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The Source: Volume 1, Issue 2, March 1998

New Books

GENERAL SEXUALITY

The Best Intentions: Unintended Pregnancy and the Well-Being of Children and Families
Sarah S. Brown and Leon Eisenberg, Editors
1995; National Academy Press;
ISBN 0-309-05230-0
This book examines the causes and consequences of unintended pregnancy in the United States, and suggests and evaluates prevention strategies. It proposes a national campaign to reduce unintended pregnancies which stresses education, research, increasing access to contraception, and the important role that feelings and interpersonal relationships play in prevention.

Dubious Conceptions: The Politics of Teenage Pregnancy
Kristin Luker
1996; Harvard University Press;
ISBN 0-674-21702-0
This book combines historical information, statistics, and personal narratives to paint an accurate picture of teenage mothers in America today. It examines the important role that race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status play in teenage pregnancy rates. It also traces how the rates have been influenced by politics.

Contraceptive Technology, 17^th Revised Edition
Robert A. Hatcher, M.D., M.P.H., James Trussell, Ph.D.,
Felicia Stewart, M.D., Gary K. Stewart, M.D., M.P.H.,
Deborah Kowal, M.A., P.A., Felicia Guest, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.,
Willard Cates, Jr., M.D., M.P.H., Michael S. Policar, M.D., M.P.H.
1998; Irvington Publishers, Inc.
This book provides clear information about sexual anatomy and physiology, sexually transmitted diseases, methods of birth control, and women’s reproductive health problems. Emphasis is placed on education and counseling. Relevant statistics and strategies are given throughout. A list of family planning resources as well as a glossary and index are also included.

A Descriptive Dictionary and Atlas of Sexology
Robert T. Francoeur, Editor-in-Chief,
Timothy Perper and Norman A. Scherzer, Coeditors
1991; Greenwood Press;
ISBN 0-313-25943-7
This book provides comprehensive definitions for sexual terms. It includes an atlas of human sexuality that utilizes clear charts and diagrams to illustrate psychosexual development, sexual anatomy and physiology, and reproduction.

Going All The Way: Teenage Girls’ Tales of Sex, Romance  and Pregnancy
Sharon Thompson
1995; Hill and Wang, A Division
of Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
This book is a presentation of the results of over 400 interviews of adolescent girls conducted from 1978 to 1986. The narratives touch many aspects of sexuality, including romantic expectations, sexual decision making, teen motherhood, lesbians, and relationships. (See book review in this issue of The Source for more detailed information.)

The Social Organization of Sexuality
Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon,
Robert T. Michael, and Stuart Michaels
1994; The University of Chicago Press;
ISBN 0-226-46957-3
Written for professional social scientists, counselors, and health professionals, this book presents the findings of the National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS), which was designed to determine the incidence and prevalence of sexual practices and to place them in their social contexts. Topics covered in the book include early sexual experiences, masturbation, contraception and fertility, abortion, gay and lesbian sexuality, sexual abuse and coercion, sexual health, satisfaction, and sexual dysfunction. The authors have also published Sex in America: A Definitive Survey (1994; CSG Enterprises, Inc.; ISBN 0-316-07524-8), which reports the findings of this survey for the lay person.

Studies in Human Sexuality: A Selected Guide, Second Edition
Suzanne G. Frayser and Thomas J. Whitby
1995; Libraries Unlimited, Inc.;
ISBN 1-56308-131-8
This book is a comprehensive bibliographic guide on human sexuality. It includes over 1,000 abstracts covering such general areas as medicine, psychology, anthropology, sociology, religion, law, education, history, literature, and the arts. It also highlights such specific issues as abortion, AIDS, prostitution, sexuality education, sexual abuse, sexuality and the media, and gay and lesbian sexuality.

