Search Results (116)

Sexuality and occupation are two constructs studied in different fields of knowledge. Particularly, in occupational therapy and occupational science, their relationship has been sparsely explored from a philosophical perspective. In the following reflection, we present some philosophical approaches to sexuality, occupation, and performativity to inquire about the impact of discourses about sexuality on the practice of occupations. For this analysis, we take an example developed by Foucault in one of his classes at the Collège de France. We believe that this helps us question the established discourses surrounding truth, especially concerning sexuality. Subsequently, we address the concept of occupation, taking into consideration Schliebener’s proposal from existentialist philosophy. Understanding occupation as a dimension of being, we explain how it can be comprehended through Butler’s theory of performativity and, consequently, express a sexual dimension. Finally, we establish an interconnection between the preceding concepts, taking sexual dissidents as an example. We propose that this reflection can broaden the possibilities of understanding occupations as points of resistance against normative discourses about sexuality. This may be relevant for contemplating practice and research in occupational science and occupational therapy, as it expands the understanding of sexuality beyond mere activities and centers it as a form of expression of being through occupation. Full article

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with a prevalence rate of 2.78%, and it is characterized by deficits in sociability and communication and restricted patterns of interests and activities. Remarkably, this psychiatric disorder exhibits a pronounced gender bias, with 80% of children diagnosed with ASD being boys. In this review, we will present advancements in mouse models of ASD and their potential contributions to our understanding of the disorder. We will highlight how initial pre-clinical investigations focused solely on male mice due to the gender bias in ASD and explain why we believe that this approach might have had detrimental consequences regarding our understanding of ASD etiology and pathophysiology. We will highlight the evidence of two sensitive periods during brain development when differential exposure to gonadal hormones may result in sex differences in brain function and behavior: the perinatal period and the pre-pubertal period. Finally, we will suggest neuroinflammation as a feasible biological mechanism that may converge different ASD etiological factors and cellular mechanisms into a brain sexual differentiation context, thus accounting for the gender disparities observed in the disorder. Full article

Effective sexual health education provides individuals medically accurate knowledge and promotes the skills necessary for positive behaviors related to sexual health. This qualitative study employs focus groups to examine learning experiences of nine participating adolescents from a comprehensive youth empowerment and sexual health virtual summer program (The YES! Program). Focus group interviews were coded using inductive analysis to compute student learning themes (safety and prevention, preparation, and communication) and utterance coverage. Narrative inquiry highlighted the experiences of the participants. The results highlight students’ learning experiences through participation in the YES! Program and the skill outcomes of comprehensive sexual health education. Full article

Men often perceive greater sexual willingness underlying women’s behaviors than women themselves intend. This discrepancy can contribute to sexual miscommunication and, sometimes, acts of sexual assault. The current study tested whether actor–observer asymmetry is present in women’s ratings of sexual intent to offer an additional explanation for past findings. We hypothesized that women rating their own behaviors would report less sexual intent compared to women rating another woman’s behaviors. We also hypothesized that these ratings would be influenced by the physical attractiveness of a male target through self-reported sexual arousal as a mediation pathway. Results from a community sample of 164 women (M_age = 42 years) generally supported these hypotheses. Sexual arousal was positively associated with ratings among all participants, but the mediation pathway was significant only for women rating another woman’s behavior. The findings suggested that actor–observer asymmetry is present in ratings of sexual intent. This effect might account for some of the sexual overperception phenomena and explain why third-party observers of women’s sexual behavior (e.g., potential partners, Title IX investigators, jurors) sometimes misinterpret sexual willingness. Full article

Sex workers’ humor has received comparatively little attention in the literature to date, and work that does consider this phenomenon focuses on humor in face-to-face contexts. Increasingly, elements of sex workers’ labor and community building take place online. This article examines the emergence of sex work humor in online spaces, considering how this humor provides evidence of resilience within this community. The article uses a critical discourse analysis approach blended with a cultural studies lens to examine 171 discrete texts drawn from sex work communities in Australia and New Zealand. These include social media postings from peer-led organizations and correspondence between sex workers and their clients, which was profiled in news media during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The humor evident within these texts falls into three major categories: humor about clients; humor as a mechanism of discussing stigma and discrimination; and humor as an agent of activism and social change. The findings indicate that humor can be evidence of resilience among sex-working communities, that it is politically productive and effective from a communications perspective, and present the possibility that it may also contribute to resilience. The presence of humor in online sex work spaces of sociality further highlights the importance of these spaces for community building, and draws attention to additional harms created by deplatforming. Full article

Sexuality education is a part of the health education process in schools. However, many programs of sexuality education do not consider the needs of children and adolescents. This study is based on an analysis of the interests of children and adolescents about sexuality. The sample covered 32 classes from primary school to higher education in the northern region of Portugal. The methodology was mixed, collecting data through open questions. It used an A5 white page, containing only options to indicate age, school grade, and sex. In the white space, students wrote their questions/doubts. A database was built in the program SPSS and categories were established a priori following the key concepts for sexuality education defined by UNESCO. A pattern of issues and interests was found depending on the age group and sex, noting that the children’s interests are related to conception, birth, and the well-being of the fetus/newborn. Adolescents’ interests are focused on contraception, sexually transmitted infections, and relationships. This study can help teachers to promote sexuality education which is appropriate to the developmental stage of their students, motivating them to better learn and leading to a reduction in risky sexual behaviors and conscious decision making for healthy sexuality. Full article

Sexual health is essential to the complete well-being of every individual, and provision of all-inclusive and superior-quality information about living a healthful sexual life is necessary for everyone in a community, especially for youths. Using data collected in 2019 from 467 male and female immigrant youths between 18 and 34 years of age who resided in a suburb of the inner city of Johannesburg, this secondary analytical study examined the determining factors of sources of information about sexual health, using condoms inconsistently, and engaging in multiple sexual relationships. Binary logistic regression and negative binomial regression models were employed to understand the relationships between explanatory variables and outcome variables. The determinants of the sources of information about sexual health were gender, educational attainment level, wealth index, and age at first sexual intercourse. Gender, age group, marital status, and migration status were the determining factors for inconsistency of condom use. Gender, migration status, marital status, age at first sexual intercourse, and having had sex while drunk were the determinants of engaging in multiple sexual relationships. Avoiding behaviours that expose individuals to sexual risks and the negative consequences of unprotected sexual activity is crucial for youths. This study shows that receiving information about sexual health from informal sources and high-risk sexual behaviour are major public health problems amongst the immigrant youths. Full article

Stigma is felt, constructed, understood and negotiated differently by varied marginalized groups, including diverse groups among commercial sex workers themselves. Brothel-based sex workers in India have more visibility and undergo greater social scrutiny, moral surveillance and stigmatization. For the transient sex workers, invisibility and non-identification as sex workers are strategically used to mitigate stigmatization. The current research conducts semi-structured interviewing of 23 brothel-based and 21 transient sex workers in and around Kolkata in Eastern India. The results delineate the differences between the impact of stigmatization on brothel-based and transient sex workers in India and how these two groups negotiate with and resist stigma in their lives. The current study shows that the impact and extent of stigmatization varied among the sex workers in accordance to their location and status. Full article

This exploratory retrospective study analyzes the emotional and mental processes, risk behavior for HIV/STIs, and needed services to exit commercial sexual exploitation. Participants were court-referred to the local survivor-led program, Freedom from Exploitation, in southern California. Data were collected (N = 168) using an intake assessment form for a period of five years (2015–2020). Two groups were identified in the data, self-identified survivors of sex trafficking (SST) and non-self-identified survivors of sex trafficking (NSST). Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions examined the associations of HIV/STI risks and emotional and mental processes with these two subgroups. Findings demonstrated that both groups experienced gender-based violence and similar emotional and mental processes as well as HIV/STIs risks. However, in adjusted models, the SST group had three times the odds of experiencing abuse by a sex buyer when asked to use a condom and eight times the odds of feeling hopeless or desperate and experiencing nightmares/flashbacks among other negative mental health outcomes. Both SST and NSST said they needed assistance to obtain legal services and complete a high school equivalency credential, among other services. Findings may be used by social service and law enforcement agencies to better assist survivors of sex trafficking and similar groups in supporting their rehabilitation and protection. Full article

The sex industry literature predominantly focuses on the lived experiences of cisgender female sex workers, their customers, and work dynamics. Recently, there has been a shift in the discourse regarding sex work as the sex industry has been openly represented within art, fashion, and film. As such, there has been a growing number of qualitative studies dedicated to investigating cisgender men’s experiences of the sex industry. This article seeks to identify and synthesize these emergent findings to identify possible gaps in the literature, aid in defining new research opportunities, and guide public health policy development. Using qualitative meta-synthesis, 66 original studies were identified and analyzed. Nine meta-themes emerged. Findings demonstrated that male sex workers (MSWs) encounter many of the same experiences that have been previously documented by female sex workers, such as work-related discrimination and the influence of economics on their interest and involvement in the industry. However, MSWs also experience areas of privilege and discrimination unique to their lived experiences. This was particularly salient for men who sold sex in countries where sexual minorities are criminalized or decriminalized but not legalized. These findings highlight the need for responsive sex worker resources tailored to address the unique issues faced by MSWs. Full article

For asylum seekers to be granted asylum, they must convince immigration officials that they have been persecuted or that they fear they will be persecuted if returned to their home country. This article discusses the reluctance of asylum seekers to be forthcoming about sexual assault as a form of persecution and the ways in which traumatic memory can affect narratives of persecution for rape survivors. Many asylum seekers, particularly those who have been sexually assaulted, show symptoms consistent with trauma survivors. Consequently, their narratives of persecution are often shaped by partial and incomplete memory recall. The result is that how asylum seekers who have been sexually assaulted tell their stories of persecution is the antithesis of the expectations of credibility. This article is based on qualitative research in Los Angeles, California, and New York City, New York, in the United States. It includes interviews with asylum seekers, immigration attorneys, immigrant service providers, asylum officers, and immigration judges; observations of immigration court hearings; and content analysis of asylum applications. I use these sources to argue that the harm of rape and its long-lasting effects evidenced by symptoms of traumatic memory impacts how asylum seekers articulate stories of persecution. How these stories are told can have devastating effects for asylum seekers that may jeopardize their ability to gain asylum if immigration officials do not view them as credible applicants. Full article

