The sexual self

“Self-love is about respecting and appreciating every

single part of who you are, and being proud to be
you.”
-Miya Yamanouchi, Embrace Your Sexual Self: A Practical Guide for
Women
 Puberty is the stage of development at which individuals
become sexually mature. The outcome of puberty is different
for boys and girls , but the hormonal process is similar.
Moreover, though the timing of these changes varies for every
individual , the sequence of changes for boys and girls id
predictable, resulting in adult physical characteristics and the
capacity to reproduce.
Puberty can be separated into five stages. The characteristics
for each stage vary for girls and boy.
STAGES PUBERTY STAGES IN GIRLS PUBERTY STAGES IN BOYS
1 Approximately between the ages of 8 and 11: Approximately between ages 9 and 12:
• The ovaries enlarge and hormone production • No visible signs of development occur; but
starts, but external development is not yet internally, male hormones become a lot more
visible. active. Sometimes a growth spurt begins at this
time.

2 Approximately between the ages of 8 and 14:
• The first external sign of puberty is usually
breast development.
• At first breast buds develop. The nipples will
be tender and elevated.
• The area around the nipple (the aureole) will
increase in size.
• The first stage in pubic hair may also be
present at this time. It may be coarse and
curly or fine and straight.
• Height and weight increase at this time. The
body gets rounder and curvier.
Approximately between ages 9 to 15:
• Height increases, and the shape of the body
changes.
• Muscle tissue and fat develop at this time.
• The aureole, the dark skin around the nipple,
darkens and increases in size.
• The testicles and scrotum grow, but the penis
probably does not.
• A little bit of pubic hair begins to grow at the
base of the penis.
3 Approximately between the ages of 9 and 15:
• Breast growth continues, and pubic hair gets
coarser and darker.
• During this stage, whitish discharge from the
vagina may be present.
• For some girls, the first menstrual period
begins at this time.
Approximately between ages 11 and 16:
• The penis starts to grow during this
stage. It tends to grow in length rather
than width.
• Pubic hair is getting darker and
coarser and spreading to where the
legs meet the torso.
• Also, boys continue to grow in height,
and even their faces begin to appear
more mature.
• The shoulders broaden, making the
hips look smaller.
• Muscle tissue increases, and the voice
starts to change and deepen.
• Finally, facial hair begins to develop
on the upper lip.
4 Approximately from ages 10 to 16:
• Some girls notice that their aureoles get
even darker and separate into a little
mound rising above the rest of the
breast.
• Pubic hair may begin to have a more
adult triangular pattern of growth.
• If it did not happen in Stage Three,
menarche ( first menstruation) should
start now.
• Ovulation may start now, too. But it will
not necessarily occur on a regular basis.
It is possible to have a regular periods
even if ovulation does not occur every
month.)
Approximately 11 to 17:
• At tis time, the penis starts to grow in width , too.
• The testicle and scrotum also continue to grow.
Hair may begin to grow on the anus.
• The texture of the penis becomes more adult-
looking. Underarm and facial hair increases as
well.
• The first fertile ejaculations typically appear at
approximately 15 years of age, but this age can
vary widely across individual boys.
• Skin gets oilier, and the voice continues to deepen.
young men continue t
5.
Approximately between ages 12 and 19:
• This is the final stage of development.
Full height is reached, and young women
are ovulating regularly.
• Pubic hair is filled in, and the breasts are
developed fully for the body.
Approximately 14 to 18:
• Boys reach their full adult height.
• Pubic hair and the genitals look like an
adult man’s do.
• At this point, too, shaving is necessity.
• Some young men continue to grow past
this point, even into their twenties.
 What are the erogenous zones of the body?
The term erogenous zones was popularized in the 1960s and 1970s to
describe areas of the body that are highly sensitive to stimuli and are
often (but not always) sexually exciting. In this context,” highly
sensitive” means these areas of body have a high number of sensory
receptors or nerve endings that react to stimuli. These are places where a
person is generally more sensitive to both pain and pleasure than in other
areas of the body. Professionals usually discuss sensuality in terms of the
complex stimuli and associations that give rise to an appreciative
response.
The skin
The skin serves as the primary erotic stimulus. Two types of erogenous zones
exist in the skin (Winkelmann, 2004)
1. Nonspecific type
- the pleasurable sensation felt from these regions is simply an
exaggerated form of tickle.
Examples of this type of skin are the side and back of the neck, the axilla
(armpit, underarm) and the side of the thorax(chest).
2. Specific type
-these specific sites of acute sensation are the genital regions, including
the prepuce, penis, the female external genitalia (vulva), the perianal skin, lips,
and nipples.
• Prepuce- is the retractable fold of skin covering the tip of the penis.
• Penis- is a male erectile organ of copulation by which urine and semen are
discharged from the body
Female external genitalia(vulva) include:
 The mons pubis
 The clitoris. A female sexual organ that is small, sensitive, and located in front of
the opening of the vagina
 The labia majora and labia minora. The labia majora are fleshy lips around the
vagina. These are larger outer folds of the vulva. The labia minora also known as
the inner labia, inner lips, vaginal lips or nymphaea are two flaps of skin on either
side of the human vaginal opening in the vulva situated between the labia majora.
 Vaginal introitus is the opening that leads to the vaginal canal.
 The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal
opening.

-Human Reproductive Biology, 2012

• Perianal skin refers to the area of the body surrounding the anus, and in particular,
the skin. The perianal skin is very sensitive. It is also susceptible to injury and
damage.
• The lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the
articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are designed to be perceive by touch,
and can be an erogenous zone when used in kissing and any other acts of intimacy.
• Nipples are the raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast. A recent study
found that the sensation from the nipples travels to the same part of the brain as
sensations from the vagina, clitoris, and cervix (Pappas, 2011).
Bear in mind though that not only individual sensitivity different (what feels
great for you or one person does not mean others will like it, too) but how your brain
interprets what is happening with the given part of the body influences your sexual
response as well.
*For example, victim of rape.
 Understanding the human sexual response
The sexual response cycle refers to the sequence of physical and emotional
occurrences when the person is participating in a sexuality stimulating activity,
such as intercourse or masturbation (Cleveland Clinic, WEB)

Sex and the Brain. What parts are involved?

Primarily, sex is the process of combining male and female genes to form an
offspring. However, complex system of behavior have evolved the sexual process
from the primary purpose of reproduction to motivation and rewards circuit that
root sexual behavior.
Ultimately, the largest sex organ controlling the biological urges, mental
processes, as well as the emotional and physical responses to sex, is the brain.