Midterm 2 Flashcards
What is WTF?
Window to Fornication
In our lifetime, we have a WTF - the age where it is acceptable to engage in sexual activity (from puberty to the end of the reproductive age), for reproduction.
List the statements as True or False.
1) There are three age ranges of adults : 18-34, 35-50, 50+. Society does not have a lot of bias against older people to engage in expression of sexuality.
2) Physicians/health professionals don’t ask about sexual life of older people. Sexual health should include convos about pleasurable and safe sexual experiences!!
3) Higher sexual satisfaction does not necessarily means higher quality of life.
4) Almost all individuals in between 75-84 years of age are sexually inactive.
1) False. There are three age ranges of adults : 18-34, 35-50, 50+. We have biases against older people to engage in expression of sexuality.
2) True!
3) False. Higher sexual satisfaction MEANS higher quality of life.
4) False. There are many that are still sexually active. Half of them are having sex 2-3 times a month and some have sex once a week or even more!
As a society, we tend to ________ (infantilize) individuals with mental and physical disabilities. This is ___________.
Why do we do this?
A-sexualize; ableism
Many individuals with such disabilities may not reproduce. Society believes sex should be done for reproduction only.
From birth to ______ and from the end of ________ age to old age, there is a taboo on sexuality.
puberty, reproductive
*though there is a sexual decline among elderly, mostly due to their health or their partner’s health. The ones that do continue do it as often WITH similar experiences as other ages.
*there is a gender gap in life expectancy – men die earlier and there lots of single older heterosexual women.
*we are sexual beings the day we are born to the day we die.
Why do we not have reliable information on children sexuality (esp. non-abuse related)?
There is no systematic observational data for children due to ethical reasonings. Thus, they do SURVEYS and INTERVIEWS of children.
They ask parents for behaviours - subjected to SOCIAL DESIRABILITY and volunteer bias, and parents DON’T KNOW everything.
They ask daycare professionals or teachers but children ACT DIFFERENTLY.
They also survey/interview adults (once kids) - subjected to SOCIAL DESIRABILITY, recall issues.
We do have more research on adolescence but it is always PROBLEM-DRIVEN (birth controls, STIs, violence) not about KNOWLEDGE and VALUES.
What are the consequences of cultural taboo about children and older adult sexuality and mediocre data from surveys & interviews of children, problem driven research?
We create a society where we tend to PATHOLOGIZE children sexual behavior (we see it as a bad thing).
What are the stages of the Gender Identification theory?
In which ages do they occr?
1) Gender Awareness: occurs in INFANCY (0-2 years). this is where child recognizes that there is a binary system and they identify as either.
2) Gender Stability: occurs in EARLY CHILDHOOD (occurs around 4 years). this is where they realize gender does not change
3) Gender Constancy: occurs in EARLY CHILDHOOD (occurs around 5-7 years). this is where they realize gender remains the same across situations - a man with long hair is still a man.
(T/F) The Gender Identification theory is for cis-gender kids only as it very binary. It also is based on the ability of kids being able to understand (cognitive development).
True!
What are the typical sexual behaviours found in infancy (0-2 years old)?
1) Gender Awareness
2) Non-genital sensual experiences: infants put everything in their mouth, bath time and diaper changing time are very pleasurable and important for bonding. All senses are awaken during breast feeding - can lead to an ERECTION for kids.
3) Exploratory genital manipulation - baby touches body everywhere (different than masturbation)
What is the attachment theory?
In which age does it occur?
It is a psychological bond that forms between an infant (0-2 years) and the mother, father, or other caregiver.
Attachment is important and sets the stage for significant relationships as adults.
What are the typical sexual behaviours found in early childhood (3-7 years old)?
1) Gender stability and constancy
2) Gender role socialization: very stereotypical period of kids behaving in typical gender roles (certain books, cartoons are for girls only etc)
3) Exhibitionist stage: children flashing
4) Self-stimulation: touch places on their bodies that feels nice and pleasurable
5) Child sex play: “i’ll show you mine if you show me yours”
1) Can a child stimulating themself be considered masturbation?
2) What is important for parents to do at this stage? Why?
1) No! Self-stimulation is not the same as masturbation. They are NOT seeking out sexual pleasure with ORGASM in interest.
2) Parents must teach the kids social etiquette (do it in private), while also VALIDATING and NORMALIZING what they’re doing.
If parents tell them straight up to NOT do it (projecting adult intentions and motivations to kids), they will STILL DO IT but in hiding while feeling SHAME/GUILT. THIS is at the BASE of the TABOO we have around masturbation.
