Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Sex researchers shed light on unpopular sex acts
Reuters ^ | 5/7/05 | Amy Kalin

Posted on 05/08/2005 3:09:58 PM PDT by wagglebee

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - From bondage to "breath play" and zoophilia, it's not easy keeping up with society's fast-developing sexual trends.

That's why some of North America's top sexologists are hunkered down with academics and therapists at a Fisherman's Wharf hotel this weekend: to swap findings about everything from teens with underwear fetishes to transgender couples.

"These couples have problems that I didn't know how to deal with," said Olga Perez Stable Cox, president of the Western U.S. region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. "You have to understand the culture, otherwise you're an outsider, and you don't get it."

The theme for the society's four-day conference is "Unstudied, Understudied And Underserved Sexual Communities." Presentations range from discussions from autoerotic asphyxiation, or "breath play," to zoophiles, or animal lovers, to more mainstream topics like sex motives of dating partners.

"Let me tell you, it was not easy finding these pictures," Hunter College professor Jose E. Nanin told his audience in a seminar about "specialized" sexual behavior among gay men.

Nanin's photos are more than an explicit how-to of exhibitionism and sadomasochism, he says; they are examples of safe alternatives to sexual intercourse that need to be de-stigmatized in order to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS.

Researchers say their greater goal is to help the medical community, the public and legislators figure out what behavior is merely out of the norm versus downright dangerous.

"As sex researchers, one of our concerns is distinguishing what can be harmful and what is not -- so that instead of being based on myth, public policy can be informed," said Charlene Muehlenhard, professor of psychology and women's studies at The University of Kansas.

When authorities caught a Midwestern U.S. teenage boy stealing girls' underwear, they immediately demonized his underwear fetish, Pennsylvania State University researcher Patricia Barthalow Kosch said. Many clinicians attribute the boy's crime more to broken family relations. The crime was theft, not his sexual fantasies, conference attendees said.

Teen sexuality draws sensational headlines, but suffers from a lack of academic study, researchers said.

Kim Openshaw, a psychology professor at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, who studies teenage sex offenders, said the limited amount of research so far has found that girls make up only 5 to 10 percent of all underage sex offenders.

The numbers are underreported, Openshaw says, because many people are reluctant to acknowledge the problem.

Victims of girl sex offenders tend to be in the immediate family circle. Most perpetrators are victims of family abuse. By contrast, boy sex offenders tend to be more macho, violent and attack outside of their immediate family.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: disorders; fetishes; homosexualagenda; perversion; psychology; sex; sexoffenders; sodomalert
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 241-248 next last
To: darkangel82

Argh, I thought I pung it out... I'll double check. It's so freaking unsavory.


141 posted on 05/08/2005 4:43:25 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Resisting evil is our duty or we are as responsible as those promoting it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 124 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

Not if you really love the sheep . . .


142 posted on 05/08/2005 4:43:30 PM PDT by pa mom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

I can't believe they didn't pick you. Does this mean you'll run for antipope? I hear the position is still open. :-)


143 posted on 05/08/2005 4:45:17 PM PDT by stands2reason (It's 2005, and two wrongs still don't make a right.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: paul_fromatlanta
Animals have their own diseases that they transmit

Syphillis is one. Comes from sheep.

144 posted on 05/08/2005 4:45:47 PM PDT by SoVaDPJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

>>That's why some of North America's top sexologists are hunkered down with academics and therapists at a Fisherman's Wharf hotel this weekend: to swap findings about everything from teens with underwear fetishes to transgender couples.<<

Nope, that's not why. I think this bunch of nutty lefties go off on pictures of and a discussion about weird acts. An orgy of porn disguised as a study.


145 posted on 05/08/2005 4:45:55 PM PDT by melancholy (Quiz: Name ONE country, other than the USA, that doesn't control its borders.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee
. . ."specialized" sexual behavior among gay men.

Specialized sexual behavior among homosexual men? Considering their "normal" sexual behavior, the notion buggers the imagination.