For Sex Education, See Librarian: A Guide to Issues and Resources
Martha Cornog and Timothy Perper
1996; Greenwood Press;
ISBN 0-313-29022-9
This is a practical guide to sexuality materials in libraries. The book covers the history of sexuality education and of sexuality materials in libraries, and provides guidelines for access, collection development, cataloging and programming. There are also listings of annotated bibliographies on the topics of "Sexuality and Behavior," "Homosexuality and Gender Issues," "Life Cycle Issues," "Sex and Society," and "Sexual Problems."

Lessons for Lifeguards: Working With Teens When the Topic is Hope
Dr. Michael A. Carrera
1996; Donkey Press;
ISBN 0-9650535-0-4
This book is a collection of essays and reflections for educators and counselors who work with teenagers. It uses metaphors and humor to encourage creative teaching techniques and also provides practical advice. A glossary of concepts is also included.

Sexuality and the Curriculum: The Politics and Practices of Sexuality Education
James T. Sears, Editor
1992; Teachers College Press;
ISBN 0-8077-3152-8
This book is a collection of essays that challenge conventional assumptions about sexuality and sexuality curricula. It explores both explicit and hidden sexuality curricula from kindergarten through college, and proposes specific strategies and alternatives. A resource list and index are included.

The Sexuality Education Challenge: Promoting Healthy Sexuality in Young People
Judy C. Drolet and Kay Clark, Editors
1994; ETR Associates;
ISBN 1-56071-130-2
This book is a collection of essays written by sexuality educators. Topics include a history of sexuality education, challenges to sexuality education in schools and in conservative communities, teacher training for sexuality education, and the role of the media in sexuality education. It also evaluates sexuality education programs. A list of resources and an index are included.

Sexuality Education in Postsecondary and Professional Training Settings
James W. Maddock, Ph.D., Editor
1997; The Hawthorne Press, Inc.;
ISBN 0-7890-0027-X
This book is a collection of essays written by and geared towards sexuality educators of young adults. The essays cover sexuality education in undergraduate courses, seminaries and theological schools, and medical schools.

Sexuality Education: Theory and Practice, 3^rd Edition
Clint E. Bruess, Jerrold S. Greenberg
1994; Wm. C. Brown Communications, Inc.;
ISBN 0-697-17124-8
This is a comprehensive textbook of sexuality education. It is divided into six sections: "Introduction to Sexuality Education," "Instituting and Expanding Sexuality Education Programs," "Biological, Psychological, and Sociological Aspects of Sexuality Education," "Sexual Decision Making," "Conducting Sexuality Education," and "Evaluation and Research." Many teaching strategies and educational activities are presented.

Teaching About Sexuality and HIV: Principles and Methods  for Effective Education
Evonne Hedgepeth and Joan Helmich
1996; New York University Press;
ISBN 0-8147-3535-5
This book covers all aspects of teaching sexuality education, including activities manuals and curricula, theories of creating a productive learning environment and effectively facilitating groups, and evaluations. A list of resources and an index are included. (See book review in this issue of The Source for more detailed information.)

The International Encyclopedia of Sexuality (3 volumes)
Robert T. Francoeur, Editor
1997; The Continuum Publishing Company;
ISBN 0-8264-0838-9 (vol. 1),
0-8264-0839-7 (vol. 2),
0-8264-0840-0 (vol. 3)
This three-volume set provides straightforward, comprehensive information about sexual beliefs, norms, and activities in 32 countries. Each chapter follows the same content outline, which enables the reader to easily compare specific sexual issues in different countries. A list of international resources and an index are included.

Learning About Sexuality: A Practical Beginning
Sondra Zeidenstein and Kirsten Moore, Editors
1996; The Population Council, Inc.;
ISBN 0-87834-085-8
Written for family planning and reproductive health care providers, sexuality researchers and educators, and activists, this book examines ways in which sexuality, gender roles, and power imbalance in intimate relationships influence family planning and reproductive health choices. It is a compilation of essays which detail sexuality research and programs from a variety of cultures. The book is divided into three sections: "Approaches to Understanding the Experience of Sexuality," "Understanding and Acting on the Links among Sexuality, Contraception, and Reproductive Health," and "Challenging Entrenched Attitudes and Behavior Related to Sexuality."

