What is health sexuality........??

Meet Your New Experimental Sex Drug: Flibanserin

2009-11-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

Pharmaceutical maker Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) is looking to create a lot of pre-emptive buzz for its gamble on the female sex drug market, flibanserin. Flibanserin is being developed as a non-hormonal treatment for low sexual desire in women, a market that's thought to be more financially lucrative than even the $2 billion dollar erectile dysfunction market.

On Monday they orchestrated several media releases, webcasts, and a presentation at a major sexual medicine conference in Europe, all to release data from Phase III trials on pre-menopausal women labeled with low sex drive (also k, or HSDD). The next few days and weeks will reveal how effective this first of many blitzes is likely to be.

All of this has everything to do with marketing and little to do with science. The data hasn't been released and no breakthroughs have been discovered. Still it's an opportunity to get a little more acquainted with a drug that changes brain chemistry and they hope will change, or direct, the global conversation on female sexuality.

Treatment

2009-11-17T23:58:00.000-08:00

Medications can prevent, delay, or control the development of AIDS in many people infected with HIV.

Drugs That Fight HIV

These drugs are often given in combination. They are often referred to as AIDS cocktails. They include:

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors:

AZT (Zidovudine or ZDV)
ddC (Zalcitabine)
ddI (dideoxyinosine)
d4T ( Stavudine)
3TC ( Lamivudine)
Emtricitabine (Emtriva)
Abacavir (Ziagen)
- In some patients, abacavir can cause a hypersensitivity reaction, which can be life-threatening. Researchers found that screening for a particular gene can help to prevent this reaction.

Nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors:

Delavirdine (Rescriptor)
Nevirapine (Viramune)
Efavirenz (Sustiva)
Etravirine (Intelence)

Protease inhibitors:

Ritonavir (Norvir)
Saquinavir (Invirase)
Indinavir (Crixivan)
Amprenavir (Agenerase)

Diagnosis

2009-11-17T23:57:00.000-08:00

The doctor will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and risk factors. A physical exam will be done. Your doctor may order the following blood tests:

ELISA test —used to detect HIV infection
- 95% will have a positive test within three months of infection
- 99% will have a positive test within six months of infection
- If an ELISA test is negative, but you think you may have HIV, test again in 1 to 3 months
Western blot blood test —usually do

Symptoms

2009-11-17T23:55:00.000-08:00

HIV may not cause symptoms for a number of years.

Early symptoms may appear a month or two after becoming infected. They may last a couple of weeks. These include:

Rapid weight loss
Dry cough
Sore throat
Recurring fever
Night sweats
Extreme, unexplained fatigue
Swollen lymph nodes in armpits, neck, or groin
White spots on the tongue or in the mouth or throat
Headache
Discomfort from light
Rash
Depression
Irritable mood
Memory loss or other neurological disorder

After these initial symptoms pass, there may be no symptoms for months to years. Then, the following symptoms may occur over the course of 1 to 3 years:

Swollen lymph glands all over the body
Fungal infections of the mouth, fingernails, toes
Repeated vaginal infections ( yeast and Trichomonas)
Development of lots of warts
Exacerbations of prior conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, herpes infection
Shingles
Night sweats
Weight loss
Chronic diarrhea

It can be 10 years or more before HIV progresses to AIDS. This happens when T helper cell levels fall below certain levels and opportunistic infections arise. Examples of opportunistic infections and other complications of AIDS include:

Thrush (an overgrowth of yeast)
Pneumonia (particularly Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia)
Invasive fungal infections (resulting in brain and/or lung infections)
Toxoplasmosis infection
Tuberculosis
Viral brain infection
Kaposi's sarcoma
Lymphoma
Cervical cancer
Eye disease due to cytomegalovirus infection
Intestinal infections, especially due to shigella, salmonella, and campylobacter
Severe weight loss (wasting syndrome)
Severe skin rashes
Reactions to medications
Psychiatric problems, including depression and dementia

Risk Factors

2009-11-17T23:53:00.002-08:00

Factors that increase your chance of getting HIV include:

Having multiple sexual partners
Sharing needles for injecting drugs
Having regular exposure to HIV-contaminated blood or other body fluids (a concern for healthcare workers)
Being born to an HIV-infected mother
Receiving donor blood products, tissue, organs, or artificial insemination
Being an immigrants from geographic locations with high numbers of AIDS patients (east central Africa and Haiti)
Having a sexual relationship with a high-risk individual or a partner already infected with HIV

