| Learning Objectives | ||||
| I | THE ENIGMA OF WOMEN'S SEXUALITY | |||
| 1 | Opening Pandora's Box | |||
| Everyone Knows What Sex Is, Don't They? | ||||
| If It's Not Just Intercourse, What Is It? | ||||
| The Meaning of Sexual Meanings | ||||
| The Construction of Sexual Meanings | ||||
| Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| II | CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE | |||
| 2 | Teaching the Children | |||
| “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice": Biological Development | ||||
| Girls' Psychological Development | ||||
| Messages and Meanings | ||||
| Summary and Recommendations | ||||
| 3 | Adolescence: Biological and Psychological Development | |||
| Biological Development | ||||
| Psychological Development | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 4 | Menstruation: Initiation into Womanhood | |||
| The Things We Needed Mother "and Dad" to Tell Us: Parental Messages | ||||
| A Friend in Need: Messages of Peers | ||||
| Of Cleanliness and Womanliness: Media Messages | ||||
| Religious and Medical Messages | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 5 | "Bawdy" Image: From Subject to Object | |||
| Changing Roles and Expectations: Messages of Significant Others | ||||
| Objects of Desire: Media Messages | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 6 | Who Loves Ya, Babe?: Sexual Intimacies and Expression | |||
| Sex as Love: Parental Messages | ||||
| Sex as. Status: The Messages of Peers | ||||
| "Intimate" Partners: Mixed Messages | ||||
| Sex as Surrender: Media Messages | ||||
| Sex as Weapon: Sexual Violence | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| III | YOUNG ADULTHOOD | |||
| 7 | Biological and Psychological Development | |||
| Biological Development | ||||
| Psychological Development | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 8 | Creating a Life | |||
| Sexual Invisibility: Messages to Mothers | ||||
| Sexuality as Loss: Messages to Infertile Women | ||||
| Incomplete Sexuality: Messages to the Voluntarily Childless | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| 9 | In the Prime of Life: Living in Our Bodies | |||
| Have You Gained a Little Weight Lately?: Messages of Friends and Lovers | ||||
| One Standard of Beauty-Tight, Light, and White: Media Messages | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 10 | Fanning the Flames of Desire | |||
| He Shoots, He Scores: The Male Model of Sexual Expression | ||||
| Too Hot to Handle: Media Portrayals of Sex | ||||
| Sexologists: The Purveyors of Scientific "Truths" | ||||
| Intimate Partners: Myths and Miscommunications | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| IV | THE MIDDLE AND LATER YEARS | |||
| 11 | Biological and Psychological Development | |||
| Biological Development during the Middle Years | ||||
| Psychological Development during the Middle Years | ||||
| Biological Development in Later Life: "You're as Young as You Feel” | ||||
| Psychological Development in Later Life: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained | ||||
| 12 | When Being “Hot” Takes on New Meaning: Menopause | |||
| All “Dried” Up: Medical Messages | ||||
| All “Used” Up: Media Messages | ||||
| Secret Shame: Messages of Significant Others | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 13 | The Festival of Lipid Migration: Bodily Changes and Body Image | |||
| Forever Young: Media Messages | ||||
| Hourglass Figures, or “Time Is Running Out”: Messages of the Beauty Industry | ||||
| Between Lovers: Messages of Significant Others | ||||
| Between Women | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 14 | Intimate Connections: Sexual Expression and Relationships | |||
| The Serviceable Vagina: Medical Messages | ||||
| On the Downhill Slide: Media Images | ||||
| Lovers and Other Strangers: Messages of Significant Others | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| 15 | Coming Full Circle | |||
| Over the Hill: Medical Messages | ||||
| Rocking Chairs and Apple Pies: Media Messages | ||||
| Intimate Relationships: Messages of Significant Others | ||||
| Intimate Partners: Myths and Miscommunication | ||||
| Summary: Problematic Meanings | ||||
| Challenge and Change: Creating New Meanings | ||||
| Conclusion | ||||
| Epilogue | ||||
| Appendix A: The Sexual Development of Children and Adolescents | ||||
| Appendix B: Body Image and Struggles with Weight | ||||
| Appendix C: The Aftermath of Sexual Violence | ||||
| Appendix D: Lesbian Identity and Sexual Orientation | ||||
| Appendix E: Reproductive Health and Decision Making | ||||
| Appendix F: Disability and Illness | ||||
| Appendix G: Issues for Women in the Middle and Later Years | ||||
| References | ||||
| Index | ||||
| Post Test | ||||