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dpearso's Human Sexuality blog
  1. Blog4.prositution&legality

    April 29, 2015 by Domonique Pearson

    In the debate in discussing whether or not prostitution is legal, there are two different sides of the debate.

     

    On one side of the debate proponents of legalizing prostitution have provided a different perspective on the ideas and results/ outcomes of prostitution. They believe that prostitution is not that harmful as it is being projected and is just as likely to be casual sex (Moen 2014). The ideas talked about on this side were focused on sex not always being permissible. If sex is not romantic does not mean it is not sex, it just means sex is still casual and sex is sex. (Moen 2014).  Moen made a comparison of the casual sex aspect of prostitution and making a metaphor out of it with eating by saying, ” What is, biologically, the mere satisfaction of a nutritional need is given deep personal meaning because of its social and psychological setting” (Moen 2014). The argument is that if causal sex is going to cause problems then so is prostitution. When arguing to legalize prostitution it was stated that the cause of some psychological problems do not always stem from prostitution. Another article looked at a different view of what if prostitution was legal. The argue that their solution will protect the social order, society and the prostitutes. (Hayes-Smith et al. 2010). Hayes-Smith makes the point that there are problems with prostitution, but if they make it against the law it will not stop the problems, but instead they want to protect the prostitutes. In the 19th century doctors were worried about prostitutes and transmitting or getting STDs, so doctors were trying to urge the government to have prostitutes have mandatory exams (Hayes-Smith 2010). There was a study done where, “The Seattle Women’s Commission (1995) … compar[ed] arrest and conviction rates and found 1210 arrests of prostitutes and 228 arrests of johns [pimps]… 98% of the men arrested were charged but only 8% of these men were convicted, while 62% of the women were charged and 12% were convicted (Seattle Women’s Commission 1995; or Farley & Kelly, 2000). This shows that the prostitutes are being charged more than the pimps. There are many flaws in the laws of prostitution and the rest of the study says that these laws should be changed or not there at all in legalizing prostitution because of the many layers.

     

    On the other side of the debate the they argue that prostitution should not be legalized at all. The study was done with transgender females of color who have a history of sex work, because of this they have a hard time in life later on. And they are struggling to survive, so they have to sell sex for food and shelter. There was a study done with 48 transgender women of color in San Francisco and they were asked how they were getting to be involved in sex work (prostitution) and then they tracked the risks and why they stayed involved with sex work (Sausa et al. 2007). Through the study the participants said that they were influenced by the cultural norms of society to get into sex work. Though these personal stories Sausa and colleagues discovered that the transgender women of color in sex work are more prone to having more needs and will have to deal with certain interventions so that they will not have as many health harms through society and the social realm. (Sausa et al. 2007). In another article it examined the sale of alcohol and prostitution in the late nineteenth century in San Antonio, TX and how it was an increased business due to the men coming back from war. However this was a problem but if they stopped it would just go onto the Mexican border, so they had to deal with that problem (Shah 2010). Many clubs and organizations were meant  to steer girls in the right direction but it was hard to “clean up” so to say from the prostitution in the area. The history records showed that prostitution was tearing the town down so, a woman’s organization, “WCSA believed that increasing women’s role in antivice work would lead to less corruption within the police force and would provide girls protection from sexual exploitation on the street” (Shah 2010). Prostitution is making it harder for communities to stay together and to create a safe place for girls and women to not get involved in prostitution.

     

    I agree with the side that says that prostitution should not be legal. The articles that I found were all about personal stories and the history of the effects of prostitution. I think that these were more helpful that the other side where it just talked about how prostitution is being more exaggerated than it should be. I thought it was interesting that casual sex is being compared to prostitution because I did not see it that way, or it being that decision. They just took it very lightly on that side. But with the side that said it should be legal, gave the view that these women were dragged into prostitution based on the life they were living and the situations they were in. The real life stories were used more in the strength of the argument.

     

    References:

    (NO) Sausa, L. A., Keatley, J., & Operario, D. (2007). Perceived risks and benefits of sex work among transgender women of color in San Francisco. Archives Of Sexual Behavior, 36(6), 768-777.