Rarely, HIV can be spread through:

2009-11-17T23:53:00.001-08:00

Blood from an HIV-infected person getting into an open wound of another person
Being bitten by someone infected with HIV
Sharing personal hygiene items with an HIV-infected person (razors, toothbrushes, etc)

HIV is spread through:

2009-11-17T23:52:00.001-08:00

Sexual contact with an HIV-infected person, especially intercourse or anal sex
Transfer of HIV from a mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding
A prick from an HIV-contaminated needle
A blood transfusion with HIV-infected blood (rare today, due to testing of all donated blood for HIV infection beginning in 1985)

Causes

2009-11-17T23:51:00.001-08:00

The HIV virus is spread through contact with HIV-infected blood or other body fluids. This includes semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk.

AIDS is caused by the destruction of T cells. The destruction is caused by the HIV virus.

Immune System

HIV destroys white blood cells vital to the immune system.

Definition

2009-11-17T23:50:00.001-08:00

HIV is a virus that attacks white blood cells called helper T cells (CD4). These cells are part of the immune system. They fight off infections and disease. As a result, an HIV infection can leave you vulnerable to severe illnesses.

AIDS is a late stage of HIV. It reflects severe damage to the immune system. An opportunistic infection will also exist. This is a type of infection that only occurs in people with compromised immune systems.

HIV and AIDS

2009-11-17T23:48:00.000-08:00

Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

Related Conditions

2009-11-17T23:46:00.001-08:00

Sexuality & Health

2009-11-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

If you're considering having sex with a new partner, it is important to talk about the difficult topic of STDs first. It may be uncomfortable, but it is an important conversation that can protect you and your partner.

Understanding Her Sexual Body Language

2008-10-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

When you're in bed with a woman, do you ever get the feeling that she's uncomfortable or that something is amiss? Are you able to read your girl's body language?

Well, you might be right -- there might be something she is telling you. Check out these body language movements and reactions that likely mean that something is up with your girl. If you are able to confront these issues, you may be able to eliminate the sexual party pooper that is dwelling in your girl.

She won't look at you

If she lets you get inside her but won't even look up at you, something is definitely up. And not in a good way. If every time you lean in to kiss her, she turns her face and doesn't open her eyes, there is definitely a problem.

Possible reasons: It's possible that she's shy and isn't very experienced in bed. If she won't let your mouth get anywhere near hers, you might have bad breath, she might have bad breath, your facial hair might be scraping her face or, if you went down on her, she might find it "distasteful" to kiss afterwards.

Fix it: The next time you're having sex, pull out and make your way to her face; in a soap opera-romance way, gently hold her head in your hands and kiss her like Casanova. If you feel like she wants to pull away, let her and ask her what the deal is. The only way to figure out why she's reacting that way is by asking.

Her expressions are stoic

If you're giving the session your all and she's staring into space or focusing all her attention on the ceiling, something has got to give.

Possible reasons: It's possible that she doesn't like sex much. As well, she might want to be engaging in some other sex act and is afraid to tell you about it. Maybe she feels like a caged animal and wants to be on top or maybe you're not giving her enough room to maneuver.

Fix it: Put her on top and tell her you want to watch her move. Or, when you're not having sex, ask her about her sexual fantasies; maybe that'll help you get to the bottom of her body language behavior.

What She Thinks Of Your Fantasies

2008-10-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Many men share in the same general sexual fantasies: three women in a hot tub, three women in your bed, three women enjoying each other shamelessly on a deserted beach where you just happen to be taking a stroll, and the list goes on. But not all of them relate to girl-on-girl action. Of course there are the more "ordinary," but no less pleasurable of course, dreams of actually getting laid at all. The occasional blow job in front of the TV would be nice too.

Dreams are free! That’s why they are so great -- we can make up anything we like and nobody can stop us. Point in question is, if you share your fantasies with your girl, will she enjoy them so much she would like to participate in them and maybe make them a reality for you? There are a few she may like, but some she may not.

