✽ is a multidimensional concept.
✽ It can be defined broadly by
stating that sexuality integrates
the somatic (bodily), emotional,
intellectual, & social aspects of
being a human sexual being.
✽ It involves the anatomy &
physiology of the human body, as
well as one’s attitudes & feelings
about oneself
❇ Biologic gender – is the term
used to denote chromosomal
sexual development: male (XY) or
female (XX)
❇ Gender / sexual identity – is the
inner sense a person has of
being male or female
❇ Gender role – is the behavior a
person conveys about being a
male or female.
COMPONENTS OF SEXUALITY
1. Reproductive Sexuality
-involves the biological aspects of
conception & procreation. It also
includes the sexual response
2. Gender Sexuality
-deals w/ the social & emotional
aspects of being a man or a woman.
3. Erotic Sexuality
-refers to sexual love and arousing
sexual desires
❇Heterosexuality – one who finds
sexual fulfillment with a member
of opposite gender
❇ Homosexuality – a person who
finds sexual fulfillment with a
member of his or her own sex.
- usually they prefer to be called
as “gay” for men & “lesbian” for
women
❇ Bisexuality – people are
bisexual if they achieve
sexual satisfaction from both
homosexual and heterosexual
relationship
❇ Transexuality – is an
individual who, although one
biologic gender, feels as is he
or she should be of the
opposite gender
-sex change operations
(synthetic vagina/penis)
❇ Celibacy – abstinence from sexual
activity.
-the ability to concentrate on the
means of giving and receiving love
other than through sexual
expressions.
❇ Transvestism – individual who
dresses to take on the role of the
opposite sex
❇ Voyeurism – sexual arousal by
looking at another’s body. Almost
all children and adolescents pass
through a stage when voyeurism is
appealing.
❇ Sadomasochism – involves
inflicting pain (sadism) or receiving
pain (masochism) to achieve sexual
satisfaction
❇ Masturbation – self-stimulation for
erotic pleasure.
- Children between ages 2 to 6
years discover masturbation as an
enjoyable activity as they explore
their bodies.
❇ Exhibitionism – revealing one’s
genitals in public.
❇ Pedophiles – interested in sexual
encounters with children.
❇ Erectile Dysfunction –formerly
referred to as impotence
- inability to produce or maintain
an erection long enough for
vaginal penetration or partner
satisfaction.
❇ Premature Ejaculation –
ejaculation before penile
contact.
- can be unsatisfactory and
frustrating to both partners
- can be psychological
❇ Failure to achieve orgasm
- can be due to poor sexual
technique
- or possible negative attitudes
toward sexual relationships
❇ Vaginismus – involuntary
contraction of the muscles at
the outlet of the vagina when
coitus is attempted.
- This muscle contraction
prohibits penile penetration.
❇ Dyspareunia – pain during coitus
- can be due to endometriosis
❇ Inhibited Sexual Desire – lack of
desire for sexual relations may be
a concern of young or middle-
aged adults. Support or a caring
sexual partner or relief of the
tension causing the stress allows
a return to sexual interest.
HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE
Sexuality has always been a part of human life, but it is only
in the past few decades that it has been studied
scientifically. One common finding of researchers has been
that feelings and attitudes about sex vary widely: the sexual
experience is unique to each individual, but sexual
physiology (i.e., how the body responds to sexual arousal)
has common features.
Excitement
occurs with physical and psychological stimulation (i.e., sight,
sound, emotion, or thought) that causes parasympathetic
nerve stimulation. This leads to arterial dilation and venous
constriction in the genital area. The resulting increased blood
supply leads to vasocongestion and
increasing muscular tension.
In women, this vasocongestion causes the clitoris to increase
in size and mucoid fluid to appear on vaginal walls as
lubrication. The vagina widens in diameter and increases in
length. The nipples become erect.
In men, penile erection occurs, as well as scrotal thickening
and elevation of the testes. In both sexes, there is an increase
in heart and respiratory rates and blood pressure.
Plateau
The plateau stage is reached just before orgasm. In
the woman, the clitoris is drawn forward and
retracts under the clitoral prepuce; the lower part
of the vagina becomes extremely congested
(formation of the orgasmic platform), and there is
increased nipple elevation.
In
men, the vasocongestion leads to distention of
the penis. Heart rate increases to 100 to 175 beats
per minute and respiratory rate to approximately 40
respirations per minute.
Orgasm
Orgasm occurs when stimulation proceeds through the
plateau stage to a point at which the body suddenly
discharges accumulated sexual tension.
A vigorous contraction of muscles in the pelvic area expels or
dissipates blood and fluid from the area of congestion. The
average number of contractions for a woman is 8 to 15
contractions at intervals of 1 every 0.8 seconds.
In men, muscle contractions surrounding the seminal vessels
and prostate project semen into the proximal urethra. These
contractions are followed immediately by three to seven
propulsive ejaculatory contractions, occurring at the same
time interval as in the woman, which force semen from the
penis.
Resolution
Resolutionis a 30-minute period during which the
external and internal genital organs return to an
unaroused state.
For
the male, a refractory period occurs during
which further orgasm is impossible.
Women do not go through this refractory period, so
it is possible for women who are interested and
properly stimulated to have additional orgasms
immediately after the first.
