowed her to ‘let go’ and enjoy sex once again.      
            Physiologically, some possible explanations given for the cause of fluid expelled during orgasm could be: urinary stress incontinence, which can be ruled out by a doctor; the bartholin’s gland, which has only anecdotal evidence; vaginal secretions expelled forcefully upon orgasm; and the skene’s gland. From the information that I have read and heard over the years, I believe that the skene’s gland is responsible for the release of the fluid through the urethra accompanied by an orgasm.
            In some cases, the expulsion of fluid is accompanied by a refractory period, this is similar to men. The connection that female ejaculation has to the g-spot is the observance by researchers in 1981 that the subject in this study only produces fluid when manually stimulated on her g-spot, and never her clitoris alone. Researchers ran tests on fluid collected from one of these orgasmic expulsions and they found that the fluid has different physical qualities and chemical composition from urine; and therefore, is not originating from the bladder, but somewhere else. Arguments against this view state that the ejaculate is just urine with its chemical composition changed from sexual arousal; I believe this speculation to be highly unlikely.
            I have heard different opinions over the years about female ejaculation, some people think it is just urine, others think that some women can do it and others can’t, and other people think that it can be a ‘learned talent’. I believe in the latter, the biggest obstacle that woman face is the fear of letting go or the fear that they are indeed peeing the bed. Researchers in 1988 found that there were no physiological or biological differences between the 27 women in their study who could and could not ejaculate. This leads me to believe that all women have the capacity to ejaculate and that the women who did not ejaculate in the study are inhibiting themselves either consciously or unconsciously.
            Evidence in the form of historical references to female ejaculation dates back to Aristotle, the Kama Sutra, and Victorian times, there are still a lot of disbelief and opponents to this idea in the modern scientific community. Researchers liken female ejaculation to a gynecological UFO, and while I find this statement to be amusing, I also agree that more scientific research is needed. Research up until this point on female ejaculation consists on a great deal of case studies and anecdotal evidence. Who knows, perhaps someday I will prove the existence of this phenomena.

Ancient Greece Series- Religion

           Religion is a powerful and driving force behind the lives of many humans. Time in history makes no difference toward the devotion of humans to the unseen celestial forces. Many deities have been worshipped for the many aspects of sexuality, and ancient Greece is no different. There are many gods and goddesses in Greek religion that represent different aspects of sexuality. The goddess Aphrodite represents love, lust and beauty, the goddess Demeter represents fertility while the goddess Hera presides over matters of marriage, women and childbirth. The god Hermes is known for many different reasons, but a little known fact is that Hermes taught his frustrated son, Pan, how to masturbate. In turn, Pan taught the activity to the herdsmen he presided over. Some minor gods and goddesses also preside over sexual matters. Apheae is a minor goddess of fertility, Eros is the son of Aphrodite and he looks after love, lust and sex, and Hymen is the goddess of marriage and marriage feasts.

          Both homosexuality and heterosexuality are represented in stories about the god’s adventures. The powerful god named Zeus was a classic womanizer, but he was also susceptible to the powerful pull of a beautiful young boy. It was said that Zeus fell in love with a Trojan prince named Ganymede, and abducted him, taking him back to Olympus.

          Religion is commonly shown in the form of art. Neolithic figurines show a lot of strong sexual themes and genital representation from a variety of timelines. Sex and fertility figures are commonly found, most of them are indistinguishable from one to the next. The mythical creatures called Satyrs are half man, half goat and are always depicted in art with an erect phallus. These mythical creatures are sexually insatiable and always in pursuit of a person or thing that will satisfy their needs.

          Overall, public attitudes towards sex and sexuality have become much more closed-minded in modern times compared to times in ancient Greece. Although, an amazing amount of similarities do exist between these two times. The most similarities exist with regards to superstition and religion. Humans consistently believe in what they cannot see and perform the necessary rituals to achieve the desired result of a situation.




Amcient Greece Series- Superstition

          The concept of superstition doesn’t seem to have changed too much, just the nature of specific superstitious beliefs. We all have certain beliefs or have heard of some being performed in order to have a particular sex for a child or to ward off evil energy surrounding a union. The ancient Greeks also had their own superstitions, too many to mention them all. The following are a selection of some of the more common superstitions.

