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 Polen-Petit
Herdt
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Self, Society, and Culture
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Self, Society, and Culture
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Human Sexuality: Self, Society, and Culture is a fully integrated learning system that
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•
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Dedication

For Niels
G. H.

For my amazing parents, Dan and Tammi Polen,

and for my loving husband, Damon. I love you.
N. P. -P.

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About the Authors

Gilbert Herdt
Gilbert Herdt completed his undergraduate degree in Anthropology, with significant
course work in Psychology, at Sacramento State College, where he went on to get
an M.A. in Medical Anthropology. He began his doctoral studies at the University
of Washington in Cultural Anthropology, Psychological Anthropology, and Pacific
Studies. After receiving a Fulbright Scholarship to Australia in 1974, Gil enrolled
as a doctoral student at the Australian National University. He received a Ph.D. in
1978, following anthropological fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, and then studied
Adult Psychiatry at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute. While at UCLA, he published
Guardians of the Flutes (McGraw-Hill, 1981), a study of ritualized homosexuality.
Gil has been an assistant professor at Stanford University (1979–1985), a pro-
fessor of Human Development at The University of Chicago (1985–1997), and a
professor and founder of the Department of Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State
University (1998 to present). He has undertaken 15 fieldtrips to Papua New Guinea
and continues to do research with the “Sambia” people there. In addition to his
research on sexual identity development, gender identity development, gender roles,
sexual attitudes, sexual socialization, male–female differences, Gil has taught large
courses, as well as seminars, on many aspects of sexuality.
Gil has published 34 books and 104 scientific peer-reviewed journal articles,
chapters, encyclopedia articles, and scholarly reports, and is an expert in culture, HIV,
and sexual risk behavior. With an NIH grant, he founded the Center for Culture
and Mental Health in Chicago and mentored many students who went on to work
in these areas. In addition to grants received from NIH, Gil has also been funded
through the Spencer Foundation, Ford Foundation, Haas Foundation, and the Rock-
efeller Foundation to support his own research and that of his many students.
Gil founded Summer Institutes on Sexuality and Society at the University of
Amsterdam in The Netherlands and at San Francisco State. He founded and edited
the Journal of Sexuality and Social Policy for many years, and is Emeritus Founder of
the Ford Foundation–funded National Sexuality Resource Center. At San Francisco
State, Gil founded the first master’s of arts program in Human Sexuality at a public
university in the United States. Currently, Gil is the recipient of a multiyear NIH
grant to investigate the mental health effects of marriage denial on gay and lesbian
people. In “real life” Gil is happily married to a minister, is a semi-pro cook, classical
music buff, dog lover, and enjoys his long-term “family” ties in Papua New Guinea.

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Nicole C. Polen-Petit
Nicole Polen-Petit completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Whitworth
University. From there, she went to the University of California at Davis and com-
pleted her M.S. in Child Development and Ph.D. in Human Development in 2006.
As a graduate student, Nicole began teaching large undergraduate courses in Human
Sexuality.
After completing her doctoral degree, Nicole remained at UC Davis as an adjunct
faculty member in the Department of Human Development, where she has continu-
ously taught Human Sexuality to 5001 students every quarter. Nicole received the
department’s Instructor of the Year award in both 2008 and 2010.
Complementing her experience in the classroom, Nicole has also worked in a
community mental health agency that serves children and adolescents in the Sacra-
mento region. At this agency, she provided clinical training to staff on a variety of
clinical and psychological issues. In this environment, she maintained a keen interest
in the applied clinical and physical health aspects of sexuality.
In 2010, Nicole accepted a faculty position at National University in the Depart-
ment of Psychology. Today she teaches a variety of courses to a diverse student body.
Her research interests include sexual fluidity in women as well as sexual identity devel-
opment in self-identified bisexual women.
Nicole lives near Sacramento with her husband, stepdaughter, and baby girl. Her
free time is often spent in the company of her extended family. She is a scrapbook
enthusiast and Disney-lover. When not reading for research, writing, and teaching,
she enjoys reading for pleasure.

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Brief Contents
CHAPTER 1 The Study of Human Sexuality 1

CHAPTER 2 Contexts of Sexuality: Culture, History, and Religion 29

CHAPTER 3 Sexuality, Media, and the Internet 65

CHAPTER 4 Sexual Anatomy and Physiology 95

CHAPTER 5 Sexual Pleasure, Arousal, and Response 129

CHAPTER 6 Taking Care of the Sexual Body 161

CHAPTER 7 Contraception 211

CHAPTER 8 Reproduction: Conception, Pregnancy, and Childbirth 245

CHAPTER 9 Gender and Identity: Process, Roles, and Culture 291

CHAPTER 10 Sexual Orientation 321

CHAPTER 11 Sexuality in Childhood and Adolescence 357

CHAPTER 12 Sexuality in Adulthood and Later Life 395

CHAPTER 13 Attraction, Love, and Communication 431

CHAPTER 14 Sexual Coercion and Resiliency 467

CHAPTER 15 Extreme Sexuality and Paraphilias 503

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Contents
CHAPTER 1 The Study of Human Sexuality 1
Sexual Literacy 2
Becoming Sexually Literate 3
Sexual Well-Being 4
Sexual Science—A Historical Perspective 7
The Medical Model of Sexuality 7
A New Approach to Sex Research 8
Sex Research Comes of Age 11
Sex and Social Policy 16
Methodology in the Study of Sexuality 18
Interdisciplinary Perspectives 18
Ethics of Sexual Research 19
Research Designs 19
Participatory Action Research 24
Human Sexual Rights 25

CHAPTER 2 Contexts of Sexuality: Culture, History,

and Religion 29
Human Sexual Nature in Context 30
The Sexual Triangle: Species, Culture, and Individual 31
Sexuality Among the Bonobo 31
Human Sexual Nature as Expressed Through Culture 32
Sex Since the Beginning of Time 36
Prehistoric Sex and Communication 37
A Brief History of Sex and Civilization 39
Sexual Cultures and Norms 46
Sexual Norms and Sexual Socialization 46
Sex-Approving and Sex-Disapproving Cultures 49
Sexual Unlearning 50
Sexuality and the Great World Religions 52
Sex, Religion, and Reality 53
Sex in the World Religions 54
Spirituality and Sexual Behavior in the United States 60
Religion and Sexual Well-Being 61

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x Contents

CHAPTER 3 Sexuality, Media, and the Internet 65

Sex, Media, and Pop Culture 66
Sex in Pop Culture 66
Shared Sexual Images and Media 68
Popular Music and Sexual Attitudes 70
From Reality TV to Homemade Video 71
The Internet and Sexual Literacy 74
Facebook, Twitter, and Sexting 76
Online Sexual Socialization 78
Sexuality and Risk Online 80
Virtual Sex 81
Sexual Individuality in Virtual Time and Space 81
Online Boundaries 82
Online Romance, Dating, and Hooking Up 83
Sexual Avatars and Gaming 85
Adult Sexual Content 87
Pornography and Its Changing Meaning 87
Adult Sexual Entertainment Online 91
Online Communities, Rights, and Sexual Well-Being 92

CHAPTER 4 Sexual Anatomy and Physiology 95

Sexual Anatomy 96
Female Sexual Anatomy 97
External Female Sex Organs 97
Internal Female Sexual Organs 101
Breasts and Breast Development 104
Variability in the Female Body 106
Female Genital Mutilation 108
Female Sexual Physiology 109
The Endocrine System and Hormones 109
Pheromones and Their Role in Sexual Behavior 110
The Menstrual Cycle 110
Menopause 115
Male Sexual Anatomy 117
External Male Sex Organs 117
Internal Male Sex Organs 118
Erection and Ejaculation 119
Variability in the Male Body 121
Circumcision 122
Male Sexual Physiology 124
Bodily Integrity Rights and Sexual Well-Being 125

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Contents xi

CHAPTER 5 Sexual Pleasure, Arousal, and Response 129

Pleasure, Culture, and Sexual Well-Being 130
Sexual Nature and Sexual Well-Being 131
Cultural Influences on Sexual Pleasure and Sexual Well-Being 131
Defining Your Personal Needs 132
Keeping a Sexual Journal 133
Sexual Arousal and Response 135
The Five Senses and Pleasure 135
Pheromones and Sexual Motivation 139
Sexual Excitement and Sexual Fantasy 139
Sexual Response Cycles 140
Orgasm 144
Sexual Techniques 144
Masturbation—Solitary and in Relationships 145
Kissing 147
Frequency of Sexual Activity 148
Other Intimate Behaviors 149
Sexual Pleasure as a Human Right 157

CHAPTER 6 Taking Care of the Sexual Body 161

Knowing Our Own Body 162
Taking Responsibility for Our Own Sexual Health 163
Female Sexual Health 165
Male Sexual Health 174
Sexually Transmitted Infections 178
Risk and Protective Factors for STIs 178
Sexual Risk Negotiation 182
Human Immunodeficiency Virus 183
Bacterial STIs 192
Parasitic STIs 199
Viral STIs 201
Sexual Well-Being and Innovation in STI Prevention 204

CHAPTER 7 Contraception 211

Contraception: History and Cultural Variations 212
Cross-Cultural Variations in Contraception 213
History of Contraceptives in the United States 215
Methods of Contraception 217
Choosing a Method of Contraception: What to Consider 218
Methods That Protect Against Pregnancies and STIs 221
Methods That Protect Against Pregnancy But Not Against STIs 231
Contraception and Sexual Well-Being 241

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xii Contents

CHAPTER 8 Reproduction: Conception, Pregnancy,

and Childbirth 245
Parenting and Reproductive Decisions 246
Pronatalism 249
Family Leave 250
Considering Parenthood 250
Ensuring a Healthy Pregnancy 251
Preparing the Body for Pregnancy 251
Nutrition and Exercise 253
Sex During Pregnancy 255
Conception and Pregnancy 255
Cross-Cultural Ideas About Conception 256
Trimesters: The Developing Fetus and Changes for Women and Partners 256
Potential Problems During Pregnancy 265
Detecting Problems in Pregnancy 267
Birth and the Postpartum Period: What to Expect 269
Options for Giving Birth 271
Birth Assistance and Interventions 271
Making a Birth Plan 276
After the Birth: The Postpartum Period 278
Infertility and Options 280
Assisted Reproductive Techniques 281
Other Options for Creating a Family 282
Abortion 284
Defining Abortion 284
Safe Methods of Abortion 285
Unsafe Methods of Abortion 286
After an Abortion 286
Sexual Well-Being and Reproductive Rights 287

CHAPTER 9 Gender and Identity: Process, Roles, and Culture 291

Understanding Gender in Development and in Context 292
Gender and Sex 292
Biological Processes in the Development of Sex 293
Biological Sex Variations and Intersexuality 295
Gender Identity and Expression 301
Gender Identity—A Brief History 301
Biology and Gender Identity Development 302
Transgender—A New Identity 304
Transsexualism 306
Androgyny 309
Gender Roles 311
Gender Roles Across Time and Cultures 311
Social Institutions and Gender Role Development 312
Sexism and Gender Roles 315

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Contents xiii

Gender Norms and Variance 317

Factors of Gender Nonconformity 317
Gender Identity Rights and Sexual Well-Being 318

CHAPTER 10 Sexual Orientation 321

Understanding Sexual Orientation 322
The Spectrum of Sexual Orientation 323
The Gap Between Sexual Attraction and Behavior 324
Sources of Sexual Orientation 326
Sexual Socialization and Compulsory Heterosexuality 329
Sexual Individuality and Sexual Orientation 331
Variations in Sexual Orientation 332
Same-Sex Behavior Variations Across Cultures 332
The Invention of Modern Gay and Lesbian Identity 334
The Modern LGBTQ Movement 334
10% Are Gay: Myth or Sexual Geography? 335
Bisexuality 337
African American Men Being on the Down Low 339
Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) 340
Female Sexual Fluidity 340
Queer and Questioning 341
Homosexuality, Discrimination, and Stigma 342
Sexual Prejudice and Homophobia 342
Bullying and Internalized Homophobia 343
Hate Crimes 346
Coming Out and Sexual Well-Being 348
Social Acceptance and Being Out 348
Being Out—Steps Toward Well-Being 350
LGBTQ Family Formation 351
Sexual Orientation as a Human Right 353

