PHYSICAL SELF

“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.” Amy Bloom
Genetics definitely has a hand on our physical appearance. Our biology dictates that our looks are a result of the
genes transferred to us by our parents. From our skin tone, hair color, to our height, our physical features are
evidence that we are our parents' children. When heredity is actually at work, we find ourselves being the mirrors
of our parents, which was the result of their DNAs (deoxyribonucleic acid) at work in us, and for some, even
looking like carbon copies of them.

Cultural Standard of Beauty

CONCEPT OF BEAUTY - In Egyptian, beauty is portrayed in women with slim, high waists, narrow hips, and
long black hair.
● Women with full figures and rounded hips were considered beautiful during the Renaissance period.
● SOME TRIBES (Africa)during the medieval age considered chubby, fat or plump women beautiful.
● Some tribes in Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia considered flat noses to be the most attractive.
● Many Filipinas have embraced their own unique definition of beauty, with an emphasis on simplicity and
natural features. Filipina beauty standards are rooted in tradition. Beauty is often associated with having a
naturally healthy complexion, long black hair and wide almond-shaped eyes.
STANDARDS OF BEAUTY
1. Clean And Unblemished Skin
2. Thick Skinny Hair
3. Well-proportioned Bodies
4. Symmetrical Faces
● Beauty is considered important throughout history.
● This is because these features indicate youth, health, good genes, and fertility.
● Beauty is important in all societies.
● Attractive people have a lot of advantages in life.

The Filipino Obsession with Beauty

Beauty sickness is when you are so worried about how you look that it’s taking your time, your attention, and
your emotional resources away from things that you would rather be spending those resources on.
A lot of women say: “This is keeping me from doing things I want to do”; “I’m spending my money in a way I’m
not really comfortable spending my money”; “I’m angry about the fact that it costs me so much more to look
presentable at work than it costs a man.”

Body Dysmorphic Disorder, A Quest for Perfection

Those who are suffering from BDD are so obsessed about their appearance, thus think about their flaws, real or
not, incessantly and uncontrollably. Those who are diagnosed with this disorder are very much preoccupied by a
perceived physical flaw that is either absent or so trivial that only the one suffering from it sees it as a problem,
being so much distressed about it, that daily routines are affected (Wilhelm, 2006).
● Those who are suffering from this disorder are so self- anxious that they seek cosmetic surgeries to finally
solve their body issues. Dr. Yapchangco explains this obsession of millennials with plastic surgery, in the
case of millennials saying, "They want to be more pleasing, to be more beautiful. They consider that
having a beautiful face and body is always an edge in most aspects of life, especially in getting into their
chosen career," (Sallan, 2017).
A Healthy Body Image, and Self-esteem
BODY IMAGE - Refers to how individuals perceive, think, and feel about their body and physical appearance.
APPEARANCE - Everything about a person that others can observe such as height, weight, skin color, clothes
and hairstyle.
SELF-ESTEEM - It is a person’s overall evaluation of his or her own worth

What do you think are the causes of poor body image?

● Emphasis on thin ideal body
● Bullying and peer pressure
● Media
What do you think are the effects of poor body image?
● Body Dissatisfaction
Forms of body modification
- Tattooing
- Permanent make-up
- Body piercing
- Cosmetic surgery
● Depression
● Low self-esteem
● Body Modification
● Eating Disorder
Bulimia bulimia is a psychological eating disorder in which you have episodes of consuming a large quantity of
food in one sitting (binge eating). During these binges, you have no sense of control over your eating.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA - An eating disorder defined by extreme and needless weight loss, illogical fear of weight
gain, and distorted perception of self-image and body. Self-starvation and lack of appetite.
What can you say about men and women who go through cosmetic surgeries?
Body Shaming - This is about criticizing yourself or others because of some aspect of physical appearance. It
has resulted in the loss of self-confidence of those who have been thin-shamed or fat-shamed.
Body Image in the 21st Century
● Young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are out of nuclear war, cancer or losing their parents.
● 80% of children who are 10 years old are afraid of being fat.
● Girls' self esteem peaks at age nine.
Stice and Whitenton (2022) found out that body dissatisfaction is also linked with mental disorders including
depression and anxiety among adolescents.
The Filtered Self
Posting in different social media and getting too many likes
Celebrating Beauty in Diversity
How would you help other people suffering from body image disturbance embrace their physical selves?
● Compliment them on something not related to their body.
● Ask them about other things going on in their life.
● Reframe and challenge negative thoughts.

