by yoursl | Apr 7, 2016 | Dating/Relationships, Men's Sexual Health, Sex and Culture, Sex and History, Sex and Literature, Sex and Science, Sexual Discussion, Sexual Exploration, Women's Sexual Health |
Historically, America has held a somewhat negative societal view of masturbation that can be traced back to several centuries ago. In America in the 18th and 19th centuries, the perfect storm collided to help condemn masturbation as being a degenerate act. Decades of the Judeo-Christian tradition of condemning masturbation as being a misuse of one’s sexuality combined with the general prudishness of the Victorian era, which lasted from 1837 to 1901, and with the Great Awakening religious revivals of the early 18th century to the late 19th century to land masturbation into the banned acts arena. Literary works during the Victorian era helped move masturbation from being just a socially wicked act to being one of a physical and mental health nature that required medical treatments and even cures to eradicate. One of the biggest opponents of masturbation during this time was American physician Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943), who thought sex was detrimental to our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. He had evener stricter views on masturbation. In addition to sharing his anti-masturbation and anti-sex beliefs with others, Dr. Kellogg physically lived his beliefs and values. It is believed that Dr. Kellogg was celibate, that he and his wife never consummated their marriage, that they kept separate bedrooms during their entire marriage and that all eight of their children were adopted. Dr. Kellogg was raised as a devote Seventh-day Adventist and kept to his faith all throughout his life. He went to medical school before returning to his home state of Michigan where he would eventually practice as a physician at an Adventist-operated sanitarium. In his written work...
by yoursl | Oct 16, 2014 | Bedroom Fun, Dating/Relationships, Just For Fun, Sex and Literature, Sexual Discussion |
My collection of sexual health books rivals those of major metropolitan libraries. My residence is littered with these books and is a source of amusement for my friends and family, who peruse small piles of my books when they visit. I almost always have a book with me, and it is almost always a book about something sexual. (Side note: When I shop at my local bookstore, I sit down in the sexual health section, make a stack of books that look interesting, and then make my selections for purchase out of that pile. As I am doing this, I have noticed people avoid me and the aisle I am sitting in as if a plague were present instead of one woman on a quest. My advice for people who need a few moments of peace and quiet is to go sit in the sexual health aisle of a bookstore and enjoy a moment of solitude.) Rarely do I read a sexual health book I think every adult needs to read as well. I have just finished reading an absolute gem of a book called Men Are Pigs And That’s a Good Thing by Ron Sturgeon, who spent four years interviewing men and women for his book. Sturgeon took the techniques he used to build successful businesses and applied them to suggest ways to create long-lasting, sex-filled relationships for adults of all ages. His book is geared toward the heterosexual male-female relationship, but his suggestions for building intimacy can be used by anyone of any...