CHAPTER 11 Sexuality in Childhood and Adolescence 357

Sexual Development in Childhood and Adolescence 358
Biology, Family, and Culture 359
Healthy Sexuality and Values in Childhood and Adolescence 360
Emotional Literacy in Young People 361
Sexuality in Childhood 363
Infants as Sensual Beings 363
Childhood Curiosity, Masturbation, and Sexual Play 364
Sexuality in Adolescence 368
The Magical Age of 10: Development of Desire 368
The Biological Changes of Adolescence: Pubertal Development 369
Romantic Relationships 373
Sexual Identity 375

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xiv Contents

Sexual Behaviors in Adolescence 377

STIs, Pregnancy, and Contraception 379
Sexuality in Context: The Role of Institutions 380
Families 380
Peers 381
Media 381
Sexuality Education in Schools 383
Sexual Health in Europe and the United States 389
Young People’s Rights and Sexual Well-Being 391

CHAPTER 12 Sexuality in Adulthood and Later Life 395

Early Adulthood 397
Single Living 397
Casual Sex and What It Means 400
Cohabitation 402
Early Cohabitation and Sexual Well-Being 406
Integrating Marriage and Sexual Well-Being 407
Variations in Marriage 409
Sex and Marriage 411
Extramarital Relationships 412
Divorce and Subsequent Marriages 414
Same-Sex Marriage 415
Sexuality and Aging Populations 417
Sex and Well-Being at Midlife 417
How Sex Shapes Men and Women as They Age 419
Female Issues with Desire 420
Male Issues with Arousal 422
Aging, Disability, and Sexual Well-Being 424
Illness and Sexuality—Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Cancer 425
Elderhood and Healthy Sexuality 426
Sexuality and Well-Being in Late Life 427

Chapter 13 Attraction, Love, and Communication 431

Sexual Attraction 432
Theories of Sexual Desire and Attraction 433
Physical Attractiveness 435
Beauty and Sexiness 435
Chemistry and Attraction 437
Psychological Attraction 438
Biological Attraction 439
Same-Sex Attraction 439
Sexual Scripts 440

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Contents xv

Love 441
Theories of Love 442
Types of Attachment 448
When Love Ends: The Dissolution of Relationships 449
Communication 451
Emotional Literacy: Communicating Your Needs 451
Sexual Language 454
Nonverbal Sexual Communication and Flirting 455
Sexual Self-Disclosure: To Reveal or Not to Reveal? 456
Characteristics of Effective Communication 457
Styles of Communication 458
Characteristics of Ineffective Communication 460
Improving Communication Skills 462
Communication and Sexual Well-Being 463

CHAPTER 14 Sexual Coercion and Resiliency 467

Sexual Coercion 469
Rape 469
Date Rape 471
Marital Rape 474
Prisoner Rape 476
Victim-Blame 476
Cultural Differences in Rape 477
Societies Prone to Rape 478
Perpetrators of Sexual Coercion 480
Survivors of Rape and Other Forms of Coercion 481
Childhood Sexual Coercion 483
Incest 487
Child Pornography 489
Teen and Adult Sexual Coercion 489
Sexual Harassment 489
Teen Dating Abuse 493
Sex Work and Sex Trafficking 494
Different Types of Sex Work 494
Sex Work and Rights 495
Sex Trafficking 496
Recovery, Resiliency, and Sexual Well-Being 497

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xvi Contents

CHAPTER 15 Extreme Sexuality and Paraphilias 503

Changes in Acceptability of Sexual Behavior 505
Variations in Mainstream Sexual Behavior 505
Cross-Cultural Extremes of Sexuality 507
Extreme Sexual Behaviors in Contemporary Society 508
Strip Clubs—Normal or Extreme? 509
Gender and Extreme Sexual Behavior 511
Kinky Sex 511
Sex Tourism and Extreme Sexuality 513
When Extreme Sexual Behavior Becomes Compulsive 515
Paraphilias 516
Clinical Criteria of Paraphilias 516
Categories of Paraphilias 518
Popular Culture and Media Influence 522
Origins of Paraphilias 523
Treatment of Paraphilias 524
Sexual Novelty and Healthy Sexuality 525
Sex Toys, Vibrators, and Related Sexual Enhancements 526
Mainstreaming of Pornography and Sexual Well-Being 528
Glossary 531
References 542
Text and Photo Credits 567
Name Index 571
Subject Index 579

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A Letter from the Authors

Dear Colleague:

Welcome to Human Sexuality: Self, Society, and Culture!

We wrote this text to address holistically the challenge and joy of teaching human
sexuality in the 21st century. Today’s students are engaged with the world in ways that
were unheard of even a few years ago. They can view unvarnished sexual material from a
multitude of sources—the Internet and social media, sexually explicit advertisements on
television and in much of the public space, hundreds of channels on cable and satellite
television, and videos of their own making on YouTube. In this environment, many
students view privacy differently than their parents and teachers. They have a greater
sense of personal freedom, but they also are at risk of revealing too much and possibly
damaging their prospects for future employment, friendships, and relationships. They
are hungry for guidelines and ethical ways of negotiating these new media.

Although students are deeply interested in the topic of human sexuality in part because
they want to have “good sex” and “good relationships,” they want even more to integrate
sexuality into all parts of their lives. That’s why, when they enter the human sexuality
course, not only are they looking to satisfy academic requirements, but they are also
genuinely invested in enriching themselves and creating personal meaning and insight.
We think of this positive approach as helping students to become sexually literate. The
desired outcome is gaining a positive and healthy view of sexuality as well as strengthen-
ing their sense of sexual well-being.

Our professional passion is to make the science and facts of human sexuality accessible
to students in ways that are deeply meaningful and to prepare them for a new world in
which sexuality is universally seen as a human right. In this way, we hope to nurture a new
generation of students eager to flourish in their lives, both academically and personally.

We hope you enjoy Human Sexuality and look forward to hearing your feedback.

Sincerely,

Gil Herdt and Nicole Polen-Petit

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Preface
Holistically Integrate Sexuality by Thinking Critically
and Actively about Self, Society, and Culture
Human Sexuality: Self, Society, and Culture offers a positive, thought-provoking, and
holistic appraisal of the human sexual experience. One of our primary goals is to
present human sexuality and the research of sexual science in an objective, balanced
way, and give students the knowledge and skills to think critically about sexuality.
Another goal is to enable readers to participate more fully and more knowledgeably
as healthy sexual beings in the wider society and culture throughout their lifetimes.
Taken together, these goals represent what more and more sexual scientists are calling
“sexual literacy.”
Human Sexuality fosters an atmosphere where students can safely ask questions
about what they are learning or about their personal experiences. With this approach,
we hope to empower them and inspire a lifelong appreciation of their own sexuality
and the role of sexuality in their community, culture, and society.
Human Sexuality includes a number of digital and print tools in support of a
positive teaching and learning experience.

Thinking Critically and Actively about Self and Sexuality

Students take the human sexuality course for many different reasons. Some may sim-
ply be curious or are exploring different majors. Some may be taking the course to
fulfill a general education requirement. Others may be parents who want to be able
to talk with their children about sexuality. Whatever their reasons for signing up for
Human Sexuality, most students come to class eager to learn how they might have
more satisfying sexual experiences.
The path to sexual well-being begins with knowledge, both factual knowledge and
self-knowledge. In Human Sexuality, we introduce students to the wealth of informa-
tion amassed through many years of sexuality research. Mastering the vocabulary and
concepts of the discipline is essential to developing the skills to evaluate information and
form thoughtful opinions, to develop self-awareness, and to nurture fulfilling intimate
relationships. With this foundation, students can begin to take responsibility for their
own sexual well-being.
Features supporting this journey include:

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Preface xix

LearnSmart
McGraw-Hill’s adaptive learning system, LearnSmart helps students appreciate what
they know about the content of the course—and more importantly, identifies what they
don’t know. Using metacognition, Bloom’s taxonomy, and a highly sophisticated “smart”
algorithm, LearnSmart creates a customized study plan that is unique to every student’s
demonstrated needs. With
virtually no administra-
tive overhead, instructors
whose students have used
LearnSmart are report-
ing improved retention
and an increase in student
performance by one letter
grade or more. Best of all,
it’s available 24/7 on any
digital device.

McGraw-Hill’s Connect Human Sexuality

In this digital age, students like to access information in multiple ways. Connect
Human Sexuality includes assignable and assessable videos, along with quizzes,
interactive Know Yourself
assessments, and concept
clips, all associated with
learning objectives for this
title. The site also provides
a portal to LearnSmart.
With Connect for Human
Sexuality, students can
study whenever and wher-
ever they choose.

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xx Preface

Know Yourself
Self-assessment surveys in every chapter enable students to develop personal aware-
ness and relate their growing knowledge of human sexuality to themselves. One such
survey, in Chapter 4 (Sexual Anatomy and Physiology), asks about facts and myths
regarding sexual anatomy. Correct answers to these true/false questions appear on a
subsequent page in the chapter. These surveys and worksheets are integrated in Con-
nect Human Sexuality and are fully interactive.

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COMMUNICATION Matters
Communication Matters Discussing Contraception with Your Partner is important. Will you have sex with others or will
you be monogamous? As you’ve read, your type of
Contraceptive discussions can be just plain uncomfort-
Self-knowledge and openness, and the ability to able to have. They can be so anxiety-provoking that
the mere thought of bringing up the topic can cause
relationship may dictate the kind of contraception
to use because some are more effective in
protecting against STIs than others.
express feelings and desires, typically make a huge a multitude of unpleasant physical and mental symp-
toms. It is incredibly important, though, to discuss con- 5. Talk about pleasure. Using a contraceptive
method doesn’t necessarily mean that
difference in the quality of a relationship. The traception with your sex partners.
After you have fully evaluated all the contracep- the sexual pleasure you experience
tive options, it is time to talk with your partner about will be reduced. You can explain to
Communication Matters feature in each chap- what you are considering. It is important that people
in sexual relationships discuss and make contracep- 4:22 PM
your partner that when you both feel
adequately protected, sex between you
/10/12
ter presents ideas for communicating effectively tive decisions together because when both 24people
are informed and invested in a particular method, they
will be more relaxed and pleasurable. You can
even discuss ways to include contraception in
tend to use it more effectively (Tschann & Adler, 1997). your sexual interaction. For example, putting
about sexuality. Some of these sidebars include If you feel that you cannot discuss contraception, STIs, on condoms during foreplay can be fun and
and sexual histories with your partner, you may want exciting when both partners are involved.
words to use in expressing feelings or desires, or to reevaluate whether or not you are ready to engage
in a sexual relationship with this person.
6. Talk about the “what ifs.” If you are in a
heterosexual relationship, you certainly
words to listen for in conversations with fam-
Untitled
-2 99 Untitled-2 97
When you are ready to converse about contracep-
tion with your partner, these tips may help make the
should discuss what will happen if the
contraceptive method fails and an
24/10/12 4:22 PM

discussion productive and less anxiety-provoking.

