UTS-MODULE-2-BSEd PDF: Physical, Material, and Digital Self

 ------------- --------------------------- **LESSON** **1** **PHYSICAL, MATERIAL AND\ DIGITAL SELF** **9 HOURS** ------------- --------------------------- Understanding oneself has so many facets. As one cannot comprehend the complexity o...

 ------------- --------------------------- **LESSON** **1** **PHYSICAL, MATERIAL AND\ DIGITAL SELF** **9 HOURS** ------------- --------------------------- Understanding oneself has so many facets. As one cannot comprehend the complexity of human behavior by simply looking at a person. In this module, discussion of Physical self, material self and digital self is merged in one lesson as contributory factors in understanding oneself. Physical self refers to the body. This is a marvelous container, complex, finely tuned machine with which we interfaced with our environment and fellow beings. The physical is the concrete dimension, the tangible aspects of the person that can be directly observed and examined. There may be similarities in one's physical self to another person especially that of twin siblings yet, the biological composition of self that made up the physical attributes is one of the hallmarks that considered a person unique to all living organisms. Material self refers to the different things that one values in life. Life is now full of options. And the world, real or digital, is filled with products, all vying for attention and money through sales, promotions and product advertisements. Advertisements appeal to the desire of feeling better or looking good --the wants. It encourages one to buy things based on the person's likes, desires, and even values. So how do these possessions tell something about oneself? The preference put into choosing clothes, gadgets, bags and shoes or even pets will reveal a greater understanding of that person. Digital Self refers to the kind of person that we portray over the internet. It's no secret that everything in the world today has become increasingly digital. More people are becoming active in using the internet for research, pleasure, business, communication, and other purposes. This indeed, makes work easy and convenient for everybody. The rise of social media and online lifestyle has greatly impacted the 'self'. In this era, one is better known through online identity thus masking the real persona behind so as to engage in the technological world.  *At the end of this module, you are expected to:* a. Understand the transfer of characteristic which is essential to the development of the physical self; b. Appreciate the physical characteristics acquired from parents; c. Examine oneself as impacted by physical appearance. d. Explain the association of self and possession; e. Identify the rise of consumer culture to self and identity; f. Appraise one's self based on the description of material self g. Define online identity, selective self-presentation and impression management; h. Compare real identity versus online identity; i. Discuss the proper way of demonstrating values and attitude online; j. Compare private self-versus public self; k. Understand the influence of internet on sexuality and gender; and l. Discuss on how to set boundaries to online sharing. **Activity \#1: *Video Presentation of Oneself*** Introduce yourself by describing your physical self, your material self and your digital self. Questions below are your guide in creating the content of your video. **RUBRICS** *Creativity 10pts* *Explanation 10pts.* *Relevance 10pts.* 1. What are your dominant physical characteristics? From where did you inherit those characteristics? 2. What are your treasured possessions? e.g. the kind of dress you wear, your gadgets, the kind of stuff you like and keep. Why? 3. Who are you in the social media? What are the traits are you portraying? What pages, vloggers do you follow and what groups are you joining? Why?  The self is not only limited to what can be seen by the naked eye; underneath the skin is a dynamic system of biological and chemical processes that contribute to one's physical features. Not only that, but the material needs also appeals to what a person is. The same way, the identity portrayed online would help in a better understanding of oneself. to self-discovery. **A. PHYSICAL SELF** \"Man is a transitional being? This body is a bridge.\" (Sri Arubindo).\ \ Physical Self refers to the body, this marvelous container and complex, finely tuned, machine with which we interface with our environment and fellow beings. The Physical Self is the concrete dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and examined.\ \ Scientifically, however, this important aspect of our Self seems to have lost somewhere between the Eastern detachment and Western narcissism, so much so that sufficient theoretical development on this issue is lacking. However, directly or indirectly, the discussion on Physical Self has found a place in various disciplines such as philosophy, psychology and etc. **Physical self** generally refers to the natural, material aspect of the entire person, in contrast to things not readily visible such as mental, emotional, spiritual and other human dimensions. In other words, it denotes what is perceivable, tangible and concrete. **Factors in the development of the Physical self** 1\. **Heredity** ( Nature) is the transmission of traits or characteristics from parents to offspring. 