The Sexual Self

Lesson 7

College of Teacher Education

Batangas State University
Mrs. Rhodoria M. Guillo
SEXUAL SELFHOOD
Sexual selfhood
is defined as how
one thinks about
himself or herself as
a sexual individual.

Human sexuality
is a topic that just like
beauty is culturally
diverse.
Ways to Understand the Sexual Self
01 Historical
02 Biological
03 Socio-Biological
04 Psychological
05 Religious
 Historical
In Ancient Greece

• The male assumes the dominant role.

• The male symbol, the penis, was viewed as
the symbol of fertility and how the male body
was structured and was greatly admired.
• Their wives were considered as objects to be
possessed just like property.
• Women, on the other hand, were forbidden to
own property and had no legal and only
function was to bear children.
• The Greek word for woman is “gyne” means –
bearer of children.
 Historical
In the Middle Ages (476-1450)

• strong influence of church particularly

in matters of sexuality.
• The church decreed that all sexual
acts that do not lead to procreation
were considered evil.
• Women were labelled as either
temptress (like Eve) or a woman of
virtue (like Virgin Mary).
 Historical
In the protestant reformation of the
16th century (1483-1546)

• Martin Luther, John Calvin and other

Protestant leaders initiated a movement
against the Roman Catholic Church.
• Protestantism believed that sexuality is
a natural part of life and that priests
should be able to marry and have
families.
• Martin Luther King and John Calvin
believed that the reason for sexual
intimacy was to strengthen the physical
and emotional bond between husbands
and wives and not just procreation.
 Historical
By the 17th and 18th century

• The Puritans, a group of people

who were discontented with the
Church of England rallied for
religious, moral and societal
reformation.
• They had positive view on marital
sex and did not tolerate sex outside
marriage.
• Premarital sex, therefore, was
considered immoral.
 Historical
In the Victorian Era (1837-1901)

• homosexuality and prostitution

were rampant and considered to
be threats to social order.
• People in this era were not
comfortable in discussing breast or
buttocks,they used other terms
instead
 Historical
Through the years and in the 20th century

• Interest in sexuality became more evident

and accepted n society.
• The separation of church and state reduced
the influence the church had over sexual
mores.
• Also, the rise of feminism allowed for
changes in employment, home life, and
sexual standards for women.
• Over time, cultural diversity and social
norms offered varied views on what today
may be considered as sexually normal.
 Biological
• Knowing the structures and functions
of the reproductive system is
essential to the understanding of
sexuality.
• In the nervous system, it is the brain
that initiates and organizes sexual
behavior.
• Through the process of sexual
reproduction, the next generation of
human beings are created by the
fusion of the egg cell and sperm cell.
Sociobiological
or Evolutionary
• This perspective studies how evolutionary forces affect
sexual behavior. According to sociobiological theory, natural
selection is a process by which organisms that are best
suited to their environment are most likely to survive. Traits
that lead to reproductive advantage tend to be passed on,
whereas maladaptive traits are lost. On the basis of human
sexual behavior, it all begins with physical attraction.
• Beauty is more than just cultural standard. It is primarily an
evolutionary standard for attracting the best male or female in
the lot to ensure that one’s genetic characteristics will be
passed on to the next generation.
• Although survival is the goal of the evolutionary perspective,
physical attraction which ends in sex does not mean that the
attraction will be lasting. For what is really important in
human sexual relationships is the love, care, and
responsibility each gender has for the other.
 Psychological
Rosenthal (2013) also explained that sexuality
is not a mere physical response. Rather, it
alson involves emotions, thoughts and beliefs.

SIGMUND FREUD
• Human beings are faces with two forces –
sex instinct and libido (pleasure) and death
or aggressive instinct (harm toward oneself
or towards others).
• Sex instinct does not only pertain to the
sexual act rather it could also mean
anything that could give pleasure to the
person. Thus, human behavior is geared
towards satisfying the sex instinct and/or
death instinct.
• A person’s libido or sexual energy is located
in an area of the body at different
psychosexual stages.
 Psychological
SIGMUND FREUD

• The id is the part which always seeks for

pleasure and aggression. It follows the
pleasure principle because it wants the person
to attain gratification immediately. It is
unconsciously saying “I want it now!”.
• The Superego is the person’s sense of
morality; it follows the moral principle whose
role is to restrict demands of the id. It is
developed when children are taught the
difference between right and wrong.
• The ego follows the analytical principle. It
analyses the need of the id and its
consequences as dictated by the superego and
thinks of ways to satisfy the need in an
acceptable manner.
 Religious
Judaism

• Holds a positive and natural outlook

toward marital sex which they consider
as blessed by God and pleasurable for
both men and women.
• Sexual connection provides an
opportunity for spirituality and
transcendence.
 Religious
Islam

