UNPACKING THE

SELF: Sexual Self

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the chapter, the student will be
able to:
 Identify the parts of the primary and the
secondary sex characteristics;
 Discuss the changes and functions of the
human reproductive system;
 Explain the erogenous zones;
 Understand the human sexual response;
 Recognize the chemistry of love, lust and
attachment;
 Acknowledge the diversity of human
sexuality; and
 Expound the methods of contraception and
birth control.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEXUAL ORGANS IN THE
EMBRYO AND FETUS
 The female sex is considered the “fundamental” sex.

 For a fertilized egg to become male, a cascade of chemical reactions

must be present initiated by a single gene in the male Y chromosome
called the SRY (Sex- determining Region of the Y chromosome).

 Both the male and female embryos have the same group of cells that
will potentially develop into male or female gonads or sex glands.

 However, the presence of the SRY gene initiates the development of

the testes while suppressing the vital genes for female development.
 THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEX
CHARACTERISTICS
The Testes

 At puberty, an unknown brain mechanism causes the hypothalamus

to release which will trigger the pituitary gland to release
gonadotropic hormone.
 Under the influence of the hormone, the testes start secreting
substance known as androgen of which the most familiar is
testosterone.
 The primary sex characteristics- the reproductive system. The
tissues of the male sex organ mature and the production of the
spermatozoa begins.
 The secondary sex characteristics- the external signs that the
body has reached the sexual maturity appear.
 THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEX
CHARACTERISTICS
The Ovaries

 The primary sex organs in a female consist of a pair of ovaries

which are oval bodies lying at the back of the abdomen below the
kidney. Each ovary consists of many ovarian follicles. Each follicle
can produce an egg.

 The secondary sex organs in a female are fallopian tubes, uterus,

and vagina.
 SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT AT PUBERTY

 Puberty is the stage of development at which individuals

become sexually mature.

 Puberty can be separated into five stages. The

characteristics for each stage vary for girls and boys.
 EROGENOUS ZONES OF THE BODY
 The term erogenous zones was popularized in the 1950s and
1970s to describe areas of the body that are highly sensitive to
stimuli and are often (but not always) sexually exciting.

The skin
 The skin serves as the primary erotic stimulus. Two types of
erogenous zone exist in the skin.
■ 1. Nonspecific type
■ 2. Specific type
The prepuce is the retractable fold of skin covering the
tip of the penis. Nontechnical name: foreskin. It is also a similar
fold of skin covering the tip of the clitoris.
The penis is a male erectile organ of copulation by which
urine and semen are discharged from the body.
 EROGENOUS ZONES OF THE BODY

Female external genitalia (vulva) include:

1.The mons pubis

2.The clitoris: A female sexual organ that is small, sensitive, and located in
front of the opening of the vagina.
3.The labio majora: Fleshy lips around the vagina. These are larger outer
folds of the vulva.
4.The labio minora: Known as the inner labia, inner lips, vaginal lips or
nymphae are two flaps of skin on either side of the human vaginal opening
in the vulva situated between the labia canal.
5.The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the
external vaginal opening.
● 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
designated to be perceived by touch, and can be an erogenous zone
when used in kissing and any other acts of intimacy.
● Nipples are the raised region of the tissue on the surface of the breast.
HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE
CYCLE
 SEX AND THE BRAIN
 Sex is the process of combining male and female genes to form an offspring.
However, complex systems of behavior have evolved the sexual process from
its primary purpose of reproduction to motivation and rewards circuit that root
sexual behaviors.
 Ultimately, the largest sex organ controlling the biological urges, mental
processes, as well as the emotional and physical responses to sex, is the brain.

Roles of the brain in sexual activity

1.The brain is responsible for translating the nerve impulses sensed by the skin into
pleasurable sensations.
2.It controls the nerve and muscles used in sexual attraction.
3.Sexual thoughts and fantasies are theorized to lie in the cerebral cortex, the
same area used for thinking and reasoning.
4.Emotions and feelings are believed to originate in limbic system.
 SEX AND THE BRAIN
Roles of hormones in sexual activity

The hypothalamus is the most important part of the brain for sexual functioning.
This small area at the base of the brain has several groups of nerve-cell bodies that
receive input from the limbic system.