2\. **Environment** ( nurture) is the sum total of the forces or experiences that a person undergoes from conception to old age. **The Beginning of Life** Life begins at fertilization. The union of the female sex cells and male sex cells. The fertilized egg cell known as zygote contains all the hereditary potentials from the parents. The zygote goes to the uterus and grow for 280 days or 36 weeks. Both male and female chromosomes contain several thousands of genes which are the true carrier of hereditary characteristics of the parents. Within the gene is a substance called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which is the code of heredity. It contains information and instruction about the newly created organism and programs the traits that should be inherited. Maturation is the unfolding of the inherent traits. **\ BODY IMAGE** Body image is a person\'s perception of the [aesthetics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetics) or [sexual attractiveness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_attractiveness) of their own body. It involves how a person sees themselves, compared to the standards that have been set by society. The concept of body image is used in a number of disciplines, including [psychology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology) , medicine, psychiatry, [psychoanalysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalysis), [philosophy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy), [cultural](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_studies) and studies; the media also often uses the term. Across these disciplines there is no single consensus definition, but broadly speaking body image consists of the ways people view themselves; their memories, experiences, assumptions, and comparisons about their own appearances; and their overall attitudes towards their own respective heights, shapes, and weights - all of which are shaped by prevalent social and cultural ideals. Adolescence is the period that lies psychologically and culturally between childhood and adulthood (Boyd and Bee, 2010). Many adolescents go through body image and self-esteem issues. Body image or body satisfaction is an important component of self-esteem. Findings of a study revealed that body image or satisfaction in both sexes is highly dependent on body mass index, weight in relation to height, especially for college-aged population. This finding affirms the general idea that weight control behaviors are common among college students (Sira and Parker White, 2010). Self-esteem, also referred to as self-worth is the global evaluative dimension of the self. Self-concept refers to domain- specific evaluations of the self, academic, athletic, physical appearance, etc. (Santrock, 2010). While for Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian (2009), self- esteem is determined by how much we like our self and how much we value our self-worth, importance, attractiveness and social competence. These two aspects - body image and self-esteem, are very important factors in the way adolescents cope with the different developmental challenges during the adolescent stage. Body image can be negative (\"body negativity\") or positive (\"[[body positivity]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_positivity)\"). A person with a negative body image may feel self-conscious or ashamed, and may feel that others are more attractive.[^[\[1\]]^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_image#cite_note-:1-1) Aside from having low self-esteem, sufferers typically fixate on altering their physical appearances. In the long term such behavior creates higher risks of [[eating disorders]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_disorders), isolation, and [[mental illnesses]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_illnesses). A negative body image may also lead to [[body dysmorphic disorder]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder), a mental disorder characterized by the obsessive idea that some aspect of one\'s own body or appearance is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix. Often, people who have a low body image will try to alter their bodies in some way, such as by [[dieting]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieting) or by undergoing [[cosmetic surgery]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetic_surgery). Positive body image, on the other hand, consists of perceiving one\'s figure clearly and correctly, celebrating and appreciating one\'s body, and understanding that one\'s appearance does not reflect one\'s character or worth. How do these two factors affect one another? According to research, levels of self-esteem were positively influenced by levels of body image (Morin, Maiano, Marsh, Janosz and Nagengast, 2011). This suggests that if a person possesses high self-esteem, it also follows that he or she would have high level of body image. - It is also apparent that physical appearance alone cannot fully capture the essence of self and identity. - Self-esteem does not seem to be solely dependent on body image, but on a multitude of other factors, particularly during the adolescent stage when things can be quite overwhelming. - In fact, it was found that a positive relationship exists between spirituality and self-esteem among college freshmen students. (Hayman, Kurpius, Befort, Nicpon, Hull-banks, Sollenberger and Huser, 2007). The traditional conceptions of physical appearance seem to be evolving and these changes are welcome in today's more culturally and racially sensitive generation. Being uniquely you is beautiful in all cultures. No matter your culture or where you come from, remember that what makes a person especially beautiful/handsome and attractive is your ability to be your unique and special self. No person can resist an individual who is comfortable and confident in his/her own skin, so embrace who you are, both inside and out, and your place in the world. While transitions are happening across the globe, support for initiatives and interventions that promote a healthy and holistic approach towards the physical self should be espoused and disseminated for a more balanced and psychologically sound human race. **MATERIAL SELF** The Empirical Self of each of us is all that he is tempted to call by the name of *me*. But it is clear that between what a man calls *me* and what he simply calls *mine* the line is difficult to draw. We feel and act about certain things that are ours very much as we feel and act about ourselves. Our fame, our children, the work of our hands, may be as dear to us as our bodies are, and arouse the same feelings and the same acts of reprisal if attacked. And our bodies themselves, are they simply ours, or are they *us*? Certainly, men have been ready to disown their very bodies and