          Menstruating women were feared, it was thought that they could taint the objects around them. It was said that a menstruating woman could make plants wither and pregnant mares miscarry. Menstruating women could tarnish mirrors by looking into them, dull razors, turn linens in the wash black and rust bronze. The most potent women were those menstruating for the first time or the first time after losing their virginity, these women were thought to have the power to break magical charms.

          To induce impotence, one had to introduce mouse dung or the plant called byra mixed with the urine of an ox to a man’s diet. There are also multiple remedies for the inability for couples to conceive children or to promote a healthy pregnancy. Popular remedies for a variety of ailments include urine, feces and a mother’s milk. These bodily by-products were thought to have healing qualities. If a married couple wanted a baby boy, the mother would have to eat the testicles or womb of a hare or the testicles of a cock.

         The ‘evil eye’ that is known in today’s culture was also present in ancient times. Many ways to avoid the gaze of the evil eye were created. The most popular superstitious method to avoid the negative repercussions of the evil eye is the public displaying of a phallus symbol. It was thought that the evil eye would avert its gaze out of embarrassment at the sight of the phallus. People erected statues, wore jewelry and creatively displayed the phallus symbol. The reason that male genitalia were thought to ward off the evil eye and not female genitalia was that males were thought to be the more powerful sex; therefore, female genitalia were not powerful enough to ward off the evil eye.


Ancient Greece Series- Nudity in Sports

            It would be quite odd to attend a basketball game and watch nude players dunk the ball into the basket, or to watch gymnastics on TV with teens and preteens performing their routine completely naked. Indeed, it would be quite difficult to envision that in the society we live in today. It was different for some time in ancient Greece. Around the early 7th century in Sparta and Thebes, the same time that we see evidence of pederasty, we also find evidence of athletic nudity. It was quite popular in Sparta for boys and girls to perform athletics in the nude.
            Historians attempted to find out why nudity was suddenly incorporated into sports. One theory for athletic nudity was related to initiation. Historians thought that young men being initiated were made to perform in the nude. This theory was proved wrong when evidence of special clothing, whose specific purpose was for athletic initiation. Another theory put forth by historians was nudity being used to erase the lines of status and wealth relating to the participants. This theory was also called to question when evidence of loincloths was found being used for the same purpose. A final argument has been made, saying that in order to prevent erotic feelings, having the athletes perform in the nude would take away any of the erotic mystery, this theory is the most plausible of the three.
            Before the 8th century BCE, athletes were depicted as fully clothed, not only that; but they were also only of the higher classes. There is evidence of nudity being introduced to the Olympics in the late 8th or mid-7th century BCE; this brings the theory that the Spartans were the ones to introduce nudity to the Olympics, due to the fact that it was approximately at this time that nudity was popular in Spartan athletics. By the 5th century BCE, athletic nudity was universally accepted in ancient Greece. The degree of the popularity of athletic nudity was displayed on the many painted vases depicting athletes in the nude from the 6th to the 7th centuries BCE.
            A large part of the reason for nudity becoming popular in athletics is the pride it promoted in the athletes, pride in oneself and pride in manliness. Not only did nudity promote pride, it also eliminated prudish shame felt at the sight of the naked body. The Spartans took this one step further, not only were they nude, they also covered their bodies in oil. This made their bodies seem to shine or glisten, becoming literal adornments.

            I don’t know about you, but I am going to start a petition for athletes to perform naked now, I think it will be well-received by the public…