1.Oxytocin- it is known as the “love hormone” and believed to be involved in our

desire to maintain close relationships. It is released during sexual intercourse when
orgasm is achieved.
2.Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)- it is responsible for ovulation in females.
3.Luteinizing hormone (LH)- it is crucial in regulating the testes in men and ovaries
in women.
-In men, the LH stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. In males,
testosterone appears to be a major contributing factor to sexual motivation.
4.Vasopr essin-it is involved in the male arousal phase. The
increase of vasopressin during erectile response is believed to be
directly associated with increase motivation to engage in sexual
behavior.

5.Estrogen and progesterone- typically regulate motivation to

engage in sexual behavior for females, with estrogen increasing
motivation and progesterone decreasing it.
 UNDERSTANDING THE CHEMISTRY OF LUST, LOVE
AND ATTACHMENT

 Anthropologist Helen Fisher of Rutgers University proposed

three stages of falling in love; and for each stage, a different
set of chemicals run the show.

 The three stages of falling in love are:

○ 1.Lust (erotic passion);
○ 2.Attraction(romantic passion); and
○ 3.Attachment (commitment)
UNDERSTANDING THE CHEMISTRY OF LUST, LOVE AND
ATTACHMENT

Norepinephrine-responsible for the extra surge of energy and triggers

increased heart rate, loss of appetite as well as the desire to sleep. Your body is
in a more alert state and is ready for action.

Dopamine- associated with motivation and goal-directed behavior. It makes

you pursue your object of affection. It creates a sense of novelty, where the
person seems exciting, special or unique that you want to tell the world about his
or her admirable qualities.

Serotonin- thought to cause obsessive thinking. Low levels of serotonin are

said to be present in people with obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCD).
 UNDERSTANDING THE CHEMISTRY OF LUST, LOVE
AND ATTACHMENT

Psychological aspects of sexual desire

 Sexual desire is typically viewed as an interest in sexual objects or activities.

More precisely, it is the subjective feeling of wanting to engage in sex.

 Sexual desire is sometimes, but not always, accompanied by genital arousal.

It can be triggered by a large variety of cues and situations.

 Sex drive represents a basic, biologically mediated motivation to seek sexual

activity or sexual gratification.

 In contrast, sexual desire represents a more complex psychological experience

that is not dependent on hormonal factors.
UNDERSTANDING THE CHEMISTRY OF LUST, LOVE AND
ATTACHMENT

Physiological mechanisms of sexual behavior motivation

 Animal research suggests that limbic system structures such as the

amygdala and nucleuaccumbens are especially important for sexual
motivation.

 Amygdala is the integrative center for emotions, emotional behavior and

motivation.

 Nucleusaccumbens (pleasure center) plays a role in motivation and

cognitive processing of aversion. It has a significant role in response to
reward and reinforcing effects, translating emotional stimulus into behaviors.
 GENDER IDENTITY
 Sexual orientation is a person’s emotional and erotic attraction toward
another individual.
 Gender identity refers to one’s sense of being male or female. Generally,
our gender identities correspond to our chromosomal and phenotypic sex,
but this is not always the case.

What is LGBTQ+?
 LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term for a wide spectrum of gender identities,
sexual orientations, and romantic orientations.
 L stands for lesbian.
 G stands for gay.
 B stands for bisexual
 T or Trans/Transgender
 Q stands for queer.
 + The plus is there to signify that many identities are not explicitly
represented by the letters.
 SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS
Family Influences
 Children’s interests, preferences, behaviors and overall self-concept are
strongly influenced by parental and authority figure teachings regarding
sexual stereotypes.
 Thus, children whose parents adhere to strict gender-stereotyped roles are,
in general, more likely to take on those roles themselves as adults than are
peers whose parents provided less stereotyped, more neutral models for
behaving.

Urban Setting
 Large cities seem to provide a friendlier environment for same gender
interest to develop and be expressed than in rural areas.
 These cities host venues or areas where people with specific sexual
orientation socialize and become a support group.
 SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

 It is a disease or infection acquired through sexual

contact where the organisms that cause STD are passed
on from person to person in blood, semen, and vaginal or
any other bodily fluids.

STD can also be transmitted non-sexually such as:

 Mother to infant during pregnancy;
 Blood transfusion; and
 People sharing needles for injection.
 THE NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING METHOD
● It is the method that uses the body’s natural physiological changes
and symptoms to identify the fertile and infertile phase of the
menstrual cycle.

● Such methods are also known as fertility-based awareness methods.