146 posted on 05/08/2005 4:46:36 PM PDT by William Terrell (Individuals can exist without government but government can't exist without individuals.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thompsonsjkc; odoso; animoveritas; St. Johann Tetzel; DaveTesla; mercygrace; ...

Moral Absolutes Ping.

I almost don't want to ping this out, it's so extremely distasteful....Blechh. But, doing my duty regardless of personal feelings, here it is. Gotta know what the sick freaks and leftists (but I repeat myself) are up to. Know thine enemy, it is really necessary.

BTW, the pic of the girl and little goats (#29) is really cute; having been around goats here and there I've got a soft spot for baby goats. And in a very normal way, I might add!

Let me know if you want on/off this pinglist.


147 posted on 05/08/2005 4:50:27 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Resisting evil is our duty or we are as responsible as those promoting it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 124 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah

Glanced at the article again and noticed that this - meeting? or whatever is people by ACADEMICS and THERAPISTS.

Avoid them like the very plague.


148 posted on 05/08/2005 4:51:24 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Resisting evil is our duty or we are as responsible as those promoting it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

Sex researchers? I want to know how one gets a Ph.D. in sex research and can someone please tell me which universitites offer this course of study? Thanks in advance. I knew I would find something to get me back into the classroom in retirement....


149 posted on 05/08/2005 4:51:32 PM PDT by hardworking (-O-U)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hardworking

Have a friend getting one in sex therapy from Drexel in Philadelphia. Her husband gets quite a few comments!


150 posted on 05/08/2005 4:53:37 PM PDT by pa mom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 149 | View Replies]

To: hardworking
"...a Ph.D. in sex research..."

Wonder how "hard" the "oral" exams are...

151 posted on 05/08/2005 4:55:42 PM PDT by LibFreeOrDie (L'chaim!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 149 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

Dear Abby,
Where can I buy a 'breath play' rubber? I'm serious ... I've been practicing unprotected breathing all my life.

Frantically Yours,
Breathless


152 posted on 05/08/2005 4:55:55 PM PDT by layman (Card Carrying Infidel)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsmommy; unbalanced but fair; cajungirl; A Balrog of Morgoth

Unpopular sex acts ping.


153 posted on 05/08/2005 4:56:28 PM PDT by SoVaDPJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 144 | View Replies]

To: followerofchrist

WHERE is PETA on this issue?

Probably brought the props for show and tell time....


154 posted on 05/08/2005 4:57:46 PM PDT by hardworking (-O-U)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: R. Scott

I'll second that emotion.

There are some things one just can't "unsee".


155 posted on 05/08/2005 4:58:57 PM PDT by coydog (My bathroom djinn can beat up your bathroom djinn!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: pa mom
I'm sure my bro-in-law's family has been friendly with sheep for years.

I met a queer shepherd once.

He had 200 rams, and no ewes.

156 posted on 05/08/2005 4:59:08 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The world needs more work horses, and fewer Jackasses!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 121 | View Replies]

To: ApplegateRanch

LOL!


157 posted on 05/08/2005 5:01:36 PM PDT by pa mom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: Armedanddangerous

And a very well-deserved kick too.

Seriously, somebody who goes fence-hopping to molest livestock is no laughing matter to farmers and breeders. Heard of a valuable broodmare aborting a foal and herself almost dying of an infection because she was "fooled with".


158 posted on 05/08/2005 5:02:20 PM PDT by coydog (My bathroom djinn can beat up your bathroom djinn!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 134 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee
it's not easy keeping up with society's fast-developing sexual trends.

WTF?

The trees are in the way of the visionary forest on this one.

159 posted on 05/08/2005 5:02:21 PM PDT by EGPWS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee; Lx
One of the better X-Files epis had Peter Boyle (in his Emmy award winning role) saying out of the blue
"I can't think of a more embarrassing way to die than during self-erotic asphyxiation."
160 posted on 05/08/2005 5:04:03 PM PDT by Calvin Locke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 241-248 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson