A. Definitions

1. Sexual variation

• Sexual behaviors or sexual expressions different from the norm of heterosexual behavior focusing on sexual intercourse as the main expression of sexuality.
• neutral term

2. Paraphilia:

• defn recurrent, intensely arousing sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that involve:

  a) nonhuman objects

  b) suffering or humiliation

  c) nonconsenting others.

• "implies psychological disturbance, and therefore a need for treatment" (Byers et al. text)
• controversial whether sexual variations should be referred to as paraphilias.

3. sexual minority:

• group that shares common sexual behavior
  • bisexuals
  • gays
  • transvestites
• small percentage of population

4. sexual perversion

• "abnormal or disturbed sexual behavior"
• term has been co-opted by sexual minority groups

5. sexual deviance, sexual deviation

• "purposeful violation of sexual norms"
• often used interchangeably with sexual perversion

B. Defining normality

1. Normal distribution as statistical concept

2. Sociological: falling outside of social norms--deviant

3. Biological: "natural"="healthy"

• misleading
• tremendous biological diversity in sexual behaviors

4. Psychological: abnormality interferes with functioning

C. Stigmatization and acceptability

1. labeling a behavior as normal or abnormal

2. Criteria for unacceptable behaviors

• Is there a victim or harm to society?
• Consenting adults?
• Other?

D. Continuum model

1. Presents variations as intensity of behavior along a continuum

2. Model can apply to many sexual behaviors

3. At what point, does behavior change from normal to stigma or unacceptable?

4. Uncommon sexual variations are forms of acceptable sexual behavior.

II. Fetishism

A. Background

1. Defn: sexual fixation on some object other than human

2. Object has great erotic significance

B. Continuum model for fetishism

1. Defines abnormality in the psychological sense

2. Many kinds of fetishes (see Table of Fetishes)

3. Types include

media fetish: eroticism of an object based on material it is made from (e.g. leather, rubber)

form fetish: eroticism of an object based on its shape (e.g. high-heeled shoes, garters, etc.)

partialism: particular body part is fetish (breasts, feet, etc)

4. Acceptable? Normal?

III. Sexual minorities among consenting adults (other than homosexuality)

A. Transvestism

1. defn: dressing as a member of opposite gender

2. Types:

• "true transvestite"
  • sexual gratification from cross-dressing
  • fetish
• others:
  • drag queens
  • female impersonators

3. Most common attributes:

• heterosexual men, married, with children

4. type of fetishism (fixation on an object)

5. normal? acceptable?

B. Sadomasochism

1. defn: sexual arousal via inflicting or being the recipient of pain, suffering, or humiliation

2. Complete control and domination and relinquishment of control are key elements

• top/bottom
• master/slave

3. consensuality

• "safe words"

4. terminology

• Kraft-Ebing coined the terms (1886)
• sadism: sexual excited by inflicting pain
  • Marquis de Sade (1774-1814) wrote and practiced it (to the extreme)
• masochism: sexual excitement from experiencing pain
  • Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895) wrote novels on pleasure of pain

5. variations in S/M

• bondage and discipline
• role-playing
• sex toys

6. sex techniques

7. Kinsey statistics:

• 10% males report arousal to S/M stories
• 26% males and females respond to biting

8. Janus and Janus (1993) survey

• 14% males, 11% females have experience with S/M

9. normal? Unacceptable?

C. Fetishism

1. discussed above

2. May or may not organize into sexual minority groups

3. Magazines or web sites may focus on specific fetishes

IV. Nonconsensual sexual variations

A. Exhibitionism

1. defn: exposure or display of the male genitals (or naked female body?) to a nonconsenting person.

2. extreme form of acceptable behavior?

3. 1/3 of all sex offense

4. sexual attitudes are often puritanical

5. relationships are immature and sometimes dysfunctional

6. Unknown among homosexuals

7. other forms: obscene phone calls and computer messages

B. Voyeurism

1. defn: sexual arousal or orgasm via observing nonconsensual strangers who are naked or engaging in sexual activities

• element of risk

2. extreme form of acceptable behavior?

3. Ofen masturbates while observing

4. profile: male, 15-24 yrs; less sexually experienced, unlikely to be married

C. Pedophilia

1. sexual contact or activity with prepubescent children

2. 60-90% of pedophilic incidents involve young girls

3. Exclusive and non-exclusive

4. Heterosexual men are most common

5. NAMBLA

6. What about teenage-adult sexual behavior?

D. Frotteurism

1. defn: interest in touching or rubbing the penis against nonconsenting individual

2. Most commonly seen among males 15-25 yrs.

3. 70% involved in exhibitionism, voyeurism, or rape

List of figures

Homosexuality models (review of previous lectures)

Continuum model for fetish object

Table of fetishes

top