Children have peak of sexual behaviour at ____ years old (both girl and boy), then it declines and then gender differences come into play later.
5
*it does not really decline, it just becomes more hidden.
Why do children engage in child sex play during early childhood?
Do these kids plan to engage in sex play?
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
They want to see their friends’ genitals out of CURIOSITY and REASSURANCE (am I diff or am I the same??)
No! When children are playing, the SEXUAL element of play happens spontaneously; it’s not like they play with other kids JUST to see the others’ genitals.
What are the typical sexual behaviours found in preadolescence (8-12 years old)?
1) Modesty - children want to change and shower by themselves - become private and self-sufficient.
2) Masturbation around 10-12 years of age.
3) Engage in sexual games and sexual contact.
4) Gender segregation occurs around 6-12 years of age - prefer having friends of same gender. Same sex contact occurs but is not indicative of orientation.
5) Sibling sex between siblings/cousins. Mutual curiosity and discovery. No intercourse is done.
What are some examples of sexual games and sexual contact that preadolescents undergo?
Why do they do this?
1) Fascination with teen idols; crushes on celebrities is a way of practicing sexual behaviours. Learning and developing romantic relationships
2) Spin the bottle, truth or dare: kids physically rehearsing holding hands, kissing. Positive interest in the opposite or same gender occurs
3) Boys watching porn together: not getting turned on from each other BUT rather that they’re both getting turned on –> lots of learning comes from this.
CURIOSITY (nervous excitement about adult concepts), EXPLORATION and REASSURANCE is largely in charge of this.
The reassurance is more complex than what is seen in early childhood, has more to do with: sexual orientation, body image and gender identification.
(T/F) Pre-adolescence boys and girls masturbate at the same rate.
False!
Boys masturbate more than girls and reach orgasm more frequently - as they more commonly discover masturbation from each other, shows, media.
Girls often discover masturbation by ACCIDENT (don’t talk about orgasms among each other; often think they’ve broken something in their bodies).
(T/F) Sibling sex can become manipulative or coerced if the age difference is greater than 2 years.
True!
With kids of the same age: one kid will say I DON’T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE and they have equal power.
Younger kids can’t tell big kids what to do. They are also in different psychosexual developmental stages.
What is sexual interference?
This occurs when child is developing normally but then an adult imposes their intentions/motivations and interferes with the kid’s development!
What year was homosexuality (gross indecency and buggery) taken out of the Criminal Code of Canada?
1969!
Pierre Elliot Trudeau stated that the State should no longer be in the bedroom of the citizens and DECRIMINALIZED IT.
*anal sex was allowed to be done in private between ppl over the age of 21.
*justin trudeau changed the age to 16 in 2008.
___% of Canadians think we are born gay, lesbian, and bisexual.
60
What is the difference in old research as opposed to new in homosexuality?
Old research (~70 years) looked at the BIOLOGICAL CAUSES of homosexuality. They were looking into biological markers/ predictors/causes. This implies we can predict and change it (medicalizes it!).
New research has gone away from suggesting it is an abnormality. Studies now look more generally at sexual orientation and no longer focus on the CAUSES of sexual orientation.
What was the bottom line of the 70 years of research that looked at biological causes of homosexuality?
There was some support for the genetic and prenatal theory. There are ~5 genes in the human genome that may “predict” homosexuality.
The problem with this research is how you DEFINE homosexuality - sex, emotional attraction?
Let’s say we find the gay gene.
How would this be perceived by society?
What is a problem that may arise?
1) Negative perspective: “You’re born that way –> it’s too bad so we can’t do anything about it nor can you!”
2) Positive perspective: discrimination would stop as society would believe we should not be judged for it. Non-discriminatory and protection laws could be put in place.
PROBLEM: If a gay couple were to adopt and get genetic testing; one may be “real” gay (HAVE the gay gene) and “pseudogene” (doesn’t have the gay gene). Does everyone have the gene who identifies as gay/lesbian/bi?
Biological causes for homosexuality imply that everyone and everyone’s life course is the SAME.
Is this true?
This is NOT TRUE as there is diversity (even genetic diversity).
The human population is NOT a homogenous group; there are many types of sexual orientations.
The SCIENCE of HOW we choose our sexual preference is at very infant stages: WE DON’T KNOW MUCH!
What are the four American sexual orientation conceptual models?
1) Pre-Kinsey dichotomous model: you are either HOMO or HETERO
2) Kinsey Sexual Orientation Scale
3) Storms Two-Dimensional Scheme
4) Klein’s Sexual Orientation Grid
