sex class final

hehehee

early adulthood

20s and 30s
many establish full sense of direction in life

midlife

40s to mid 60s

Seniors

adults 65 and up
period of retirement

elders

85+

single

uncommitted or unmarried

single living

pursuing an active dating and sex life that can include multiple partners but not live together
Increase options

what leads someone to stay single?

Freedom, self-realization, career, and personal control
Tend to go out more, socialize with friends, take in theatre, or enter adult education classes

Which states were the last to remove miscegenation laws from their law books / state constitutions?

Alabama (2000) and South Carolina (1998)

Celibacy

the condition of remaining single, often by choice

involuntary celibacy

when someone wants to have sex but cannot find a partner

Why would people choose celibacy?

religious reasons

casual sex

Hooking up with people to whom you are not in love or committed

serial monogamy

The practice of having an exclusive relationship with one person, breaking up, and going on to another exclusive relationship.

Friends with Benefits (FWB)

Singles involved sexually with a friend or acquaintance for some mutual benefit, such as shared rent, but without commitment.

Polyamory

The intentional acceptance of one's partner having sexual relations with someone else, typically for a significant period of time.

nonmonogamous

practice that consists of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the consent of all the partners involved. not cheating since its consensual

why is polyamory controversial?

- Many of the affairs fall under the guise of "cheating"
- Religious authorities object to polyamory as a violation of morals and monogamy in many faiths
- Seen as suspect in some rural areas and carry the risk of stigma

Cohabitation

state of living together or sharing the same space as if the couple were married but without being legally married.

Cohabitation vs. Marriage

Similar:
-living together
-sharing space
-spend time together
-sexual relationship
Different:
-aren't legally together
-don't share bank accounts
-can't travel together under the same name

common law marriage

-A status that involves 2 people of the opposite sex living together, typically for at least 1 or 2 years, and regarding each other publicly as spouses even though they are not legally married
-Have a claim on each other's property and incomes, and may be entitled to child care support or alimony if the relationship breaks up
-Many couples do not know that if they break up, they may have to file for a legal divorce just as if they had been legally married

Domestic partnership

-defined legal and social relationship in some states, and in the private corporate sphere for some companies, that provides some benefits, such as health care, to one's registered domestic partner.
-This is a lesser legal status than common law marriage, which may or may not be recognized by local or state law.

Civil union

a legally recognized union similar to marriage in some states, though not performed in a church.

Same-sex marriage

Legal marriage between two people of the same biological sex

Registered partnership

Any couple regardless of sexual orientation that is registered

contraceptive switch

phase of cohabitation when couples develop reproductive plans

3 components of cohabitation

-Living arrangements
-Meaning of cohabitation to both partners
-Level of commitment between partner

Why might people choose cohabitation?

-Financial reasons
-test drive a relationship
-offers most marriage benefits minus the divorce
-spend more time together without the marriage responsibilities

living apart together (LAT)

About having one's own individual space and life, separate from a lover or partner, but still being part of a couple

why people are marrying later in life in the United States?

-Economic changes in society
-Women postpone to go to college and pursue a career
-Increase in cohabitation among couples
-Avoiding divorce and lifelong commitment

how does transitioning from cohabitation to marriage occurs?

-Couples can see how they can co-exist in a shared space and have a strong relationship
-Couples can see the commitment/trust they have for each other

winnowing hypothesis

-People become increasingly selective and more careful during the process of dating, mating, cohabiting, and marriage.
-They base selection on processes such as education, race, age, religion, shared values, and even political attitudes.

Heterogamy vs. Homogamy

marrying someone who is different vs one who shares the same characteristics

Heterogamy

a marriage between two individuals of different ethnicities, income, social class, or religion

Homogamy

a marriage between two individuals who are culturally similar

Dual Income no Sex [DINS]

People who are so busy that they cannot cope with intimacy or they omit sex from the relationship, as reported in media

Variations of marriage

polygamy is acceptable in some cultures, including numerous societies in Africa, many indigenous South American societies, and virtually all Pacific Island societies

Marriage is typically arranged in nonwestern and premodern societies

Virginity is prized

marriage variations

In india and South Asia it's considered very wrong to marry above or below their caste

monogamous marriage

one man and one woman are legally married, usually having moral and religious meanings

nonmonogamous marriage

a person has more than one spouse

What are the cultural expectations of marriage?

