We hope that the material presented here and elsewhere in our book will help differentiate legitimate scientific sex research from the many frivolous nonscientific polls and opinion surveys that are widespread in the contemporary media. Even when you are exposed to the results of serious investigations, it is wise to maintain a critical eye and to avoid the understandable tendency to accept something as factual just because it is presented as being "scientific." The following list of questions may prove useful as you evaluate the legitimacy of any research, sex or otherwise, that you are exposed to.
1. What are the researchers’ credentials? Are the investigators professionally trained? Are they affiliated with reputable institutions (research centers, academic institutions, or the like)? Are they associated with any special-interest groups that may favor a particular research finding or conclusion?
2. Through what type of media were the results published: reputable scientific journals, scholarly textbooks, popular magazines, newspapers, the Internet?
3. What approach or type of research method was used, and were proper scientific procedures adhered to?
4. Were a sufficient number of subjects used, and is there any reason to suspect bias in the selection method?
5. Is it reasonable to apply the research findings to a larger population beyond the sample group? To what extent can legitimate generalizations be made?
6. Is there any reason to believe that the research methods could have biased the findings? (Did the presence of an interviewer encourage false responses? Did cameras place limitations on the response potentials?)
7. Are there any other published research findings that support or refute the study in question?
CHAPTER 2
Female Sexual Anatomy
and Physiology
Menstruation
Are there physiological signs that a woman is ovulating and therefore at the most fertile point in her menstrual cycle?
I had three children and was 45 years old before I ever really looked at my genitals. I was amazed at the delicate shapes and subtle colors. I’m sorry it took me so long to do this because I now feel more sure of myself sexually after becoming more acquainted with me. (Authors’ files)
Women today are usually more familiar with their genitals than in previous decades. However, gaining even more knowledge and understanding can be an important aspect of a woman’s sexual well-being and her sexual intelligence. In this chapter we present a detailed description of all female genital structures, external and internal. The discussion is intended to be easy to use for reference, and we encourage women readers to do a self-exam as part of reading it (see the Your Sexual Health box on p. 52). We begin with a discussion of the external structures, then discuss the underlying structures and the internal organs. The chapter continues with information about menstruation, menopause, and breasts and then closes with women’s health information.