ily, friends, or intimate partners. For example, 1. Prepare yourself ahead of time. By reading
unintended pregnancy occurs. You both
need to be clear on what will happen in

in Chapter 1 (The Study of Human Sexuality), this chapter, you are already completing this
step. Understanding the available methods
the event a contraceptive fails.
7. Discuss the different contraceptive options.
of contraception is an important first step in
the Communication Matters feature asks stu- communication. Try to figure out which method is
Share the information you have gathered about
particular methods and discuss the ease of use,
best for you as it will be easier to have this discussion effectiveness, and pros and cons of each method. Try
dents to think about the words they would use if you feel informed and confident in your decision. to agree on a method that suits you both.
2. Familiarize yourself with what the contraceptive
with a partner to propose trying something new looks like. If you have already chosen a method
and have access to it (such as a female condom), it
8. Agree to disagree . . . for awhile. If you cannot come
to an agreement right away, promise to do further
research and set a time and place to discuss what else
in their sexual relationship. Others offer tips for may help to ease fears and embarrassment if you
are familiar with how the method looks and feels.
you found to make a decision. It really is valuable if
both of you agree.
broaching a difficult topic, such as contraception 3. Plan a time and place that is comfortable for
both of you. Don’t have this conversation in text
9. Make it clear you will not have sex without
contraception. Sexual literacy involves making
(Chapter 7, Contraception). messages or in a lecture hall while waiting for
class to begin. Pick a time and place to ensure that
choices that promote your own sexual health and
that of your partner. Talking about contraception and
you will have privacy and plenty of time. Consider
then using it shows that you value your health and
taking a walk, where you both can enjoy some
the health and sexual well-being of your partner. If
physical contact like holding hands, which can
your partner shows an unwillingness to discuss or use
provide some comfort. In addition, by walking
t ti d t b l th t ill t

her32169_fm_i-xxviii.indd xx 23/11/12 10:19 AM


Custom Print and eBook Options
Quickly and easily customize your teaching
resources to match the way you teach! With
McGraw-Hill Create™, you can easily rearrange
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from other content sources, and quickly upload
content you have written, such as your course syl-
labus or teaching notes.
Find the content you need in Create by search-
ing through thousands of leading McGraw-Hill
What’s on Your Mind?
As instructors, we appreciate the questions stu-
dents bring to the Human Sexuality course. They
want to know how to enrich their intimate rela-
tionships, avoid risks, and protect themselves.
Drawing on our own classroom experience, we
present some of the questions students typically ask
in short question/answer segments called “What’s
on Your Mind?” In each chapter, there are two or
more What’s on Your Mind questions such as this
one in Chapter 5 (Sexual Pleasure, Arousal, and
Response).
her32169_ch05_129-160.indd 133
her32169_fm_i-xxviii.indd xxi
Confirming pages
Preface xxi
textbooks. Arrange your book to fit your teaching
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course material? Explore Create. To get started, go
to www.mcgrawhillcreate.com and register today.
WHAT ’S ON YOUR MIND?
Q: My mom once mentioned that she couldn’t imagine having casual sex just to have sex. I see
people all the time who enjoy sex without being in a committed relationship. Is casual sex a bad
thing? Do people enjoy sex more when they are in a committed relationship?
A: The generational change that has occurred about casual sex is huge. Two generations
ago this behavior was considered so “bad” that someone could be ostracized from his or her
family, community, and even society. Today many more people than ever live together before
marriage and this practice is far more widely accepted (Dougherty, 2010). Yet studies show that
commitment does enrich the meaning of sexual relations. You may not feel comfortable having
casual sex or sex with an exclusive partner before you actually live together or make a deeper
commitment. Decisions such as these are part of your journey toward sexual literacy. According
to the morals you have adopted for your own personhood, you decide how you feel about these
issues, and no one else.
24/10/12 4:30 PM
23/11/12 10:19 AM
 Confirming pages

xxii Preface

Developing Your Position/What’s Your Position?

Open-ended questions at the beginning of the chapter encourage students to reflect on their own
experiences and opinions, engaging them in the content. Chapter 10 (Sexual Orientation), for
example, opens with “How did you come to realize your own sexual orientation?” By revisiting
these questions at the end of the chapter, in the section called “What’s Your Position?” students
are prompted to reconsider their answers in light of what they learned in the chapter. At the end
of Chapter 10, we pose the questions, “When did you first become aware of the direction of your
orientation? Was this the result of your attractions or from things you observed on television or
found on the Internet?” to encour-
age students to develop informed What’s
opinions about sexuality. Your Position? 1. How did you come to realize your sexual orientation?
• What do your best friends think of your sexual orientation?
• Are people born with a sexual orientation or can they learn it?
• Have you thought about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender?
Developing • If you are currently questioning your sexual orientation, what questions

Your Position
sexual orientation
The structure of a person’s
sexual or romantic
attractions or both to
people of the same or
other sex, or toward both
sexes.
heterosexual/straight
1. How did you come to realize your sexual orientation?
2. What has culture taught you about different sexual orientations?
3. Have you ever experienced or witnessed homophobia?
4. What is your view about sexual orientation as a human right?
Self, Society, and Culture: Self-Awareness
and Sexual Orientation
“A boy reports that he was sitting in the family room with his parents watching the origi-
nal Star Trek television series. The boy is ten years old and he has not yet come into the
obvious signs of puberty. He reports an absence of attractions of any kind by around age
five, and even by age eight he remembers that he had not experienced overt awareness of
sexual attraction. Suddenly “Captain Kirk” peels off his shirt and the 10-year-old boy is
titillated. This is his first experience of same-gender attraction and he intuitively knows
he should not be feeling this according to the norms of his parents and society” (Herdt &
Boxer 1993; McClintock & Herdt, 1996). By age 18, he came out as gay.
“I’ve kind of been surprised at how intense [my attraction to women] is. I mean,
when it’s happening. Whoa, . . . I don’t know . . . I’ll sit down and talk with my friends,
d b lik ‘I d ’ d d i’ b bi l i l b Id ’ h
are you asking yourself? If you are not questioning your own, is anyone
you know questioning his or hers?
2. What has culture taught you about different sexual orientations?
• What is your position about sexual orientation and how is it similar to or
different from that of your culture?
• How do you reconcile any messages you may have been taught about
someone being gay when you were younger with your current position?
• Have you ever wondered if one of your friends is gay or lesbian? How did
you respond?
• What is your position about sexual orientation being learned or changed?
3. Have you ever experienced or witnessed homophobia?
• Has anyone ever said you were gay or a fag or queer?
• What was it like for you to be at school with your sexuality?
4. Do you have a view about sexual orientation as a human right?
• Should people have the dignity and right to express their sexuality even
when it goes against the sexual norm of their culture? Why or why not?

Thinking Critically About Society

and Sexuality
What scientists know about human sexuality stems from research in a variety of disciplines, from
biology and psychology to anthropology and sociology. By merging the findings of research in
multiple fields, sexuality specialists have created a rich picture of sexuality and its place in culture
and society. Thinking critically about research teaches us about the past, informs our understand-
ing of the present, and better prepares us to
apply this knowledge to develop our own
sexual well-being. Human Sexuality not only
highlights research throughout the main RESEARCH and Sexual Well-Being
Untitled-3 356 24/10/12 4:34 PM

text, but also emphasizes research in three The Use of Interventions in “Peak Hours” • During peak hours, women were 86% more likely
key features. It is mind-boggling to think that health care profes-
to be given Pitocin, a hormone that induces
stronger contractions to speed the process of
sionals may make decisions not necessarily in the dilation and effacement.
best interests of their patients, but rather in the
best interests of their own schedule. A study docu- • During peak hours, women were 10% more likely

Untitled-3 322 Research and Sexual Well-Being mented this trend among approximately 37,000
24/10/12 4:33 PM
live births in Philadelphia (Webb & Culhane, 2002).
to be given an episiotomy.

While this study definitely points to some interest-

The researchers were interested to see if there ing trends regarding peak hours, interventions, and
Applying research to contemporary life were differences in the rates of interventions
used by practitioners during peak hours, roughly
childbirth, it is not without methodological weak-
nesses. For example, this study could not account for all
and well-being is the focus of this feature. defined as typical business hours, versus non-
peak hours, defined as the hours between 2 a.m.
of the factors that influenced the use of interventions.
Specifically, researchers did not examine the impact
and 8 a.m. The births they examined were from that the use of epidurals had on further interventions.
In Chapter 8 (Reproduction), for example, women who were classified as low-risk and had Epidurals are known to prolong labor and require other
entered labor without medical intervention. The interventions to speed labor up to a healthier rate. So
“Research and Sexual Well-Being: The Use research concluded that women who gave birth
during peak hours experienced higher rates of
a woman’s choice to use an epidural to reduce pain
might lead to the necessity for further interventions,
of Interventions in ‘Peak Hours’” explains how interventions compared to women who gave birth
in non-peak hours, suggesting that during the day,
rather than a physician using an intervention just to
speed up the birthing process.
physicians are balancing hospital duties with office
medical professionals might use more inter- visits and have less time to wait for birth to naturally
Despite its potential methodological weaknesses,
this research does show that more decisions to use
progress. Doctors may also be more willing to allow medical interventions were made during peak hours
ventions while delivering a newborn during birth to progress naturally at night when there is less
strain on the physician’s schedule. Specifically, the find-
than during non-peak hours. These decisions may not
have been made in the best interests of the laboring
peak hours than during non-peak hours. ings showed these results during peak hours versus
non-peak hours:
woman or her unborn child. As you become more lit-
erate about sexuality, you can further understand how
• Women who gave birth in peak hours were 45% things may affect your life and well-being From this

her32169_fm_i-xxviii.indd xxii 23/11/12 10:19 AM

 Confirming pages

Preface xxiii

Controversies in Sexuality
Most fields of study include controversy, and
nd sexual- Revised

CONTR
pa ges
ity is far from an exception. Controversies help to
O VERSIE
motivate research. They also illustrate the dynamic S in Sex
exuality
nature of the field. The Controversies in Sexuality Can Sam
Adjust e-Sex Couple
ed Chil
dren? s Raise Well-
uality
feature presents both sides of the debate on a con- Some
people
political
and so
cial com
is equa
l to
to raise
can lear
n to be mentato ents (van or better than
tentious topic and poses thought-provokingg ques- cey & Bi
in Calif
children
ca
blarz, 20 n make them
01). For
gay and
so allow
gay (Irvi
rs belie
ing gay
ve that
parents
2012).
In gene
Gelderen
, Bos, G
matched
ar trell,
heterose
Herman xual par-
ne, 2002 ns, & Pe
orni exampl Adolesce ral, the Amer
Sexual
tions for student reflection. In Chapter 10 (Sexual marriage a were to vo
young
, a televi
children
sion co
te abou
mmerci
e, in 20
08 w
t legaliz hen voters
ing sam
; Sta-
children
nt Psyc
who ha
hiatry (A
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ACAP, 20
ademy
of Child
rrin,

al strong e-sex ve LGBT 11) has and

Orientation), for example, the Controversies ies in marriage
ports th
was mad
e notio
would
e legal.
“learn” ly
to be ga hinted that
y if sam
• Ar e not m
heterose
ore likel
Q
y to be
pa rents: found th
at
or learne n that se No empirical e-sex
• Are
xual pa
rents.
gay than
children
evid
ding
Sexuality feature explores the issues surrounding teach ot
d
research in this way (Cia
ers have
found th
xual attra
nciotto
ctions ca ence sup-
& Cahill,
n be ta
ug • Do no
not mor
e lik ely to be
sexually
with

he at 2010). In ht t show
differenc abused
sexual m rs to be gay is this belief that of them
parenting by same-sex couples. One m
inorities
(H er
a form
ek, 2004 of pr ejudice
people
fact,
ca n • Do no
selves as
t show
male or
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female
hether
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they th
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did show
eta-anal
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small di 21 stud s (gende nces in their m entity).
parentin fferenc ies of LG In simpl r role be ale and
g, es BTQ pa havior). female
positive but these diffe between straig rents any mor e terms, peop
Healthy Sexuality occupa
in
For exam nature, not ne
ple, da
tions m
ughters
rences
gative (S
appear
tacey &
Bibl
ht and
to be ge gay
nerally
Given al
what co
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l of this
le
ey learn do not learn to
to be
research straight.
be LGBT
Q,
to thei ore tradi of lesbian coup arz, 2001). lo ng-term
ntrovers
y remains , you might as
r hetero tionally les as ef ? Th k yourself
pi
Knowledge is a powerful tool for attaining ng The rese
behavior
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tacey &
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healthy sexuality. By putting research into to be less
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practice, we can enhance our own sexual al children
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heterose r study in Th
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• The
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to perform a breast or testicular self-exam, observ
if there
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outlined in the Healthy Sexuality feature in tal char
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tivities
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stment, tand
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aires,
families
children
—that
to
compare produce mor
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d that child re pa seems to d to other he
Chapter 4 (Sexual Anatomy and Physiol- biologic
in cert
ain pa
le sb
al mothe ian mothers
rs diffe
r from
ar ing. Th
who w
er
e resear
re n-
ch-
• The Du
the LGBT
tch stud
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ed
be a myt
that the
h.
terosexu
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rental heterose e not the Q
children families are as ch
happy as ildren of
ogy) and how to protect your privacy and experie
as a co
nced m
-parent
charac te
ore satis
faction
ris tics: Th
xual fa
e mot
th ers
hers
Perrin, 20
(van Ge
12).
lderen,
Bos, Ga the stra
rtrell, He ight
and in with • Even rmanns
child re their partner
your personal information on the Internet expresse
power
d more
assertio
parental aring; th
concer ey also
occupa
househ
if the gi
tions
rls do ha
when th
ve more
nontradi
,&

group n over n and olds, so ey grow up tio na l

in Chapter 3 (Sexuality, Media, and the terns an
from bi
of rese
d foun
archers
d
the ch
confirm
ild. An
ed thes her
ot
less
No:
w ha t? That co fro m th
uld be a e lesbian
positive
rth by le that 17-year- e pat- thing.
Internet) enable students to take care as their sb
peers, an ian mothers
d the m
olds ra
are as ha
ised
• The
gender
meta-an
alysis
others’ ppy , such as did find small
of themselves so they can have positive quality
of life lesb ian bein
could af
fect them
bo ys ra
g somew ised by mothe
hat less
di ffe re nces in
rs who
are
when th masculine, an
sexual experiences. ey are ad
ults.
d that

352

Thinking Critically Aboutt Sexuality

and Culture
her3216
9_ch10
_321-35
6.indd
352

Culture is intricately woven through our everyday life and sexuality. Together with biology
and the influences of family, peers, and society, culture shapes our thinking and behavior in all 24/10/12
4:38 PM

domains of life, including gender identity and intimate sexual behavior. An important part of
sexual literacy is understanding how these influences intersect and the dynamic role culture plays
in sexual expression, both in the United States and in other cultures. We highlight culture in a
number of ways in Human Sexuality, most notably in our distinctive introductory chapters.

