Demythologizing The Kinsey Report

In his article, “The Invention of Sexuality”, Weeks argued that sexuality is a product of society and is shaped by

Albert Kinsey helped change the American Public’s preconceptions on sexuality by publishing two bestselling books from 1947 to 1953 on the topic. Titled “American Sexual Behavior” and “Sexual Behavior in the Human Female”, these books both confirmed and challenged the generally held beliefs dealing with marriage, sexual gratification, and sexual orientation. Sex was deemed important for a healthy marriage, adultery was frequent and homosexuals weren’t weird anomalies.

The reading of “Alfred Kinsey and the Kinsey Report”, it really point out interesting opinion and reports, that he had throughout his life. Many of his surveys, opinions, and research put him in a fight with other other professional’s opinion, such psychiatrists, educators, physicians that dominate this subjects of sexual activities. Kinsey strategy was to interview people in order to obtain information from cases that help him to find these number that helps him to find a conclusion in sex behavior activities. One of the tactics that he had that help him was the “seven-point bipolar scale” (Kinsey, 58). This method helps him to find the answers to their questions in an in a controversial way on how he collected his information with topics

A year after he completed his observation in the tearooms, Humphreys decided to visit the men whose personal information he documented (UCSB). Humphreys assumed a new identity and posed as a social health worker (UCSB). He asked the men about their personal lives and sexual lives (UCSB). He found that 54% of the men were married with kids and 14% identified as gay (UCSB). He also noted that the lack of birth control limited the sexual activity between the married couples (UCSB). The married couples then turned to tearooms to achieve their sexual release (UCSB). The conclusion, his infringement on others privacy for scientific research raised a few questions about ethics.

Alfred Kinsey is criticized for corrupting the sexual innocence of America. Kinsey’s research and publications managed to educate the public, thus forever altering and revolutionizing sex. A movie was produced to showcase his contributions and everlasting influence upon society. The movie, Kinsey, fashionably portrays his enlightening discoveries by exposing opinions, biases and stereotypes connected with sex.

In the movie, Kinsey, it was obvious that society had a lack of knowledge about sex and about people’s sexual activities. Alfred Kinsey changed the way that people thought about sex. He did an important and monumental thing informing people and answering people’s questions about sex. At one point in the movie it showed Kinsey reading a script from the bible where boys were supposed to control their nocturnal emissions, a natural and uncontrollable act of puberty, or they would be looked down upon by God. A quote from the movie “it is the lord’s work to help youth fight and resist temptation.” I agree with the movie in that the more a behavior is prohibited the more strongly it becomes desired. (add more here)

Alfred C. Kinsey is regarded as the first major figure in the research of human sexuality, more specifically masturbation. Kinsey was groundbreaking in his research on sexuality and made it possible to talk about sex. In the early 2000s, masturbation has become more accepted for both males and females yet there is still a stigma about discussing it openly (Wells, 2006). Societies and Cultures views on masturbation have changed over time and vary depending on who you are, where you are from, and the family you grew up in. Religious views on masturbation are more rigid and unchanging, unless the religion itself changes.

Throughout history, definitions of sexuality within a culture are created and then changed time after time. During these changes, we have seen the impact and power one individual or group can have over others. In the Late Nineteenth Century into the Early Twentieth Century, we see multiple groups of people and or authorities taking control over the idea of sex and how they believe society is being impacted by sex. At this point in time, society had groups of people who believed they had the power to control how society as whole viewed and acted upon sex. Those particular groups and ideas changed many lives and the overall definition of sexuality within that culture.

As discussed in "Thinking Sex," Rubin strongly believes that sexuality is an important topic that needs to be talked about. She sees sexuality as having its own internal politics, inequities, and modes of oppression. She explains that sexuality is political and has been overly politicized by historical events. For example, in England and USA during the 19th century there were many powerful social movements that encouraged chastity, eliminating prostitution, and discouraging masturbation. In order for them to get their point across they took their attacks toward obscene literature, nude paintings, musical halls, abortion, birth control information, and even public dancing. From life observations I believe these acts shaped the way we view sexuality

Alfred Kinsey conducted large scale surveys on human sexuality in the 1940’s to early 1950’s. Due to the restrictive views on sex during this time period I feel like he most likely had issues with finding people to participant in the study. Dr. Kinsey most likely had to work really hard to find people who were willing to do the study and reassure them that their information will remain confidential. There was also the possibility of the participants not being honest during the surveys. However, Dr. Kinsey conducted face-to-face interviews which helps the interviewers get more honest answers from the participants because they can create a more trusting and friendly atmosphere.

Thesis – Multiple outlooks have been taken on the ethics of pornography, and the means by which it may either negatively influence power in sexuality, or actually provide some sort of social value and worth. These different ethical perspectives display the flaws in the industry and what it represents; yet they also end up proving the fact that it can be modified with positive influence and that pornography is not something to be deemed utterly unethical.

Mostly because of his newfound theories around children’s psychosexual development. This combined with his focus on the unconscious, penis envy and the Oedipal complex made him and his newfound theories into a controversial topic amongst his peers.

Sex. It is everywhere. We see in television shows. In magazines. On the Internet. But sex is still seen as a taboo subject in our society. I believe that being educated about sexuality is vitally important to one health. Understanding one’s body and how it impacts your life. To understand how your beliefs about sexuality and sex have developed one needs to look back over the years and how your beliefs were engrained in your life. This essay will be based on my reflection by looking back on my sexual history on how and what have significantly impacted my development of sexuality. The focus will be on my reflection of answering the sexual history questions and how I have changed and developed over the years. It is important to analyze and reflect to understand how I came to be today, that the past has created my ideas and beliefs about sex and sexuality that have shaped me.

Kinsey, working with his colleagues Wardell Pomeroy and Clyde Martin, developed “The Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale,” in 1948. Also known as the “Kinsey Scale,” this rating scale explains and classifies people that did not fit into the exclusive categories of heterosexuality or homosexuality. Kinsey’s scale consists of six levels, with level 0 being exclusively heterosexual and contains no homosexual desires, to level 6 being exclusively homosexual, with no heterosexual desires. The remaining levels of the scale, in between 0 and 6, consist of sexualities with varying degrees of bisexuality.

The studies of sex have been a physiological study for over multiple centuries. Researchers such as psychologist John Watson, gynecologist Robert Latou Dickinson, and biologist Alfred Kinsey have all studied areas and/or ideas about sex. One researcher also is known to be a famous author, decided to also research and find a team of well-known researchers to discover the secret to amazing, mind-rippling sex (Roach 298.) Through interviews, traveling, and personal experiments, Mary Roach found that she believes “sex is far more than the sum of its moving parts” (Roach 128). Sex is far more than just the functions of each organ used in intercourse. In the book Bonk, Mary convinces her husband to partake in a lab research experiment for her to personal experience and understanding of research tools that were used in the past. After the experience, Mary claims the atmosphere and emotion of sex resemble nothing of what actually goes on during the time the couple is intimate alone and at home (Roach 128). The environment in which sex research is being done can help determine the outcome of the results. For example, the romance and adrenaline produced in the attic of Kinsey house can be different than romance and adrenaline produced in a lab as well as in the couple 's own house. Where the intimacy is taking place can cause a lack of adrenaline as well as performance. Emotions and hormones produced during sex changes can impact the results of the experience causing unreliable