Ancient Greece Series- Marriage

           The concept of heterosexual marriage in modern times has many similarities and differences with ancient Greek relationships. Status and wealth were both important factors when considering a marriage. If status and wealth were not roughly equal for both partners, it was not considered a good match for both sides. Arranged marriages were a way to ensure that people do marry within their class, as marriage was commonly thought of as an alliance between families. When it was advantageous to produce a union between families and both sides had a child of suitable age, a marriage was arranged, very similar to modern times.
            The couple did not see much of each other before marriage, and in Sparta, not much afterward either. Since the males in Sparta lived with their mess-mates until they were thirty, they did not live with their wives and children. Newly married Spartan couples had to steal away their time together. The males had to slip out of their mess in the middle of the night without being seen while the woman secured a private place where they would not be discovered. The married couple would make love and the male would depart. It was not uncommon for the husband to not see his wife until the arrival of their children. The purpose of this relationship was to keep the man sharp and strong and not make him weak with pleasure. This arrangement also encouraged fresh and new love between the couple.
            In Athens, each partner performed a special task for each other on the day of the wedding and the following day. On the first night that the couple spends together, the man decorates the bed-chamber for his new wife as a gift. The following day, the wife prepared a feast for her husband and his friends. The wife traditionally does not eat with her husband, as it was thought to be inappropriate; he usually eats alone or with male company. In regards to living space, both the bedroom and the dining were common space for the married couple but the remainder of the house was considered her domain.
            Adultery had numerous views, some corresponding with today’s opinions and others that may seem foreign to us. In Sparta, if the married couple could not conceive children, the husband would pick another male to lay with his wife in order to give him an heir. If the wife did become pregnant, the ‘donor’ did not have a part in the raising the child. Society viewed the child as the product of the husband and wife.
            In Athens, adultery was a mixed bag. It was common and acceptable for the man to take lovers, both young boys and prostitutes of various statuses. It was common for men of high status to have a permanent female lover on the side. In most, if not all instances, the wife was aware of the husband’s adultery and it was customary to turn a blind eye to his activities. It was expected that a marriage, especially ones of higher status, would be polygamous. On the other side of the relationship, if a married woman had an affair with another man, it was grounds for divorce. Not only could the husband call for a divorce, it was also not uncommon for him to kill the man that his wife was having an affair with. If a married woman was revealed to be having an affair, she would be disgraced and publicly humiliated by being paraded around on top of an ass with the label of adulteress (reminds me of The Scarlet Letter).

            I for one am glad that modern marriage is different in many ways.

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Ancient Greece Series- Homosexuality

             On the island of Crete we see the first examples of evidence of homosexuality. This evidence was in the form of a bronze plaque from approximately 650 BCE. Initially historians thought homosexuality to be a safe form of birth control, but soon after that, more evidence in the form of literature and art was found to the contrary. The most common form of homosexuality was in the form of pederasty, which is the love between an adult male and a boy. It must be noted that when this paper refers to a boy, it is referring to a male who has reached puberty. Sexual relations with boys who have not reached puberty were severely punishable. The first evidence of open pederasty was in the 8th century in Thebes, prior to this, there was no clear evidence of pederasty. The youth named Philolaus was said to have offered himself to Diocles, the winner of the Olympic Games. At this point in time pederasty is only accepted by the elite classes.
             Up until recently, anal sex was considered immoral in North America. A person could possibly even find old state laws that have not been revoked, stating that it is still illegal for two people to engage in anal sex. Anal sex was completely legal in ancient Greece. Soon after pederasty became common, it was shameful for a well-born boy on Crete not to have an older lover. It was equally shameful for a man to not take on a young lover; the state expected these unions to take place.
            These relationships were not primarily focused on the sexual aspects; rather, the main focus was on the aspect of mentoring. The boys benefitted from the knowledge of an older companion, the older partner would be charged with the duty of teaching the boy poetry, athletics and politics. This would assure that the boy would become a productive member of society. These relationships were extraordinary bonds unlike any other
              Beautiful boys were highly prized and many suitors would compete for the affection of these boys. It was thought the more beautiful the boy, the better mind he possessed. Not only was the boy sought out for his appearance but also for his physical abilities. The more fit the boy is, the more orgasmic pleasure he could give his lover or comrades. Many poets and writers were found to write about specific boys thought to possess beauty. In the Iliad, Homer wrote about the love between Achilles and Patroclus. Upon Patroclus’ death at the hands of Hector, Achilles swore revenge and would not eat or drink until the hunger for revenge in his sole had been satisfied.
              Unlike the military in modern times, which up until recently banned homosexuals from serving, homosexual relationships were common and encouraged in the armies of ancient Greece and were seen as beneficial in battle. There is mention of the most powerful battalion in Greek history was made from 150 pairs of lovers. The benefit of this arrangement was seen in the fact that the older half strived to set an example for the younger half, while the younger lovers wanted to impress their lovers. These facts, coupled with the passion and love for each other, made this battalion of fighters a feared force. This battalion was thought to be invincible on the battlefield. Sparta took this one step further, forcing the boys to live with their peers at a young age and when they become older, they ate and slept with the same group of men for approximately ten years. This group of men was called a mess and it was very common for the men to form sexual relationships with each other.
            Not much is mentioned about same-sex relationships regarding females. The sexuality of women always takes a backseat to the sexuality of men in ancient Greece. One source did mention the famous female writer by the name of Sappho. Sappho was known to take female loves, along with male lovers. Indeed, the story of Sappho was so well known, her home island of Lesbos lent its name to the title of female homosexuality, lesbian.