-love
-security
-mutual pleasure
-family formation
-longterm companionship

Describe the factors involved in sexual satisfaction within marriage

-Ability to find mutual satisfaction and initiate sex with each other in a supportive way
-Frequency of sex
-In countries where there is a closer match in the gender power of men and women
-Physical and mental stress, loss of self-esteem, lack of intimate spaces, and differential income factors may lower sexual satisfaction

2 types of extramarital relationships

consensual + nonconsensual

consensual extramarital relationship

occur when couples decide to leave themselves open for emotional and/or sexual interactions with other people outside of marriage and do so with their spouse's consent.
swinging

nonconsensual extramarital relationship

occurs when one marriage partner does not know of or agree to an outside relationship
Adultery(cheating)

divorce

the legal termination of a marriage
has been more common in our society over the past generations

later remarriage

-2nd marriages in the United States are more likely to fail than first marriages, but that does not mean that people cannot find fulfillment in a relationship later on

who has higher rates of divorce?

-People with less education and less income
-women who attain graduate degrees and career success

"4 year" or "7 year" itch

not just a myth but refers to higher divorce rates around these milestones in the cycle of marriage and commitment

divorce trends

1. if your parents are divorced, you are more likely to get divorced
2. pre-marital cohabitation leads to more divorce
3. pre-marital childbearing leads to more divorce
4. Current divorce rate is 17.7 per 1000 married women
5. 40% of all marriages in the United States end in divorce

social and legal issues surrounding same-sex marriage

-non-traditional, against some faiths/religions
-illegal until June 26, 2015 [as its a basic human right]

When was same sex marriage legalized?

June 26, 2015

How is legalization of interracial marriages similar to same-sex marriage?

No laws to protect interstate same-sex marriage, similar to earlier interstate interracial marriage

how did the cases of Same sex vs different races differ?

One was a 9:0 decision (race) the other was a 5:4 decision (same-sex)

What generation(s) had the greatest shift in attitudes regarding same-sex marriage? What were some of the reasons pointed out as to why for one in particular?

Baby boomers because of the post WW2 life

difference between fwb and lat

Living apart together (LAT) and friends with benefits (FWB) are relatively new ways of people being a couple in the United States and western Europe that may or may not include actual cohabitation.

What are miscegenation laws?

Prohibits interracial marriage and cohabitation

What groups were banned from marrying each other?

Whites could not marry non-whites

what are myths pertaining to sex in midlife?

Myth: "Older people do not have sexual desires, older people are not able to make love even if they wanted to, older people are too fragile and might hurt themselves if they attempt to engage in sexual relations, older people are physically unattractive and therefore undesirable, the whole notion of older people engaging in sex is shameful and perverse"

Sexual desire is not extinguished as people age. Many older adults continue to enjoy intimacy, physical closeness, hugging, and touching, which may or may not involve bodily penetration

ageist

discrimination towards individuals for their age

Understand how caring for your body and keeping fit can contribute to positive sexuality in midlife.

A healthy lifestyle featuring exercise, rest, and abstention from smoking and excessive alcohol use actually make a big difference in our relations satisfaction as we age (keep a healthy body weight)

what are issues of sexuality and aging, especially factors that affect sexual satisfaction in the later years?

-older adults who continue to enjoy sexual relations often express positive and energetic ideas, values, and connections to the world in other areas, such as work and friendships
-Physical health, positive mental attitudes, and social engagement are critical elements of continued sexual well-being later life
-When their sexual relations decline, other things may be occurring such as physical challenges or disability.

Are there differences due to sexual orientation when it comes to sexuality and aging?

LGBT population has a higher frequency of mental health problems, disability, and disease limitations compared to the older heterosexual populations \=\> decreases in sexual satisfaction

How does access to sex partners affect late adulthood sexual expression?

For women having a partner in centers of assisted living may be related to their level of sexual desire

how does sexual desire in late life and challenges to the expression of sexual desire among elders?

- meeting new ppl
- Men's physical and physiological changes suggest that men's sexuality is significantly more responsive to these changes than women's
- Women's sexual expressions are significantly more responsive to social and psychological changes than men's
- Reliance on family members for caretaking as ppl age and health declines may significantly constrain their sexual expression, especially for older women

Why is context important?

To understand earlier and changing descriptions of sexual identities and in contrast to sexual behaviors

What is the difference between sexual acts and sexual orientation?

Sexual acts are activities and do not necessarily have to follow orientation. Example: males having sex with males that identify as heterosexual

What types of sexual acts were socially approved?

Approved sexual acts included sexual acts in marriage

What types of sexual acts were socially disapproved?