to regard them as mere vestures, or even as prisons of clay from which they should someday be glad to escape. We see then that we are dealing with a fluctuating material. The same object being sometimes treated as a part of me, at other times as simply mine, and then again as if I had nothing to do with it at all. *In its widest possible sense*, however, *a person's Self is the sum total of all that they* CAN *call theirs*, not only their body and their psychic powers, but their clothes and their house, their partner and children, their ancestors and friends, their reputation and works, their lands and horses, and yacht and bank-account. All these things give them the same emotions. If they wax and prosper, they feels triumphant; if they dwindle and die away, they feels cast down, - not necessarily in the same degree for each thing, but in much the same way for all. Understanding the Self in this widest sense, we may begin by dividing the history of it into three parts, relating respectively to - 1\. Its constituents;\ 2. The feelings and emotions they arouse, \-- *Self-feelings*;\ 3. The actions to which they prompt, \-- *Self-seeking and Self-preservation*. 1\. *The constituents of the Self* may be divided into two classes, those which make up respectively - (*a*) The material Self;\ (*b*) The social Self;\ (*c*) The spiritual Self; and\ (*d*) The pure Ego. **James (1890) -- the material self is primarily about our bodies, clothes, immediate family, and home.** We are deeply affected by these (body, clothes, immediate family, and home) because we have put so much investment of our self to them. The **body** is the innermost part of *the material Self* in each of us; and certain parts of the body seem more intimately ours than the rest. We are directly attached to it. We intentionally invest in our body to make sure that we make sure that it functions well and good. The **clothes** come next. It is an essential part of material self (James, 1890). It is also considered to be a form of self-expression (Watson, 2014). Any time we bring an object into the surface of our body, we invest that object into the consciousness of our personal existence takings in its contours to be our own and making it part of the self" Next, our **immediate family** is a part of ourselves. Our father and mother, our wife and children, our siblings, are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. When they die, a part of our very selves is gone. If they do anything wrong, it is our shame. If they are insulted, our anger flashes forth as readily as if we stood in their place. What they do and become affect us. They are the nearest replica to our self and also, we place a huge investment in our immediate family Our **home** comes next. It is the earliest nest of selfhood. It holds records and markings of our experiences. An extension of self where we can directly connect to. Its scenes are part of our life; its aspects awaken the tenderest feelings of affection; and we do not easily forgive the stranger who, in visiting it, finds fault with its arrangements or treats it with contempt. All these different things are the objects of instinctive preferences coupled with the most important practical interests of life. We all have a blind impulse to watch over our body, to deck it with clothing of an ornamental sort, to cherish parents, siblings, wife and babes, and to find for ourselves a home of our own which we may live in and \'improve.\' **Materialism -** A trait that can afflict both rich and poor, and which the researchers define as \"a value system that is preoccupied with possessions and the social image they project is both socially destructive and self-destructive." The view is perhaps best understood in its opposition to the doctrines of immaterial substance applied to the mind historically, famously by René Descartes. However, by itself materialism says nothing about how material substance should be characterized. In practice it is frequently assimilated to one variety of physicalism or another. A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values: Shaping the way we see ourselves as a consumer culture on our sense of self and identity. In the world that full of material things that we cant resist. Too much advertisement that satisfies our eyes and wanted to get some and feel better. How to come into a right decision of what and how much will be spent. Materialism is often associated with reductionism, according to which the objects or phenomena individuated at one level of description, if they are genuine, must be explicable in terms of the objects or phenomena at some other level of description --- typically, a more general level than the reduced one Non-reductive materialism explicitly rejects this notion, however, taking the material constitution of all particulars to be consistent with the existence of real objects, properties, or phenomena not explicable in the terms canonically used for the basic material constituents. Jerry Fodor influentially argues this view, according to which empirical laws and explanations in \"special sciences\" like psychology or geology are invisible from the perspective of basic physics. A lot of vigorous literature has grown up around the relation between these views. Modern philosophical materialists extend the definition of other scientifically observable entities such as energy, forces, and the curvature of space. However philosophers such as Mary Midgley suggest that the concept of \"matter\" is elusive and poorly defined.