    (NO) SHAH, C. Q. (2010). “Against Their Own Weakness”: Policing Sexuality and Women in San Antonio, Texas, during World War I. Journal Of The History Of Sexuality, 19(3), 458-482.

    (YES) Moen, O. M. (2014). Is prostitution harmful?. Journal Of Medical Ethics: Journal Of The Institute Of Medical Ethics, 40(2), 73-81.

    (YES) Hayes-Smith, R., & Shekarkhar, Z. (2010). Why is prostitution criminalized? An alternative viewpoint on the construction of sex work. Contemporary Justice Review, 13(1), 43-55.


  2. Blog3.bdsm&healthysex

    March 7, 2015 by Domonique Pearson

    There are two sides to the ideas of BDSM and if it is a form of healthy sexual expression.

    On one side of the debate it is considered that BDSM is a healthy way of expressing a person’s sexual desires and can be a form of sexual therapy. Some therapists tell couples to try forms of BDSM to help spice up their monogamous sex life, and it has been accepted in a mainstream context (Barker et al. 2007). In a study done by Jozifkoza 21.6% of people who participated in the study said that they were aware they were into BDSM by the age of 13, and 40.7% before the age of 18, he says that BDSMers differ from sex with violence (Jozifkoza 2013). BDSMers are having this sexual experience voluntarily, and claim that people who engage in it have given consent with their partners and have talked about it beforehand and have respected their partners decisions. (Jozifkoza 2013). If one of the partners does not want to continue then they can establish a safe word and with that they can consent the sexual activity. In using the safe word they are practicing consensual sex, and this can be good for people who have been previous sexually abused.  When partners are involved in BDSM they need to have good communication and good knowledge of what BDSM consists of (Jozifkoza 2013).

    On the other side of the debate it is argued that BDSM can be threatening and to the extent that it is seen as queer sexuality challenges heteronormativity (Barker et al. 2007). Therapists have been told that this umbrella under the idea of BDSM can be expanded among different age groups and different sexualities. It has been reported that 14% American men and 11% American women have been reported to be engaging in BDSM (Barker et al. 2007).   BDSM can be linked to sexual abuse, mental abuse and murder. There have been cases where men have been charged for assault, where the judge said that consent was not a good enough defense, so they were sentenced to jail time. In a study done by Warren and Hazelwood they found that women who were in relationships with sadistic men were involved in dangerous sexual and criminal behavior, and voluntarily but before they were in these relationships they were in normal relationships. The men in these relationships were more dominant and organized the behavior of the women (Warren & Hazelwood 2002). Men who are sexual sadist can become murders using their women to lure young girls, provoking their fantasies of verbal, physical, and sexual behaviors. In the study they describe the women as “compliant victims” and their background history have small criminal activity (Warren & Hazelwood 2002). There is a sexual satisfaction scale and it measures the amount of distress and low arousal of participants involved in BDSM. Distress was found more in women who were around the age of 35 (Monterio et al. 2015). It was found that BDSM should only be studied in clinical settings, and can cause more stress in women and men.

    I agree with the side that says that BDSM is not a healthy form of sexual expression. There were more points and statistical evidence in my opinion on how people in BDSM can be dangerously affected by manipulation of their partners involved in BDSM and how it can lead to sadistic. However there was some good points on the positive side of BDSM, as long as there is strong communication with the partners and they have an equal agreement on the boundaries they are both comfortable with. But there was no long term studies on how BDSM can affect women or men on the side of saying BDSM is healthy sexual expression.

    References:

    Barker, M., Iantaffi, A., & Gupta, C. (2007). Kinky clients, kinky counselling? The challenges and potentials of BDSM.

    Jozifkova, E. (2013). Consensual sadomasochistic sex (BDSM): the roots, the risks, and the distinctions between BDSM and violence. Current Psychiatry Reports, 15(9), 392. doi:10.1007/s11920-013-0392-1

    Warren, J. I., & Hazelwood, R. R. (2002). Relational patterns associated with sexual sadism: A study of 20 wives and girlfriends. Journal of Family Violence, 17(1), 75-89.