Sexual Fantasy

2008-10-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Sexual fantasies are a very normal part of human sexuality. They involve daydreaming about sex acts, and often result in physical arousal. A sexual fantasy may involve almost anything, but a common male sexual fantasy involves lesbian sex. Other common fantasies are simply about sex: oral sex, intercourse with someone you fancy, or kissing, petting or touching. There are no rules for sexual fantasies, and they are private and can be about anyone or anything, but can also be shared and fulfilled with a partner.

Bumpy Problem

2008-10-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Ques: I've had a strange growth on the underside of the shaft of my penis for more than a year. It’s like a little bump under the skin that you can slide the skin around, but it won’t move from its actual place. I’m not sexually active, so I’m wondering if this could have something to do with a vein or a bump in the shaft? How do I get rid of it?

Ans: While I can’t say for sure, it sounds like you have a sebaceous cyst on your shaft. Now, don’t panic. The name may sound unpleasant and fatal, but I assure that if you do indeed have a sebaceous cyst on your penis, you have nothing to worry about. This is a sac containing a pasty-like secretion under the skin. It is usually painless, but it can occasionally become inflamed. It also has a tendency to leave a bruised-like appearance on the surface of the skin directly covering it. Usually, one of these cysts can just be ignored, but since it happens to be on you penis, I can imagine that it makes you feel very self-conscious. Talk to your physician for an accurate diagnosis and to discuss possible methods of removal.

Ques: I have read some background information on adult circumcision and I believe that it would be right for me. I live in a town of about 175,000 people in Texas so my options are pretty limited. My question is: Who should I call to ask about getting this procedure done? How much can I expect to pay for this procedure?

Ans: It’s not uncommon for men to opt for the circumcision route later on in life. And being from a small town doesn’t mean you can’t have a circumcision. If you’d like to get more informed on the procedure, simply visit your family physician and he’ll refer you to a urologist you can visit. As for cost, be prepared to dish out about $100 to $200 USD for this routine procedure.

What is romance?

2008-07-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

Basically what is seen as romantic is something that strays from the ordinary, something that is spontaneous and creative, yet what one person sees as romantic may be seen as ridiculous by another. Romance really is a matter of personal taste, and the more geared to the object of your affection the gesture is, the more likely you will hit the right side of the line. There are no hard and fast rules for getting it right, however considering the following will at least steer you in the right direction:

Consider how long you have been together if it is the early throes of a relationship a big gesture may scare the hell out of them, and it is far easier to go wrong when you don't know your lover that well. Go for something fun or something simple. A pound shop gift, a picnic or a date go-carting.
When thinking of gifts try and cater to your partner as an individual rather than jumping on the bandwagon of what is supposedly romantic. Traditional red roses are boring, be a little more creative, find out what they like, a single stem of their favourite flower is much more likely to win them over. Homemade things are also bound to be higher on the romance scale than shop bought. Put a little thought in.
The same goes for dates and weekends away - plan surprises you know they will love, think of more creative things to do than the usual dinner and a movie.

Just to help you out a little more here is our cheese scale for all things romantic:

Mild cheddar

Red roses: traditional yet dull. Some people don't even like roses. Pick flowers that suit them rather than going for run of the mill, it shows more thought.
Filling car with balloons: sweet, although it may just embarrass the hell out of them, and isn't much good if they ride a bike.
Making photo album charting your relationship: OK if filled monthly rather than minute-by-minute.
Writing I love you on the bathroom mirror.
Making a card for no reason at all.

Camembert

Serenading: romantic if drunk, cheesy if sober.
Dedicating a song to them on the radio/ VH1 /MTV (although if it's Bryan Adams or Puppy Love then this hits the pure cheese factor).

Stinking Gorgonzola

Teddy bears with 'I love you' hearts: think about the recipient, can you really imagine them liking this? If they do, do you really want to be with them?
Love letters, scented with lipstick kisses - no, no, no, no, no.
Poems: If you must attempt to be the next Laureate, keep them short and sweet as pages and pages may just end up in the bin.
Chat up lines - not big, not clever, and not romantic.
Underwear: I think you're confusing lust with love.