\[1\] Materialism typically contrasts with dualism, phenomenalism, idealism, vitalism and dual-aspect monism. Its materiality can, in some ways, be linked to the concept of Determinism, as espoused by Enlightenment thinkers. - It is associated with anxiety. - It smashes the happiness and peace of mind of those who succumb to it. - There has long been a correlation observed between materialism, a lack of empathy and engagement with others, and unhappiness. - In a series of studies published in the journal Motivation and Emotion showed that as people become more materialistic, their wellbeing (good relationships, autonomy, sense of purpose and the rest) diminishes. - Materialism forces us into comparison with the possessions of others, a race both cruelly illustrated and crudely propelled by that toxic website. - There is no end to it. Example if you have four sports car while another has five, you are a sports car short of contentment. - This is the dreadful mistake we are making: allowing ourselves to believe that having more money and more stuff enhances our wellbeing. - We are what we have and what we possess. - A man's self becomes the sum total of all that he has, these possessions become part of an extension of the self. **Investment of self to things = attachment to things Possessions = part or extension of the self** When being aware that we can be materialistic and we can have consumerism as a lifestyle there are different strategies that people may use to take advantage of your lifestyle one should be aware of these for him/her not to be exploited and be impulsive in his/her decisions. In the brighter side, this could be use to formulate good marketing strategies. **Foot-in-the-door Phenomenon** -- is a [[compliance]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compliance_(psychology)) tactic that aims at getting a person to agree to a large request by having them agree to a modest request first. This technique works by creating a connection between the person asking for a request and the person that is being asked. If a smaller request is granted, then the person who is agreeing feels like they are obligated to keep agreeing to larger requests to stay consistent with the original decision of agreeing. This technique is used in many ways and is a well-researched tactic for getting people to comply with requests. The saying is a reference to a door-to-door salesman who keeps the door from shutting with his foot, giving the customer no choice but to listen to the sales pitch. **Door-in-the-face Phenomenon** - is a [[compliance]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compliance_(psychology)) method commonly studied in [[social psychology]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_psychology). The persuader attempts to convince the respondent to comply by making a large request that the respondent will most likely turn down, much like a metaphorical slamming of a door in the persuader\'s face. The respondent is then more likely to agree to a second, more reasonable request, than if that same request is made in isolation. **Avoid the Trap** 1. 2. **DIGITAL SELF** Identity has many definitions, but without getting too metaphysical, we can sum it up in a few words: you are who you are and what you do. Simply put, your identity is the sum of your characteristics, including your birthplace and birthday, the schools you attended, your shoe size, and so on. Some of those characteristics never change, such as your birthday, and some change over time, such as your hair color. Similarly, when you are using the Internet, your online identity is the sum of your characteristics and interactions. Because you interact differently with each website you visit, each of those websites will have a different picture of who you are and what you do. Sometimes the different representations of you are referred to as **partial identities**, because none of them has the full and true picture of who you are. **Online Identity** is defined as the social identity that an internet user established in online communities and websites. It can also be considered as an actively constructed presentation of one's self. Your **online identity** is not the same as your real-world identity because the characteristics you represent online differ from the characteristics you represent in the physical world. Every website you interact with has its own idea of your identity because each one you visit sees you and your characteristics differently. For example, Shopee has established a partial identity for you based on the products you buy, whether it's you at the keyboard or someone else using your account. Yahoo! Finance has established a partial identity for you based on the stocks you are following, whether you actually own those stocks or not. Neither one has your full identity, even if they were to put together your partial identities. **The result is that you have one true identity and many partial identities.** Some of the information associated with a partial identity is under your control; other information may be out of your control or even completely invisible to you. Regardless of what you can and cannot control, they all contribute to "who you are and what you do." **Facts about our online reality.** - Almost 4.57 billion people were active internet users as of July 2020, encompassing 59 percent of the global population. China, India and the United States rank ahead all other countries in terms of [[internet users]](https://www.statista.com/statistics/262966/number-of-internet-users-in-selected-countries/) (Statista).  **Internet users in the Philippines** - There were 73.00 million internet users in the Philippines in January 2020. - Internet penetration in the Philippines stood at 67% in January 2020. **\ Social media users in the Philippines** - There were 73.00 million social media users in the Philippines in January 2020. - The number of social media users in the Philippines increased by 5.8 million (+8.6%) between April 2019 and January 2020. - Social media penetration in the Philippines stood at 67% in January 2020. **Mobile connections in the Philippines** - There were 173.2 million mobile connections in the Philippines in January 2020. - The number of mobile connections in the Philippines increased by 38 million (+28%) between January 2019 and January 2020.The number of mobile connections in the Philippines in January 2020 was equivalent to 159% of the total population. **Selective Self-presentation** According to Goffman (1959) and Leary (1995), self-presentation is the "process of controlling how is one is perceived by other people" as the key to relationship inception and development. To construct positive images, individuals selectively provide