Reproductive Health in Developing Countries: Expanding Dimensions, Building Solutions
Amy O. Tsui, Judith N. Wasserheit,
and John G. Haaga, Editors
1997; National Academy Press;
ISBN 0-309-05644-6
This book provides information about the magnitude of reproductive health problems in developing countries, and what is known about the effectiveness of interventions in these areas. The topics covered in this collection of essays include infection-free sexual relationships, intended pregnancies and births, healthy pregnancy and delivery, and healthy sexuality.

Sexuality Education Across Cultures
Janice M. Irvine
1995; Jossey-Bass Inc.;
ISBN 0-7879-0154-7
Written for professionals who teach or counsel about sexuality issues and parents, this book explores the way in which cultural differences shape beliefs about gender and sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It also shows how a better understanding of cultural diversity will improve communication and create more effective sexuality education programs.

Book Reviews

(Previously published in the SIECUS Report)

The Centerfold Syndrome: How Men Can Overcome Objectification and Achieve Intimacy with Women
(follow link to order book - In association with Amazon.com)
Gary Brooks, Ph.D.
Jossey-Bass
350 Sansome Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
415/433-1740
$22.00

Upon hearing of The Centerfold Syndrome, I tried to pigeonhole it. Would it be a pro-censorship manifesto or an account of the various ways in which such materials harm women? Many such books exist, so I wondered how psychologist Gary Brooks’ new effort could make an original contribution.

Happily, I discovered that it fills a void by dealing directly with the ways pornography harms not only women but also men. In this respect, The Centerfold Syndrome should prove helpful for educators, counselors, and anyone interested in this influence on men.

According to Dr. Brooks, the centerfold syndrome is the dysfunctional way in which many heterosexual men relate to women’s bodies. Dr. Brooks believes that the syndrome (which includes, but is not limited to, voyeurism and objectification) is caused by rigid gender role expectations that are socialized and reinforced by pornography. Ultimately, Dr. Brooks concludes that men who challenge their gender role expectations and begin to see women as people rather than objects will live happier, more intimate lives with other partners.

Dr. Brooks offers a perspective that is thoughtful, highly readable, and, above all, persuasive. By providing transcripts from a men’s group which he led, Dr. Brooks demonstrates how the objectification of women prohibits men from achieving intimacy with their partners. The book’s greatest strength is its persuasive argument that a male sexuality based on the objectification of women is socially constructed, and that which has been constructed can be deconstructed.

Educators will find Dr. Brooks’ literature summaries extremely useful. He takes complicated topics (such as the social construction of gender) and puts them into understandable forms. He also makes abstract ideas (such as objectification) comprehensible by providing examples from his own life and male socialization.

Although the focus of the book is on heterosexual relationships, Dr. Brooks explains in his preface that this bias comes not from heterosexism, but rather from his range of professional experience. While he notes that many of the themes in the book do not apply to the lives of gay and bisexual men, homophobia among men who use pornography does receive attention. In this respect, readers interested in homophobia among groups of men may find some of the transcripts interesting.

Readers who take a more libertarian approach to pornography will certainly find fault with some of Dr. Brooks’ basic assumptions. Despite these concerns, The Centerfold Syndrome will be of value to even the most critical readers, for it is well crafted and original in its approach.

Going All the Way: Teenage Girls’ Tales of Sex, Romance, and Pregnancy 
Sharon Thompson
Hill and Wang
1/800-788-6262
1995, 340 pp
$24.00/hardcover; $13.00 paperback

Countless strategies have been devised to combat teenage pregnancy in the United States. Yet the problem continues with little sign of diminution. Teenagers continue to have sexual relations, and girls continue to get pregnant.