• Family is considered of utmost

importance, and celibacy within
marriage is prohibited.
• Muslim men are allowed to have
up to four wives but Muslim
women can only have one
husband.
• Sex is permitted only within
marriage and extramarital sex is
penalized.
 Religious
Taoism

• which originated in China, sex is not

only natural and healthy, but a sacred
• union necessary to people’s physical,
mental, and spiritual being.
• The sexual union is a way to balance
male and female energy.
 Religious
Hinduism
• sexuality is seen as spiritual
force
• the act of ritual lovemaking is a
means of both celebrating and
transcending the physical
 Religious
Roman Catholic Church

• marriage is purely for intercourse and

procreation.
• Pope John Paul II confirmed the idea that
married couples should engage in
intercourse only for the purpose of
procreation.
• They further believed that homosexual
orientation, in itself is not sinful, but
homosexual acts are immoral and sinful.
• The use of birth control is strongly opposed
but they agreeto natural family planning
and prohibit abortion.
Development of
Secondary Sex
Characteristics and
Reproductive System
Understanding the Sexual
Self in Biological Manner
• From a purely physical
standpoint
• The human reproductive
system - male and female
Seven Essential Features of Human Reproduction
(1) liberation of an ovum, or egg, at a specific time in the reproductive cycle

(2) internal fertilization of the ovum by spermatozoa, or sperm cells

(3) transport of the fertilized ovum to the uterus, or womb;

(4) implantation of the blastocyst, the early embryo developed from

the fertilized ovum, in the wall of the uterus

(5) formation of a placenta and maintenance of the unborn child during

the entire period of gestation

(6) birth of the child and expulsion of the placenta

(7) suckling and care of the child, with an eventual return of the
maternal organs to virtually their original state
Kinds of
Reproduction
1. Asexual reproduction
The simplest form of reproduction
that literally means without sex.
2. Sexual reproduction
In organisms that reproduce sexually,
there are males and females and
reproduction occurs when partners
come together.
Male Reproductive System

1. Penis – a male sexual organ consisting of the

internal root and external shaft and glans.
2. Root – the portion of the penis that extends
internally into the pelvic cavity.
3. Shaft – the length of the penis between the glans
and the body.
4. Glans – the head of the penis; richly endowed with
nerve endings.
5. Cavernous bodies – the structures in the shaft of
the penis that engorge with blood during
sexual arousal.
6. Foreskin – a covering of skin over the penile glans.
7. Corona – the rim of the penile glans.
8. Frenulum – a highly sensitive, thin strip of skin
that connects the glans to the shaft on the
underside of the penis.
Female Reproductive System

1. Vulva – encompasses all female external genital structures –

the hairs, fold of skin, and the urinary and vaginal openings.
2. Mons Veneris – a triangular mound over the pubic bone
above the vulva.
3. Labia majora – the outer lips of the vulva.
4. Labia minora – the inner lips of the vulva, one on each side
of the vaginal opening.
5. Prepuce – the foreskin or fold of skin over the clitoris.
6. Clitoris – a highly sensitive structure of the female external
genitals, the only function of which is sexual pleasure.
7. Shaft – the length of the clitoris between the glans and the
body.
8. Glans – the head of the clitoris; richly endowed with nerve
endings.
9. Cruca – the innermost tips of the cavernous bodies that
connect to the pubic bones.
10. Vestibule – the area of the vulva inside the labia minora.
11. Urethra – the tube through which urine passes from the
bladder to outside the body.
Internal Structure
a. Vagina – a stretchable canal in the female that opens at the
vulva and extends about four inches into the pelvis.
b. Rugae – the folds of tissue in the vagina.
c. Cervix – the small end of the uterus, located at the back of
the vagina.
d. Uterus – a pear shaped organ inside the female pelvis, within
which the fetus develops.
e. Fallopian tubes – two tubes in which the egg and sperm
travel, extending from the sides of
the uterus.
f. Ovaries – female gonads that produce ova and sex hormones.
Sexually dimorphic species – species
having two forms that are determined by
their sex; that is, species in which males and
females look different from each other.

Primary characteristics
are there from birth
(for example, penises and vaginas).