Contexts of Sexuality: Culture, History, Species

You are like all others
and Religion of your species.

Chapter 2 introduces students to the sexual triangle, in

which culture intersects with other elements to shape our
identity. In this chapter, we explain the concept of sexual
culture as a means of regulating sexual practices, along
Sexuality
with religion. We invite students to think critically about
how their own cultural background and religious beliefs
have influenced their sexuality and, more broadly, how the
Culture/Religion Individuality
perspectives of different cultures and religious traditions You share similar You are like
things with some others. no others.
may vary from their own.

her32169_fm_i-xxviii.indd xxiii 23/11/12 10:19 AM

 Confirming pages

xxiv Preface

Sexuality, Media, and the Internet

Chapter 3 explores changes in the way sexuality has been expressed over time in media
and pop culture, starting with ancient cave art and concluding with the formation of
global online communities advancing sexual rights for all individuals. It also shows
how media not only reflect culture but also influence it. For example, in 1953, the
first issue of Playboy magazine stirred controversy with its nude centerfold feature, but
it paved the way for greater openness about sex in U.S. society.

History of Sexuality in Media

1895 1956
Oscar Wilde is Elvis appears
tried in London on TV, but is
for sodomy, and censored from
newspapers 1953 the waist down
1932
carry the story Alfred Kinsey 1995
Bessie Smith 1948
worldwide publishes Online adult
is sex symbol Alfred Kinsey Sexuality in sexual
of soul publishes the Human entertainment
Sexuality Female, causing
35,000 BCE in the Human begins
a firestorm
Cave paintings 1940 Male, the first of media
and Venus statues Pinup girls large survey 2004
reaction
depict first popular study of sexual 1962 Facebook
prehistoric images during behavior in the SIECUS founded launched
of human sexuality World War II United States

35,000 BCE 100 CE 1800 1899 1920 1940 1950 1960 1970 1990 2000 2005
5

1938 1942 1950−1970 1973 1991 2004

Sinatra is Planned TV sitcoms American Transgender Online dating
sex symbol for Parenthood are censored Psychiatric online sites begin
teenage girls founded for sexual and Association movement
intimate scenes declassifies begins
2006
homosexuality
1953 Twitter
as a disease
Hugh Hefner launched
79 CE publishes first 1998
Roman graffiti issue of Playboy Clinton
1895−1915
1895 1915 impeachment
Gibson Girls scandal tests
used in new norms of
advertising sexuality in the
feminine United States
beauty

Cross-Cultural Coverage
Comparisons and contrasts between the United States and other Western and non-
Western countries are integrated throughout the main narrative of Human Sexuality and in
the features. For example, in Chapter 9 (Gender and Identity: Process, Roles, and Cultures),
the Research and Well-Being feature describes studies of so-called third sex individuals in
the Dominican Republic and among the Sambia people of Papua New Guinea whose
biological gender is unclear. In Chapter 8 (Conception, Pregnancy, and Childbirth),
a Healthy Sexuality feature looks at variations in low birth weight across countries.
Teaching and learning are dynamic processes, filled with engaging opportuni-
ties to explore differences and similarities among individuals and groups. Human
Sexuality establishes a foundation for understanding, evaluating, and acting within the
Untitled-7 68 ever-changing world of sexuality Untitled-7 69 24/10/12 6:40 PM 24/10/12 6:40 PM

in the 21st century. We invite you

HEALTHY Sexuality to introduce your students to the
Variations in Low Birth Weight Across Countries many facets of sexuality and sexual
Not all babies are born within the same average
birth weights, creating an interesting differencewell-being, using the full array of
and nutritional status of the mother, and other fac-
tors such as the amount of weight the mother gains
across countries. In some cultures, babies are during pregnancy (Curtis & Schuler, 2008). In the
born with lower average birth weights com-
pared to the U.S. average, but they are in the
materials this program offers.
United States, different maternal health factors cor-
relate with low birth weights, such as chronic health
normal range for their own country. Nutri- problems, substance abuse, and placental problems.
tional status and heritable factors are pos- Low income and lack of education are associated
sible reasons for this. In fact, scientists with an increased risk for low birth weight, although
believe the birth weight of a new- researchers do not yet fully understand the reasons
born largely depends on the health for this connection.

her32169_fm_i-xxviii.indd xxiv 23/11/12 10:19 AM

 Confirming pages

Preface xxv

Additional Resources from Mcgraw-Hill

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readers of this text, inside and outside the classroom.

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Online Learning Center

Human Sexuality is supported by an integrated program of support materials for instructors and
students. In addition to materials described elsewhere in the preface, the instructor’s resources
described below can be found on the text’s Online Learning Center at www.mhhe.com/herdths1e.
Contact your local McGraw-Hill sales representative for log-in information for the password-
protected instructor’s side of the Online Learning Center.
Instructor’s Manual—The instructor’s manual includes teaching outlines, suggested lecture top-
ics, and classroom discussion topics and activities. The manual is available in electronic format for
convenient access, editing, and printing.
Test Bank—Organized by chapter, the test questions are designed to test factual, conceptual, and
practice-based understanding. The test bank files can be downloaded and edited in Word format
or in EZTest, McGraw-Hill’s Computerized Test Bank program.
PowerPoint Presentations—These slides cover the key points of each chapter and include charts
and graphs from the text. The PowerPoint presentations serve as an organization and navigation
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modified to meet your needs.

her32169_fm_i-xxviii.indd xxv 23/11/12 10:20 AM

 Confirming pages

Acknowledgments
Professional Acknowledgments
More than 100 Human Sexuality instructors have guided the development of this pro-
gram. We are grateful to all who gave us feedback on the manuscript while it was in devel-
opment. In particular, we want to acknowledge the hugely beneficial contributions of the
instructors who provided detailed comments and edits that helped us shape the final draft.

CONTRIBUTING REVIEWERS
Lori Hokerson,
American River College
Lindsy Jorgensen,
University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Elisa Setmire,
Moorpark College

MANUSCRIPT REVIEWERS
Paul Abramson, UCLA
Gene Ano, Mt. San Antonio College
Cynthia Arem, Pima Community College
Amir Assadi-Rad, San Joaquin Delta College
Spike Babaian, Mercy College
Tracy C. Babcock, Montana State University
Michael Bailey, Northwestern University
Shannon Bertha, Middlesex County College
Adrian Blow, Michigan State University
Saundra Y. Boyd, Houston Community College,
Southeast
Tori Bovard, American River College
Kenneth Brownson, American Public University
System
Elizabeth Calamidas, Richard Stockton University
of New Jersey
Janell Campbell, California State University,
Chico
Cathy Carey, Salt Lake Community College
Chwee Lye Chng, University of North Texas
Jane Cirillo, Houston Community College
Stephanie Coday, Sierra College
Katrina Cooper, Bethany College, W. Virginia
Ann Crawford, Lynn University
Nancy Daley, University of Texas, Austin
Jana Daniel, South Plains College
Lindsey Doe, University of Montana
Dale Doty, Monroe Community College
Kathy Erickson, Pima Community College, East
Campus
Carole Espinosa, El Paso Community College
Samuel Fernandez-Carriba, Georgia State
University
Paul Finnicum, Arkansas State University
Edward R. Fliss, St. Louis Community College,
Florissant Valley
Tony Fowler, Florence-Darlington Technical
College
Glen E. Fox, Jr., Tidewater Community College
Chris Furlow, Santa Fe College
George Gaither, Ball State University
Lois Goldblatt, Arizona State University, Tempe
Debra L. Golden, Grossmont College
Kathy Greaves, Oregon State University
Melissa Grim, Radford University
Francoise Grossmann, Tulane University

xxvi

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 Confirming pages

Acknowledgments xxvii

Sarah Gulick, Erie Community College, City
Campus
Gary Gute, University of Northern Iowa
David Hall, University of the Pacific
Diane Hamilton-Hancock, Western Illinois
University
Michelle Haney, Berry College
Pearl A. Hawe, New Mexico State University
Patrice Heller, Temple University
Sheri Hixon, Truckee Meadows Community
College
Danelle Hodge, California State University,
San Bernardino
Suzanne Hopf, University of Louisville
Simone Hopkins, Ivy Tech Community College
Suzy Horton, Mesa Community College
Shawn Hrncir, University of New Mexico
Robert Hunter, Monroe Community College
Frances Jackler, De Anza College
Susan Johnson, Cypress College
Jennifer Jones, Arapahoe Community College
Regina Kakhnovets, Auburn University
Callista Lee, Fullerton College
Jennifer Lehmbeck, Central Washington
University
James Leone, Bridgewater State University
Linette Liebling, Wheaton College
Martin Lobdell, Tacoma Community College
Don Lucas, Northwest Vista College
Stacy Meier, University of Houston
Richard Miller, George Mason University
James McGowan, Mercy College
Davis Mannino, Santa Rosa Community
College
Amy Marin, Phoenix College
Richard E. Miller, George Mason University
Janet Minehan, Santa Barbara City College
Tami Moore, University of Nebraska
Jennifer Musick, Long Beach City College
Diane Pisacreta, St. Louis Community College
Marilyn Pugh, Texas Wesleyan University
Anila Putcha-Bhagavatula, California State
University, Long Beach
Brad Redburn, Johnson County Community
College
Kathryn Redd, New Mexico State University
Daniel Rubin, Valencia Community College
Sonia Ruiz, Palomar Community College
Raymond Sacchi, Washington State University,
Pullman
Jennifer Siciliani, University of Missouri,
St. Louis
T.C. Sim, Sam Houston State University
Peggy Skinner, South Plains College
Brittany C. Slatton, Texas Southern University
Laurie Smith, Washington State University
Noelle Sullivan, University of Florida
Jana Tiefenworth, Stephen F. Austin State
University
Tina Timm, Michigan State University
Terry Trepper, Purdue University, Calumet
Soni Verna, Sierra College
Nancy Voorhees, Ivy Tech Community College
Glenda Walden, University of Colorado, Boulder
Marie Wallace, Pima Community College
Martin Weinberg, Indiana University
Glen Ellis Weisfeld, Wayne State University
Alyson Young, University of Florida
Judy Zimmerman, Portland Community College,
Rock Creek

Personal Acknowledgments
Gil would like to thank the following colleagues and students and friends for their sup-
port and assistance in completing Human Sexuality: Mona Sagapouletele, my longtime
secretary and all-around miracle woman; Sarah Miller, Ph.D. candidate at the University
of Massachusetts; Marik Xavier-Brier, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia; Peter
Vielehr, Ph.D. candidate at Vanderbilt University; Christine Buchheit, M.A.; Jennifer
Brooke Clark, M.A.; Christopher Moffett, professor of biology at SFSU; and Ivy Chen,
M.P.H., instructor in sexuality studies, SFSU. I am grateful to Deborah Tolman, professor
of social work at Hunter College, for her intellectual support and the many conversations
that invigorated this project.

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xxviii Acknowledgments

Finally, to Niels Teunis, my long-time partner, I would like to express not only my
great love but also enduring thanks for his enthusiastic support for this project, his intel-
lectual infusion into its substance, and his patience during its creation.

Nicole would like to express gratitude to some individuals without whom work on this
project would not have been possible. To Gil, thank you for the opportunity to work
with you. You could have chosen to work with anyone and I am humbled you allowed
me to do this work with you. It has been a genuine honor to collaborate with you on this
beloved project.
To my parents, a simple “thank you” is not enough for the lifetime of love and sup-
port you have given me. The conversations about sex at the breakfast table when I was an
adolescent may have made me squirm and giggle, but they also made me who I am today
and instilled in me a deep desire to communicate with others with the comfort, passion,
and skill you have always possessed.
Elizabeth, I don’t think you recognize or understand fully how much you mean to me
and how much I am inspired in my life and in my work by you. My lectures would not
be half as entertaining or interesting without your life experience to illustrate important
concepts. I truly love you and I cherish every way in which you contribute to my life as
they are too numerous to count.
I also need to thank my husband, Damon, whom God brought into my life during
the writing of this book and who has shown me more love than I could ever have imag-
ined. I appreciate your support more than you know and I thank you for allowing me to
take the time to pursue this dream. You and our girls are my world and I adore you.
To the rest of my friends and family, thank you for the incredible support and
encouragement you have offered through the process of writing this book. You each bring
incredible blessing to my life.

