If a person has breaks in the skin of the mouth (such as chapped lips or a cold sore) or bleeding gums, this may increase the likelihood that he or she will become infected with an STD while performing oral sex on a partner, since breaks in the skin can make transmission easier. Using a [...]

This is another salvo in the argument about whether treatment for prostate cancer has any effect on long-term survival. Critics have stated, loudly, that “there is no evidence that definitive treatment of localized prostate cancer increases survival.” However, there has been no large, well-designed study to evaluate the effectiveness of early prostate cancer treatment in [...]

It wasn’t until 1965 that married women and men won the right to use birth control everywhere in the United States. It was another six years before unmarried couples won that right. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, America’s family planning movement has been in the forefront of the battle for women’s sexual equality. [...]

Sexual Assault, Abuse, and Incest Cultures have very different definitions of rape and other forms of sexual abuse. The answers to these and other questions about sexual abuse will reflect a culture’s sexual norms: • How does the culture define sexual abuse? • Are the victims stigmatized? • Are there harsh or lenient penalties for [...]

Reasons people have sex The belief that reproduction is the only reason for two people to have sexual intercourse has been a major theme in the history of humanity. It became particularly strong during the development of the early Christian church. The idea led to our society’s efforts to strictly control the sexual lives of [...]

What people find enjoyable and comfortable in sexual relationships varies tremendously from person to person. However, to help ensure that the interests of both people involved in a relationship are being protected, certain guidelines should be followed. 1. Sexual relationships should be consensual whether or not the partners are married. Each partner should be able [...]

Gender is a primary difference in human sexuality. Gender can refer to the many physical differences between girls and boys and men and women. Gender identity means the degree to which someone is considered to act feminine or masculine. Feminine traits are ways of behaving that our society associates with being female. Masculine traits are [...]