Sexual
Variants , Abuse and Dysfunctions
Socio
cultural influences on sexual practices & standards
Degeneracy and abstinence theory
Ritualized homosexuality in Melanesia
Homosexuality and American
psychiatry
Sexual variants
Sexual abuse
Degeneracy
and abstinence theory
l
During the 1750s the swiss physician Simon Tissot developed
degeneracy theory,
tshe central belief of which was the semen is necessary for physical and sexual vigor
in men and masculine
characteristics such as beard growth.
l Based on his theory two practices were especially harmful:
masturbating and
patronizing prostitutes. Both of these practices wasted the vital fluid, semen, as
well as ( in his view) over
stimulating and exhausting the nervous system.
l Grahams most famous successor, Dr. john harvey kellog, began
practicing medicine in
the 1870s. He ardently disapproved of masturbations and urged parents to be wary of
signs that their
children were indulging in it.
l He published a paper on the disorders due to masturbation and
given 39 signs like
weakness, early symptoms of consumptions (TB), sudden change
in disposition,
lassitude, dullness of the eyes, premature and defective
developments,
sleeplessness etc.,
l For example he advocated sewing the foreskin with silver wire,
or as a last resort,
circumcision with out anesthesia. Female masturbation was
to be treated by burning
the clitoris with carbolic acid.
l Given the influence of physicians like kellogg, it should come
as no surprise that many
people believed that masturbation caused
insanity.
Ritualized
homosexuality in Melanesia
l
Melanesia is a collection of islands in the south pacific that
has been
intensive
studied
by anthropologists, who have uncovered cultural i nfluences on
sexuality unlike an
unknown in the west.
l
Ritualized
homosexuality among the Melanesians is a striking example of the
influence
of
culture. On sexual attitudes and behaviors. A Melanesians adolescent
who refused
to practice homosexuality would be viewed as an abnormal, and such
adolescent
are are apparently absent or rare.
Homosexuality
and American psychiatry
approaches to homosexual behaviours.
punishable to death. And it was not until 1861 that the maximum
penalty was
reduced to 10 years.
that homosexuality is natural and nonpathological.
Sexual variants
The paraphilias
l
The paraphilias is a group of persistent sexual behavoiur
patterns in which unusual objects,
rituals or situations are required for full
satisfaction.
l
Al tough mild forms of these conditions probably have occurred
in the lives of many people,
a paraphilias person is distinguished by the
insistence and relative exculivity with which
his or her sexual focuses on the
acts or abjects in the question----- with out which orgasm is
often impossible.
The DSM-IV recoginezes specific paraphilias:
Fetishism
transvectic fetishism
voyeurism
exhibitionism
sexual sadism
sexual masochism
Fetishism
l
In fetishism,
sexual Interest typically centers on some inanimate object, such as an
article
of clothing, or some body part.
l
Its generally true
for paraphilias, male are most commonly involved in cases
of fetishism;
reported
cases of female fetishisms are extremely rare.
Transvestic Fetishism
l The achievement of arousal and satisfaction by
“ Cross Dressing”, that is dressing
as the member of opposite
sex, is called Transvestic fetishism.
l
Its an uncommon condition in which an individual , usually a
male, enjoy excursionsinto
the social rules of the other sex or is marketedly
distressed by urges to do so .
l
Although a transvestic male regards himself as a man when
dressed as a man,
he may have feelings of being a woman when dressed in women’s clothing .
Voyeurism
l
The synonymous terms voyeurism, scotophilia and
inspectionalism refer to the
achievement of sexual pleasure through clandestine
peeping.
l
It occurs as a sexual offence primarily among young men .
l
These Peeping Toms, as they are commonly called , usually
observe females who
are undressing or couples engaging in sexual relations.
l
Frequently they masturbate during their peeping activity.
Exhibitionism
l
The word
exhibitionism (indecent exposure in legal terms) describe the intentional
exposure of the genitals to others (generally strangers) in appropriate
circumstances
and without their consent.
l
The exposure may
take place in some secluded locations, such as park, or in a more
public place,
such as a departmental store, church, theatre or bus.
Sadism
l
The term sadism is derived from the name of Marquis de Sade
(1740-1814), who
for sexual purposes inflicted such cruelty on his victims that
he was eventually
committed as insane.
l
The pain may be inflicted by such means as whipping, biting,
or pinching; the act
may vary in intensity , from fantasy to severe mutilation
and even murder.
l
Mild degrees of sadism (and masochism) are involved in the
sexual foreplay customs
of many cultures.
Masochism
l
The masochism is
derived from the name of the Austrian novelist Leopold V.Sacher
Masoch
91836-1895), whose fictional characters dwelt lovingly on sexual pleasure
of
pain .