We both feel incredibly fortunate to have worked on this project with a stellar group of
individuals from McGraw-Hill. Every large project starts with a vision, and this one was
supported and indeed inspired by early conversations with Mike Sugarman, Director,
Dawn Groundwater, our passionate Senior Director of Development, and Mark Georgiev.
Additionally, our team included wonderful editorial staff, and we are especially indebted
to Senior Developmental Editor Judith Kromm, whose keen eye and organizational tal-
ents have kept us moving along, and to Sue Ewing, Developmental Editor par excel-
lence for her steadfast support and editing superpowers! We would also like to say thank
you to our production team for their work and creativity, including Content Project
Manager Jennifer Gehl, Designer Margarite Reynolds, Copyeditor Carey Lange, and
Photo Researcher Emily Tietz. Finally, we would like to mention the important support
we have received from Marketing Manager A.J. Laferrera, Editorial Coordinator Kevin
Fitzpatrick, and Jason Kopeck.

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 Rev.Confirming pages

The Study of
Human Sexuality
1

Sexual Literacy
• Explain what sexual literacy means and how it relates to sexual well-being and emotional literacy.
Sexual Science—A Historical Perspective
• Describe the early clinical history of sexual science.
• Identify the positive contributions of Freud, Kinsey, Masters and Johnson, and others to sex research.
• Explain how sex research can improve the sexual well-being of individuals.
• Understand why sexual research has been disconnected from U.S. policy.
Learning
Methodology in the Study of Sexuality
• Explain the value of the interdisciplinary perspective in the study of sexuality. Objectives
• Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative methods in sexual research.
• Compare and contrast the key approaches to studying sexuality.
• Evaluate what it means to be a critical consumer of sex research.
Human Sexual Rights
• Explain what makes sexuality a human right, not a privilege.

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 Rev.Confirming pages

Developing
Your Position 1. What do the terms sexual literacy and sexual well-being mean to you?
2. How has sexuality changed from a negative to a more positive science?
3. What does sexuality as a human right mean to you?

Self, Society, and Culture: Knowledge

Is Empowering
At age 15, Shelby Knox of Lubbock, Texas, became alarmed at the high rate of sexually
transmitted infections among young girls in her community. Though she was a believer in
the Southern Baptist faith, she had to confront her faith and family in understanding why
her community was silent and not doing enough to educate young people about sexual-
ity. Her story is the subject of an award-winning documentary, “The Education of Shelby
Knox,” chronicling her teenage activism for comprehensive sex education and gay rights.
As a student council member, Shelby helped mobilize high school youth counselors to
increase local church support for comprehensive sexuality education, and by her efforts
captured the attention of her peers and adults in the community. She enlisted the support
of her family, friends, and others in the community to increase sex ed in the schools, even
when they did not agree with her completely, because they realized that young people
needed and deserved more accurate education than they were receiving. Shelby’s work was
successful because she helped to change some people’s minds and to save lives and she is
celebrated as a champion of sexual literacy. Looking back, we see that Shelby was ahead
of her time in helping to support the knowledge and skill-sets young people need to fully
achieve well-being.
Sexuality impacts all aspects of our lives—the mind, body, heart, and spirit. It can
have holistic, healthy effects on both a physical and an emotional level. It also provides a
context to develop and understand more about our personal identities and sexual selves.
In fact, understanding more about ourselves through sexuality may change us and, in
turn, change society.
In this chapter we begin our journey to sexual literacy. Here we will explore the
meaning of sexual well-being and begin acquiring the knowledge and tools needed to
develop healthy sexuality. We will examine the history of sexual science, and learn how
sex research has improved people’s lives and society. Then we will discuss the interdis-
ciplinary nature of sex research and research methodology, to become better consum-
ers of sex research and media depictions of sex acts. Finally, we will explore the wide
diversity of human sexuality, and see why the concept of sexuality as a human right is
sexuality literacy changing society.
The knowledge and skills
needed to promote and
protect sexual well-being.

SEXUAL LITERACY
sexual well-being
The condition of
Sexuality literacy is defined as the knowledge and skills needed to promote and protect
experiencing good health, sexual well-being. Sexual well-being is both a physical state, defined by positive health in
pleasure, and satisfaction your body, and a subjective or mental state, recognized by feeling positive or joyful about
in intimate relationships. your sexual life (Laumann et al., 2006). As you develop sexual literacy, you enhance your

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 Rev.Confirming pages

The Study of Human Sexuality 3

own holistic sexuality, which means the integration of body, mind, feel-
ings, and social life through sexuality. Having healthy relationships, being
able to express pleasure and love in those relationships, being able to pre-
vent disease, and understanding how sexual diversity can enrich society all DID YOU KNOW
contribute to holistic sexuality (Herdt & Howe, 2007). People in the United States have changing
views about what they consider to be “sex”

Becoming Sexually Literate acts. In the late 1990s, for instance, only
about 40% said that oral–genital sex was
Can you become sexually literate without having sex? Absolutely. In “real sex.” Ten years later, the number had
becoming sexually literate, you can develop healthy and positive attitudes increased to 70% (Saunders et al., 2010;
in your thinking, communication, and lifestyle that will result in satisfying Saunders & Reinisch, 1999). Today, 80% of
people also say that anal sex is “real sex”
sexual relationships when you decide you’re ready for sexual intimacy.
(Saunders et al., 2010).
Learning to integrate sexuality into everyday life may help break down
stereotypes about sexuality, such as the notion that not talking about sex to
young people is better for them (Kirby, 2008). Research shows the opposite: when people holistic sexuality
are comfortable talking about sex and actual sexual relations, they express their own desires The integration of body,
better, they use less risky behavior when having sex (by using condoms, for instance), they mind, feelings, and social
know how to deal with sexual aggression better, and they form better relationships (APA, life through your sexuality.
2010; Guzman et al., 2003; Irvine, 2002; Klein, 2006; Schalet, 2000; Tolman, 2006).
Moreover, the more knowledge and skills you have to understand your own experience,
the more likely you are to become tolerant and respectful of sexual diversity (Pascoe, 2007).

Understanding sexuality
is a lifelong process.

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 Rev.Confirming pages

4 HUMAN SEXUALITY

The most important sexual literacy goals for this course are:
• Knowing yourself as a whole person better, to enhance your own sexual well-being
• Being able to emotionally communicate about intimate sexual needs with partners
• Helping people understand each other better by first learning about your own body,
desires, and behaviors, and how you might express them
• Knowing what science and research tell us about sexuality and being able to separate
facts from myths about sex
• Helping to improve society by supporting diversity and dignity in the right of other
people to have a full and satisfying sexual life
• Understanding how context, in terms of both nature and culture, contribute to
sexuality
• Being able to talk about your own culture’s sexual attitudes and how they contribute
to your own holistic well-being
• Having the knowledge and skills to protect your sexual health throughout life
Before reading further, complete the short questionnaire about human sexuality titled
“Know Yourself: Are You Sexually Literate?”

Sexual Well-Being
Sexual well-being refers to positive physical, mental, and social
correlates of sexuality in your life, such as experiencing good
health and pleasure, and satisfaction in intimate relationships.
If sexual literacy is the journey, then sexual well-being may
become the destination. We hope that as you progress through
this course, holistic sexuality becomes more and more of a reality
for you.
Four elements are fundamental to achieving sexual well-being:
pleasure, protection, focus, and purpose in life. Let’s consider each
one briefly, knowing that we will refine our understanding as we
progress through the course. Figure 1.1 shows schematically how
the four elements intersect to bring about sexual well-being.
Pleasure is associated with joy and fun. As such, you may
find pleasure when you are satisfied in your sexual life or
your love life. Pleasure involves a basic acceptance of yourself,
As Harry Potter grew up, a new generation discovered love
and sex. (From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.)
your body, and the role of pleasure in your own development.
Research shows that people who know their bodies and accept
their feelings, including pleasure, generally protect themselves better (Guzman et al.,
2003; Tolman, 2005).
Protection is keeping your body free of sexually transmitted infections, as well as
knowing how to check your body for other medical conditions, such as skin, genital,
and anal cancers. Protecting yourself also means knowing how to deal with bullying, date
rape, sexual coercion, and sexual harassment. To ensure that sexual functioning and health
can continue throughout life, protection also means understanding sexual difficulties that
people may experience along the way.
Focus is about total concentration on an activity, such as running, doing yoga, or
playing a musical instrument. Focus increases your sense of being alive, of feeling con-
nected to yourself, and integrating a sense of total contentment (Csikszentmihalyi, 1998;
Seligman, 2002). In holistic sexuality, focus means being present and fully alert to what

her32169_ch01_001-028.indd 4 02/11/12 2:27 PM

Another random document with
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 DANCE ON STILTS AT THE GIRLS’ UNYAGO, NIUCHI

Newala, too, suffers from the distance of its water-supply—at least

the Newala of to-day does; there was once another Newala in a lovely
valley at the foot of the plateau. I visited it and found scarcely a trace
of houses, only a Christian cemetery, with the graves of several
missionaries and their converts, remaining as a monument of its
former glories. But the surroundings are wonderfully beautiful. A
thick grove of splendid mango-trees closes in the weather-worn
crosses and headstones; behind them, combining the useful and the
agreeable, is a whole plantation of lemon-trees covered with ripe
fruit; not the small African kind, but a much larger and also juicier
imported variety, which drops into the hands of the passing traveller,
without calling for any exertion on his part. Old Newala is now under
the jurisdiction of the native pastor, Daudi, at Chingulungulu, who,
as I am on very friendly terms with him, allows me, as a matter of
course, the use of this lemon-grove during my stay at Newala.
 FEET MUTILATED BY THE RAVAGES OF THE “JIGGER”
(Sarcopsylla penetrans)

