Human Sexuality in a Diverse World
Only Human: What Is Sexuality?
Why Are We Here? Goals for the Human Sexuality Course
Sex Sells: The Impact of the Media
■ SEX IN REAL LIFE How Do You Decide What Sex You’ll Engage In?
The Early Evolution of Human Sexuality
Stand Up and Look Around: Walking Erect Sexuality in the Ancient Mediterranean Sexuality in Ancient Asia
Sexuality from St. Paul to Queen Victoria
Early Christianity: Chastity Becomes a Virtue The Middle Ages: Eve the Temptress, Mary the Virgin Islam: A New Religion
■ HUMAN SEXUALITY IN A DIVERSE WORLD What’s It Like to Be a Woman in China?
The Renaissance: The Pursuit of Knowledge
■ HUMAN SEXUALITY IN A DIVERSE WORLD The Fear of Female Sexuality
The Reformation: The Protestant Marital Partnership
The Enlightenment and the Victorian Era
The Enlightenment The Victorian Era Sex in American History
The Colonies: The Puritan Ethic
■ PERSONAL VOICES Instruction and Advice for the Young Bride
The United States: Freedom—and Slavery—in the New World
■ HUMAN SEXUALITY IN A DIVERSE WORLD Sex in Black America
The 19 th Century: Polygamy, Celibacy, and the Comstock Laws
The 20th Century: Sexual Crusaders and Sexologists Chapter Review Chapter Resources
Sexuality Now Go to www. thomsonedu. com to link to SexualityNow, your online study tool.
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exuality is mysterious and exciting. How come as you read this page you Я feel more excitement about this course than any other course you have this
K.__ S semester? Everyone likes to learn about sex, especially when you consider that
we live in a sex-saturated society that uses sexuality to sell everything from cologne to automobiles. But we also live in a time when there is a taboo against good, honest information about human sexuality. Some people believe that providing sexuality information can cause problems—including increased teenage sexual activity and adolescent pregnancy rates. Others believe that learning about sexuality can empower students to make healthy decisions both today and in the future. Although human sexuality courses were rare on college campuses even 20 years ago, today they are not only common but popular as well.
Many recent events have profoundly affected the way we view sexuality. From the overwhelming popularity of Viagra™, to the horror and shock of the terrorist attacks and natural disasters, our newspapers have been full of stories relating to our sexuality and relationships with others. The pain and sadness of 9/11 and the devastating South Asia tsunami of 2004 taught us much about survival, relationships, intimacy, love, and grief. The continuing controversy over same-sex marriage and child pornography along with ever increasing HIV/AIDS rates also help to shape our sexuality. In addition, we live in a society full of sexual images and events. All of these factors influence our sexuality.
In this opening chapter, we begin by exploring human sexuality, both present and past. First we will define sexuality and look at the goals both you and your professor have for this course. Then we will examine sexual images in our culture and the effect of the media’s preoccupation with sex. A historical exploration of sexuality will follow, in which we will explore the early evolution of human sexuality from walking erect to ancient civilizations. Following that, we will look at religion’s role in sexuality and examine some of the early sexual reform movements.