In Going All the Way: Teenage Girls’ Tales of Sex, Romance, and Pregnancy, however, Sharon Thompson takes an innovative, while seemingly obvious, approach to assessing the problem of teenage pregnancy: S he goes directly to teenage girls and asks them about their relationships, their sexual experience, and their experiences with contraception and pregnancy.

The book is divided into eight chapters with cliché titles: "Victims of Love," "Playing the Field," "Infinite Possibilities of Doing," "Having My Baby," "Years of Hell and Freedom," "Passionate Friends," "Precarious Time and Fugitive Passage," and "The Game of Love." Each presents a "type" of girl, which Thompson defines by their attitudes towards love, romance, and reproduction as well as their socio-economic backgrounds.

Thompson thus categorizes the many factors that influence a teenage girl to have sexual relations: the role that love and romance play in her decision; the path she would take if faced with an unintended pregnancy, and the part sexuality plays in her career and education plans. Unfortunately, the categories put the girls into two boxes, and assign to them additional labels.

Going All the Way is engaging because the reader hears the girls’ voices. One "victim" recalls the negotiations she made before deciding to give up her virginity. "I said, ‘Look, you have to prove to me that you care, and this isn’t just going to be nice-knowing-you-see-you-later because I’m not like that.’ He knew I was a virgin…" Another teenage mom explains that having a child was her destiny. "I do have this dream. One day I’m going to get married, live in a big house with a big yard, and have a bunch of kids. So, I was glad about it. I loved the feeling of being pregnant and knowing he was there, you know."

This work is the result of 400 interviews the author conducted from 1978 to 1986 with girls across the nation--from all geographic, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Going All the Way is satisfying in that it lets the reader hear from the silent players in this debate.

But, at the same time, the book raises many questions and leaves the reader begging for more. Girls will continue to have sexual relations, but how can parents and policy positively influence girls to protect themselves? One first step would be to begin to look at the other half of the equation—the boys. Someone must continue Thompson’s conversations. Is a Teenage Boys’ Tale of Sex, Love and Romance around the corner?

Managing Herpes: How to Live and Love With a Chronic STD (follow link to order book - In association with Amazon.com)
Charles Ebel
American Social Health Association
P.O. Box 13827
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
800/230-6039
1996, 206 pp.
$19.75 (including shipping)

The American Social Health Association (ASHA) deserves applause for creating this herpes resource that masterfully translates its extensive counseling, research, and public education experience into a work that will benefit health educators, practitioners, and herpes patients alike.

Complex medical information is engagingly presented, creating a wide potential audience by assuming no previous knowledge while still covering the latest scientific debates. The tone is practical and compassionate, appropriate even for the newly diagnosed.

Managing Herpes answers virtually all medical questions- from how herpes is transmitted through open sores to why the skin tingles just prior to an outbreak. The author, who is a sexuality educator, expertly begins by addressing common concerns and debunking misconceptions (such as getting herpes from a toilet seat).

From there, he goes well beyond standard herpes educational materials by discussing in detail the latest diagnostic tests, appropriate timing of treatment for greatest efficacy, and the often glossed over relationship between Herpes Simplex I and Herpes Simplex II. (The author points out that people infected first with oral herpes often build up an immune response which allows them to resist catching genital herpes or to temper an outbreak.)

While fully describing the difficulties of herpes outbreaks and the lifelong nature of infection, the book is also wonderfully upbeat. With an estimated 50 percent or more of Americans infected with the Herpes Simplex I virus and an estimated 20 percent infected with Herpes Simplex II, readers need to know that they are not alone in their diagnosis. Moreover, they can live well even though infected.

Encouragingly, most people experience less frequent and less severe outbreaks after their initial episodes. With this in mind, the author gives practical suggestions for managing stress and building immune resistance. He also offers valuable insights on informing partners, finding a sensitive practitioner, and preventing transmission during pregnancy and future sexual experiences.

Instead of banishing herpes-positive people to a life of celibacy, he provides paths around obstacles, such as discussing herpes with new sexual partners thereby allaying fears and celebrating sexuality. The subtitle "How to Live and Love (emphasis added) with a Chronic STD" is quite well deserved. For more counseling information, contact the National Herpes Hotline directly at 919/361-8488.

Sexual Behavior and AIDS in India
Moni Nag, Ph.D.
Vikas Publishing House Pvt., Ltd.
576 Masjid Road
Jangpura New Delhi, 110 014, India
1996, 157 pp.
Rs. 250

Sexual Behavior and AIDS in India opens a widow onto sexuality in that country and provides a broad overview of the sexual behaviors and practices of its citizens—with discussions on premarital and extramarital sexual relations, prostitution, homosexuality, safe sex practices, and sexual abstinence.

The book indicates that India is ready to talk about sexual issues and sexual expression because AIDS is spreading in the general population and is no longer thought of as a disease that affects only foreigners.

It also lends support to the fact that there is still little research-based information on the behaviors and attitudes of people most likely to contract HIV and get AIDS and that there is a need for comprehensive surveys with experimental designs and methodologies to obtain reliable, valid, and useful information and results.

The author suggests a course of action for conducting research and educational campaigns. He also recommends the importance of the multipronged approaches for quantitative and qualitative data collection on prostitutes, their clients, homeless children, poor children, and children of rape. In addition, he directs attention toward the changing role of women in India and its impact on their sexual behavior.

In no way is Sexual Behavior and AIDS in India an exhaustive presentation of what is truly being undertaken to combat AIDS in India. Nevertheless, it is a good start. It is undoubtedly a challenge to prepare a comprehensive document on the expression of sexuality in a country of 900 million people where, for many years, research on sexuality has been limited. It is even more challenging to come up with a national plan to educate different age groups about HIV/AIDS.

I must point out that the book brings some record-keeping and research problems to light. Many research studies on sexual behavior and attitudes are missing. Readers are cautioned not to generalize about the sexual behaviors of the people of India based on such a limited sampling.

Indian policy planners, educators, and other leaders, in turn, should not decide on a national intervention program based on such incomplete information. They need more planned research. For example, information about rural populations is insufficient. Such an omission is akin to missing a big piece of the jigsaw puzzle because 70 percent of the Indian population lives in rural areas.

Still, this book is a good start. It will help educators and government leaders realize the importance of forming a plan of action to stop the spread of AIDS in India.

Teaching About Sexuality and HIV: Principles and Methods for Effective Education (follow link to order book - In association with Amazon.com)
Evonne Hedgepeth, Ph.D., and Joan Helmich, Ph.D.
New York University Press
1996; 410 pp.
$20/paper; $55/cloth

Each time I hire a new community health educator, I confront the same problem: How can I help this new employee learn the essentials (the content, the principles, the theory) involved in sexuality education? It is relatively easy to find resources dealing with content, but it is almost impossible to find a concise, readable resource dealing with the learning process, with participative education, and with democratic teaching technologies.

Teaching About Sexuality and HIV: Principles and Methods for Effective Education combines that critical theoretical underpinning with practical applications. In addition, it is easily accessed, anecdotally illustrated, and, as a result, immediately useful.

This new book is an excellent resource for everyone in this field because it provides a firm grounding in both education and learning theory. For example, sections on "Learning Modalities" and "Multiple Intelligences" go beyond telling us how to incorporate varied methodologies and approaches into our teaching. They also tell us why we need them.

In addition, they review specific methodologies such as role play, introspective activities, and problem solving. In the process, they make practical suggestions for using, and not using, these methodologies—always with an emphasis on the safety and quality of the learning experience for students and groups.

Perhaps the book’s most impressive strength is its very scope and depth. Teaching About Sexuality and HIV: Principles and Methods for Effective Education combines education and learning theory with an overview of the field of sexuality education. It gives the readers tools to implement the theory in ways that are always aimed at creating the safest, most productive learning experience for the student.