GENDER IDENTITY
l
Gender is simply put the sexual identity if the individual- it
is the condition of being
male or female. However a person may have a gender
identity at its opposite of the
one assigned to him or her, based on her
physical appearance at birth.
l
No identification with or non presentation as the gender one
was assigned at birth
is now called
“TRANSGERDERISM” in a board sense.
l There are many myths, doubts and much curiosity about the true
nature if this
condition. It is purely physiological or there is a physiological
physical , hormonal,
genetic, or other expalanations for this. Is there improper
sex-differentiation
( also called as INTERSEX)
or do they chose TRANSGENDER as in the Eunuchs of china
or the hijrahs of
India.
TRANSVESTITE:
l
Any person who wear the clothing of the persons of the
opposite sex.
l
They are also known as the CROSS DRESSERS.
l
They usually don’t undergo medical or surgical treatment to changet heir sex .
l
This is considered more a fetish or done for entertainment
purpose.
TRANS-SEXUALS:
l
These individuals have a compelling desire to have the
physical form of the
opposite sex.
l
They choose hormones and surgery (GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY)
to
achieve this
transition.
l
They change their name and prefer a legal gender status
change.
l
They like to be identified as the member of the chosen new
gender.
EUNUCHS AND HIJRAHS:
l
This unique group of individuals have been in existence for
centuries .
l
They are usually castrated males who live in groups, study
under a GURU and
get initiated in the group by a castration ritual.
l
Whether these are physically normal men who are trans-sexuals
or they are men
with some degree of physical or emotional development problems
is not clear.
l
They dress like women and have women’s names and are mostly commercial
sex
workers.
INTERSEX:
l
There are some children who are by birth have genital
ambiguity due to genetic or
hormonal abnormalities.
l
These babies have to be carefully examined, thoroughly
evaluated and be assigned
of rearing that will allow the best sexual
functionality as an adult.
l
Paediatricians, encrinologists, geneticists, psychiatrists and
the family members
collectively make this decision.
l
Some individuals with intersex disorders do not have the
benefit of such early
intervention and may go through life with gender identity
issues.
HEMOPHRODITES:
l
These individuals have both ovarian and testicular elements in
them (either
ovary on one side or testis on the another or as ovastestis).
l
This is a form of Intersex disorder.
l
Sex of rearing and gender assignment is again dependent on
potential for future
sexual functionality.
HOMOSEXUALITY:
l
This is condition
of being sexually attracted to the members of the same sex.
(men to women; women
to men)
TRANSGENDER:
l
Generally refers to an individual who wishes to have partial
adaptation
(without hormones or surgery) to the opposite sex.
l
Some may prefer to be considered not as male or female but as
the “THIRD
GENDER”
l
The term however has now come to include all individuals
(TRANSSEXUALS,
INTERSEX, TRANSVESTITES, HHIJRAHS) and has been useful in uniting
them for
political, social and legal purposes.
l
The medical and psychiatric term used for describing condition
of being in a state
of conflict between gender identity and physical sex is
called “GENDER
DYSPHORIA”.
WHAT GIVE
US OUR GENDER IDENTITY?
Gender identity is a multi-step process.
The Genetic Sex of an individual is determined at the time of
fertilization (46XX-females; 46XY- males).
l
Gonadal Sex: This is determined very early in fetal life (before 8
weeks).
Ovary or Testis develops at this time producing the appropriate hormones.
l
Brain Sex: The human brain apparently gets “WIRED” during fetal life and
early childhood based
on hormones and other factors.
l
Physical Sex: Gender assignment at birth is usually based on this – the
“EXTERNAL GENITALIA AT BIRTH”.
l
Sex of rearing: How a child is raised has considerable impact on the
gender
identity of the individual proving the theory “NATURE
AND NURTURE”
play a big part.
l
Hormonal and physical changes at puberty: This is generally the
culmination of the
process that begins at the time of fertilization. Transition
to an adult male or female
generally happens at this time .
Sexual abuse
l
Childhood sexual
abuse
l
Pedophilia
l
Incest
l
Rape
l
Treatments
Casual factors of
Paraphilias
l
Many paraphilic
individual have explanations for their unusual sexual preferences.
l
For Example an
amputee paraphilic(whose preference is a partner with a missing
limb) recalled
that his fascination with female amputees originated during adolescence.
Gender Identity Disorders
l
Gender Identity Disorder of childhood
l
Transexualism:
l
Transexualism is apparently a very rare disorder.
l
European studies suggest that approximately 1 per 30,000 adult
males and 1 per
1,00,000 adult females seek sex reassignment.
l
Most Important, non
homosexual gender disphoria (distress about being a man)
is usually associated
with autogynephilia, a paraphilia characterized by sexual arousal
by the thought
or fantasy of being women.
l
Treatment:
l
Psychotherapy is usually not helpful in helping transsexuals
resolve their gender dysphoria.
l
Only treatment that has been shown to be effective is surgical
sex reassignment.