The water-supply of New Newala is in the bottom of the valley,

some 1,600 feet lower down. The way is not only long and fatiguing,
but the water, when we get it, is thoroughly bad. We are suffering not
only from this, but from the fact that the arrangements at Newala are
nothing short of luxurious. We have a separate kitchen—a hut built
against the boma palisade on the right of the baraza, the interior of
which is not visible from our usual position. Our two cooks were not
long in finding this out, and they consequently do—or rather neglect
to do—what they please. In any case they do not seem to be very
particular about the boiling of our drinking-water—at least I can
attribute to no other cause certain attacks of a dysenteric nature,
from which both Knudsen and I have suffered for some time. If a
man like Omari has to be left unwatched for a moment, he is capable
of anything. Besides this complaint, we are inconvenienced by the
state of our nails, which have become as hard as glass, and crack on
the slightest provocation, and I have the additional infliction of
pimples all over me. As if all this were not enough, we have also, for
the last week been waging war against the jigger, who has found his
Eldorado in the hot sand of the Makonde plateau. Our men are seen
all day long—whenever their chronic colds and the dysentery likewise
raging among them permit—occupied in removing this scourge of
Africa from their feet and trying to prevent the disastrous
consequences of its presence. It is quite common to see natives of
this place with one or two toes missing; many have lost all their toes,
or even the whole front part of the foot, so that a well-formed leg
ends in a shapeless stump. These ravages are caused by the female of
Sarcopsylla penetrans, which bores its way under the skin and there
develops an egg-sac the size of a pea. In all books on the subject, it is
stated that one’s attention is called to the presence of this parasite by
an intolerable itching. This agrees very well with my experience, so
far as the softer parts of the sole, the spaces between and under the
toes, and the side of the foot are concerned, but if the creature
penetrates through the harder parts of the heel or ball of the foot, it
may escape even the most careful search till it has reached maturity.
Then there is no time to be lost, if the horrible ulceration, of which
we see cases by the dozen every day, is to be prevented. It is much
easier, by the way, to discover the insect on the white skin of a
European than on that of a native, on which the dark speck scarcely
shows. The four or five jiggers which, in spite of the fact that I
constantly wore high laced boots, chose my feet to settle in, were
taken out for me by the all-accomplished Knudsen, after which I
thought it advisable to wash out the cavities with corrosive
sublimate. The natives have a different sort of disinfectant—they fill
the hole with scraped roots. In a tiny Makua village on the slope of
the plateau south of Newala, we saw an old woman who had filled all
the spaces under her toe-nails with powdered roots by way of
prophylactic treatment. What will be the result, if any, who can say?
The rest of the many trifling ills which trouble our existence are
really more comic than serious. In the absence of anything else to
smoke, Knudsen and I at last opened a box of cigars procured from
the Indian store-keeper at Lindi, and tried them, with the most
distressing results. Whether they contain opium or some other
narcotic, neither of us can say, but after the tenth puff we were both
“off,” three-quarters stupefied and unspeakably wretched. Slowly we
recovered—and what happened next? Half-an-hour later we were
once more smoking these poisonous concoctions—so insatiable is the
craving for tobacco in the tropics.
Even my present attacks of fever scarcely deserve to be taken
seriously. I have had no less than three here at Newala, all of which
have run their course in an incredibly short time. In the early
afternoon, I am busy with my old natives, asking questions and
making notes. The strong midday coffee has stimulated my spirits to
an extraordinary degree, the brain is active and vigorous, and work
progresses rapidly, while a pleasant warmth pervades the whole
body. Suddenly this gives place to a violent chill, forcing me to put on
my overcoat, though it is only half-past three and the afternoon sun
is at its hottest. Now the brain no longer works with such acuteness
and logical precision; more especially does it fail me in trying to
establish the syntax of the difficult Makua language on which I have
ventured, as if I had not enough to do without it. Under the
circumstances it seems advisable to take my temperature, and I do
so, to save trouble, without leaving my seat, and while going on with
my work. On examination, I find it to be 101·48°. My tutors are
abruptly dismissed and my bed set up in the baraza; a few minutes
later I am in it and treating myself internally with hot water and
lemon-juice.
Three hours later, the thermometer marks nearly 104°, and I make
them carry me back into the tent, bed and all, as I am now perspiring
heavily, and exposure to the cold wind just beginning to blow might
mean a fatal chill. I lie still for a little while, and then find, to my
great relief, that the temperature is not rising, but rather falling. This
is about 7.30 p.m. At 8 p.m. I find, to my unbounded astonishment,
that it has fallen below 98·6°, and I feel perfectly well. I read for an
hour or two, and could very well enjoy a smoke, if I had the
wherewithal—Indian cigars being out of the question.
Having no medical training, I am at a loss to account for this state
of things. It is impossible that these transitory attacks of high fever
should be malarial; it seems more probable that they are due to a
kind of sunstroke. On consulting my note-book, I become more and
more inclined to think this is the case, for these attacks regularly
follow extreme fatigue and long exposure to strong sunshine. They at
least have the advantage of being only short interruptions to my
work, as on the following morning I am always quite fresh and fit.
My treasure of a cook is suffering from an enormous hydrocele which
makes it difficult for him to get up, and Moritz is obliged to keep in
the dark on account of his inflamed eyes. Knudsen’s cook, a raw boy
from somewhere in the bush, knows still less of cooking than Omari;
consequently Nils Knudsen himself has been promoted to the vacant
post. Finding that we had come to the end of our supplies, he began
by sending to Chingulungulu for the four sucking-pigs which we had
bought from Matola and temporarily left in his charge; and when
they came up, neatly packed in a large crate, he callously slaughtered
the biggest of them. The first joint we were thoughtless enough to
entrust for roasting to Knudsen’s mshenzi cook, and it was
consequently uneatable; but we made the rest of the animal into a
jelly which we ate with great relish after weeks of underfeeding,
consuming incredible helpings of it at both midday and evening
meals. The only drawback is a certain want of variety in the tinned
vegetables. Dr. Jäger, to whom the Geographical Commission
entrusted the provisioning of the expeditions—mine as well as his
own—because he had more time on his hands than the rest of us,
seems to have laid in a huge stock of Teltow turnips,[46] an article of
food which is all very well for occasional use, but which quickly palls
when set before one every day; and we seem to have no other tins
left. There is no help for it—we must put up with the turnips; but I
am certain that, once I am home again, I shall not touch them for ten
years to come.
Amid all these minor evils, which, after all, go to make up the
genuine flavour of Africa, there is at least one cheering touch:
Knudsen has, with the dexterity of a skilled mechanic, repaired my 9
× 12 cm. camera, at least so far that I can use it with a little care.
How, in the absence of finger-nails, he was able to accomplish such a
ticklish piece of work, having no tool but a clumsy screw-driver for
taking to pieces and putting together again the complicated
mechanism of the instantaneous shutter, is still a mystery to me; but
he did it successfully. The loss of his finger-nails shows him in a light
contrasting curiously enough with the intelligence evinced by the
above operation; though, after all, it is scarcely surprising after his
ten years’ residence in the bush. One day, at Lindi, he had occasion
to wash a dog, which must have been in need of very thorough
cleansing, for the bottle handed to our friend for the purpose had an
extremely strong smell. Having performed his task in the most
conscientious manner, he perceived with some surprise that the dog
did not appear much the better for it, and was further surprised by
finding his own nails ulcerating away in the course of the next few
days. “How was I to know that carbolic acid has to be diluted?” he
mutters indignantly, from time to time, with a troubled gaze at his
mutilated finger-tips.
 Since we came to Newala we have been making excursions in all
directions through the surrounding country, in accordance with old
habit, and also because the akida Sefu did not get together the tribal
elders from whom I wanted information so speedily as he had
promised. There is, however, no harm done, as, even if seen only
from the outside, the country and people are interesting enough.
The Makonde plateau is like a large rectangular table rounded off
at the corners. Measured from the Indian Ocean to Newala, it is
about seventy-five miles long, and between the Rovuma and the
Lukuledi it averages fifty miles in breadth, so that its superficial area
is about two-thirds of that of the kingdom of Saxony. The surface,
however, is not level, but uniformly inclined from its south-western
edge to the ocean. From the upper edge, on which Newala lies, the
eye ranges for many miles east and north-east, without encountering
any obstacle, over the Makonde bush. It is a green sea, from which
here and there thick clouds of smoke rise, to show that it, too, is
inhabited by men who carry on their tillage like so many other
primitive peoples, by cutting down and burning the bush, and
manuring with the ashes. Even in the radiant light of a tropical day
such a fire is a grand sight.
Much less effective is the impression produced just now by the
great western plain as seen from the edge of the plateau. As often as
time permits, I stroll along this edge, sometimes in one direction,
sometimes in another, in the hope of finding the air clear enough to
let me enjoy the view; but I have always been disappointed.
Wherever one looks, clouds of smoke rise from the burning bush,
and the air is full of smoke and vapour. It is a pity, for under more
favourable circumstances the panorama of the whole country up to
the distant Majeje hills must be truly magnificent. It is of little use
taking photographs now, and an outline sketch gives a very poor idea
of the scenery. In one of these excursions I went out of my way to
make a personal attempt on the Makonde bush. The present edge of
the plateau is the result of a far-reaching process of destruction
through erosion and denudation. The Makonde strata are
everywhere cut into by ravines, which, though short, are hundreds of
yards in depth. In consequence of the loose stratification of these
beds, not only are the walls of these ravines nearly vertical, but their
upper end is closed by an equally steep escarpment, so that the
western edge of the Makonde plateau is hemmed in by a series of
deep, basin-like valleys. In order to get from one side of such a ravine
to the other, I cut my way through the bush with a dozen of my men.
It was a very open part, with more grass than scrub, but even so the
short stretch of less than two hundred yards was very hard work; at
the end of it the men’s calicoes were in rags and they themselves
bleeding from hundreds of scratches, while even our strong khaki
suits had not escaped scatheless.

