The Sexual Perspective

This ground-breaking work has been fully updated in detailing the painting, sculpture and photography of gay or lesbian artists. Set in the context of current issues Cooper makes a vital con tribution to debates on art, gender and sexuality.

In a book destined to become the standard reference on human sexuality, Bolin and Whelehan provide the first ever treatment that includes both the biological aspects and the cultural influences of this basic and much examined part of life. Never before has a book offered such a broad analysis including both anthropological perspectives as well as anatomical and physiological viewpoints. Included are many photographs and illustrations, making Perspectives on Human Sexuality a much needed resource. By offering an anthropological perspective to understanding human sexuality, how it developed over millions of years and how it is embedded in specific socio-cultural contexts, the authors present a broad-based analysis of human sexuality. Specifically, Bolin and Whelehan offer unique perspectives on modern human male and female anatomy and physiology; pregnancy and childbirth as a bio-cultural experience; various topics in adult sexuality, such as life-course issues related to gender identity; sexual orientations, behaviors, and lifestyles; and discussions of HIV and AIDS. Using these topics the authors differentiate culture-specific sexual behavior from what we share as a species. This helps to place sexual behavior in the United States in a larger context as well as reduces the tendency to view nonwesterners as the "other" or exotic, thereby promoting a clearer understanding of the complex phenomenon labeled "human sexuality."

Few things come more naturally to us than sex—or so it would seem. Yet to a chimpanzee, the sexual practices and customs we take for granted would appear odd indeed. He or she might wonder why we bother with inconveniences like clothes, why we prefer to make love on a bed, and why we fuss so needlessly over privacy. Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior invites us into the thought-experiment of imagining human sex from the vantage point of our primate cousins, in order to underscore the role of evolution in shaping all that happens, biologically and behaviorally, when romantic passions are aroused. Peter Gray and Justin Garcia provide an interdisciplinary synthesis that draws on the latest discoveries in evolutionary theory, genetics, neuroscience, comparative primate research, and cross-cultural sexuality studies. They are our guides through an exploration of the patterns and variations that exist in human sexuality, in chapters covering topics ranging from the evolution of sex differences and reproductive physiology to the origins of sexual play, monogamous unions, and the facts and fictions surrounding orgasm. Intended for generally curious readers of all stripes, this up-to-date, one-volume survey of the evolutionary science of human sexual behavior explains why sexuality has remained a core fascination of human beings throughout time and across cultures.

Human Sexuality: Biological, Psychological, and Cultural Perspectives is a unique textbook that provides a complete analysis of this crucial aspect of life around the world. Utilizing viewpoints across cultural and national boundaries, and deftly weaving evolutionary and psychological perspectives, Bolin and Whelehan go beyond the traditional evolution and primatology to address cross-cultural and contemporary issues, as well as anthropological contributions and psycho-social perspectives. Taking into account the evolution of human anatomy, sexual behavior, attitudes, and beliefs, this far-reaching text goes beyond what is found in traditional books to present a wide diversity of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors found globally. In addition to providing a rich array of photographs, illustrations, tables, and a glossary of terms, this extraordinary textbook explores: pregnancy and childbirth as a bio-cultural experience life-course issues related to gender identity, sexual orientations, behaviors, and lifestyles socioeconomic, political, historical, and ecological influences on sexual behavior early childhood sexuality, puberty and adolescence birth control, fertility, conception, and sexual differentiation HIV infection, AIDS, AIDS globalization and sex work Fusing biological, socio-psychological, and cultural influences to offer new perspectives on understanding human sexuality, its development over millions of years of evolution, and how sexuality is embedded in specific socio-cultural contexts, this is the text for educators and students who wish to understand human sexuality in all of its richness and complexity.

This volume in the Springer Series in Evolutionary Psychology presents a state of the art view of the topic of sexuality and sexual behavior drawing on theoretical constructs and research of noted individuals in the field. Comprehensive and multi-disciplinary, this book seeks to provide a broad overview without sacrificing the complexity of a multi-faceted approach. The book is framed by introductory and closing sections that provide a context for the range of ideas contained within. Ample space is provided in designated sections that focus on key areas of sexuality from both male and female perspectives and that include information from primate studies. This volume can serve as a graduate text in sexual behavior in evolutionary terms and as a guide for further research.

Take a new look at women’s sexuality! This fascinating book looks at the wide-ranging therapeutic, social, and political implications of the new paradigm of women’s sexuality. International in scope and multidisciplinary in approach, A New View of Women’s Sexual Problems examines the theoretical and practical effects of the landmark document produced by the Working Group on a New View of Women’s Sexuality. The book brings together gender theory, psychology, social science, and medicine in a powerful cultural critique of the reigning medical approach to women’s sexual health. International experts from India, Costa Rica, Israel, the US, and many other cultures place this revolutionary idea in cultural and political context, as well as extrapolating fresh new treatment options for dealing with women’s sexual problems. A New View of Women’s Sexual Problems analyzes the new paradigm’s implications in many fields, including: family medicine couples counseling for straight and lesbian partners STD prevention and sexual health issues sex therapy sex education feminist theory developmental psychology

This timely book introduces social aspects of the study of sexual health and their application to public health practice. The book addresses five key themes: Conceptual and theoretical aspects of sexual health, Sexual health outcomes of Risk and Vulnerability, Improving sexual health status and Measuring and assessing sexual health status. The authors consider each of these themes within their cultural and historical context and illustrate topics with international examples and case studies. Key features of the book include: A spotlight on populations rather than individuals, and a focus on the prevention of ill health and promotion of well being. A global perspective; the book makes the distinction between developing and developed countries, but recognises that inequalities are to be found within as well as between countries. A view of sexual behaviour as socially learned rather than biologically given and so as amenable to change and intervention to improve sexual health status. An emphasis on ways in which risk and vulnerability are products, not only of individual behaviours, but of the social context in which they are practiced. Written by authors with a wide range of experience, this book will be a valuable resource for public health practitioners and those studying and working in the area of sexual health. Understanding Public Health is an innovative series published by Open University Press in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Series Editors: Ros Plowman and Nicki Thorogood Contributors: Sevgi O Aral, Chris Bonell, Helen Burchett, Joanna Busza, Martine Collumbien, Simon Forrest, Rebecca French, Claudia Garcia-Moreno, Anna Glasier, Jami Leichliter, Kirstin Mitchell, Will Nutland, Thomas Peterman, Elisabeth Pisani, Kaye Wellings, Meg Wiggins and Maria Zuurmond.

Is love “blind” when it comes to gender? For women, it just might be. This unsettling and original book offers a radical new understanding of the context-dependent nature of female sexuality. Lisa M. Diamond argues that for some women, love and desire are not rigidly heterosexual or homosexual but fluid, changing as women move through the stages of life, various social groups, and, most important, different love relationships.This perspective clashes with traditional views of sexual orientation as a stable and fixed trait. But that view is based on research conducted almost entirely on men. Diamond is the first to study a large group of women over time. She has tracked one hundred women for more than ten years as they have emerged from adolescence into adulthood. She summarizes their experiences and reviews research ranging from the psychology of love to the biology of sex differences. Sexual Fluidity offers moving first-person accounts of women falling in and out of love with men or women at different times in their lives. For some, gender becomes irrelevant: “I fall in love with the person, not the gender,” say some respondents.Sexual Fluidity offers a new understanding of women’s sexuality—and of the central importance of love.