Self confidence

2008-07-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, we avoid making the first move because a nasty little negative thought pops into our mind at exactly the wrong moment. Here are some of the most common:

They will never fancy me
Attractiveness is very much in the eye of the beholder. If you never approach that person you fancy, how are they going to get the chance to decide? So long as you are clean and wearing stuff that you're comfortable with, what's the problem? There's a lot more going on here than physical appearances, and a good personality shines through. So what if you're brunette and they only like blondes? It just means that person is shallow, not that you're unattractive.
They might say no, or have a boyfriend/girlfriend already!
True, you might not be their ideal partner, and they have a right to say no. But they could also say yes, and surely that's worth taking the risk? Rejection is part of the dating scene, and it isn't the end of the world - you just move on and meet someone else. As for them already having a partner, there's no way you can tell in advance, so ask anyway.
I might make a fool of myself!
You'll have more luck if you're pleasant and friendly, rather than flash or cheesy. Even if you end up feeling embarrassed, chances are that nobody else will even notice. If they say 'no thanks' nicely, then deal with it graciously and don't start insulting them, it'll only make you look immature and insecure. If the other person deliberately tries to embarrass you, they've actually done you a favour by letting you know that they have an attitude problem.

What is sexual orientation?

2008-07-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

Sexual orientation is an enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to another person. It is easily distinguished from other components of sexuality including biological sex, gender identity (the psychological sense of being male or female) and the social gender role (adherence to cultural norms for feminine and masculine behaviour).

Sexual orientation exists along a continuum that ranges from exclusive homosexuality to exclusive heterosexuality and includes various forms of bisexuality. Bisexual persons can experience physical, sexual and emotional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex. Persons with a homosexual orientation are sometimes referred to as gay (both men and women) or as lesbian (women only).

Sexual orientation is different from sexual behaviour because it refers to feelings and self-concept. Persons may or may not express their sexual orientation in their behaviours.

What causes a person to have a particular sexual orientation?

It is generally agreed that sexual orientation is most likely the result of a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors. In most people, sexual orientation is shaped at an early age. There is also considerable recent evidence to suggest that biology, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in a person's sexuality. It is important to recognise that there are probably many reasons for a person's sexual orientation and the reasons may be different for different people.

Do I have a choice over my sexual orientation?

No, human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in early adolescence without any prior sexual experience. Although we can choose whether to act on our feelings, psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed.

How do I know if I'm gay?

Many people will be attracted to someone of the same gender at some time in their lives. Some people might act on this; some people don't even admit it.

Understanding Sexuality

2008-02-15T09:47:00.001-08:00

Sex can be pretty confusing. You may have been told that sex is a sacred act between two married people who love each other very much. But then you turn on your TV and you see quite a different story - people having casual or meaningless sex, using it to get revenge or to control people, or using it to advertise everything from soft drinks to vacuum cleaners.

The point is, there's a lot of bad information floating around about sex. And while you may have already had "The Sex Talk" with your parents, you may still have a few questions. Your parents, your teachers or your doctor would likely be happy to answer your questions, but let's face it, some of this stuff can be pretty embarrassing:

Wet Dreams

Sexy dreams can cause a guy to have an erection and ejaculate, or cum, during his sleep. When he wakes up, he's wet and sticky. This is a wet dream. The same occurs in girls, but the amount of moisture they produce is much less, and therefore it's not as noticeable. Wet dreams are pretty common at your age, but they don't happen to everybody, so don't worry if it doesn't happen to you.

Fantasies

Fantasies are a safe way to explore your sexual desires. They're not weird, everybody has them and they don't make you a "pervert", so don't feel guilty about having them. Fantasies help you learn more about yourself and your romantic feelings, without having to act on them. They help you figure out what turns you on and what you're comfortable with. You can learn a lot from fantasies - what you want to do and what you don't - but a lot of fantasies will just stay as fantasies. It's normal for people to fantasize about things that they wouldn't be comfortable doing in real life. Or your fantasies can set the stage for real-life situations, and prepare you to act in a way that is true to yourself. They allow you to imagine having sex...without any of the real-life consequences.

In some cases, your fantasies may become too big a part of your day.and you may spend more time in your head than on earth. Or, your fantasies become so life-like that you find it hard to hold back from trying them out in real life. In these situations, it may help to talk to someone you trust to help sort out your feelings.

The Bottom Line

Do what you need to do to answer your questions. Read books, fantasize, and ask a trusted friend lots of questions. Or if you're comfortable, you can talk to your doctor, a school nurse, or a pharmacists - remember, unless you are in danger or have broken the law, whatever you talk about with your health care provider is confidential. Just remember that getting answers to your questions will help you grow as a healthy, mature sexual being.