Sodomites were involved in socially disapproved activity as there were Military laws against sodomy

Do sexual acts identify sexual orientation?

no

homosexual

person who is attracted to a member of the same sex

gay

a man who is attracted to other men

lesbian

a female who is attracted to other female

queer/questioning

a person who does not wish to be classified as heterosexual and who may be questioning an attraction to people of the same sex

Pansexual

a person who is attracted sexually, emotionally, romantically, or spiritually to others regardless of their biological sex, gender, or orientation

Asexual

people who do not feel any noteworthy sexual attraction to other people but some might have romantic relationships

Bisexual

a person who is sometimes attracted to men or women or both, although not necessarily to the same degree or at the same point in time

what does the acronym LGBTQIA stand for?

L-lesbian
G-gay
B-bisexual
T-transgender
Q-queer/questioning
I-intersex
A-asexual/ally

What is the Kinsey Scale?

- A six-point rating system that ranges from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual orientation.
- The Kinsey scale emphasizes sexual behavior and attraction as expressions of sexual orientation. It is split into three ranges: 0-1 indicates exclusive or predominant heterosexuality, 2-4 indicates equal or "more than incidental" homosexuality and heterosexuality, and 5-6 indicates "exclusive or predominant homosexuality."

what's the klein scale? what variables are considered?

used sexuality grid based on Past (more than 12 months ago), Present (most recent 12 months), & Ideal (future)

Sexual Attraction
Sexual Behavior
Sexual Fantasies
Emotional Preference
Social Preference
Heterosexual/Homosexual Lifestyle
Self Identification

Homophobia

irrational fear, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals

Transphobia

the fear and hatred of transgender people

Biphobia

prejudice against bisexual people

Homonegativity

subtle negative social perceptions and behaviors against LGBTQIA+ people or those suspected of same-gender sexuality

Why is understanding sexual orientation as a spectrum important?

Allows us to understand sexual diversity
Captures the complexity of many people's attractions and desires which may change over time and vary in different contexts

What were the key points / findings of the Kinsey scale?

Kinsey Scale found that majority of people fall between 1-5 & it's actually rare to be "pure" homosexual/heterosexual.

What were the key points / findings of the Klein scale?

Klein Scale refined Kinsey's Scale by including questions about community identification

Understand the gap between sexual attraction and behavior.

-More people experience attraction to the same gender than there are people who express their attractions and engage in sexual behavior with the same gender
-Researchers have compared three dimensions of the same-gender sexuality: behavior, desire, and identity to see how they are interrelated
-Sexual orientation is multidimensional and its meaning depends on context and purpose
-There is a gap in those who feel attraction and those who act on that attraction

What is gender expression?

the way in which a person expresses their gender identity, typically through their appearance, dress, and behavior.

genetic sexual orientation

epigenetics research, the way a gene changes in the environmental context, offers potentially new ways for explaining how genes can become active or inactive in interaction with environmental and social factors over time, plays a role in prenatal and postnatal development, just because a person may have a gene, it does not mean that trait is expressed

Prenatal sexual orientation

hormones in the prenatal environment contribute to sex differentiation, and the brain's sensitivity to exposure to certain hormones makes a person more or less susceptible to being attracted female or male bodies later in life. Two factors that are considered: hormones and birth order

Birth order

each older brother increases a younger brother's odds of developing a same-gender orientation by 28-48% - the lower levels of androgens in the prenatal environment are caused by development of the mother's antibodies with each pregnancy with a male fetus

Prenatal sexual orientation development

Women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia are more likely to develop same-gender attraction

Postnatal sexual orientation

imprinting is one of the major behavioral and cognitive mechanisms that may influence sexual orientation. Similar to exposure to human touch, love, or neglect as well as the ability to bond or attach to people

interactive biopsychosocial approach

suggests that starting in early life, biological, psychological, and social factors interact to produce sexual attractions and sexual orientation. Sexuality is viewed as a biological process that is later reinforced by culture and behavioral experiences such as pleasure.

How do twin studies aid in understanding sexual orientation?

-Compare twins to see what part of nature or nurture may influence behavior
-Research shows that if one identical twin is gay, the other is most likely to be gay too or if one is straight, then the other is most likely straight
-Largest twin study determined that 30% of identical twins share a gay/lesbian or bisexual orientation as compared to 8% of fraternal twins. This means that 70 % of the individuals source of sexual orientation is social.

What is the interactive biopsychosocial approach?

A theory that suggests that biological, psychological, and social factors work together to produce sexual attractions and feelings, and perhaps sexual orientation.

How complex is gender and sexuality?

very complex as all nonheterosexual orientations are stigmatized to some degree which is partially due to the perception of a mismatch between gender and sexuality

How diverse is gender identity?

Very diverse

compulsory heterosexuality

condition of being socially compelled to have sexual relationships with the other gender, be married, and have children, regardless of sexual orientation