Recommended Reading #43: Sexuality and the Medical Field
"What Could Make America Sexually Healthy" by Megan Andelloux (Sexuality Education, Health, Sex and Culture) 3/19/11
I appreciate—and agree with—this perspective offered by Megan of the importance of the medical community learning about, discussing, and respecting sexuality.
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"Ian Kerner's SADD Anti-Porn Logic" by Thomas Roche (Media, Psychology, Health, Pornography) 4/12/11
This is a piece I appreciated on a number of levels, and I noted in particular Thomas's mention of seeming to trivialize true ADD/ADHD by using it in everyday language to mean things like "'spacy' or 'flaky.'" I have experienced this as well in observing the term "OCD" used to mean things like "anal-retentive" or "intensely interested in something." It's not something I have tended to appreciate either. But I also appreciate Thomas's taking to task the idea of someone dubbing a new "disorder" according to his own singular perception, in this case of men (I noted as well in the article to which Thomas is responding that the author appears to attribute porn watching solely to men…sigh) who seem affected by "excessive" porn-watching and masturbation to a point that affects their relationship with "real" women. (I don't doubt, by the way, that this can occur, which I interpret Thomas as acknowledging as well, along with pointing out that such issues may discussed and that trained professionals exist to turn to for help if one feels so called—and that it does not mean the dubbing by one person of a new "disorder" is called for.)
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"There's More to Oxytocin Than We Knew" by Dr. Charlie Glickman (Health, Sex and Culture, Biology, Self-Awareness) 12/1/10
I love the way Charlie presents the information in this piece, not only because I find the actual results of the studies he mentions interesting but also because I agree so deeply with what is perhaps my favorite statement in the post: "All of this makes me think that anytime someone says that the brain works like this or that sex works like that, they're probably oversimplifying the situation."
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