You might find it embarrassing to ask questions about sex, but just think: If and when you decide to have sex, don't you want to be sure that you've done your homework? If you think it's embarrassing to ask questions now, just think how embarrassing it would be later!

Contraception

2008-02-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Someday, you may want to have a baby. It may be when you're 18, 28, or even 38. Or you may never want to have a child. Any parent will tell you that a baby will bring unimaginable joy to your life (and, of course, sleepless nights, screaming and dirty diapers) but pregnancy should happen when you are ready. For now, it's a good idea to use contraception to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, until you're sure you want and are ready to have a baby.

Sex is such an amazing experience, so the last thing you want in the back of your head is, "oh God, what will I do if we get pregnant." That's right - we. Contraception is a shared responsibility of both partners. And remember, it only takes one "oops" to get pregnant.

So, make sure you find a contraception method that works best for you and your partner.

There's a lot more to contraception than just condoms and the Pill. For a lot of couples, these two are the obvious choice; they're effective, safe and pretty easy to use. But these days, there are literally dozens of options to choose from. There's even some exciting and highly effective new methods like the Patch or the vaginal ring.

Once you've found which contraception you and your partner like best, make sure to use it on a regular basis...and don't forget to use condoms to protect you from sexually transmitted infections.

The best way to protect yourself from pregnancy and from sexually transmitted infections (that you or your partner may not know you have) is to use a dual method of protection. that means using a male or female condom (yes, there are female condoms) along with another method of contraception.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

2008-02-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

You've probably heard all of this before... the safe sex talk, or why you should always use condoms, birth control pills and the rest. And let's face it, talking about diseases and infections isn't exactly the most pleasant topic - it's not like you're going to just strike up a conversation on the bus about genital warts! But if one thing is true of sexually transmitted infections, it's this: It's a lot more pleasant (and a lot less embarassing) to talk about them than it is to actually get one.

The big thing you need to know is that the easiest way to get a sexually transmitted infections is by having unprotected sex, and using a condom is the most effective way to prevent them.

But in order to fully understand these "bugs" and how to protect yourself, the first step is to learn about the different types of STIs, what causes them, how to spot them, and what to do if you catch one.

Sexual and Gender Orientation

2008-02-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

Your sexual orientation is a reflection of your sexual and emotional feelings toward people of the same or opposite gender. Although some people know early on that they are homosexual, others go through a confusing period where they wonder: Am I different? Could I be gay? Are my feelings just a passing phase?

The answer is there is no single answer. Your sexual orientation will emerge over time, probably little by little. You shouldn't label yourself as gay just because you've had homosexual feelings or even homosexual encounters. These experiences are very common among people your age. Or, you may realize over time that you're only attracted to people of your own gender. Or maybe you'll find that you're into both guys and girls - that you're bisexual.

Right now the best thing you can do is give it time and explore and experience your sexual feelings with an open mind. If it turns out you're gay, you'll probably face some unique challenges but you'll also get a lot of support along the way. The world's come a long way. It's still not perfect, but these days most people know that it's okay to be gay, and homosexuals have more social freedoms and legal protections than ever before.

You may have wondered what causes homosexuality. Why are some people gay and some people aren't? Truth is, nobody really knows for sure. Researchers used to believe that homosexuality stemmed from improper parenting (some people still believe this), but this just isn't the case. As best we know, what "causes" homosexuality is the same as what causes heterosexuality: the roll of the biological dice.

Today, sex researchers and doctors view homosexuality not as a sexual problem but as a normal sexual difference, much like green is a normal - if fairly unusual - eye colour.

What all this means is that homosexuals are no more responsible for their homosexuality than heterosexuals are for their heterosexuality. It is not a "lifestyle" you choose for yourself as much as something you discover in yourself. Which is not to say it's an easy discovery. Even if you know that homosexuality isn't a disorder or a flaw, you may fear that your family and friends won't accept you if you come out to them.

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

2008-02-15T09:35:00.000-08:00

Picture it. You wake up. You're naked. You have a pounding headache, aching muscles, and you can't remember anything from last night. One minute you and some friends are getting a ride to a party, the next you're waking up here, on a stranger's bed in a room you've never even seen before.

