Lecture Notes

Chapter 16 Variations in Sexual Behavior

Modified: 2006-07-18

One thing that separates human sexuality from animal sexuality is its enormous variability. Animal sexuality is a much simpler subject to study because of its stereotypy. Variations from the usual pattern are unusual and worthy of scholarly mention. On the other hand, variations in human sexuality are common and range from the mundane to the bizarre. In this chapter those variations will be explored in some detail.

Fetishes--develop early
- media
- form
Transvestism (TV)
- homosexual
  - drag queens--male
  - butch--female
- heterosexual
  - the majority of TVs
  - Reasons
    - sexual arousal
    - relaxation
    - role playing
    - adornment
- other
  - female impersonator (all boy show)
Sadism, Masochism, Bondage, and Domination
- sadist
- masochist
- bondage
- switches
- consensual, safe, and sane
- dominance over pain
- negotiations and safewords
Voyeurism (Peeping Tom)
- scoptophilics
- voyeurs
- Dangerous voyeurs
  - enter building
  - give notice of their watching
Exhibitionism (Flashing)
- 30% of arrests
- 33% of college women exposed to one
Nymphomania and Satyriasis (Hypersexuality, Don Juanism)
- difficulties in definition (i.e., Annie Hall)
- insatiability and compulsiveness
Asphyxiophilia
- oxygen deficiency and arousal
- mostly men
- real danger of death
Troilism (Threesome)
- both extra male or extra female (heterosexual) with or without bisexual behavior
Swinging
Saliromania
- to damage or soil a woman or her clothes
Coprophilia and Urophilia
- similar to above, but involving feces or urine, respectively
Frotteurism
- innappropriate touching or rubbing, more common in other cultures
Necrophilia
- sex with a dead person
- "snuff films"
Zoophilia (sodomy, bestiality)
- sex with animals
- more common in rural settings
- mostly males
Piercing, Body Modification, Modern Primitives
- some piercing done for arousal
- most done for fashion
Pedophilia
- sex with children
- incest taboo
- more common than thought
- see law chapter for more

URLs
- Patpong--on Patpong St. a site for prostitution and sex shows in Bangkok
- The fetish quiz--interactive quiz about variations
- Paraphilias
- Goddess Diana Vesta--home page of a dominatrix
- Nymphomania--definition
- Transvestite transformations--company devoted to transvestite products and services (UK)
- Emerald city--transvestite transformations
- Body piercing
- The dominatrix in print and other media--FAQ and bibliography now on Wikipedia
- The swingers connection--large page devoted to swinging
- Longevity--swingers reminisce
- Necrophilia--on Wikipedia

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