THE SEXUAL SELF

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. Identify the stages in the unfolding of the sexual self;
b. Determine the difference of sex and gender;
c. Decipher the consequences of uncontrolled sexuality;
d. Determine the ways to prevent the spread of STD’s.

SEXUALITY
-It is a central aspect of being human throughout life which encompasses sex, gender identities and roles,
sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy, and reproduction. It is experienced and expressed in
thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles, and relationships.
-WHO

SEX
- It refers to a person’s characterization as a female or male at birth, typically based on the appearance
of external genitalia or other biological characteristics including chromosomes.

GENDER
- It refers to social characteristics that may be (or not be) aligned with a person’s sex and adopted by an
individual as their gender identity.

Physical Development
- The beginning of adolescence is marked by rapid physical changes including the maturation of
the reproductive system and the development of different sexual characteristics:
1. Primary Sex Characteristics
- These are physical characteristics that are present at birth.
- In women, these characteristics include the vagina, uterus, & ovaries.
- In men, the primary sex characteristics include the penis, testes or testicles, scrotum, &
prostate gland.
2. Secondary Sex characteristics
- The secondary characteristics develop during the onset of puberty.
- For women, the earliest evidences of puberty are the enlargement of the breasts, menstrual
cycle, widening, of hips, enlargement of buttocks, and pubic hair.
- For men, testicular growth, sperm production, appearance of facial, pubic, and other body hair,
and deepening of voice are some of the first signs of puberty in men.
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- Ovulation period can occur 14 days after the beginning of the menstrual period.
- Reproductive System is the system of sex organs designed for reproduction of sexual function.
Female reproductive system includes two ovaries, the fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and
clitoris.
- Male reproductive system includes penis, testes, scrotum, prostate gland, seminal vesicles,
vas deferens, and epididymis.
- Any intervention with the normal pattern of sex hormone production in the embryo results in
strange abnormalities.
- For instance, a genetic male develops the female accessory structures and external genitalia if
the embryonic testis failed to produce testosterone.
- If a genetic female is exposed to testosterone, is that embryo has ovaries but may develop
male accessory ducts, glands as well as male reproductive organ and empty scrotum.
- Hermaphrodites are individuals who possess both ovarian and testicular tissues, but this
condition is rare.
- Pseudo hermaphrodites are formed whose individuals having accessory reproductive
structures that do not match their gonads.
PUBERTY
- It is ten period of life, generally between the ages of 10-15 years old, when the reproductive
organs grow to their adult size become functional under the influence of rising levels of
gonadal hormones.
- After this time, reproductive capability continues until old age in males and menopause in
females.
- In males, as they reach the age 13, puberty is characterized by the increase in the size of the
reproductive organs followed by the appearance of hair in the public area, axillary and the
face.
- The reproductive organs continue to grow for two years until sexual maturation marked the
presence of mature semen in the testes.
- In females, the budding of their breasts usually occurring at the age of 11 signals their puberty
stage.
- Menarche is the first menstrual period of females which happens two years after the start of
puberty.
KINDS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION
THE EROGENOUS ZONE