Friday 16 December 2011

Documentaries

Just posting a few documentaries that i've watched and thought i'd share. All these documentaries are related based on the common theme of acceptance of your body. I found all three interesting and uplifting.

http://documentaryheaven.com/the-perfect-vagina/ - One womans' quest to demonstrate that modern media has damaged some womans views of their own vaginas. She shows that each one is different and beautiful

http://documentaryheaven.com/my-penis-and-i/ - A young man's insecurities with his diminutive penis cause him to look into his past and confront his views of his own penis head-on.

http://documentaryheaven.com/my-penis-and-everyone-elses/ - The same filmmaker from the last documentary has comes to terms with his small penis, but he wonders what other men think of their own and sets off to start a dialog.


http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/sex-change-hospital/ - Trinidad, CO is the sex change capital of the world, with more than 5,000 gender reassignment surgeries being completed since the 60's. This miniseries follows the stories of a few individuals brave enough to share.

On another note, stay tuned for more in the Ancient Greece series. I am on Winter break from school and I will have more free time.

~Janice

Thursday 10 November 2011

Ancient Greece Series- Prostitution

          I have done quite a bit of research on the sexuality of ancient Greeks, combining my love of sex and history is always a good thing. I will be splitting the topics up into different posts to make it easier to read and to pick and choose what is interesting to you. I start off with one of the earliest professions: prostitution.
          Prostitution was common in ancient Greece, especially in harbor cities like Athens. The busiest places in such cities were the places that prostitutes congregated, such as markets, the harbor, and the streets leading to the harbor. Street prostitution is similar to what it is now, meaning that women wait on the side of roads, leaning against buildings or sitting on steps, waiting for their next job. These street walkers would use whatever space is available to them to perform their job, similar to today’s prostitutes. The women and their client would use rooms made available to them by the local inns, dark corners in alley ways or even public baths. The difference between then and now is that prostitution was legal and relatively shameless in ancient Greece, also; prostitution was supervised by the city officials.
          Brothels were also a common sight in ancient Greece. The biggest difference between modern times and ancient times in regards to brothels is that brothels were under supervision of the city officials. The owners or operators of the brothels had to pay taxes to the state, just like other businesses. The brothels routinely held the lowest ranks of prostitutes, and due to this fact, it was relatively cheap to visit a brothel in ancient Greece. It was common to have the women of the brothel on display, wearing very little in order to entice prospective clients, similar to modern Amsterdam. The men would choose which prostitute suited their individual tastes and the fee was paid in advance to the brothel-keeper. Brothels were traditionally kept closed until late in the afternoon, this was to assure that the men of the cities, especially the young ones, would not skip out on their duties at the enticement of a beautiful available lady.
          The city of Pompeii’s brothels featured obscene paintings above each woman’s quarters, illustrating her specialty. These paintings can be seen up until this day in buildings that have been well preserved. Another artifact that gives evidence to the daily life of ancient prostitutes is one well-preserved shoe. The sole of this shoe has the words ‘follow me’ carved into the bottom. When the woman was walking on the hard-packed streets of the cities, she would leave a path for patrons to follow and as a way for people to know her profession.
          One thing that people do not see too often in today’s society is male prostitutes. Male prostitution was not that uncommon in ancient Greece, with beautiful boys selling their skills alongside the female prostitutes in temples. Male prostitutes could not only be bought by the hour or by the sexual act, but they could also be contracted out to an individual willing to pay them for a period of time. There is no evidence that this is also possible for the female prostitutes. Patrons had a choice of being able to have a boy alone or with a female prostitute.
          A final note on prostitution, when a prostitute passed away, her profession was mentioned on her gravestone. This honor is similar to the respects given to the town potter or a soldier. This fact indicates that it was not shameful to the deceased or shameful in general to sell oneself for money in the times of ancient Greece.
          I hope you enjoyed learning about prostitution in ancient Greece, stay tuned for the next in the series.
~Janice

Friday 28 October 2011

Asexuality Awareness Week!