NATIVE PATH THROUGH THE MAKONDE BUSH, NEAR

MAHUTA

I see increasing reason to believe that the view formed some time
back as to the origin of the Makonde bush is the correct one. I have
no doubt that it is not a natural product, but the result of human
occupation. Those parts of the high country where man—as a very
slight amount of practice enables the eye to perceive at once—has not
yet penetrated with axe and hoe, are still occupied by a splendid
timber forest quite able to sustain a comparison with our mixed
forests in Germany. But wherever man has once built his hut or tilled
his field, this horrible bush springs up. Every phase of this process
may be seen in the course of a couple of hours’ walk along the main
road. From the bush to right or left, one hears the sound of the axe—
not from one spot only, but from several directions at once. A few
steps further on, we can see what is taking place. The brush has been
cut down and piled up in heaps to the height of a yard or more,
between which the trunks of the large trees stand up like the last
pillars of a magnificent ruined building. These, too, present a
melancholy spectacle: the destructive Makonde have ringed them—
cut a broad strip of bark all round to ensure their dying off—and also
piled up pyramids of brush round them. Father and son, mother and
son-in-law, are chopping away perseveringly in the background—too
busy, almost, to look round at the white stranger, who usually excites
so much interest. If you pass by the same place a week later, the piles
of brushwood have disappeared and a thick layer of ashes has taken
the place of the green forest. The large trees stretch their
smouldering trunks and branches in dumb accusation to heaven—if
they have not already fallen and been more or less reduced to ashes,
perhaps only showing as a white stripe on the dark ground.
This work of destruction is carried out by the Makonde alike on the
virgin forest and on the bush which has sprung up on sites already
cultivated and deserted. In the second case they are saved the trouble
of burning the large trees, these being entirely absent in the
secondary bush.
After burning this piece of forest ground and loosening it with the
hoe, the native sows his corn and plants his vegetables. All over the
country, he goes in for bed-culture, which requires, and, in fact,
receives, the most careful attention. Weeds are nowhere tolerated in
the south of German East Africa. The crops may fail on the plains,
where droughts are frequent, but never on the plateau with its
abundant rains and heavy dews. Its fortunate inhabitants even have
the satisfaction of seeing the proud Wayao and Wamakua working
for them as labourers, driven by hunger to serve where they were
accustomed to rule.
But the light, sandy soil is soon exhausted, and would yield no
harvest the second year if cultivated twice running. This fact has
been familiar to the native for ages; consequently he provides in
time, and, while his crop is growing, prepares the next plot with axe
and firebrand. Next year he plants this with his various crops and
lets the first piece lie fallow. For a short time it remains waste and
desolate; then nature steps in to repair the destruction wrought by
man; a thousand new growths spring out of the exhausted soil, and
even the old stumps put forth fresh shoots. Next year the new growth
is up to one’s knees, and in a few years more it is that terrible,
impenetrable bush, which maintains its position till the black
occupier of the land has made the round of all the available sites and
come back to his starting point.
The Makonde are, body and soul, so to speak, one with this bush.
According to my Yao informants, indeed, their name means nothing
else but “bush people.” Their own tradition says that they have been
settled up here for a very long time, but to my surprise they laid great
stress on an original immigration. Their old homes were in the
south-east, near Mikindani and the mouth of the Rovuma, whence
their peaceful forefathers were driven by the continual raids of the
Sakalavas from Madagascar and the warlike Shirazis[47] of the coast,
to take refuge on the almost inaccessible plateau. I have studied
African ethnology for twenty years, but the fact that changes of
population in this apparently quiet and peaceable corner of the earth
could have been occasioned by outside enterprises taking place on
the high seas, was completely new to me. It is, no doubt, however,
correct.
The charming tribal legend of the Makonde—besides informing us
of other interesting matters—explains why they have to live in the
thickest of the bush and a long way from the edge of the plateau,
instead of making their permanent homes beside the purling brooks
and springs of the low country.
“The place where the tribe originated is Mahuta, on the southern
side of the plateau towards the Rovuma, where of old time there was
nothing but thick bush. Out of this bush came a man who never
washed himself or shaved his head, and who ate and drank but little.
He went out and made a human figure from the wood of a tree
growing in the open country, which he took home to his abode in the
bush and there set it upright. In the night this image came to life and
was a woman. The man and woman went down together to the
Rovuma to wash themselves. Here the woman gave birth to a still-
born child. They left that place and passed over the high land into the
valley of the Mbemkuru, where the woman had another child, which
was also born dead. Then they returned to the high bush country of
Mahuta, where the third child was born, which lived and grew up. In
course of time, the couple had many more children, and called
themselves Wamatanda. These were the ancestral stock of the
Makonde, also called Wamakonde,[48] i.e., aborigines. Their
forefather, the man from the bush, gave his children the command to
bury their dead upright, in memory of the mother of their race who
was cut out of wood and awoke to life when standing upright. He also
warned them against settling in the valleys and near large streams,
for sickness and death dwelt there. They were to make it a rule to
have their huts at least an hour’s walk from the nearest watering-
place; then their children would thrive and escape illness.”
The explanation of the name Makonde given by my informants is
somewhat different from that contained in the above legend, which I
extract from a little book (small, but packed with information), by
Pater Adams, entitled Lindi und sein Hinterland. Otherwise, my
results agree exactly with the statements of the legend. Washing?
Hapana—there is no such thing. Why should they do so? As it is, the
supply of water scarcely suffices for cooking and drinking; other
people do not wash, so why should the Makonde distinguish himself
by such needless eccentricity? As for shaving the head, the short,
woolly crop scarcely needs it,[49] so the second ancestral precept is
likewise easy enough to follow. Beyond this, however, there is
nothing ridiculous in the ancestor’s advice. I have obtained from
various local artists a fairly large number of figures carved in wood,
ranging from fifteen to twenty-three inches in height, and
representing women belonging to the great group of the Mavia,
Makonde, and Matambwe tribes. The carving is remarkably well
done and renders the female type with great accuracy, especially the
keloid ornamentation, to be described later on. As to the object and
meaning of their works the sculptors either could or (more probably)
would tell me nothing, and I was forced to content myself with the
scanty information vouchsafed by one man, who said that the figures
were merely intended to represent the nembo—the artificial
deformations of pelele, ear-discs, and keloids. The legend recorded
by Pater Adams places these figures in a new light. They must surely
be more than mere dolls; and we may even venture to assume that
they are—though the majority of present-day Makonde are probably
unaware of the fact—representations of the tribal ancestress.
 The references in the legend to the descent from Mahuta to the
Rovuma, and to a journey across the highlands into the Mbekuru
valley, undoubtedly indicate the previous history of the tribe, the
travels of the ancestral pair typifying the migrations of their
descendants. The descent to the neighbouring Rovuma valley, with
its extraordinary fertility and great abundance of game, is intelligible
at a glance—but the crossing of the Lukuledi depression, the ascent
to the Rondo Plateau and the descent to the Mbemkuru, also lie
within the bounds of probability, for all these districts have exactly
the same character as the extreme south. Now, however, comes a
point of especial interest for our bacteriological age. The primitive
Makonde did not enjoy their lives in the marshy river-valleys.
Disease raged among them, and many died. It was only after they
had returned to their original home near Mahuta, that the health
conditions of these people improved. We are very apt to think of the
African as a stupid person whose ignorance of nature is only equalled
by his fear of it, and who looks on all mishaps as caused by evil
spirits and malignant natural powers. It is much more correct to
assume in this case that the people very early learnt to distinguish
districts infested with malaria from those where it is absent.
This knowledge is crystallized in the
ancestral warning against settling in the
valleys and near the great waters, the
dwelling-places of disease and death. At the
same time, for security against the hostile
Mavia south of the Rovuma, it was enacted
that every settlement must be not less than a
certain distance from the southern edge of the
plateau. Such in fact is their mode of life at the
present day. It is not such a bad one, and
certainly they are both safer and more
comfortable than the Makua, the recent
intruders from the south, who have made USUAL METHOD OF
good their footing on the western edge of the CLOSING HUT-DOOR
plateau, extending over a fairly wide belt of
country. Neither Makua nor Makonde show in their dwellings
anything of the size and comeliness of the Yao houses in the plain,
especially at Masasi, Chingulungulu and Zuza’s. Jumbe Chauro, a
Makonde hamlet not far from Newala, on the road to Mahuta, is the
most important settlement of the tribe I have yet seen, and has fairly
spacious huts. But how slovenly is their construction compared with
the palatial residences of the elephant-hunters living in the plain.
The roofs are still more untidy than in the general run of huts during
the dry season, the walls show here and there the scanty beginnings
or the lamentable remains of the mud plastering, and the interior is a
veritable dog-kennel; dirt, dust and disorder everywhere. A few huts
only show any attempt at division into rooms, and this consists
merely of very roughly-made bamboo partitions. In one point alone
have I noticed any indication of progress—in the method of fastening
the door. Houses all over the south are secured in a simple but
ingenious manner. The door consists of a set of stout pieces of wood
or bamboo, tied with bark-string to two cross-pieces, and moving in
two grooves round one of the door-posts, so as to open inwards. If
the owner wishes to leave home, he takes two logs as thick as a man’s
upper arm and about a yard long. One of these is placed obliquely
against the middle of the door from the inside, so as to form an angle
of from 60° to 75° with the ground. He then places the second piece
horizontally across the first, pressing it downward with all his might.
It is kept in place by two strong posts planted in the ground a few
inches inside the door. This fastening is absolutely safe, but of course
cannot be applied to both doors at once, otherwise how could the
owner leave or enter his house? I have not yet succeeded in finding
out how the back door is fastened.

MAKONDE LOCK AND KEY AT JUMBE CHAURO

 This is the general way of closing a house. The Makonde at Jumbe
Chauro, however, have a much more complicated, solid and original
one. Here, too, the door is as already described, except that there is
only one post on the inside, standing by itself about six inches from
one side of the doorway. Opposite this post is a hole in the wall just
large enough to admit a man’s arm. The door is closed inside by a
large wooden bolt passing through a hole in this post and pressing
with its free end against the door. The other end has three holes into
which fit three pegs running in vertical grooves inside the post. The
door is opened with a wooden key about a foot long, somewhat
curved and sloped off at the butt; the other end has three pegs
corresponding to the holes, in the bolt, so that, when it is thrust
through the hole in the wall and inserted into the rectangular
opening in the post, the pegs can be lifted and the bolt drawn out.[50]

MODE OF INSERTING THE KEY

With no small pride first one householder and then a second

showed me on the spot the action of this greatest invention of the
Makonde Highlands. To both with an admiring exclamation of
“Vizuri sana!” (“Very fine!”). I expressed the wish to take back these
marvels with me to Ulaya, to show the Wazungu what clever fellows
the Makonde are. Scarcely five minutes after my return to camp at
Newala, the two men came up sweating under the weight of two
heavy logs which they laid down at my feet, handing over at the same
time the keys of the fallen fortress. Arguing, logically enough, that if
the key was wanted, the lock would be wanted with it, they had taken
their axes and chopped down the posts—as it never occurred to them
to dig them out of the ground and so bring them intact. Thus I have
two badly damaged specimens, and the owners, instead of praise,
come in for a blowing-up.
The Makua huts in the environs of Newala are especially
miserable; their more than slovenly construction reminds one of the
temporary erections of the Makua at Hatia’s, though the people here
have not been concerned in a war. It must therefore be due to
congenital idleness, or else to the absence of a powerful chief. Even
the baraza at Mlipa’s, a short hour’s walk south-east of Newala,
shares in this general neglect. While public buildings in this country
are usually looked after more or less carefully, this is in evident
danger of being blown over by the first strong easterly gale. The only
attractive object in this whole district is the grave of the late chief
Mlipa. I visited it in the morning, while the sun was still trying with
partial success to break through the rolling mists, and the circular
grove of tall euphorbias, which, with a broken pot, is all that marks
the old king’s resting-place, impressed one with a touch of pathos.
Even my very materially-minded carriers seemed to feel something
of the sort, for instead of their usual ribald songs, they chanted
solemnly, as we marched on through the dense green of the Makonde
bush:—
 “We shall arrive with the great master; we stand in a row and have
no fear about getting our food and our money from the Serkali (the
Government). We are not afraid; we are going along with the great
master, the lion; we are going down to the coast and back.”
With regard to the characteristic features of the various tribes here
on the western edge of the plateau, I can arrive at no other
conclusion than the one already come to in the plain, viz., that it is
impossible for anyone but a trained anthropologist to assign any
given individual at once to his proper tribe. In fact, I think that even
an anthropological specialist, after the most careful examination,
might find it a difficult task to decide. The whole congeries of peoples
collected in the region bounded on the west by the great Central
African rift, Tanganyika and Nyasa, and on the east by the Indian
Ocean, are closely related to each other—some of their languages are
only distinguished from one another as dialects of the same speech,
and no doubt all the tribes present the same shape of skull and
structure of skeleton. Thus, surely, there can be no very striking
differences in outward appearance.
 Even did such exist, I should have no time
to concern myself with them, for day after day,
I have to see or hear, as the case may be—in
any case to grasp and record—an
extraordinary number of ethnographic
phenomena. I am almost disposed to think it
fortunate that some departments of inquiry, at
least, are barred by external circumstances.
Chief among these is the subject of iron-
working. We are apt to think of Africa as a
country where iron ore is everywhere, so to
speak, to be picked up by the roadside, and
where it would be quite surprising if the
inhabitants had not learnt to smelt the
material ready to their hand. In fact, the
knowledge of this art ranges all over the
continent, from the Kabyles in the north to the
Kafirs in the south. Here between the Rovuma
and the Lukuledi the conditions are not so
favourable. According to the statements of the
Makonde, neither ironstone nor any other
form of iron ore is known to them. They have
not therefore advanced to the art of smelting
the metal, but have hitherto bought all their
THE ANCESTRESS OF
THE MAKONDE
iron implements from neighbouring tribes.
Even in the plain the inhabitants are not much
better off. Only one man now living is said to
understand the art of smelting iron. This old fundi lives close to
Huwe, that isolated, steep-sided block of granite which rises out of
the green solitude between Masasi and Chingulungulu, and whose
jagged and splintered top meets the traveller’s eye everywhere. While
still at Masasi I wished to see this man at work, but was told that,
frightened by the rising, he had retired across the Rovuma, though
he would soon return. All subsequent inquiries as to whether the
fundi had come back met with the genuine African answer, “Bado”
(“Not yet”).
 BRAZIER

Some consolation was afforded me by a brassfounder, whom I

came across in the bush near Akundonde’s. This man is the favourite
of women, and therefore no doubt of the gods; he welds the glittering
brass rods purchased at the coast into those massive, heavy rings
which, on the wrists and ankles of the local fair ones, continually give
me fresh food for admiration. Like every decent master-craftsman he
had all his tools with him, consisting of a pair of bellows, three
crucibles and a hammer—nothing more, apparently. He was quite
willing to show his skill, and in a twinkling had fixed his bellows on
the ground. They are simply two goat-skins, taken off whole, the four
legs being closed by knots, while the upper opening, intended to
admit the air, is kept stretched by two pieces of wood. At the lower
end of the skin a smaller opening is left into which a wooden tube is
stuck. The fundi has quickly borrowed a heap of wood-embers from
the nearest hut; he then fixes the free ends of the two tubes into an
earthen pipe, and clamps them to the ground by means of a bent
piece of wood. Now he fills one of his small clay crucibles, the dross
on which shows that they have been long in use, with the yellow
material, places it in the midst of the embers, which, at present are
only faintly glimmering, and begins his work. In quick alternation
the smith’s two hands move up and down with the open ends of the
bellows; as he raises his hand he holds the slit wide open, so as to let
the air enter the skin bag unhindered. In pressing it down he closes
the bag, and the air puffs through the bamboo tube and clay pipe into
the fire, which quickly burns up. The smith, however, does not keep
on with this work, but beckons to another man, who relieves him at
the bellows, while he takes some more tools out of a large skin pouch
carried on his back. I look on in wonder as, with a smooth round
stick about the thickness of a finger, he bores a few vertical holes into
the clean sand of the soil. This should not be difficult, yet the man
seems to be taking great pains over it. Then he fastens down to the
ground, with a couple of wooden clamps, a neat little trough made by
splitting a joint of bamboo in half, so that the ends are closed by the
two knots. At last the yellow metal has attained the right consistency,
and the fundi lifts the crucible from the fire by means of two sticks
split at the end to serve as tongs. A short swift turn to the left—a
tilting of the crucible—and the molten brass, hissing and giving forth
clouds of smoke, flows first into the bamboo mould and then into the
holes in the ground.
The technique of this backwoods craftsman may not be very far
advanced, but it cannot be denied that he knows how to obtain an
adequate result by the simplest means. The ladies of highest rank in
this country—that is to say, those who can afford it, wear two kinds
of these massive brass rings, one cylindrical, the other semicircular
in section. The latter are cast in the most ingenious way in the
bamboo mould, the former in the circular hole in the sand. It is quite
a simple matter for the fundi to fit these bars to the limbs of his fair
customers; with a few light strokes of his hammer he bends the
pliable brass round arm or ankle without further inconvenience to
the wearer.
SHAPING THE POT