● Types:
1.Periodic abstinence (fertility awareness)method
2.Use of breastfeeding or lactationalamenorrhoea method
3.Coitus interruptus (withdrawal or pulling out) method
 THE NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING METHOD
Periodic abstinence (Fertility Awareness) Method
● Three common techniques used:
○ 1.Rhythm (calendar) method - the couple tracks the woman’s
menstrual history to predict she will ovulate. This helps the couple
determine when they will most likely conceive.

○ 2.Basal body temperature monitoring - a contraceptive method

that relies on monitoring a woman’s basal body temperature on a
daily basis.

○ 3.Billing’s method- devised by John and Eveklyn Billings in the

1960s, involves examining the color and viscosity of the cervical
mucus to discover when ovulation is coming.
 THE NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING METHOD
Lactation Amenorrhea Method
 Through exclusive breastfeeding, the woman is able to suppress
ovulation.
 However, if the infant were not exclusively breastfed, this method
would not be an effective birth control method.
Generally, after three months of exclusive breastfeeding, a woman
must choose another method of contraception.

Coitus Interruptus
 This is one of the oldest methods of contraception.
 The couple proceeds with coitus; however, the man must release his
sperm outside of the vagina.
 Hence, he must withdraw his penis the moment he ejaculates.
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION/ ARTIFICIAL FAMILY
PLANNING
 These are an effective family planning method that manipulates the hormones
that directly affect the normal menstrual cycle so that ovulation will not occur.
Oral contraceptives
 It is also known as pills. Oral contraceptives contain synthetic estrogen and
progesterone. Estrogen suppresses ovulation while progesterone decreases
the permeability of the cervical mucus to limit the sperm’s access to the ova.
Transdermal Contraceptive Patch
 It is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a
specific dose of medication through the skin and into the bloodstream. In this
case, a transdermal contraceptive patch has a combination of both estrogen
and progesterone released into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy.
Vaginal Ring
 It is a birth control ring inserted into the vagina and slowly release hormones
throguh the vaginal wall into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy.
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION/ ARTIFICIAL FAMILY
PLANNING
Subdermal Implants
 Involve the delivery of a steroid progestin from polymer capsules or rods
placed under the skin. The hormone diffuses out slowly at a stable rate,
providing contraceptive effectiveness for 1-5 years.

Hormonal Injections
 It is a contraceptive injection given once every three months. It typically
suppresses ovulation, keeping the ovaries from releasing an egg. It also
thickens cervical mucus to keep the sperm from reaching the egg.

Intrauterine Device
 A small, T-shaped plastic device wrapped in copper or contains hormones. A
doctor inserts the IUD into the uterus. IUD prevents fertilization of the egg by
damaging or killing the sperm. It makes the mucus in the cervix thick and
sticky, so sperm cannot get through to the uterus.
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION/ ARTIFICIAL FAMILY
PLANNING
Chemical Barriers
 Chemical barriers such as spermicides, vaginal gels and creams and glycerin
films are also used to cause the death of sperms before they can enter the
cervix. It lowers the pH level of the vagina, so it will not become conducive for
the sperm.

Diaphragm
 It is a dome-shaped barrier methods of contraception that block sperms from
entering the uterus. It is made of latex (rubber) and formed like a shallow cup.
It is filled with spermicide and fitted over the uterine cervix.

Cervical Cap
 It is a silicone cup inserted in the vagina to cover the cervix and keep sperm
out of the uterus. Spermicide is added to the cervical cap to kill any sperm
that may get inside the protective barrier.
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION/ ARTIFICIAL FAMILY
PLANNING
Male Condoms
 It is a latex or synthetic rubber sheath placed on the erect penis
before vaginal penetration to trap the sperm during ejaculation.
 Condoms can prevent STDs.

Female Condoms
 It is a thin pouch inserted into the vagina before sex serving as
protective barrier to prevent pregnancy and protection from sexually
transmitted diseases, including HIV.
 It creates a barrier that prevents bodily fluids and semen from
entering the vagina.
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION/ ARTIFICIAL FAMILY PLANNING
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION/ ARTIFICIAL FAMILY
PLANNING
 SURGICAL METHODS
 One of the most effective birth control. This method ensures
contraception is inhibited permanently after the surgery.

Two kinds:
 Vasectomy- A surgical operation wherein the tube that carries the
sperm to a man’s penis is cut.
 It is a permanent male contraception method.

 Tubal Ligation- It is a surgical procedure for female sterilization

involving severing and tying the fallopian tube.
 It disrupts the movement of the egg to the uterus for fertilization and
blocks the sperm from traveling up to the fallopian tubes to the egg.
 It does not affect a woman’s menstrual cycle.