It is asexuality awareness week, and I think I should talk about the topic a little bit. Asexuality is not often discussed in the media or our personal lives, but it is the same as heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality.  Let me define this for people who haven’t heard of the subject: asexuality is the lack of sexual feelings toward another person, regardless of gender. Some people believe that asexuality is a simple case of individuals who have gone undiagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder or sexual aversion disorder. Unlike some, I believe that it is possible to have no attraction to either sex. There is not a large amount of literature dedicated to this subject in humans; however, asexual behaviour in animals can be observed in some creatures through asexual reproduction, such as with some fungi, amphibians and even sharks as I have seen in the media throughout my life. While humans cannot reproduce asexually, I believe that if animals can exhibit certain behaviours, it is possible for humans to exhibit them as well.  

                According to Prause and Graham (2007), who carried out an experiment on people who self labeled as asexual, these people showed low scores for solitary and dyadic sexual desire, the ability to become sexually aroused, and fear of sexual contact. These people showed no previous sexual behaviour and had no desire to see a physician about any problems they were having. According to the DSM-IV, the key factor to establishing a sexual dysfunction such as hypoactive sexual desire disorder and sexual aversion disorder is the recognizing of a problem and the motivation to seek help. If these individuals are comfortable with the sexual orientation of asexual than there is no problem and it cannot be classified as a sexual dysfunction. 

                People who have the sexual orientation of asexual encounter problems unique to them, such as problems with establishing an intimate yet nonsexual relationship, and a negative perception of asexuality brought on by the media. Adults who experience no sexual desire may still lead a normal and fulfilling romantic relationship, including sexual intercourse. You may think that asexual people having intercourse defeats the purpose of the label, but I must bring the point to light that many spouses will have sex with their partner to please them or to give in to nagging. Many asexual individuals do not see their orientation as a problem, but still wish to find the answer to why they developed into asexual adults. One of the factors predicting asexuality according to Prause and Graham (2007) could be a high threshold for being sexually excited, or maybe it could be some biological factor. This is where more research becomes necessary, not for diagnosing asexual individuals with a dysfunction, but to provide them with information into understanding their own sexuality.

                There are many misconceptions about asexuality, falsely labeling populations as asexual. Information that we receive about asexuality by the media paints a picture of persons with disabilities, not virile young men and women with no mental or physical disabilities. For persons with disabilities, this gives way to the problem of stereotyping and the resulting difficulty to obtain a life partner. While daily functioning may be impaired physically or mentally, this does not mean that sexual drive or desires are also impaired, they do not become incomplete people. Sometimes, a self-fulfilling prophecy may cause these individuals to internalize societal values and ideas and retreat from a sexual lifestyle. Most ideas of persons with disabilities being asexual comes from the notion that these people are incapable of making rational  and intelligent decisions, and the fact that presumed sexual dysfunction gives little opportunity for sexual expression and their needs are seen as being absent.  Literature remains scarce in the area of sexuality and persons with disability, without addressing the incorrect attitudes of society these individuals will continue to be falsely viewed as asexual.

                The elderly are also another group that is commonly mislabeled as asexual. Many people internalize the stereotype of the older adult, past their prime and unable to produce more offspring, as no longer being sexually active and even as asexual. Society even goes so far as to regard sexuality in older adults to be disturbing or disgusting. Not many people take into consideration the fact that they will wish to be sexually active their whole lives, these people may think that at a certain age a switch simply went off and sexual desire disappeared. This is another circumstance that the views of society may become a self-fulfilling prophecy and older adults will view their own sexuality as aversive.

                One reason for the perception of older adults having an asexual orientation may be the fact that many are widows or widowers. The sad fact of life is that many men will pass away before their wives, leaving many women without partners, leaving society to believe that they resign themselves to asexuality. I have heard from several places within university classes that elderly women commonly turn toward homosexual relationships, with intimacy and sexual contact. This fact shows that aging adults still experience sexual desire. Another fact that may contribute to the perception of asexuality in older adults is the dropping levels of sex hormones, such as after menopause. While it is true that older adults can no longer reproduce together, we all know that people don’t just have sex for reproductive purposes. Why should older adults be deprived of experiencing sexual pleasure?

