Irving Singer

Types of Female Orgasm

The controversy about clitoral versus vaginal orgasms was discussed in Chapter 10. In this article, the Singers offer a new typology of orgasm, which tries to integrate recent physiological research with women’s subjective experience of orgasm. While the authors’ typology has not gained widespread acceptance, this article is valuable for its careful description of the various subjective and physiological components of orgasm. The authors also make the point that description of what orgasm is can cause distress in women who discover that their orgasm does not meet some criteria. Orgasms are indeed different for different women, and for the same women on different occasions.

Periodicity of sexual desire in relation time of ovulation in women

A review of several studies attempting to determine the existence of a period of increased sexual desire during the menstrual cycle and its relationship to ovulation indicates that peaks have been reported prior to menstruation and after menstruation; studies on sexually inactive women report peaks at midcycle. Terminological ambiguities regarding sexual desires are partly responsible for differences in the various studies reviewed. Psychological and social factors and physical factors (such as an increased amount of mucus in the vagina during the follicular phase increased congestion in pelvic tissues during the luteal phase and hormonal variations) and research methodology (some studies requiring sexual abstinence for certain lengths of time) are also responsible for variations in results. Coitus-induced ovulation has also been suggested by studies on rape victims and by rat experiments. Sexual desire may differ during the luteal and follicular phases preferences may differ among women regarding the phases and consequently what they experience (and define) as sexual desire may vary accordingly. Alterations in desire may be caused by contraceptive methods the rhythm method forcing suppression of desire during the follicular phase and the progesterone in oral pills causing enhancement in the luteal phase or suppression of desire because of the lack of follicular phase.

The Morality of Sex: Contra Kant

Abstract While much that is admirable in romanticism stems from Kants philosophy, a better account of how sexuality can be an ethical possibility exceeds the cramped parameters that he imposes. His conception of marriage and its dependence upon a contractual exchange of rights may well be irremediable because of its formal emptinesses. His idea of human love as good will and an interest in the welfare of the beloved is defensible as far as it goes. But it does not go far enough to explain the morality of love, either in sexuality or in marriage.