THE SEXUAL SELF

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. This should be understood in
varied ways.
1. Historical
In Ancient Greece, it is the male that 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.

In the Middle Ages (476-1450), bore witness to the strong influence of

church particularly in matters of sexuality

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
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.

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.
2. 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.
3.Sociobiological/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
4. Psychological

● Rosenthal (2013) also explained that sexuality is not a mere physical

response. Rather, it also involves emotions, thoughts and beliefs.

● Sigmund Freud was one of the most prominent people to explain

sexuality, through his theories. According to him, human beings are
faces with two forces – sex instinct and libido (pleasure) and
death or aggressive instinct (harm toward oneself or towards others
5. 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.

In 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

According to 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.
In Hinduism, sexuality is seen as spiritual force, and the act of ritual
lovemaking is a means of both celebrating and transcending the
physical.

● For the Roman Catholic Church, marriage is purely for intercourse

and procreation. Pope JohnPaul 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 agree to natural
family planning and prohibit abortion.
Development of Secondary Sex Characteristics and Reproductive System

From a purely physical standpoint, our bodies are made mainly of water. We are also
made of many minerals, including calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, sodium,
chlorine, magnesium, and iron. In order of size, the elements of the body are
organized into cells, tissues, and organs. Related organs are combined into systems,
including the Musculo skeletal, cardio vascular, nervous, respiratory, gastrointestinal,
endocrine, and reproductive systems

1. Asexual reproduction
The simplest form of reproduction that literally means without sex. A single celled
animal grows to a certain stage or size and divides into two identical organisms.
Multi-celled asexual organisms have developed several unique reproductive
strategies.
For example, the jellyfish reproduces by budding, a process where a new
individual begins to grow (bud) from the original organism and is
eventually released as a small, free swimming organism.

2.Sexual reproduction
In organisms that reproduce sexually, there are males and females and
reproduction occurs when partners come together. This also involves
reproductive cells, including a female ovum (egg) and a male’s sperm.
Provided all organs are present, normally constructed, and functioning properly, the
seven essential features of human reproduction are:
o (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; o
(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; and
(7) suckling and care of the child, with an eventual return of the maternal organs to
virtually their original state.
The male reproductive system essential parts are as follows:
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.
The female reproductive system essential parts are as follows:
1. Vulva – encompasses all female external genital structures – the hairs,
fold of skin, and the urinary and vaginal openings.

a. Mons Veneris – a triangular mound over the pubic bone above the vulva.
b. Labia majora – the outer lips of the vulva.
c. Labia minora – the inner lips of the vulva, one on each side of the vaginal opening.
d. Prepuce – the foreskin or fold of skin over the clitoris
e. Clitoris – a highly sensitive structure of the female external genitals, the only
function of
which is sexual pleasure.
f. Shaft – the length of the clitoris between the glans and the body.
g. Glans – the head of the clitoris; richly endowed with nerve endings.
h. Cruca – the innermost tips of the cavernous bodies that connect to the pubic bones.
i. Vestibule – the area of the vulva inside the labia minora.
j. Urethra – the tube through which urine passes from the bladder to outside the body.
2. 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.
Puberty is the stage of physical maturation in which an individual
becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction. The
biological changes include: (1) neurosecretory factors and/or
hormones, (2) modulation of somatic growth, and (3) initiation of the
development oft he sex glands. The physiology of puberty includes
also the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis which
induces and enhances the progressive ovarian and testicular sex
hormone secretion.
Puberty Stages (Female )
P1 Pre-pubertal
P2 Early development of sub-areolar breast bud
+/- small amounts of pubic hair and axillary hair
P3Increase in size of palpable breast tissue and areolar
Increase amount of dark pubic hair and axillary 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
Discussing Erogenous Zones

● This part could be understanding the sexual self in a Psychological manner.

● Erogenous zones can be understood in a certain way we understand our body.
These are 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. These are areas that are more sensitive than others all over the
body.
● 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
2. Anal stage
3. Phallic stage
4. Latency stage
5. Genital stage
Understanding Human Sexual Response

●One of the great qualities of a human being is its ability to be

modified by experiences. This process is known as learning and
conditioning, which most of the aspects of human behavior, even
sexual behavior appear to be a product of it. Like the preferences
people have of type of individual as partners – tall, short, younger, or
varieties of partners like heterosexual/homosexual. The classification of
behavior as normal or away from normal represents culture based rather
than scientifically explained.
Master and Johnson categorized the human sexual response into four stages
which they called the Human Sexual Response Cycle (HSRC);

Stage Description
Excitement This is the body’s initial response to sexual arousal.
It is characterized by an increase in heart rate and blood pressure as
well as heightened muscle tone.

Plateau This is the period of sexual excitement prior to orgasm

It is characterized by intensification of the changes begun during the
excitement phase.

Orgasm This is characterized by waves of intense pleasure (climax), often

associated with vaginal contractions in females and ejaculation in
males.

Resolution In this phase the body returns to its non-excited stage.