                Adults who experience no sexual desire may still lead a normal and fulfilling romantic relationship, including sexual intercourse.

                As I have stated several times before, the area of sexuality in older adults needs to be studied further. Not only is more research required of asexual adults, adults with disabilities, and older adults, but this research needs to be made more public than academic studies are usually made. If more academic research on this topic is not made widely public, stereotypes about these populations will persist and they will continue to be suppressed, stigmatized, and stereotyped. As far as I am concerned, being asexual is the same as being heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual; we do not choose to be the way we are, but in order to understand why we have certain preferences, more research is needed.

               

Friday 7 October 2011

Just a Few Fun Facts

Just a few fun facts about sex, some you may know and some you may not. Reciting one of these facts can break an awkward silence.

‘Shrimping’ is a slang term for sucking on a partners’ toes, related to foot fetish.

In a 1970s Survey (conducted by who I’m not sure) it is stated that 5% of American men admitted to having a sexual encounter with an animal. Another national survey conducted by Morton Hunt found that 2% of women admitted the same. These numbers are lower than previous decades due to the drop of people living on farms. Bestiality has always been a part of our history, appearing in cave drawings, Greek pottery and Mongol paintings. Zoophiles are people who prefer animal partners to humans.

John Holmes was famous for his 14” erect penis, having starred in almost 2,000 porn films. He was beat by a man with the stage name of Long Dong Silver, whose penis was a reported 19” inches!!! Can I say on behalf of women everywhere: “OUCH”!

It is very possible for a man to have an orgasm without ejaculating. Taoists believed it builds up a man’s male essence and allowed him to absorb more female essence and Tantrics recommend it as a way to experience sex as a path to spiritual ecstasy. Medically it is called coitus reservatus, or retrograde ejaculation which means that the semen is expelled into the bladder and it can be learned through A LOT of practice, although medical experts would not recommend this. Another reason for no ejaculation may be that he’s all spermed out from a previous ejaculation. And yes, that is a technical word…because I say it is.

Renowned sex researchers Masters and Johnson observed more than 10,000 orgasms in their lab while researching human sexuality. Without this research we would not know nearly as much about the human sexual response that we know now. My hat is off to you brave pioneers.

One of the earliest manufacturers of condoms in the U.S. was a…(drumroll please)…sausage maker! (I’ll pause here and let you giggle for a bit). In the 1880s, New York sausage maker Julius Schmid believed in using every part of the animal, just like Native Americans. He used animal intestines to make the earliest condoms, not a very attractive product but it did the job until plastics and other materials came along.

Two species of Kangaroos have a forked penis, called a Bifurcated penis, meaning that there are two glans at the end of the shaft. This comes in handy, seeing as these species of female kangaroos have two separate lateral vaginal canals and two uteri (never thought you would have to pluralize that word, huh?) leading to just one vaginal opening.

I hope you learned a little something today, stay tuned for more entries in the near future.

~Janice

In Soviet Russia, you castrate chemicals....i'm sorry that was lame.

                Recently, I read a new article about Russia having a bill pass 1st reading that would mean enacting harsher sentences for pedophiles including sentences up to 20 years in prison or chemical castration. Of course, this would all be decided my psychologist evaluation and be based on the likelihood of recidivism. After reading this, it prompted me to look into chemical castration a bit more because as far as I know, Canada only does this on a voluntary basis. Chemical castration sounds simple enough: the convicted offender would be given the drug Depo Provera, which is a progestogen only birth control method for women. When given to men, the drug essentially suppresses the testosterone in the system and is said to reduce sex drive, compulsive sexual fantasies, and capacity for sexual arousal in the subject. I have also read that it may reduce violent behaviour, which some studies have linked to high testosterone, although the person who suggested this did not cite her research so I can only say that it is a possibility based on research I have read on the subject in the past.