You search around in the dark for a minute or so, and piece-by-piece you find the clothes you were wearing last night. You quickly pull on your underwear and jeans, and are about to throw on your top when you notice something's wrong. There's a long tear stretching down from the neckline of your shirt. For a minute, you just sit there in confusion - what the heck happened last night?

Then, a spark fires in your brain. You remember something from the night before that makes your skin crawl, and in a single instant, your life is changed forever. You're not sure, but you think you've been raped.

This is drug-facilitated sexual assault, and no one's really sure how often it happens.

Often known as "drug rape" or "date rape", drug-facilitated sexual assault is when someone uses the fact that you've taken or been given alcohol or drugs to sexually assault you.

This sexual assault can be anything from unwanted kissing or touching to full-blown rape. Obviously, rape is worse than an unwanted kiss or touch, but all sexual assaults are serious crimes.

Someone could also slip a "date-rape" drug into your drink that will make you completely out of it and an easy target. These drugs can also make you pass out or erase parts of your memory, so you might wake up the next day and never know what's happened to you.

Other times, someone may take advantage of a person who's had too much to drink or took drugs willingly - a girl who is passed out at a party, for example.

Tips and Tools

2008-02-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

People have been having sex ever since...well...people! And sex goes back a lot further than that! Yet for some reason, after 5 million years of having sex, not one of us has figured out a good way to bring it up around the dinner table.

If you're embarassed about talking about sex, join the club! For just about all of us, talking about sex is embarassing. Why?...Well, that's a much bigger question than it seems. But asking questions and getting answers about sex is important. And even though no one's gotten it down cold yet, there are ways you can make talking about sex and sexuality easier.

Check out this section for tips to getting the info you need, whether it's from your boyfriend, girlfriend, parent or doctor. And if you're concerned about your first visit to a clinic, relax.we've broken it down, piece by piece. We've also got a tonne of good articles and links worth checking out. So go ahead...surf around!

Goals for Reducing Heterosexual Bias in Language

2008-02-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

Reducing heterosexual bias and increasing visibility of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons. Lesbians, gay men, and bisexual men and women often feel ignored by the general media which take the heterosexual orientation of their readers for granted. Unless an author is referring specifically to heterosexual people, writing should be free of heterosexual bias. Ways to increase the visibility of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons include:
- Using examples of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons when referring to activities (e.g., parenting, athletic ability) that are erroneously associated only with heterosexual people by many readers.
- Referring to lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons in situations other than sexual relationships. Historically, the term "homosexuality" has connoted sexual activity rather than a general way of relating and living.
- Omitting discussion of marital status unless legal marital relationships are the object of the writing. Marital status per se is not a good indicator of cohabitation (marital couples may be separated; unmarried couples may live together), sexual activity, or sexual orientation (a person who is married may be in a gay or lesbian relationship with a partner). Further, describing people as married or "single" renders lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons as well as heterosexual people in cohabiting relationships invisible.
- Referring to sexual and intimate emotional partners by both male and female pronouns (e.g., "the adolescent males were asked about the age at which they first had a male or female sexual partner").
- Using sexual terminology that is relevant to lesbians and gay men as well as bisexual and heterosexual people (e.g., "when did you first engage in sexual activity?" rather than "when did you first have sexual intercourse?").
- Avoiding the assumption that pregnancy may result from sexual activity (e.g., "it is recommended that women attending the clinic who currently are engaging in sexual activity with men be given oral contraceptives" instead of "it is recommended that women who attend the clinic be given oral contraceptives").

Clarity of expression and avoidance of inaccurate stereotypes about lesbians and gay men. Stigmatizing or pathologizing language regarding gay men and lesbians should be avoided (e.g., "sexual deviate," "sexual invert"). Authors should take care that examples do not further stigmatize lesbians, gay men, or bisexual persons (e.g., an example such as "psychologists need training in working with special populations such as lesbians, drug abusers, and alcoholics" is stigmatizing in that it lists a status designation (lesbians) with designations of people being treated.

Comparisons of lesbians or gay men to parallel groups. When comparing a group of gay men or lesbians to others, parallel terms have not always been used. For example, contrasting lesbians with "the general public" or to "normal women" portrays lesbians as marginal to society. More appropriate comparison groups might be "heterosexual women," "heterosexual men and women," or "gay men and heterosexual women and men."

