• Midterm Exam: Due in class, Thursday, April 3
• Final Exam: Due in my office, Friday, May 16 at noon

Course Description

A survey of the biological, psychological, and cultural aspects of human sexuality including the development of sexual behavior, love and sexual relationships, AIDS, sexual victimization, the physiology of sexual behavior and sexual dysfunctions, controversial issues in human sexuality.

Required Texts:

Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.
Freud, S. [1925] 1962. Revised edition (January 2000)

As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who was Raised as a Girl
John Colapinto, 2001.

Queer by Choice: Lesbians, Gay Men, and the Politics of Identity.
Whisman, V. 1995.

Lessons from the Intersexed, Suzanne Kessler, 1998

Course Overview
A survey of the biological, psychological, and cultural aspects of human sexuality including the development of sexual behavior, love and sexual relationships, AIDS, sexual victimization, the physiology of sexual behavior and sexual dysfunction, controversial issues in human sexuality.

Class Format
The seminar format will allow us to be very interactive and to fully engage with the concepts and theories. To successfully do this it is essential that you read and think carefully about the ideas presented. Be prepared to discuss the readings on the day they are listed below.

Course Assignments

-- ALL written work must be double-spaced, printed out clearly in black ink, 12 point plain font (New York, Times, Palatino, Courier, only), spellchecked and proofread. Written work which does not follow this format will be marked down accordingly.

-- Assignments are due as written in the syllabus. Assignments handed in late will be graded a letter grade lower for every late day, the day they are due will be included as the first day.

1. Exams (50%)

1. In Class Midterm: The midterm exam will consist of essay and multiple choice questions covering the first half of the semester's readings and films. Midterm will be in class on March 13. (20%)

2. Final Exam: The final exam will consist of essay and multiple choice questions covering the first and second  half of the semester's readings and films, but mostly focus on the second half.  FINAL EXAM will be given on Friday, May 16, 9:00 AM - 12 noon (30%)
 

2. Reflective Essays (30%)

Since we will be viewing a variety of films and reading from a variety of perspectives on human sexuality it is important that you spend time analyzing and reflecting on your responses, questions, insights, concerns  to what we see, read, and discuss in class. The reflective essays provide a place for that reflection to occur. These papers need to include thoughtful links with the readings, for example, how does a film expand or contest the research? How is a visual representation different than reading about it? What surprised you? How did a film make you feel? What questions have been raised for you? 7 - 10 pages.

-- Reflective Essay 1 due at beginning of class, March 27 (15%)
-- Reflective Essay 2 due at beginning of class, April 24 (15%)

3. Participation in Class Discussion and Presentation on Readings (20%):

-- Each student will be responsible for leading at least one discussion (this will include several readings ). Your preparation for this will include making a hand-out with an outline containing questions for the class to consider (10%).

-- Participation and Attendance: Your thoughtful participation is important for many reasons. The major reason is: Articulating what you think assists you in developing the capacity to critically examine what you are learning. I expect students to refer to the readings and make observations about what you thought and why, and raise any questions that you have and are curious about exploring. Thoughtful discussion based on critical reading is much more important than lots of discussion based solely on opinion. This component of the grade for the course is based on your capacity to critically discuss the theories, perspectives, controversies, assumptions, and so on presented in the texts. Attendance is critical. Obviously, you must attend to participate! If you cannot attend class for medical reasons or in case of emergency, please inform me in advance. (10%)

TOPICS, READINGS, AND DUE DATES FOR ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK 1 Jan 30:
Overview of course, introductions, and discussion of course assignments.

I. Sigmund Freud

WEEK 2 Feb 6:
S. Freud, Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality,
-- Chapter 1, The Sexual Aberrations, pp. 1 - 38
-- Chapter 2, Infantile Sexuality, pp. 39 - 72

WEEK 3 Feb 13:
S. Freud, Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality,
-- Chapter 3, The Transformations of Puberty, pp. 73 - 96

II. Kinsey, and Masters and Johnson

WEEK 4 Feb 20:
Reserve Reading
Kinsey et. al, Sexual Behavior in the Human Female
-- Chapter 5, Masturbation, pp. 132 - 190
Kinsey, et al. Sexual Behavior in the Human Male,
-- Chapter 14, Masturbation, pp. 497 - 516

William Masters and Virginia Johnson, Human Sexual Response
-- Chapter 9, The Female Orgasm, pp. 127 - 140
-- Chapter 14, The Male Orgasm pp, 210 - 220

III.  Genetic or Chosen?: Sexuality and Sexual Orientation

WEEK 5 Feb 27:
V. Whisman, Queer by Choice
-- Chapter 1, Dear Abby, The Gay Agenda, and the New York Times, pp. 1 - 10
-- Chapter 2, The Pleasures and Dangers of Choice, pp. 11 - 36
-- Chapter 3, Stories of Choice, pp. 37 - 68

WEEK 6 March 6:
V. Whisman, Queer by Choice
-- Chapter 4, Choosing a Story: Determined, Chosen, Mixed, pp. 69 - 106
-- Chapter 5, Difference and Dominance: Gendered Identity Accounts, pp. 107 - 118
-- Chapter 6, Conclusion, pp. 119 - 126

WEEK 7 March 13: In class Midterm Exam

WEEK 8 March 20: SPRING BREAK

WEEK 9 March 27:
Reserve Reading
D. Buss, The Evolution of Desire
-- Chapter 1, Origins of Mating Behavior pp. 1 - 18
-- Chapter 2, What Women Want pp. 19 - 48
-- Chapter 3, Men Want Something Else pp. 49 - 72

Reflective Essay 1 due at beginning of class, March 27.

WEEK 10 April 3:
Reserve Reading
John Money, Gay, Straight, and In-Between
-- Chapter One: Prenatal Hormones and Brain Dimorphism, pp. 9 - 50
-- Chapter Two: Gender Coding, pp. 51 - 78

IV. Sex and Gender: Nature and Nurture

WEEK 11 April 10:
Colapinto, As Nature Made Him
-- Part One: A Game of Science Fiction, pp. 3 - 107

Reserve Reading
-- Milton Diamond, "Sex and Gender are Different: Sexual Identity and Gender Identity are Different," Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2002, Vol. 7(3) pp. 320 - 334
available on-line: http://www.hawaii.edu/PCSS/online_artcls/intersex/sexual_I_G_web.html

WEEK 12 April 17:
Colapinto, As Nature Made Him
-- Part Two: To Know My Birth, pp. 111 - 195
-- Part Three: As Nature Made Him, pp. 200 - 289

Reserve Reading
-- Milton Diamond, "Sexual Identity and Sexual Orientation in Children With Traumatized or Ambiguous Genitalia," The Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 34, No. 1997, pp. 199 - 211
 

V.  Intersexuality

WEEK 13 April 24:
S. Kessler, Lessons From The Intersexed
Chapter 1: Introduction, pp. 1 - 11
Chapter 2: The Medical Construction of Gender, pp. 12 - 32

Reflective Essay 2 due at beginning of class, April 24.

WEEK 14 May 1:
Chapter 3: Defining and Producing Genitals, pp. 33 - 51
Chapter 4: Evaluating Genital Surgery, pp. 52 - 76

WEEK 15 May 8:
S. Kessler, Lessons From The Intersexed
Chapter 5: Questioning Medical Management, pp. 77 - 104
Chapter 6: Rethinking Genitals and Gender, pp. 105 - 132
 

FINAL EXAM Friday, May 16 9:00 AM - 12 noon

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