SEXUAL SELF
Sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life encompasses sex, gender identities and
roles, sexual orientation, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction.
Sex Education is not to promote sexual intercourse but to promote good sexual health and safety from
sexual violence.

I. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sex VS. Gender
SEX GENDER

Primarily refers to physical attributes, body Is the composite of attitudes and behavior of men and
characteristics notably sex organs which are distinct in women
the majority of individuals.

Male and Female Masculinity and Femininity

Is biologically determined - by genes and hormones Is learned and perpetuated primarily through the
family, education, religion, (where dominant) and is an
acquired identity

Is relatively fixed/constant through time and across Because it is socialized, it may be variable through
cultures time and across vultures

1. Sexual Orientation - The sexual and romantic interests to either people of the opposite sex or people of
the same sex.
A. Heterosexual - Refers to a person’s sexual and romantic interests to people of the opposite sex.
B. Homosexual - Attracted to and interested in relationships with people of the same sex.
• Women are referred to as lesbians. • Men are referred to as gay.
C. Bisexual - Attracted to both men and women
2. Gender Identity - Is a person’s internal feelings being a woman, man, both or neither. It can be expressed
in many ways: through our clothes, speech, activities, hobbies and our behaviors. It’s okay for any of
these things to change at different times, or in different situations, depending on what feels comfortable.

THE GENDERBREAD PERSON

EXPRESSION (whole) - is how you present gender (through your actions, clothing, and demeanor, to name a
few), and how those presentations are viewed based on social expectations.
IDENTITY (mind) - is how you, in your head, experience and define your gender, based on how much you align
(or don't align) with what you understand the options for gender to be.
ATTRACTION (heart) - is how you find yourself feeling drawn (or not drawn) to some other people, in sexual,
romantic, and/or other ways (often categorized within gender).
SEX - is the physical traits you're born with or develop that we think of as "sex characteristics," as well as the sex
you are assigned at birth.

Gender Identity
Woman - Genderqueer - Man - Gender identity is how you, in your head, think about yourself. It's the chemistry
that composes you (e.g., hormonal levels) and how you interpret what that means.
Gender Expression
Feminine - Androgynous - Masculine - Gender expression is how you demonstrate your gender (based on
traditional gender roles) through the ways you act, dress, behave, and interact.
Biological Sex
Female - Intersex - Male - Biological sex refers to the objectively measurable organs, hormones, and
chromosomes Female = vagina, ovaries, XX chromosomes: male = penis, testes, XY chromosomes: intersex = a
combination of the two.
Sexual Orientation
Heterosexual - Bisexual - Homosexual - Sexual orientation is who you are physically, spiritually, and
emotionally attracted to, based on their sex/gender in relation to your own.

GENDER IDENTITY VS. SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Gender Identity - Who you are. (Boy, girl, both, or neither)
Sexual Orientation - Who you have a crush on. Who you are interested in.
II. TRIANGULAR THEORY OF LOVE
ROBERT STERNBERG – American psychologist known for his theories on love, intelligence and creativity.
Consummate Love - Passion + Intimacy + Commitment
PASSION – Refers to drives that lead to romance, physical attraction, and sexual consummation.
INTIMACY – Refers to the feelings of closeness, connectedness and bondness.
COMMITMENT – Refers to the decision to love and the commitment to maintain that love.
Nonlove – the absence of the three components.
Liking / friendship – set of feelings one experiences without the intense feeling of passion or commitment in the
romantic.
Infatuation – this is the most common root of romantic love, as it is believed that intimacy develops over time.
Empty love – characterized by the absence of passion and intimacy despite the presence of commitment.
Romantic love – lovers who are under this category are said not only to be drawn and bonded physically but
emotionally.
Companionate love – this is stronger than the friendship form because of the element of commitment. It can be
observed in long-term marriages.
Fatuous love – it’s the type of whirlwind romances that end up in our television sets.
Consummate love – this type of love sits at the very center of the triangle, because this is said to be the perfect
and ideal type of love.
“Maintaining consummate love is harder than achieving it. This is not a permanent form of love.”
-ROBERT STERNBERG

