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Sexual Self
Understanding one's identity and sexuality

Biological Perspective of One's Sex

At conception, egg and sperm unite to create a new organism that incorporates some
characteristics of each parent.

The first 22 pairs are called autosomes. The last pair is known as the sex chromosomes.

Genetic Basis for Sex Determination:

X Chromosome

Y Chromosome

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chromosomes contain genetic material

It can be said that the chromosome from the father is what determines sex because the
mother always carries X chromosomes, while the father carries both X and Y

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 Secondary Sex Characteristics

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The changes that happen in our body that we start to experience around the age of
puberty (could be as early as 9 or 10, to round 11 or 12)

Erogenous Zones
where the libido is centered (according to Freud)

parts of the body that experience heightened sensitivity and/or signal sexual arousal of some
kind

Needs stimulation by engaging the person in gratifying activities

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 Additional Info

Depending on the individual, the hot spots could include any or all of the areas on the
body, but majority of men and women have common erogenous zones

Can also include some areas on the skin, the penis and clitoris

Sexual Response Cycle

Model that describes the physiological responses, that occur during sexual activity.

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Refers to the sequence of physical and emotional changes that happen to a person when
they become sexually aroused and when they participate in sexually-stimulating activities,

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 including intercourse and masturbation

Stage 1: Excitement
muscle tension increases, heart rate increases, breathing could accelerate

gradually there would be more physical manifestatation

skin becomes flushed

blotches of redness on some parts of the body may appear

nipples become erect

blood flow increases towards genitalia

Stage 2: Plateau
we consider this as the highest point of sexual excitement

this is normally the stage that lasts between 30 seconds to about 3 minutes

the changes that started to happen during stage 1 now become intensified in this stage

Stage 3: Orgasm
we consider orgasm as the peak of the plateau stage, the point at which sexual tension is
already released

normally lasts for less than a minute

Stage 4: Resolution
men often need recovery time after orgasm

the period during which the body returns to the pre-excitement stage varies greatly
among people

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when you love somebody, you are willing to wait

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 you make sacrifices

Chemistry of Lust, Attraction and Attachment

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According to a team of scientists led by Helen Fisher, romantic love can be broken down into
3 categories

Lust and attraction shut off the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which includes rational
behavior.

The hypothalamus regulates the function of the pituitary gland to secrete hormones.

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 pituitary gland - known as the master gland; secretes the most number of hormones

The hypothalamus of the brain plays a big role in stimulating the production of the sex
hormones testosterone and estrogen from the testes and ovaries

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lust is driven by the desire for sexual gratification

the evolutionary basis from which our need to reproduce stems from

through reproduction, organisms pass on their genes and this contributes to the
perpetuation of the species

testosterone and estrogen are often stereotyped as male and female; testosterone is
closely associated with males, while estrogen with females

both play a role in both men and women

testosterone increases libido in just about everybody, but the effects are less
pronounced with estrogen

some women would say that they become more sexually motivated around the time
they ovulate

ovulation - when estrogen levels are at their highest

testosterone is responsible for inducing and maintaining secondary sexual

characteristics for men

estrongen stimulates the development of female secondary sexual characteristics

also promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system

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 Attraction involves the brain pathways that control "reward" behavior, which partly explains
why the first few weeks or months of a relationship can be so exhilarating and even all-
consuming.

High levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, are released during attraction. These
chemicals make us giddy, energetic, and euphoric, even leading to decreased appetite and
insomnia.

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dopamine - released when we do things that make us feel good

ex. spending time with loved ones, cuddling, hugging

norepinephrine - also known as noradrenaline; plays a larger role in the "fight or flight"
response

it kicks into high gear when we are stressed (it keeps us alert)

it pushes the supply of blood going to the cardiac muscles

when there are emergencies, together with adrenaline, it pushes the supply of blood
to the skeletal muscles

when there is a push to secrete norepinephrine, and normally it happens during

attraction, it allows us to experience cardiac contractions (heartbeat quickens, we get
excited and even euphoric)

serotonin - a hormone which sometimes allows us to be so in love to the point of being

unable to eat and sleep

you just want to think about the person you are in love with

being with the person is more than enough for you

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 Attachment is the predominant factor in long-term relationships. While lust and attraction are
pretty much exclusive to romantic entanglements, attachment mediates friendships, parent-
infant bonding, social cordiality, and many other intimacies as well.

Primary hormones: oxytocin and vasopressin

Oxytocin (cuddle hormone) is produced by the hypothalamus and released in large quantites
during sex, breastfeeding, and childbirth.

