Archive for the ‘sex’ Category

Teaching Women about Sexuality

 

 

This spring, Hannah Dowling, an independent filmmaker came to the University of Hartford to film my human sexuality class.  She is producing a documentary about the impact of sexuality education on young women, addressing what we teach young women, what we should be teaching them, and how sexuality education received during the middle and high-school years can affect women later in life.  It was interesting to see what students had to say about female sexuality and hear their memories of their own sex education (or lack thereof).

I talked about the importance of talking to young girls about sexuality, including issues related to sexual pleasure.  My daughter, Reagan, also discussed her thoughts about what high school aged girls think about sexuality. It’s no secret that most standard health education classes in schools discuss male ejaculation (and male orgasm), but out leave female sexual pleasure and orgasm. As a result, many female college students don’t know about the clitoris or about how to experience sexual pleasure.

I am very excited to see Hannah’s final product.  I will review it here as soon as it is available.  In the meantime, let’s talk to girls about sexuality in its entirety.  Sexual pleasure has a place in these conversations.

Does Sex End at 70?

A recent study found that the average person’s sex life ends at the age of 70 (click here for more information). Relationship factors, social pressures, and failing health are mostly to blame.  Interestingly, even though the study found that men lose more years of sexual activity than women, it also found that 40% of 75-85-year old men are still sexually active, but only 17% of women in this age group are.  Older women tend to be healthier than men, but there may be other issues at play here.  Unlike men, older women certainly aren’t viewed as “sexy” or “distinguished.”  There are also few images of older women in the media today. Falling levels of estrogen during menopause may also contribute.  Estrogen is responsible for many things, but decreasing levels have been linked to vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse.

One of my goals in educating people about human sexuality, is to help them understand the normal changes involved in aging and how these changes may affect sexual functioning.  We’re all going to get old – but learning how to take care of ourselves and maintain good health will certainly give us the opportunity to have a longer, healthier, and more satisfying sex lives.

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