                Now I know how society thinks of sexual offenders, group mob mentality screams “burn them at the stake”, but I have worked with these men in a program that (for the most part) has a low recidivism rate. In the two groups that I participated in, roughly 20 men in total, only 1 that the Psychologists knew about had reoffended since getting out of jail. The treatment program and the group had taught these men that they made a mistake, and only they can prevent that from happening again. The program teaches methods of spotting triggers to inappropriate thoughts and actions, how to deal with these inappropriate thoughts, and how to lead a healthier life. I also found that the men in the group are very supportive of one another and hold each other accountable for any slip-ups. This is very similar to a group named Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA). The idea of this organization is to surround the offender with supportive individuals from the community, who can help the offender with their rehabilitation: point out coping methods and triggers, being there to listen and to get them to socialize and not to shut themselves up in their house, which is detrimental to their recovery. As far as I can tell, the recidivism for chemical castration is about the same as I had experienced with these groups.

                I do not think that reducing someone’s sex drive is the answer in most cases, but it does seem that this option will be reserved for the most dangerous of offenders and those resistant to other therapies. Unlike surgical castration, chemical castration does not remove the reproductive organs and it does not involve sterilization. Chemical castration is administered in the form of an injection every three months, and if stopped the effects can be reversed. The side effects are minimal but with extended use it can contribute to bone density loss, which can lead to long-term increased risk to certain conditions. Other side effects are feminization of the body, such as increased mammary glands, reduced hair on the body, and loss of muscle mass. And let us not forget the reduced ability to have a healthy sexual relationship with a consenting adult, which is what we have wanted all along for these individuals. These points are why I think this should be an extreme case solution only and should be a temporary solution only until the offender has completed the Psychologist/group treatment. It makes me wonder what programs Russia has in place for sex offenders….
Sorry for the heavy topics, I just love 'em. I promise I will think of something to write about that will make you horny/giggle. If you have suggestions or questions, just let me know in the comments. God knows I have no imagination when it comes to thinking up stuff to write about.

Until next time,
~Janice

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Book review...well, a few.

I have read quite a few books on the wonderful topic of sex, most of them are non-fiction and most of them are quite technical. I have chosen a few books that are good for the general public to read without having to know alot about sex before picking them up. I know many of my readers are quite capable of reading an in-depth book on human sexuality but i've been accused of recommending books that are a hard read unless you know alot on the subject.

My first book was a very fun and informative read: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach. Mary takes some of the most curious and off-the-wall questions and seeks out an answer. She answers questions such as: Can a woman think herself to orgasm? Why doesn't Viagra help women? Can a dead man get an erection? I admire the lengths to which Mary took to get her research, from taking part in experiments, to travelling to China and the Middleeast. I can say that her efforts paid off with this final product. There are alot of technical aspects to this book but I found it a very easy and interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know some of the more...strange side of sexuality.

The second book is more on the serious side of things: The Transgender Child by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper. The topic of transgendered people is being pushed into the public sector more and more as of late. This book has been written for parents and physicians of transgendered childern but I believe that everyone should read it. For thoes readers that have not been exposed to the topic of transgender, essentially it means you do not feel like your biological sex matches your gender. For example: You are a boy but you feel like a mistake has been made and you should have been born a girl because that is how you feel. Later in life people who are transgendered may undergo hormone therapy and even a sex change operation, but that is not universal. This book is probably the most in-depth book on the shelves relating to this topic and I highly recommend picking it up. The style of writing is easy to digest and is essential if you happen to have a child who is transgendered or if you just want to know more on the subject. More books like this and public exposure on the topic will lead to more public understanding, that is why I recommend you read this book.

The last book I will recommend today is one of the few (probably the only) fiction books I have read since I started school: Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides. The primary subject of this book is little Callie and her journey to becoming Cal. Cal is intersexed, meaning he was born with a genetic anomaly that results in ambiguious genetalia. I won't get into the medical specifics but at birth they announced him as a girl according to the outward appearance of his genetalia but he is biogically a male. This book was a bit of a different read in the fact that the story didn't start with Cal, you don't see him until halfway through the book or later. The story is following the genetic anomaly that resulted in Cal's condition. The story starts with his grandparents and works its way to his parents. It is necessary to know the history of his family to understand his current situation but I felt anxious throughout the whole thing, wondering when we were going to get to the main character. Overall, I would recommend this book as it was a good read, it even explains the factors that causes intersexuality and introduces us to the controversial topic of assigning a gender to people with this genetic mutation. Often, what will happen when an intersexed child is born is the doctor will recommend surgery to assign the most likely sex. The problem with this is the assigned sex is not always right and this results in identity crisis, depression, and sometimes suicide. Luckily, it is becoming more common for a doctor to recommend that the child decide when they are old enough and to hold off on surgery until then (if necessary at all).

