sxu 4 05 06

Sex surveys: what is actually going on?: 

Sex surveys: what is actually going on? Week five

Aims: 

Aims To explore the findings of UK and US sex surveys, from 1948-1990s. US Kinsey reports (1948;1952) UK ‘Little Kinsey’ (1940s) UK Wellings et al report US Lauman reports Hite Reports (1976, 1981, 1990) Discuss the findings in light of the political consequences of sex research

Slide3: 

'Sexology is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, because it is impossible for scientists to quantify normal people’s lives and sexual behavior or to measure their genitals for any scientific advantage. Moreover, no normal, sensitive and sensible person, especially a scientist who understands the dynamics of marriage, real human love and the absolute trust and commitment required, would claim that such a study could or should be carried out' (Reisman, 1998: 71)

Brief history: 

Brief history Early twentieth century - birth of sexology (science of sex) Despite observations and clinical notes and some smaller studies , a systematic large scale study of everyday sexuality had not been carried out Thus, what was being branded as ‘normal’ was an ideological construct Heterosexuality and homosexual were constituted as ‘distinct’ Perversity defined the boundaries of normality

Alfred Kinsey: 

Alfred Kinsey Biologist - meticulous collector of gall wasps Discovery of variation as opposed to working with averages (norms) Started his work on sex as a biology tutor instructing young college students about the physiology of sex Had a firm belief that liberation would arise from education and the stating of biological facts

Areas of investigation: 

Areas of investigation Social and economic background Marital history Sex education Physical characteristics and physiology Nocturnal sex dreams Masturbation Heterosexual history History of same-gender sexual activity Sexual contact with animals Working with the assumption that everyone had done everything

How were the volumes received?: 

How were the volumes received? Moral outrage - his surveys were against all things decent and pure Childhood sexuality – accusations of child abuse Best seller within the first year Some UK States still imprisoned people for oral sex, extra and pre- marital sex

Methodological issues: 

Methodological issues 'quota sampling' most relevant groups included 'weighting' Inclusion of men in prison Gagnon andamp; Simon (1973) reanalysed the data focussing on 2, 900 college educated men - 30% had at least one homosexual experience (half before 15) An additional third - all homosexuality during adolescence only Leaving 3% with extensive and 3% with exclusive homosexual histories Films (measuring arousal and orgasm)

Sexual behaviour in the human female (1953)Outstanding findings: 

Sexual behaviour in the human female (1953) Outstanding findings 50% of women had experienced sexual intercourse before marriage 62% had masturbated 26% had experienced extra-marital sex by age 40 30% of women continued to masturbate while married Kinsey put across the message that understanding women’s sexuality in male terms was wrong and led to unhappiness

Kinsey, sexual orientation & Homosexuality: 

Kinsey, sexual orientation andamp; Homosexuality Continuous scale of sexuality (1-7) A relatively common form of human variation Bisexuality - attraction or desire for same sex was more common among those who were not exclusively homosexual 37% of men had at least one same sex experience to orgasm 10% almost exclusively homosexual for at least three years 4% exclusively homosexual since adolescence

Class issues: 

Class issues Higher rate of homosexuality, oral and anal sex among the more educated 60% of college educated, 20% of high school educated and 10% grad school education participated in oral-genital sexual activity (Hunt, 1974 – Sexual behaviour in the 1970’s)

Private sexual behaviour: US-UK comparison (1998): 

Private sexual behaviour: US-UK comparison (1998) Large scale, national probability samples conducted in 2 countries Face to face interviews and self completion questionnaire Reports of sexual behaviour, attitudes and STD rates among 16 UK) and 18 (US) -59 year olds Sample: 18 876 in UK and 3432 in US Response rate was 65% (UK) and 79% US Systematic comparison of countries

key results: 

key results Number of partners decreased with age in both countries Few women than men reported 2 or more partners Men more likely to be sexually active before 18 in both countries 18-24 year olds - Virgin at first marriage - UK - men=0% women=3% US - men-22.2% women=17.9%

Contemporary surveys in the US and UK: 

Contemporary surveys in the US and UK The National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS; Lauman, Gagnon, Michael andamp; Michaels, 1994) - 3500 participants Sexual Behaviour, Attitudes and Life Styles in Great Britain; Wellings, Johnson, 1994) - 18 500 participants

Same-gender partners: 

Same-gender partners Previous year UK men - average 1.1% UK women - average 0.4% US men - average 2.4% US women - average 1.0% Life time UK men - 3.8% UK women - 1.8% US men - 3.9% US women - 2.8%