SMOOTHING WITH MAIZE-COB

CUTTING THE EDGE

 FINISHING THE BOTTOM

LAST SMOOTHING BEFORE

BURNING

FIRING THE BRUSH-PILE

 LIGHTING THE FARTHER SIDE OF
THE PILE

TURNING THE RED-HOT VESSEL

NYASA WOMAN MAKING POTS AT MASASI

Pottery is an art which must always and everywhere excite the
interest of the student, just because it is so intimately connected with
the development of human culture, and because its relics are one of
the principal factors in the reconstruction of our own condition in
prehistoric times. I shall always remember with pleasure the two or
three afternoons at Masasi when Salim Matola’s mother, a slightly-
built, graceful, pleasant-looking woman, explained to me with
touching patience, by means of concrete illustrations, the ceramic art
of her people. The only implements for this primitive process were a
lump of clay in her left hand, and in the right a calabash containing
the following valuables: the fragment of a maize-cob stripped of all
its grains, a smooth, oval pebble, about the size of a pigeon’s egg, a
few chips of gourd-shell, a bamboo splinter about the length of one’s
hand, a small shell, and a bunch of some herb resembling spinach.
 Nothing more. The woman scraped with the
shell a round, shallow hole in the soft, fine
sand of the soil, and, when an active young
girl had filled the calabash with water for her,
she began to knead the clay. As if by magic it
gradually assumed the shape of a rough but
already well-shaped vessel, which only wanted
a little touching up with the instruments
before mentioned. I looked out with the
MAKUA WOMAN closest attention for any indication of the use
MAKING A POT. of the potter’s wheel, in however rudimentary
SHOWS THE a form, but no—hapana (there is none). The
BEGINNINGS OF THE embryo pot stood firmly in its little
POTTER’S WHEEL
depression, and the woman walked round it in
a stooping posture, whether she was removing
small stones or similar foreign bodies with the maize-cob, smoothing
the inner or outer surface with the splinter of bamboo, or later, after
letting it dry for a day, pricking in the ornamentation with a pointed
bit of gourd-shell, or working out the bottom, or cutting the edge
with a sharp bamboo knife, or giving the last touches to the finished
vessel. This occupation of the women is infinitely toilsome, but it is
without doubt an accurate reproduction of the process in use among
our ancestors of the Neolithic and Bronze ages.
There is no doubt that the invention of pottery, an item in human
progress whose importance cannot be over-estimated, is due to
women. Rough, coarse and unfeeling, the men of the horde range
over the countryside. When the united cunning of the hunters has
succeeded in killing the game; not one of them thinks of carrying
home the spoil. A bright fire, kindled by a vigorous wielding of the
drill, is crackling beside them; the animal has been cleaned and cut
up secundum artem, and, after a slight singeing, will soon disappear
under their sharp teeth; no one all this time giving a single thought
to wife or child.
To what shifts, on the other hand, the primitive wife, and still more
the primitive mother, was put! Not even prehistoric stomachs could
endure an unvarying diet of raw food. Something or other suggested
the beneficial effect of hot water on the majority of approved but
indigestible dishes. Perhaps a neighbour had tried holding the hard
roots or tubers over the fire in a calabash filled with water—or maybe
an ostrich-egg-shell, or a hastily improvised vessel of bark. They
became much softer and more palatable than they had previously
been; but, unfortunately, the vessel could not stand the fire and got
charred on the outside. That can be remedied, thought our
ancestress, and plastered a layer of wet clay round a similar vessel.
This is an improvement; the cooking utensil remains uninjured, but
the heat of the fire has shrunk it, so that it is loose in its shell. The
next step is to detach it, so, with a firm grip and a jerk, shell and
kernel are separated, and pottery is invented. Perhaps, however, the
discovery which led to an intelligent use of the burnt-clay shell, was
made in a slightly different way. Ostrich-eggs and calabashes are not
to be found in every part of the world, but everywhere mankind has
arrived at the art of making baskets out of pliant materials, such as
bark, bast, strips of palm-leaf, supple twigs, etc. Our inventor has no
water-tight vessel provided by nature. “Never mind, let us line the
basket with clay.” This answers the purpose, but alas! the basket gets
burnt over the blazing fire, the woman watches the process of
cooking with increasing uneasiness, fearing a leak, but no leak
appears. The food, done to a turn, is eaten with peculiar relish; and
the cooking-vessel is examined, half in curiosity, half in satisfaction
at the result. The plastic clay is now hard as stone, and at the same
time looks exceedingly well, for the neat plaiting of the burnt basket
is traced all over it in a pretty pattern. Thus, simultaneously with
pottery, its ornamentation was invented.
Primitive woman has another claim to respect. It was the man,
roving abroad, who invented the art of producing fire at will, but the
woman, unable to imitate him in this, has been a Vestal from the
earliest times. Nothing gives so much trouble as the keeping alight of
the smouldering brand, and, above all, when all the men are absent
from the camp. Heavy rain-clouds gather, already the first large
drops are falling, the first gusts of the storm rage over the plain. The
little flame, a greater anxiety to the woman than her own children,
flickers unsteadily in the blast. What is to be done? A sudden thought
occurs to her, and in an instant she has constructed a primitive hut
out of strips of bark, to protect the flame against rain and wind.
This, or something very like it, was the way in which the principle
of the house was discovered; and even the most hardened misogynist
cannot fairly refuse a woman the credit of it. The protection of the
hearth-fire from the weather is the germ from which the human
dwelling was evolved. Men had little, if any share, in this forward
step, and that only at a late stage. Even at the present day, the
plastering of the housewall with clay and the manufacture of pottery
are exclusively the women’s business. These are two very significant
survivals. Our European kitchen-garden, too, is originally a woman’s
invention, and the hoe, the primitive instrument of agriculture, is,
characteristically enough, still used in this department. But the
noblest achievement which we owe to the other sex is unquestionably
the art of cookery. Roasting alone—the oldest process—is one for
which men took the hint (a very obvious one) from nature. It must
have been suggested by the scorched carcase of some animal
overtaken by the destructive forest-fires. But boiling—the process of
improving organic substances by the help of water heated to boiling-
point—is a much later discovery. It is so recent that it has not even
yet penetrated to all parts of the world. The Polynesians understand
how to steam food, that is, to cook it, neatly wrapped in leaves, in a
hole in the earth between hot stones, the air being excluded, and
(sometimes) a few drops of water sprinkled on the stones; but they
do not understand boiling.
To come back from this digression, we find that the slender Nyasa
woman has, after once more carefully examining the finished pot,
put it aside in the shade to dry. On the following day she sends me
word by her son, Salim Matola, who is always on hand, that she is
going to do the burning, and, on coming out of my house, I find her
already hard at work. She has spread on the ground a layer of very
dry sticks, about as thick as one’s thumb, has laid the pot (now of a
yellowish-grey colour) on them, and is piling brushwood round it.
My faithful Pesa mbili, the mnyampara, who has been standing by,
most obligingly, with a lighted stick, now hands it to her. Both of
them, blowing steadily, light the pile on the lee side, and, when the
flame begins to catch, on the weather side also. Soon the whole is in a
blaze, but the dry fuel is quickly consumed and the fire dies down, so
that we see the red-hot vessel rising from the ashes. The woman
turns it continually with a long stick, sometimes one way and
sometimes another, so that it may be evenly heated all over. In
twenty minutes she rolls it out of the ash-heap, takes up the bundle
of spinach, which has been lying for two days in a jar of water, and
sprinkles the red-hot clay with it. The places where the drops fall are
marked by black spots on the uniform reddish-brown surface. With a
sigh of relief, and with visible satisfaction, the woman rises to an
erect position; she is standing just in a line between me and the fire,
from which a cloud of smoke is just rising: I press the ball of my
camera, the shutter clicks—the apotheosis is achieved! Like a
priestess, representative of her inventive sex, the graceful woman
stands: at her feet the hearth-fire she has given us beside her the
invention she has devised for us, in the background the home she has
built for us.
At Newala, also, I have had the manufacture of pottery carried on
in my presence. Technically the process is better than that already
described, for here we find the beginnings of the potter’s wheel,
which does not seem to exist in the plains; at least I have seen
nothing of the sort. The artist, a frightfully stupid Makua woman, did
not make a depression in the ground to receive the pot she was about
to shape, but used instead a large potsherd. Otherwise, she went to
work in much the same way as Salim’s mother, except that she saved
herself the trouble of walking round and round her work by squatting
at her ease and letting the pot and potsherd rotate round her; this is
surely the first step towards a machine. But it does not follow that
the pot was improved by the process. It is true that it was beautifully
rounded and presented a very creditable appearance when finished,
but the numerous large and small vessels which I have seen, and, in
part, collected, in the “less advanced” districts, are no less so. We
moderns imagine that instruments of precision are necessary to
produce excellent results. Go to the prehistoric collections of our
museums and look at the pots, urns and bowls of our ancestors in the
dim ages of the past, and you will at once perceive your error.
MAKING LONGITUDINAL CUT IN
BARK

DRAWING THE BARK OFF THE LOG

REMOVING THE OUTER BARK

 BEATING THE BARK

WORKING THE BARK-CLOTH AFTER BEATING, TO MAKE IT

SOFT

MANUFACTURE OF BARK-CLOTH AT NEWALA

To-day, nearly the whole population of German East Africa is
clothed in imported calico. This was not always the case; even now in
some parts of the north dressed skins are still the prevailing wear,
and in the north-western districts—east and north of Lake
Tanganyika—lies a zone where bark-cloth has not yet been
superseded. Probably not many generations have passed since such
bark fabrics and kilts of skins were the only clothing even in the
south. Even to-day, large quantities of this bright-red or drab
material are still to be found; but if we wish to see it, we must look in
the granaries and on the drying stages inside the native huts, where
it serves less ambitious uses as wrappings for those seeds and fruits
which require to be packed with special care. The salt produced at
Masasi, too, is packed for transport to a distance in large sheets of
bark-cloth. Wherever I found it in any degree possible, I studied the
process of making this cloth. The native requisitioned for the
purpose arrived, carrying a log between two and three yards long and
as thick as his thigh, and nothing else except a curiously-shaped
mallet and the usual long, sharp and pointed knife which all men and
boys wear in a belt at their backs without a sheath—horribile dictu!
[51]
Silently he squats down before me, and with two rapid cuts has
drawn a couple of circles round the log some two yards apart, and
slits the bark lengthwise between them with the point of his knife.
With evident care, he then scrapes off the outer rind all round the
log, so that in a quarter of an hour the inner red layer of the bark
shows up brightly-coloured between the two untouched ends. With
some trouble and much caution, he now loosens the bark at one end,
and opens the cylinder. He then stands up, takes hold of the free
edge with both hands, and turning it inside out, slowly but steadily
pulls it off in one piece. Now comes the troublesome work of
scraping all superfluous particles of outer bark from the outside of
the long, narrow piece of material, while the inner side is carefully
scrutinised for defective spots. At last it is ready for beating. Having
signalled to a friend, who immediately places a bowl of water beside
him, the artificer damps his sheet of bark all over, seizes his mallet,
lays one end of the stuff on the smoothest spot of the log, and
hammers away slowly but continuously. “Very simple!” I think to
myself. “Why, I could do that, too!”—but I am forced to change my
opinions a little later on; for the beating is quite an art, if the fabric is
not to be beaten to pieces. To prevent the breaking of the fibres, the
stuff is several times folded across, so as to interpose several
thicknesses between the mallet and the block. At last the required
state is reached, and the fundi seizes the sheet, still folded, by both
ends, and wrings it out, or calls an assistant to take one end while he
holds the other. The cloth produced in this way is not nearly so fine
and uniform in texture as the famous Uganda bark-cloth, but it is
quite soft, and, above all, cheap.
Now, too, I examine the mallet. My craftsman has been using the
simpler but better form of this implement, a conical block of some
hard wood, its base—the striking surface—being scored across and
across with more or less deeply-cut grooves, and the handle stuck
into a hole in the middle. The other and earlier form of mallet is
shaped in the same way, but the head is fastened by an ingenious
network of bark strips into the split bamboo serving as a handle. The
observation so often made, that ancient customs persist longest in
connection with religious ceremonies and in the life of children, here
finds confirmation. As we shall soon see, bark-cloth is still worn
during the unyago,[52] having been prepared with special solemn
ceremonies; and many a mother, if she has no other garment handy,
will still put her little one into a kilt of bark-cloth, which, after all,
looks better, besides being more in keeping with its African
surroundings, than the ridiculous bit of print from Ulaya.
MAKUA WOMEN