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
The beginning of adolescence is marked by rapid physical change including:
1. Maturation of the reproductive system
2. Development of different sex characteristics
SEX CHARACTERISTICS
1. Primary Sex Characteristics - Physical characteristics that are present at birth
In women, these characteristics include the vagina, uterus and ovaries. In men, the primary
characteristics include penis, testes or testicles, scrotum and prostate gland.
2. Secondary Sex Characteristics - Develop during the onset of puberty.
For Women, the earliest evidence of puberty are the enlargement of the breasts, menstrual cycle,
widening of hips, enlargement of buttocks, and growth of pubic hair.
Testicular growth, sperm production, appearance of facial pubic and other body hair, deepening of voice
are some of the first signs of puberty in men.

DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS

Puberty could have been less stressful if only we were properly oriented of what to expect physically and
emotionally. Just by reading a few academic books on sexuality, we would be comforted to know of how normal
the things and feelings we thought were are abnormal – of how we are not alone and that everybody or anybody
experiencing puberty has undergone the same things we have tried to hide and pretended not to have come
across. "Puberty is not a one size fits all experience. It could manifest in varying rates and specific ages. Every
individual "develops and reacts in different ways" due to factors like stress, weight, "nutrition, hormonal activity,
and inherent characteristics (Cole, 2009, p. 4)

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - A system of sex design for reproduction or sexual function.

● Two ovaries
● Fallopian tubes
● Uterus
● Vagina
● Clitoris
MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - A system of sex is designed for reproduction or sexual function.
● Penis
● Testes
● Prostate gland
● Seminal vesicles
● Vas deferens
● Scrotum
● Epididymis

WHAT TURNS PEOPLE ON?

Human sexual arousal may be produced by direct stimulation of the body’s erogenous zones. According to
Freud, erogenous zones are areas of the body that provide pleasure.
EROGENOUS ZONES - When the erogenous zones are touched, there is an expected automatic sensation.
However, the quality of the sensation depends on who and how the zones are being touched.

FEMALES MALES

MOUTH/LIPS: 7.91 MOUTH/LIPS: 7.03

EARS: 5.06 EARS: 4.30

BACK OF NECK: 6.20 BACK OF NECK: 4.53

NIPPLES: 7.35 NIPPLES: 4.89

BREASTS: 7.35 PUBIC HAIRLINE: 4.80

LOWER BACK: 4.73 SCROTUM: 6.50

VAGINA: 8.40 PENIS: 9.00

CLITORIS: 9.17 PERINEUM: 4.81

INNER THIGH: 6.70 INNER THIGH: 5.84

EROGENOUS ZONES
Genitals, Mouth, Breast, Ears, Anus
To lesser degree, the entire surface of the body
WHAT TURNS PEOPLE ON?
● In one sense, the brain is where sexual desire originates and where sexual behavior is controlled.
● Cognitive factors thus play an important role in sexual arousal in humans.
● One of the most basic sexual stimulation is masturbation of self-stimulation that causes sexual pleasure
or orgasm.
● William Masters and Virginia Johnson use the term sexual response cycle to describe the changes that
occur in the body as men and women become sexually aroused.
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE
“Falling in love is stronger than the sex drive” (Fisher 2005)
“Love is almost uncontrollable but sex drive is definitely controllable”
Sex is also at times called "love making" giving premium to the act being based on and done out of love. Science,
like it always does, tries to explain the thing we call love. Despite the many efforts, it admits not being able to
identify the exact reason why we fall in love with a specific person. However, it is able to give reasonable bases
and glimpses of what happens inside our brain in the stages of love. It also gives us tips on how to keep the
chemistry alive.
Arousal: Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm, Resolution
PHYSIOLOGY OF HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE
1. Excitement Phase - Beginning of sexual arousal.
● Increase in pulse and blood pressure; a sudden rise in blood supply, flushing, and swelling, rapid
breathing,secretion of genital fluids, vaginal expansion, and a general increase in muscle tension.
● Nipple hardens, the penis becomes erect, the clitoris swells, the lip of vagina opens and the inside
moistens.
2. Plateau Phase - It is generally of brief duration. If stimulation is continued, orgasm usually occurs.
3. Sexual Climax - A feeling of abrupt, intense pleasure, and rapid increase in pulse rate and blood
pressure, and spasms of the pelvic muscles causing contractions of the female reproductive organ and
ejaculation by the male that last only for a few seconds normally not over ten.
4. Resolution Phase - It refers to the return to a normal or subnormal physiological state. Whereas males
return to normal even if stimulation continues, but continued stimulations can produce additional orgasms
in females. Females are physically capable of repeated orgasms without the intervening “rest period”
required by males.