This is a book I will keep on my desk or in my briefcase: for ideas, for reminders, for inspiration. I will give a copy to each of my educators. I hope they’ll write in it, turn down page corners, attach notes. If they do, I’ll know they are better educators. That is the gift to the field that Dr. Hedgepeth and Dr. Helmich have given us.

Transgender Warriors: Making History From Joan of Arc to RuPaul (follow link to order book - In association with Amazon.com)
Leslie Feinberg
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2892
1996, 212pp.
$27.50

In Transgender Warriors, the author introduces her historical analysis with the words, "I couldn’t find myself in history. No one like me seemed to have ever existed. But I had to know why I was so hated for being different."

Arranged chronologically, Transgender Warriors traces the evolution of transgenderism from ancient times to the present day. Feinberg structures her expansive journey through history around the questions, "Have we always existed?" "Have we always been so hated?" "Have we always fought back?"

As a result, the reader discovers that transgender expression is celebrated in many cultures. Feinberg illustrates this through her positive descriptions of the Native American Two Spirit, known as the berdache by European colonizers; the religious rites of Near Eastern, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean transsexual priestesses; and the transspiritual expression of shamans in Vietnam, China and India.

In the ensuing chapters, Feinberg carefully examines the transition from ancient to current gender order. She equates the emergence of patriarchy with the origin of gender oppression. In this era, such "transgender warriors" as the French Joan of Arc, the Welsh revolutionaries Rebecca and her daughters, and the Irish peasant rebel Molly Maguires emerged. By way of her discovery of cross-dressing as a form of peasant rebellion, Feinberg makes an argument for the alliance between class struggle and gender oppression.

Transgender Warriors argues that transgender oppression is linked in one way or another to all forms of oppression. Feinberg analyzes the role of patriarchy and colonialism on class, gender, sexuality, and race. Thus, her narrative of trans-history calls for solidarity among all oppressed people.

Working with Young People on Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS
Hand-in-Hand Network
Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group
Farringdon Point, 29-35 Farringdon Road
London EC1M 3JB, United Kingdom
1996, 56 pp.
$10 U.S. Free to developing countries.

Working with Young People on Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS serves as a resource for those who work with and educate youth around the world.

What makes it unique is the sensitive approach it takes to multicultural, international, and special-needs populations (which, of course, could include all of us) while targeting young women, young people living with HIV, street youth, young people with disabilities, young people attracted to the same gender, and refugees and migrants.

The booklet includes discussions on such topics as how to avoid unwanted sexual relations as well as unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); how to have healthy sexual relationships that are free from pressure or violence; how to develop confidence to deal with emerging sexual feelings and situations, and how to identify services that enable young people to act on this information.

The materials include suggested activities, games, comics, videos, and books that youth workers and educators may want to consider for their individual programs. Readers are encouraged to adapt the materials and to use them as jumping off points for the creative involvement of both the youth and the youth workers.

Excellent questions are readily at hand to help the educator or youth worker decide if the materials are appropriate for the audiences with whom the will work. For example, what can an educator use to replace handouts at a session when the individuals cannot read? Flannel boards with pictures or comic strips are suggested alternatives.

I was delighted to see listed Sex: A Guide for the Young, a video I use here at Columbia University with college students. This cartoon video covers a lot of ground through graphics. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. And these pictures help to minimize embarrassment with laughter, too.

Educators and youth workers are encouraged to contact organizations before they purchase materials to make certain the order information is current. Happily, e-mail addresses are included.

Ironically, my only reservation about these materials concerns order fulfillments. Since many of the materials are only available outside the United States, will American community-based organizations and educational bureaucracies find it too challenging to meet order and payment requirements in a timely manner?

No matter; there is still much of benefit here—even if the educator or youth worker order nothing but the booklet itself.

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