Choices in Sexuality (Second Edition).

Choices in Sexuality (Second Edition). Choices in Sexuality (Second Edition) By Susan L. McCammon, DavidKnox & Caroline Schacht (2004) East Carolina University East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, intensive research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statue and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina ;AtomicPublishing, Cincinnati, Ohio http://www.atomicdog.com ISBN:1-59260-050-6 Choices in Sexuality is a wonderful title for a textbook on humansexuality. Students are encouraged to critically explore their personalchoices and to be open to the choices of others. "Think AboutIt" inserts not only stimulate the individual reader but may servewell as subjects for focus group discussions. Let me admit that I am not a sex educator--but rather a sexcounselor in private practice. Also, I did not read this 622 page textbook from cover-to-cover, as it is my usual practice when reviewingbooks. Instead, I thoroughly browsed through it, reading many individualsections. At the end I consulted with an AASECT (American Association ofSex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists; www.aasect.org) colleague whohas taught human sexuality for over 25 years. We both agreed that thistextbook is very useful, especially as it is available in paperback aswell as online; there is also a well done instructor's manual onthe website www.atomicdogpublishing.com. Please refer to this websitefor more in-depth information about the book. Choices in Sexuality covers all subjects of a human sexualitycurriculum. The information is sound, appropriate and exhaustive. I waspleased to see the Basson model of female sexual response included aswell as Leonore Tiefer's concerns about the medicalization medicalizationSocial medicine A term for the erroneous tendency by society–often perpetuated by health professionals–to view effects of socioeconomic disadvantage as purely medical issues ofsexual dysfunctions. Illustrations of sexual positions are tastefullydone. Fig. 7-3 shows a couple exchanging affectionate touch and alsoillustrates sexual orientation and cultural diversity, topics which aregenerally covered well throughout the book. The section on sexuality and aging is good, but could have includeda few more references, for example the SIECUS report "Sexuality andAging Revisited," December 2001/January 2002, which compiles manyrecent references in this field. I did not find any mention of the factthat HIV/AIDS in individuals over age 50 is becoming an increasingconcern. The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the UnitedStates SIECUS, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States is a United States organization dedicated to sexuality education, sexual health, and sexual rights. (SIECUS) is listed as a resource in other sections, even thoughmisspelled some of the times. The text book does have a few shortcomings, one of them being thesection on sexual pain (p.462-464), which only includes a few paragraphson dyspareunia dyspareunia/dys��pa��reu��nia/ (-pah-roo��ne-ah) difficult or painful sexual intercourse. dys��pa��reu��ni��an.Difficult or painful sexual intercourse. and vaginismus vaginismus/vag��i��nis��mus/ (vaj?i-niz��mus) painful spasm of the vagina due to involuntary muscular contraction, usually severe enough to prevent intercourse; the cause may be organic or psychogenic. . Some of the relatively recent findingsabout vulvodynia and vulvar vestibulitis would have been veryappropriate here, especially because many young women and their partnersare affected by these sexual pain syndromes. It is very likely that somestudents--women as well as men--are experiencing the consequences ofpain during sex. Even though an in depth discussion of these paindisorders is not expected in a general textbook on human sexuality, atleast the National Vulvodynia Association (NVA, www.nvs.org) could havebeen mentioned as a resource for more information on this particulartopic. Apparently none of the three co-authors are members of sexualityorganizations such as AASECT or the Society for the Scientific Study ofSexuality The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, formed in 1957, claims to be "the oldest organization of professionals interested in the study of sexuality in the United States." It claims to have some 900 members and has a quarterly newsletter, Sexual Science. (SSSS SSSSStaphylococcus scalded skin syndrome, see there ). Not that this is a prerequisite to writing a textbookon human sexuality, but I regard membership in some of theseorganizations as a crucial way to keep up-to-date with current trendsand important news in the sexuality field by means of participation inannual conferences, online discussion groups and through monthlynewsletters. Nevertheless, I was impressed with the wealth ofinformation these authors have managed to compile. Choices in Sexualityis a textbook very well done. Annette Owens, MD PhD AASECT Certified Sex Counselor David Knox and Carolyn Schacht also host a websitehttp://www.heartchoice.com