Approximately 1 in 4 children experience some The main perpetrators are fathers and family
form of sexual violence members, neighbors, and dating partners.
7 in 10 perpetrators of sexual violence are males.

The majority of incidents are reported to occur

at home, in the community and during dating

Children aged 13-17 experience the most

sexual violence, including forced sex.

Younger boys in the 13-18 age group are at

higher risk of sexual violence in every setting:
the home, school, workplace, community and
during dating.

RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND FAMILY PLANNING

PARENT - A person who has a child. A person who brings up and cares for another
PARENTHOOD - The state of being a parent. The will and ability of parents to respond to the needs and
aspirations of the family and children. A shared responsibility of the husband and the wife to determine and
achieve the desired number, spacing, and timing of their children
PLANNING - Act or process of making a plan to achieve or do something
What is the importance of planning?
● Increase efficiency
● Reduce risks
● Proper organization
● Right direction
Family Planning - A program that enables parents to deliberately and responsibly decide the number and
spacing of their children. An expression of responsible parenting based on informed choices and decisions of
couples based on their social and economic capacity.
METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION (ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL)
● Hormonal method
● Barrier method
● Behavioral method
● Sterilization

1. HORMONAL METHOD OF CONTRACEPTION - Prevents the release of an egg or ovulation

A. ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES (PILLS) - These are daily oral contraceptives. Some contain estrogen and
progesterone; others are progestin only and are over 99% effective if used according to instruction.
B. IMPLANTS - A small, flexible rod put under the skin of the upper arm releases progestogen. Works for 3 years
but can be taken out sooner. It requires a small procedure to fit and remove it.
C. INJECTABLE - An injection of progestogen. Works for 8 or 13 weeks – you don’t have to think about
contraception during this time. It can’t be removed from the body so side effects may continue while it works and
for some time afterwards.

2. BARRIER METHODS - Methods that physically or chemically block the sperm from reaching an egg and
provide a barrier between direct skin to skin contacts
A. DIAPHRAGM - A flexible latex (rubber) or silicone device, used with spermicide, is put into the vagina to cover
the cervix. Can be put in any time before sex.
B. CERVICAL CAPS - These are similar to the diaphragm, though they are generally always made of silicone.
They are put into the vagina to cover the cervix and are 92 to 96 percent effective when used correctly.
C. MALE AND FEMALE CONDOMS OR SPERMICIDES
FOR MALES: A very thin latex (rubber) polyurethane (plastic) or synthetic sheath, put over the erect penis.
FOR FEMALES: So ft, t h i n polyurethane sheath that loosely lines the vagina and covers the area just outside.
Condoms are the best way to help protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections.

3. BEHAVIORAL METHODS
A. RHYTHM OR CALENDAR METHOD – It is a way to determine a woman’s most fertile and infertile times by
charting the menstrual cycle. It is also known as natural family planning or fertility awareness
B. ABSTINENCE OR CELIBACY – It refers to the avoidance of sexual intercourse.
C. OUTERCOURSE – It is a sexual activity that does not include the insertion of the penis into the vagina.
D. WITHDRAWAL – It happens when a man removes his penis from vagina and ejaculate outside of the
woman’s body.
4. STERILIZATION - Procedures that make an individual permanently incapable of conceiving o fertilizing a
partner
A. TUBAL LIGATION – It is a surgery for women in which fallopian tubes are tied to prevent eggs from traveling
to the uterus so a woman cannot get pregnant.
B. VASECTOMY – It is an operation in which the surgeon makes a small dent in the upper part of the scrotum
then ties or blocks the vas deferens. Men can still have orgasm or ejaculation after the operation.
C. INTRAUTERINE DEVICE (IUD) – It is a small device that is placed in the uterus by a doctor to prevent
pregnancy.
D. EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION – It is a measure that protects against pregnancy after unprotected sex has
already occurred. It could be through iud or higher dosage of pills.