Slide16: 

Oral and anal sex: 

Oral and anal sex Oral UK - 18-24 men: 85.8% women: 81.5% US - 18.24 men: 73.1% women: 78.8% UK - 45-59 men: 46.5% women: 37.1% Anal UK - 18-24 men: 10.0% women: 10.0% US - 18-24 men: 7.2% women: 9.3% UK - 45-59 men: 5.6% women: 5.3% US - 45 - 59 men: 5.9% women: 5.3%

Slide18: 

Sexually transmitted infections: 

Sexually transmitted infections 1994 - Gonorrhea - US: 245 per 10 0000 - UK: 33 per 10 000 1994 - Chlamydia - US: 245 per 10 000 - UK:100 per 10 000

HIV and AIDS: 

HIV and AIDS 1994 - AIDS - US: 256 per million - UK: 24 per million 1996 - 50% of US and 59% of UK - HIV transmission between men who have sex with men 1996 - 10% of UK and 26% of US - injecting drug users 1996 - 20% of UK and 6% of US involving heterosexual contact

The importance of sexual beliefs: 

The importance of sexual beliefs Number of sexual partners increases risk of STI Availability of sex clinics in UK Greater openness to sex in UK US message on abstinence - non promotion of condoms More varied sexual practices in UK (either abstinence or large number of partners than UK) Absolute opinions are more common in US Less influence from far right Christian organisations (see Levine, 2000) ‘Tolerance’ of variety is more frequent in ‘homosexuals’ than others

Gender differences: 

Gender differences 28% of women had first intercourse reluctantly (8% of men) Affection for partners or force Men – more varied sexual behaviours – more anal sex, more lifetime partners, group sex, watching others have sex, sex clubs, pornography and giving and receiving oral sex Women more guilty over masturbation

Gender similarities?: 

Gender similarities? Male and female sexuality show few large differences (Brannon, 2005) No gender differences in attitudes towards same-gender sexuality, rights for gays and lesbians, attitudes towards masturbation, incidence of oral sex or sexual satisfaction (Peplau, 2003) Gender differences have decreased over time (Brannon, 2005)

The decline of homosexuality over the last fifty years?: 

The decline of homosexuality over the last fifty years? Binson et al, 1995; Chauncey, 1994) German study - 18% in 1970; 2% in 1990. No change for females possible explanations: More awareness of stigma? More opportunities with opposite sex during adolescence? Interviewing techniques More prevalent among white educated men (Binson) and in larger urban areas

The politics of the sex survey: 

The politics of the sex survey Bancroft (2005) - surveys in the US haulted mainly through fear that homosexuality would spread Sex against children allegations (Reisman, 1989 onwards) Information would lead to corruption (clearly not the case)

The Hite Reports (1976 The report on female sexuality): 

The Hite Reports (1976 The report on female sexuality) Masturbation as sexual baseline – intensity and pleasure rarely experienced with partner Most women do not experience orgasm during heterosexual intercourse but can achieve it easily and quickly during masturbation Most women who do not orgasm during intercourse withdraw emotionally as well as sexually This has traditionally been seen as women desiring sex less Brought ‘politics’ into an analysis of heterosexuality Continued unsatisfactory engagement with men is proposed as a need for acceptance Most women separated sexual dissatisfaction from the quality of a relationship

Hite Male report (1981): 

Hite Male report (1981) 7000 men What men think, feel about sex, whether this is changing and how emotions relate to the rest of their lives Majority see sex as penetration – women’s genitals and demand for oral sex Many men are dissatisfied and unhappy – mechanics of sex and ejaculation/power issues Angry and resentful about women’s emotional demands Men see sex as adequate expression of emotion (see Stanley, 1995)

Criticisms of Hite: 

Criticisms of Hite Sample – achieved rather than randomn (result of a very large number of people spontaneously and voluntarily writing in) Relegated the numbers in categories of Most, Some, Few Essay questionnaire (written responses as long as the participant desires) – mixed qualitative and quantitative Replete with ‘voice’ – unpalatable to mainstream culture (Stanley, 1995)

Implications: 

Implications What are the implications of these findings for ideas about choice and liberation? In what ways have people’s attitudes changed over the past fifty years? In what ways has sexuality and sexual behaviour remained the same? Dominant discourses of heterosexuality and monogamy still remain?

Summary: 

Summary Past fifty years have seen at least seven major sex surveys in UK and US Public reactions have been mixed Controversies continue Methodology is a central concern (representative samples) Sexual stories more easily told (Plummer, 1995)