    Monteiro Pascoal, P., Cardoso, D., & Henriques, R. (2015). Sexual Satisfaction and Distress in Sexual Functioning in a Sample of the BDSM Community: A Comparison Study Between BDSM and Non-BDSM Contexts. The Journal Of Sexual Medicine, doi:10.1111/jsm.12835


  3. Blog2.parents&babygender

    February 27, 2015 by Domonique Pearson

     The debate presented is if parents should be allowed to choose the gender of their child while in the womb. There are two sides, on side agrees with the idea of parents be allowed to decide the gender of their child. There was a national poll on gender selection and only 1 in 5 people support it (Kieran 2013). Which brings us to the other side where major of people say that it is wrong to select the gender of your unborn child. It has been said in the articles that couples want to determine the gender of their baby to maintain the size of their family and what gender they want to have more of, in a sense (Rubin 1988).  In terms of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) it was first used to determine if the baby was going to born with any genetic disorders, but now it can be used as a method of selecting the sex of the baby (Steinbock 2002). This article continues with other methods to select the gender: abortion, until you  have the gender that you want, and sperm sorting, first used to find genetic disorders most found in boys (Steinbock 2002). Another term is in vitro fertilization (IVF) which allows parents who are infertile have babies, as well as let them create the genetic make-up of their “child-to-be” (Dubrow 2007). Not only is this being an option but it has been done and allowed, “According to a 2006 survey conducted by the Genetics and Public Policy Center at Johns Hopkins University, 42 percent of 137 IVF-PGD clinics allowed parents to select for gender” (Dubrow 2007). On a side not, most pro-choice articles and agreeing with the notion that parents should be allowed to choose the sex is through acts of feminism, and saying that it is pro-choice and have been in active movements for this right(Dubrow 2007). However on the other side of the debate people believe that no parent should be allowed to choose the sex/gender of their baby. Most parents are against choosing the sex of their baby. An associate in a philosophy department said that with gender selection is can open up potential prejudices (Kieran 2013). With wanted to select either a boy or girl, if can most likely lead to gender bias mostly among girls. Parents want this procedure to balance their families if they have too many boys or girls in their opinion (Kieran 2013), but they should not pick and chose and try to be “God” in a sense.
    I agree with Kieran in saying that parents should not be allowed to determine the sex of their baby. This argument convinced me more because it thought of ideas in the long run. If we keep allowing parents to choose the sex of their child it can cause a shift in prejudices and biases towards the genders. They have given previous knowledge what can possibly happen as well as why this is unethical. Even though the pro side for parents determining the sex of their babies can have some medical benefits as well, this is not going to be one hundred percent known that it will work out in the long run. Some things can happen genetically or the baby can come out nothing you would expect. And that side did not really express those outcomes thoroughly.
    References:
    Steinbock, B. (2002). Sex Selection: Not♂ bviously Wr♀ ng. Hastings Center Report, 32(1), 23-28.

    KIERAN, C. (2013, October 12). Parents reject push for baby gender choice. Advertiser, The (Adelaide).

    Rubin, L. (1988). It’s getting easier to choose your baby’s sex. Saturday Evening Post, 260(7), 58.

    Tuhus-Dubrow, R. (2007). Designer babies and the pro-choice movement. Dissent, 54(3), 37-43.

     