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not all relationships are necessarily enjoyable, but the common factor among them is that
it becomes a precursor towards having close relationships with others (?)

oxytocin is also stimulated through the pituitary hormones which happens during those
instances

we tend to develop close intimate relationships because of the increase in the secretion
of oxytocin

vasopressin - pituitary gland; could increase blood pressure, and could decrease urine
flow

also known as antidiuretic hormone - it tries to eliminate more toxins in the body in
order for us to conserve water

Sex vs. Gender

Sex
Sometimes called biological sex, anatomical sex, or physical sex

A person's identity based on their physical characteristics, genes and hormones

Male: Penis

Female: Vagina

Intersex: chromosomes and hormones of a female/male but external genital is like that of
a male/female

Also refers to sexual acts, as in 'having sex'

Primary and secondary sex characteristics

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 Additional Info

Sex refers to physical or physiological differences between males, females and intersex
bodies

Biological sex - we only look at the physical characteristics and their genes and hormones

Gender
Gender is the structure of social relations that centers on the reproductive arena, and the set
of practices that bring reproductive distinctions into social processes.

A term that refers to social or cultural distinctions associated with a given sex; it is generally
considered to be a socially constructed concept.

Gender underlies assumptions regarding 'masculine' or 'feminine' behavior

Refers to the attitudes, feelings and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person's
biological sex.

Behavior that is compatible with cultural expectations is referred to as gender-normative;

Behaviors that are viewed as incompatible with these expectations constitute gender non-
conformity (APA, 2012).

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A person's sex as determined by their biology does not always correspond with their
gender

The terms sex and gender are not interchangeable

Sexual Diversity
Sex and gender are often thought of as binary categories; that is, we can be either male or
female, or feminine or masculine. However, this is a FALSE assumption.

Although sex can be quantified by DNA and genetic testing, sometimes the results are difficult
to make sense of with regard to their social implications.

Gender Identity (who you think you are)

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 One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither - how individuals
perceive themselves and what they call themselves which can be the same or different from
their sex assigned at birth.

Gender identity, in nearly all instances, is self-identified, as a result of a combination of

inherent and extrinsic or environmental factors.

Cisgender - a person whose gender identity matches his or her assigned sex

Transgender - a person whose lived experiences do not match their assigned sex

Transwoman - a person whose assigned sex is male and identifies as a woman

Transman - a person whose assigned sex is female and identifies as a man

Gender Expression (How you demonstrate who you are)

Refers to the ways that humans choose to display their gender identity to the world usually
expressed through:

behavior

clothing

haircut or voice

and which may/may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically
associated with being either masculine or feminine.

Sexual Orientation/Attraction (Who you are romantically and sexually into)

Sexual orientation is all about who you are physically, spiritually, and emotionally attracted to
(specifically into sexual and romantic attraction), and the labels tend to describe the relationships
between your gender and the gender types you're attracted to.

Straight (Heterosexual) - attracted to people of the opposite gender

Gay/Lesbian (Homosexual) - attracted to people of the same gender

Bisexual - can be attracted to both men and women

The Church and Sexuality

Sexual Intercourse
The two primary purposes of sexual intercourse are:

"UNITIVE" (unite the couple)

"PROCREATIVE" (create more people)

Pope Francis on Sexuality

Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken about the need for the Catholic Church to welcome and
love all people regardless of sexual orientation.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

1 million STI cases everyday worldwide (WHO, 2016)

Estimated 357 million each year are infected by 1 of 4 STIs: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis,
Trichomoniasis (WHO, 2016)

Drug resistance is a challenge especially for Gonorrhea (WHO, 2018)

Poor young females more vulnerable than well-off counterparts (Abrigo, n.d.)

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 Additional Info

It's difficult to catch these diseases because one must be up close and personal with
another to spread it (through sexual intercourse)

HIV and AIDS

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 Transmitted through:

Unprotected sex

Drug addicts

Blood transfusion

Pregnancy

Non-sterile instruments

Not transmitted through:

Touching

Food

Kissing

Insect bites

Swimming pools

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HIV is the initial infection, while AIDS is the advanced stage of the disease

Over a period of time, the virus attacks and damages the immune system

But nowadays, HIV is no longer a death sentence because many people with the virus are
living long and healthy lives because of some treatments that help prolong people's lives

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 How to avoid STIs and AIDS
Abstinence
The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have sex (i.e., anal, vaginal or oral)

Vaccination
Vaccines are safe, effective, and recommended ways to prevent hepatitis B and HPV.

Mutual Monogamy
You agree to be sexually active with only one person, who has agreed to be sexually active only
with you.

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hepatitis A - transmitted through contaminated food and water (the person becomes
yellowish)

hepatitis B - transmitted through blood and bodily fluids

hepatitis C - transmitted through blood but can also be transmitted through bodily fluids

HPV (human papillomavirus) - spread through skin-to-skin contact (not ordinary rubbing of
arms, etc., but intimate parts, ex. genital warts that can cause cervical cancer)

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