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