Problems of Terminology

2008-02-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

Problems occur in language concerning lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons when language is too vague or concepts are poorly defined. There are two major problems of designation. First, language may be ambiguous in reference, so that the reader is not clear about its meaning or its inclusion and exclusion criteria. Second, "homosexuality" has been associated in the past with deviance, mental illness, and criminal behavior, and these negative stereotypes may be perpetuated by bias.

Sexual orientation is a preferred term for psychological writing over "sexual preference" and refers to sexual/affectional relationships of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual people. The word "preference" suggests a degree of voluntary choice that is not necessarily reported by lesbians and gay men and that has not been demonstrated in psychological research.

The terms "lesbian sexual orientation," "heterosexual sexual orientation," "gay male sexual orientation," and "bisexual sexual orientation" are preferable over "lesbianism," "heterosexuality", "homosexuality", and "bisexuality", respectively. The former terms focus on people and some of the latter terms have in the past been associated with pathology.
Lesbian and gay male are preferred to the word "homosexual" when used as an adjective referring to specific persons or groups, and lesbians and gay men are preferred terms over "homosexuals" used as a noun when referring to specific persons or groups. The word "homosexual" has several problems of designation. First, it may perpetuate negative stereotypes because of its historical associations with pathology and criminal behavior. Second, it is ambiguous in reference because it is often assumed to refer exclusively to men and thus renders lesbians invisible. Third, it is often unclear.

The terms "gay male" and "lesbian" refer primarily to identities and to the modern culture and communities that have developed among people who share those identities. They should be distinguished from sexual behavior. Some men and women have sex with others of their own gender but do not consider themselves to be gay or lesbian. In contrast, the terms "heterosexual" and "bisexual" currently are used to describe identity as well as behavior.

The terms "gay" as an adjective and "gay persons" as a noun have been used to refer to both males and females. However, these terms may be ambiguous in reference since readers who are used to the term "lesbian and gay" may assume that "gay" refers to men only. Thus it is preferable to use "gay" or "gay persons" only when prior reference has specified the gender composition of this term.

Such terms as "gay male" are preferable to "homosexuality" or "male homosexuality" and so are grammatical reconstructions (e.g., "his colleagues knew he was gay" rather than "his colleagues knew about his homosexuality"). The same is true for "lesbian" over "female homosexual", "female homosexuality", or "lesbianism."
Same-gender behavior, male-male behavior, and female-female behavior are appropriate terms for specific instances of same-gender sexual behavior that people engage in regardless of their sexual orientation (e.g., a married heterosexual man who once had a same-gender sexual encounter). Likewise, it is useful that women and men not be considered "opposites" (as in "opposite sex") to avoid polarization, and that heterosexual women and men not be viewed as opposite to lesbians and gay men. Thus, male-female behavior is preferred to the term "opposite sex behavior" in referring to specific instances of other-gender sexual behavior that people engage in regardless of their sexual orientation.

When referring to sexual behavior that cannot be described as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual, special care needs to be taken. Descriptions of sexual behavior among animal species should be termed "male-male sexual behavior" or "male-female sexual behavior" rather than "homosexual behavior" or "heterosexual behavior," respectively.
Bisexual women and men, bisexual persons, or bisexual as an adjective refer to people who relate sexually and affectionally to women and men. These terms are often omitted in discussions of sexual orientation and thus give the erroneous impression that all people relate exclusively to one gender or another. Omission of the term "bisexual" also contributes to the invisibility of bisexual women and men. Although it may seem cumbersome at first, it is clearest to use the term "lesbians, gay men, and bisexual women or men" when referring inclusively to members of these groups.
Heterosexual as an adjective is acceptable for people who have male-female affectional/sexual relationships and who do not engage in sexual relationships with people of the same gender.
Use of gender instead of sex. The terms "sex" and "gender" are often used interchangeably. Nevertheless, the term "sex" is often confused with sexual behavior, and this is particularly troublesome when differentiating between sexual orientation and gender. The phrase "it was sexual orientation, rather than gender, that accounted for most of the variance" is clearer than "it was sexual orientation, rather than sex, that accounted for most of the variance."

In the latter phrase, "sex" may be misinterpreted as referring to sexual activity. It is generally more precise to use the term "gender."