  4. Blog1.sex&biologic

    February 4, 2015 by Domonique Pearson

    The debate is questioning whether a person’s sexual orientation is based on a biological/genetic aspect. The articles on the side of biological based were saying that some conclusions can be that the “prenatal hormonal history is strongly implicated in the genesis” and can differentiate someone who is heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual (Byne & Parsens 1993).  A study done by Bailey and Pillard was mentioned by Byne and Parsens (1993) was on 56 homosexual males with MZ twins and 54 homosexual males with DZ twins. They study showed that it was greater for males with MZ than DZ twins. The rates were higher for the MZ twins, based on the heritable factors, than the DZ twins. The concordance rates in the study were higher for the biological siblings, and homosexuality and bisexuality was found in 22% of the biologic brothers. In a more general sense people have believed that homosexuality was something that people are born with (Bem 2000). Ben (2000) has a theory called the Exotic-Becomes-Erotic theory in which he analyzes what biological factors cause or determine a person’s sexual orientation. His theory addresses three observations: most men and women have a preference for either males or females, most men and women have preference for people of the opposite sex, and a minority of men and women have a preference of people of the same sex. Bem’s (2000) theory in summary shows that through biological transitions and our childhood we can become erotically attracted to individuals that we felt differently for in our childhood. The different erotic attractions are based on differentiations between the sexes. He did a study with a survey from 1,000 gay and lesbians and 500 heterosexuals in San Francisco and found that “71% of the gay men and 70% of the lesbians in the sample reported that they had felt different from their same-sex peers during childhood, a feeling that was sustained throughout childhood and adolescence for most respondents.” Hu et al. found that their has been a linkage between chromosome Xq28 and sexual orientation in males but not in females. Her colleagues and she conducted an analysis of 2 gay brothers and 2 lesbian sisters and found that the chromosome was linked to the male homosexuality. In the study of the families “most of the heterosexual brothers had different Xq28 markers from their homosexual siblings” (Hu et al. 1995).  When testing lesbian siblings the data was not significant enough to share, but the use of the Xq28 chromosome was not used in sexual orientation for lesbians.
    On the other hand there were more articles that supported the idea of sexual orientation not being correlated to biological factors directly and saying that there is no single explanation. But more on the idea of psychosocial factors, and that if there were some biological factors it would be from predisposition rather than determining influence (Byne & Parsens 1993). There have been previous studies on twins and their genetic and sexual orientation, but Byne and Parsens (1993) suggest that it was such a small study of twins or they were raised so similarly that their was no difference. In other studies or brothers or sisters it was not that conclusive or strong enough evidence because they were raised in the same household and same environment. In another article, Stein (1997) identifies other factors that can be related to sexual orientation such as interpersonal, experiential, and cultural dimensions. He takes from different studies and books and concludes that all these factors can contribute through a person’s preference and history and different backgrounds. And that there is a range of variation with sexual orientation and biological studies cannot define that (Stein 1997). Some studies are ignored, for example the study that has been presumed to say that 52% of gays and lesbians do not share the same genetic material, from Bailey, Pillard, et al. (1993) mentioned by Stein. Also the factor of brain size has been ignored being that it close in comparison in homosexual and heterosexual subjects.
    I agree more with the side that says that sexual orientation is not based on biologic factors, in total. Some biological factors can be influential but their is not enough substantial data to suggest that your sexual orientation is all based on genetics or biologically. The data from the articles on the side that says yes were not as strong as the ones that were saying no. On the side that was saying, no sexual orientation is not biologically based, the articles I found provided other reasons and explanations and factors which I think can conclude a better argument. In showing different factors of cultural aspect and social aspect they provided better data as well as the study being more recent. Even though articles from both sides are a little outdated they can still provide a small insight into the different views.
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    Byne, W., & Parsons, B. (1993). Human sexual orientation: The biologic theories reappraised. Archives of General Psychiatry, 50(3), 228-239.
    Bem, D. J. (2000). Exotic becomes erotic: Interpreting the biological correlates of sexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29(6), 531-548.
    Hu, S., Pattatucci, A. M., Patterson, C., Li, L., Fulker, D. W., Cherny, S. S., … & Hamer, D. H. (1995). Linkage between sexual orientation and chromosome Xq28 in males but not in females. Nature genetics, 11(3), 248-256
    Stein, T. S. (1997). Deconstructioning sexual orientation: Understanding the phenomena of sexual orientation. Journal Of Homosexuality, 34(1), 81-86. doi:10.1300/J082v34n01_08

  5. Hello world!

    January 20, 2015 by Domonique Pearson

    Welcome to your brand new blog at St. Edwards University Sites.

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