The literature contains scant information on the relationship between tourists’ gender and their attitudes toward food while vacationing. The present study had as its main aim to examine the role of gender in key behaviours concerning tourists’ food choices and eating habits; in addition, our study evaluated the hypothesis that gender interacts with the “pandemic effect” in modifying tourists’ food-related behaviour. By implementing a quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive methodology, an online questionnaire was developed based on existing literature. To this end, data derived from 474 female and 370 male tourists visiting Greece in 2019 (before) or in 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) were analysed and evaluated. The results indicate that, compared to men, women were more motivated to taste local food, especially with respect to obtaining cultural experience and excitement, promoting interpersonal relations, and as a result of health concerns. In addition, they dined at facilities at their place of stay, as well as at Greek restaurants and taverns at a higher rate compared to men. Women also reported being more satisfied than men by their food experiences during their trips, and was found that during the pandemic they spent, on average, more on food than before. The study showed that the pandemic affected both genders; however, the most significant of the differences observed relates to the choice of dining facilities, in all likelihood, as a result of women being more sensitive to the risks of COVID-19. Overall, during the pandemic, women appeared more likely than men to adopt behaviours that are in line with the principles of sustainability, such as a positive attitude and motivation to consume foods produced locally in the country. Differences detected between genders can be used by various stakeholders as a benchmark to further improve the food services offered at tourist destinations. Full article

With the increased ubiquity of digital technology, sexting behaviours, defined as the online sending, receiving, or disseminating of sexually explicit messages, images, or videos, have become increasingly frequent, particularly among young adults. While prior research found sexting behaviours to be associated with cyberbullying behaviours, the role of consent as part of this association has been largely unexplored. The current study investigates whether the relationship between sexting behaviours and cyberbullying perpetration might be explained by a subset of nonconsensual sexting behaviours, such as engagement in nonconsensual sext dissemination and sext-hassling. A large convenience sample of young Western cisgendered adults (n = 1688, M age = 23.15, SD = 3.23, 52.7% women) completed an anonymous online survey exploring harmful online behaviours (nonconsensual sext dissemination, sext-hassling, cyberbullying victimisation/perpetration). A hierarchical logistic regression was used to analyse predictive relationships between variables. The results showed no significant association between consensual sext-sending and cyberbullying perpetration in young adults. However, nonconsensual sexting behaviours, particularly sext-hassling and nonconsensual sext dissemination, were predictive of cyberbullying perpetration. Finally, cyberbullying victimization appeared to be the most strongly associated factor with cyberbullying perpetration. These findings suggest that future research and prevention efforts surrounding sexting and cyberbullying perpetration would benefit from a focus on consent and the bidirectional nature of cyberbullying behaviours. Full article

The importance of sexual pleasure as a factor promoting sexual and public health is increasingly recognized. Nevertheless, hardly any theory-based and empirically tested interventions exist for fostering sexual pleasure. Consequently, we developed an unguided online intervention called PleaSure to promote sexual pleasure in women. In a randomized controlled pilot trial with a mixed-method design, we evaluated the effectiveness of PleaSure by comparing the intervention group to a waitlist control group in pre–post measurements over 4 weeks. With 657 participants (M_age = 31.46, SD_age = 8.78), we evaluated an index of sexual pleasure and five facets: sensual pleasure, pleasure-related mastery, pleasure-related validation, interaction pleasure, and bonding pleasure. The results show that the online intervention primarily strengthened the intrapersonal domain of sexual pleasure by increasing pleasure-related mastery. Neither the other facets nor the index was significantly influenced by the intervention. Although the effects of the quantitative data are small, the qualitative data support overall positive effects on participants’ sexual experience. We discuss the content of the intervention and the methods used. Our pilot study suggests that sexual pleasure can be promoted but that major improvements are needed to the intervention’s content and design to do so effectively. Therefore, future studies are encouraged to further develop and implement such resource-efficient interventions in clinical and non-clinical samples to better understand the importance of sexual pleasure to sexual health. Full article

In some areas of sex research, we note room for methodological improvement of research practices. In particular, in the field of hypersexuality research, where societal norms have been influential, methodological improvement might advance goals of objectivity in research. We propose that hypersexuality research should: firstly, take into account relevant subpopulations; secondly, use Item Response Theory (IRT) to construct item banks for measurement instruments; and, thirdly, measure sexual desire and related important constructs where and how they play out—in daily life, changing from moment to moment. We show that comparing relevant subpopulations can lead to depathologizing normative, but highly frequent, sexual behavior. Using IRT can lead to more precise measurement instruments by assessment of characteristics of individual items. Measuring sexual desire as an inherently fluctuating process in everyday life, and as part of emotion regulation processes, can direct research towards relevant associations other research methods might miss. Bringing into practice our three proposals for improvement can procure a number of advantages. We illustrate these advantages mainly for the field of hypersexuality research, but our suggestions might also be beneficial for sex research in general. Full article