I own all of these books and if anyone wants to borrow them I am more than happy to do so, I would recommend reading all three if there is any interest on the topics.



Until next time,
Janice 

Monday 23 May 2011

Male Genital Mutilation, otherwise known as male circumcision

Recently I read an article in the news about San Francisco trying to pass a bill making the practice of male circumcision on baby boys illegal. San Francisco has always been pushing the envelope on controversial topics such as gay marriage and usually leads the way for more progressive thinking.
Now, we all know how horrible female circumcision is; why would it be any different for males? You are removing skin from a very sensitive organ. That skin is the same as a clitoral hood, most of the nerve endings are in the glans of the penis. The foreskin protects those nerve endings from too much contact, preventing the desensitizing of the glans (and making sitting in jeans more confortable). Yes, I know that baby boys do not remember the pain and they heal faster than adults, but does that mean the pain never happened?

Aside from religious reasons for those of Jewish and Muslim faiths, there is no reason to continue the practice. Some people might argue that it’s done to prevent the spread of AIDS and STI’s, I counter with the statement “wear a condom you idiot”. Others argue that it’s for cleanliness; I think this argument has nothing to stand on. When you are teaching a little boy how to properly wash himself, showing him how to pull his foreskin back is no different than teaching him to wash behind his ears, it is just another part of his body.

Even the reasons given by religious faiths are not enough for me to justify mutilating baby boys. I know how steadfast people can be to their beliefs and pardon me if I offend anyone, but I find it unnecessary that the practice is still justified within religious circles. The punishment under this new law will see parents paying a fine of up to $1000 or time in jail; I know some people would rather pay the fine than go against their religious beliefs; at least this law may stop people for doing it for non-religious reasons, such as aesthetics.

This new law wouldn’t make circumcision illegal in all cases, the proposal states that once a male turns 18 he can make the decision for himself whether he wants to be circumcised or not. I think the biggest argument here is having the right to choose. By circumcising your baby boy, you take away his right to choose what happens to his body. I know you might say “isn’t it a parents’ job to make decisions for their children”? You are right, but not when it comes to permanently altering their bodies. What if the child resents his parents for doing it? There is no way (successfully, that I have seen) to sculpt a new foreskin that will function the same as his original. If any of my readers has hear of this, please send me a link, I would LOVE to read about it.

So, in summation, I hope San Francisco passes this controversial new law. I’m sure we’ll see more in the news if it gets passed or not, we all know how both sides of the argument can be very vocal if they don’t get their way.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Welcome to my blog!

Hello, my name is Janice and just you wait, I will be the next big thing in Sex Therapy and research!

Just a bit about me to kick off the blog:

Sue Johansen is my idol, I watched her as a child and admired her knowledge and ease of which she spoke of sexual topics. As I got older, the interest I had in sexuality led me to do alot of independant research. With time, I realized most people didn't have the knowledge that I had aquired. I was a source of information for friends who had noone else to turn to for sexual knowledge.

When I became an adult, I was encouraged by my partner to persue my passion for helping others with sexual health issues. I have completed my B. A. in Psychology, and in September I will be taking the next step in my education. I hope to be a certified Sex Therapist in 4 years time and start accepting clients while I do my PhD.

For the time being, I figured I need to start getting myself out there. I will be updating the blog with things that interest me; wether they be my opinions, reviews on books I enjoyed, the latest in Sexology news, and anything in between relating to sexual health.

Feel free to email me with questions, if I can't answer them right away I will research the answers and get right back to you. I might as well say this now: I may touch on controversial topics such as Gay rights, female genital mutilation, and abortion. While I welcome anybody's opinion, I also ask that you respect mine. Everybody has a different opinion about everything, and while you may not necessarily agree with it, they are entitled to their opinion.

I hope you enjoy my blogs, i'm sure i'll enjoy writing them.

~Janice Lane