Secondary sexual characteristics

emerge at puberty
(such as low voices and beards in men, and
high voices and no facial hair in
women).
The list below shows some of these characteristic
differences between human males and females.
Puberty is the stage of
physical maturation in
which an individual
becomes physiologically
capable
of sexual reproduction.
Puberty Stages (Female )
P1 Pre-pubertal
P2 Early development of sub-areolar breast bud +/-
small amounts of pubic hair and axillary hair
P3 Increase in size of palpable breast tissue and
areolar, increase amount of dark pubic hair and
auxillary hair
P4 Further increase in breast size and areolae that
protrude above breast level, adult Pubic hair
P5 Adult Stage Pubic hair with extension to upper
thigh
Puberty Stages (Males)
P1 Prepubertal
Testicular length less than 2.5 cm
P2 Early increase in testicular size,
scrotum slightly pigmented
Few long and dark pubic hair
P3 Testicular length 3.3-4 cm
Lengthening of the penis, increase of
pubic hair
P4 Testicular length 4.1-4.5 cm, increase in
length and thickening of the penis
Adult amount of pubic hair
Erogenous Zones

• Erogenous zones - areas of the human body

that have heightened sensitivity. The
stimulation of these areas may result in the
foundation and production of sexual
fantasies, sexual arousal, and orgasm.
• Varieties of sexual excitement may be
provoked that will classify the erogenous
zones. Erogenous zones vary from culture to
culture and over time.
• Essentially, these parts have high
concentration of nerve endings, that the
result is they are particularly sensitive to
touch, pressure, or vibration.
In psychology, the five stages of Freud’s
psychosexual theory of development:

1. Oral stage, the child erogenous zone is the mouth

which receives gratification through eating and
sucking.
2. Anal stage, the erogenous zone is the anus in which
sexual gratification is derived from defecation
3. Phallic stage, erogenous zone is the genitals. Here the
child experiences sexual attraction towards the
opposite sex parent. Oedipus complex (sexual
attraction of the body child toward the mother) and
Electra complex (sexual attraction of the girl child t
owards the father)
4. Latency stage, sexual impulses lie dormant as the
child is occupied by social activities such as going to
school and playing.
5. Genital stage, where the erogenous zone is again the
genitals. At this time, the sexual attraction is directed
towards others, usually one of opposite sex.
Master and Johnson categorized the human sexual response into four stages
which they called the Human Sexual Response Cycle (HSRC)
Master and Johnson categorized the human sexual response into four stages
which they called the Human Sexual Response Cycle (HSRC)
What is Love?
Define love
by using an
analogy.
Understanding the
Chemistry of
Lust, Love, and Attachment
● According to anthropologist Helen Fisher
(2016) there are three stages of falling in love.
1. lust
2. attraction
3. love
John Lee’s Love Styles:
1. Eros
2. Agape
3. Storge
4. Ludus
5. Mania
6. Pragma
The Triangular Theory of Love
by Robert Sternberg,
1. Intimacy. This includes the desire to give
and receive emotional closeness, support,
caring and sharing.
2. Passion. This is the hot component of love
which can be described as intensely romantic
or sexual desire for another person usually
accompanied by physical attraction and
physiological arousal.
3. Commitment. This is the cold component
of love. It is the decision to maintain the
relationship through good times and bad
times.
Sternberg also described
several types of love
1. Liking (Intimacy).
2. Infatuation (Passion).
3. Empty love (Commitment)
4. Romantic love (Passion and Intimacy)
5. Companionate love
(Intimacy and Commitment)
6. Fatuous love
(Passion and Commitment)
7. Consummate love
(Passion, Intimacy, and Commitment)
The psychology of love shows that there
are psychological theories that would
explain why people fall in love.
1. Behavioral Reinforcement Theory
2. Physiological Arousal Theory
3. Evolutionary Theories

● Based on social psychological data from Rosenthal (2013),

the factors that would determine with whom people fall in love are:
o Physical attractiveness (though beauty is in the eye of the beholder)
o Reciprocity (people tend to like an individual who also like them)
o Proximity (being around anytime physically or virtually)
o Similarities (same age, religion, education, race, physical attractiveness,
intelligence, and socio-economic class)
The Diversity of Sexual Behavior
1. Heterosexual
2. Homosexual
3. Bisexual
4. Transsexual
5. Pansexual
Romans 1:18-26
Sexually Transmitted Disease
(STD)
● Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(STD) are also known as
Sexually Transmitted Infections
(STI),together with venereal
disease, these are infections that
are commonly spread by sexual
intercourse. These are infections
that are passed from one person
to another through sexual
contact, blood transfusion,
breastfeeding, and a certain
amount of saliva.
1. HIV/AIDS
2. Genital Herpes.
3. Genital Warts..
4. Gonorrhea.
5. Syphilis
6. Chlamydia
Methods of Contraception (Artificial and Natural)
1. Hormonal Method of Contraception (Pills, Patch, Ring, Implants, Injectables)
2. Barrier Methods (Diagphram, cervical caps, condoms or spermicides)
3. Behavioral Methods (Rhythm Method, Abstinence and Outercourse)
4. Withdrawal
5. Sterilization (Tubal Ligation, Vasectomy, IUD)
6. Emergency Contraception (Through IUD or higher dosage pills)