1. Understanding Sexuality

2. Introduction
Sexuality—focuses on how you handle your values and beliefs about sexual behavior
Your earliest understanding of what it means to be a male or female came from observing how others define genders
Gender role—behavior and characteristics expected of male or female

3. Gender roles: societal, individual
Question: Make a list of words that describe females. A list that describes males.

4. Words probably different from previous generations
At one time societal gender roles were separate and distinct
Women-homemakers, Men-wage earners
Now many overlap
Can be cause of confusion and conflict

5. Who should a child’s primary caregiver be?
Should males and females serve equally in the military?
Should a female play football?
Should a male wear an earring?

6. Forming Sexual Identity
Sexual identity—way people see themselves as males and females
Learn through observation and how they are treated

7. Homework
Ask a small child:
What does a man do?
What does a woman do?

8. Influences on Identity
Family
School
Peers
Television
Movies
Books, advertisements

9. Question Advantages and disadvantages of being female or male
How could you decrease the disadvantages you see?

10. Sexual Behavior
Live in a time when talk and images of sexual behavior seem to be everywhere
How much of the content is information?
Of that information, how much is relevant to teens?
Decisions on sexual behavior can be a matter of life or death

11. Experiencing Change
Physical and psychological changes signal the beginning of adult sexual development
Curiosity about sex and opposite gender
Males and females tend to experience sexual desires differently
Males-more easily aroused sexually by thoughts, jokes, images
Females—feelings of love, romance, tenderness

12. Physical and emotional changes can be distracting
May feel pressure
Messages about sexual behavior may be conflicting and confusing
If values and goals are not clearly in place, difficult time knowing how to react to feelings

13. Saying yes to sexual pressures has serious consequences
To those who are not ready for this step in their lives, can bring major problems:
Two major problems:
STD’s
Pregnancy

14. STD’s Illness spread from one person to another through sexual contact
Over 20 STDs have been identified
Over 12 million cases a year
3 million in teens
Spread rapidly
When you have sex, in a sense, you are having sex w/ everyone their partner has been w/ and so on

15. Some STDs are passed because a person is unaware they have one
Females-may develop painful general infection in pelvic area- pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)—can damage reproductive organs
Some STDs easily cured, others last forever, some fatal

16. All STDs are preventable by avoiding sexual activity

17. Chlamydia Most widespread Pain in urinating
Pain in abdomen, nausea, low fever
Some show no symptoms
Can lead to sterility
Treated w/ antibiotics

18. Genital Herpes Cause open sores on the sex organs
Resemble cold sores and heal in about 3 wks
Cannot be cured
Open sores can be passed on
Women can infect baby during delivery, possibly causing brain damage or death

19. Genital Warts Small growths on sex organs
Can cause discomfort and itching
Can lead to cancer
No cure
Can be removed

20. Hepatitis B Attacks liver and causes flu-like symptoms
Can lead to liver disease or cancer
No cure
Vaccine

21. Gonorrhea Genital burning, itching, discharge
Women—can cause sterility
Pregnant women—child’s eyes will be damaged at birth
Treated w/ antibiotics

22. Syphilis
Early symptoms: sores on sex organs, fevers, rashes, hair loss
Treated in time: cured w/ antibiotics
Untreated—affects heart, eyes, brains
Can lead to insanity or death

23. AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) invades and kills the cells of the immune system
Body is unable to defend itself from number of diseases
HIV can live in body for years before developing into AIDS

24. Once person has AIDS, outlook is not good
Death is often slow and painful, caused by pneumonia or cancer of skin or glands
Many infected teens may not show signs of AIDS until they are in their 20s

25. How AIDS is Spread Not spread through casual contact
Not spread through saliva or tears, through the air or insect bites
Spread through intimate sexual contact
Tiny rips or skin breaks in sexual organs allow HIV virus to enter the blood during sexual activity

26. Wouldn’t be aware of those tiny breaks
Spread among drug users who share needles
Infected female can pass the virus to her baby
AIDS has no known cure
Current treatment uses a combination of drugs to delay HIV from developing into AIDS

27. These drugs are expensive and have serious, negative side effects

28. Getting Help
Teens and those w/ more than one partner are especially vulnerable to STDs but anyone who is sexually active is at risk
If you suspect you have an STD, should get medical help immediately
Required to give names of partners, but most treatment is kept confidential

29. Teen Pregnancy 1 million teens get pregnant each year in US
US highest teen pregnancy rate in world
Education—many teen parents don’t finish high school or go on to further education
Health problems—more likely to have complications, babies may be underdeveloped, physical and mental disabilities

30. Emotional Costs-teens are still growing
Child Development—often slow to develop,

31. Sexual Pressures Environmental Influences:
Media—see sexual images that are much more explicit than they used to be
More people see something, the more acceptable it seems
People around you
Peers

32. Personal Pressures:
Person who feels lonely may see sex as one way of feeling loved
May believe sex will keep a relationship
May want to seem “grown up”

33. Lasting relationship can’t be based on sex and poor relationship can’t be saved by it
Person who makes you feel that you must do something you don’t want to is being selfish
Having sex is no proof of adulthood..truer test would be waiting until you’re ready for the responsibilities

34. Abstinence Refraining from sexual intercourse
When you have a close relationship w/ someone, you can talk about your feelings before you get into an intimate situation
Make sure your partner understands your point of view clearly
Find out what your partner’s thinking too

35. Stay out of situations that could pose problems
Avoid being alone in empty houses, cars, other private spots
Plan activities that involve others and take place in public

36. Remember you have the power to say no to any situation that doesn’t feel right to you
Refusing to participate in someone you believe is wrong is your responsibility to yourself
When you say no, be assertive
Don’t send mixed messages

37. If your partner is unsure about sexual behavior, respect his or her wishes
Pushing someone into activity that makes the person uncomfortable is a sign of selfishness and immaturity
Building a loving relationship takes time
Partners need to know each other and to share experience thought, and feelings

38. Adding sex before you’re ready can actually harm the relationship, not help it

39. Ways to Show Affection Talking Joking Sharing dreams and interests
Making dinner
Buying small gift
Offering to do unpleasant task