information about them and carefully cater this information in response to other's feedback. Anything posted online should be considered "public" no matter what our "privacy" settings are. Even if the student wrote it in a "private" account, it can become public with a quick screen capture and shared with the world. - **Personal identity** is the interpersonal level of self which differentiates the individual as unique from others, while - **Social identity** is the level of the self whereby the individual is identified by his or her group memberships. Belk (2013) explained that sharing ourselves is no longer new and has been practiced as soon as human being were formed. Digital devices help as information broadly, more then ever before. Diaries that were once private or shared only with close friends are now posted as blogs which can be viewed by anyone. In websites like Flickr or Photobucket, the use of arm's-length self-photography indicates a major change. In older family albums, the photographer was no often represented in the album (Mendelson and Papacharissi 2011), whereas with arm's-length photos, they are necessarily included (e.g., selfies and groupies). In addition, the family album of an earlier era has become more of individual photo gallery in the digital age. Schwarz (2010) mentioned, we have entered an extraordinary of self-portraiture. Blogs and webpages have been continuously used for greater self-reflection and self-presentation. Facebook and other social media applications are now a key part of self-presentation for one sixth of humanity.  As a result, researchers and participants become concerned with actively managing identity and reputation and to warm against the phenomenon of "**oversharing**" (Labreque, Markos, and Milne 2011; Sheperd 2005; Suler 2002; Zimmer and Hoffman 2011). Sometimes people become unaware of the extent of the information they share online. They forget to delineate what can be shared online and what should not. Furthermore, it provides a more complete narration of self and gives people an idealized view of how they would like to remembered by others (Van Dicjk (20008). Many teenagers, as well as adults, share even more intimate details with their partners like their passwords (Gershon 2010). This could be un ultimate act of intimacy and trust or the ultimate expression of paranoia and distrust with the partner. Because of the conversation of private diaries into public revelations of inner secrets, the lack of privacy in many aspects of social media make the user more vulnerable, leading to compulsively checking newsfeeds and continually adding tweets and posting in order to appear active and interesting. This condition has been called **"fear of missing out.**" People would like to remain updated and they keep on sharing themselves online because it adds a sense of confidence at their end especially if others like and share their post. One of the reason of so much sharing and self-disclosure online is the so-called "**disinhibition effect**" (Ridley 2012; Suler 2004). The lack of face-to-face gaze --meeting, together with feelings of anonymity and invisibility, gives the people for freedom of self-disclosure but can also "flame" others and may cause conflict sometimes. The resulting disinhibition causes people to believe that they are able to express their "true-self" better online than they ever could in face-to-face contest (Taylor 2002). However, it does not mean that there is a fixed "true-self." The self is still a work in progress and we keep on improving and developing ourselves every single day. Seemingly **self-revelation** can be therapeutic others especially if it goes together with self-reflection (Morris et. Al 2010). But it does appear that we now do a large amount of our identity work on line. When the internet work constantly asks as: "Who are you?" and "What do you have to share?", it is up to us if we are going to provide answers to such queries every time we use the internet and do what extent are going to share details of ourselves to others. In addition to sharing the good things we experience, many of us also share the bad, embarrassing, and "sinful" things we experience. We also react and comment on negative experiences of others. Sometimes we empathize with people. We also argue with others online. Relationships may be made stronger or broken through post online. Blogs and social media are the primary digital for a on which such confessions occur, but they can also be found in photo-and video-sharing sites where blunders and had moments also preserved and shared (Strangelove 2011). **Why confess to unseen and anonymous others online?** In Foucault's (1978, 1998) view, confessing our secret truths feels freeing, even as it binds us in a guilt-motivated self-governance born of a long history of Christian and pre-Christian philosophies and power structures. Confession, along contemplation, self-examination, learning, reading, and writing self-critical letters to friends, are a part of the "technologies of the self" through which we seek to purge and cleanse ourselves. Despite the veil of invisibility, writers on the internet write for an unseen audience (Serfaty 2004). Both the number and feedback of readers provide self validation for the writer and a certain celebrity (O'Regan 2009). Confessional blogs may also be therapeutic for the audience to read, allowing both sincere empathy and the voyeuristic appeal of witnessing a public confession (Kitzmann 2003) Consequently, we have a filtering system to whatever information we share online, as well as to what information we believe in, which are being shared or posted by others online. We should look at online information carefully whether they are valid and true before believing and promoting them. In the same way, we should also think well before we post or share anything online in order to prevent conflict, arguments, and cyber bullying, and to preserve our relationships with others. **Impression Management\ ** The Internet and digital technologies present abundant opportunities for individuals to manage the impressions they make on others. The ubiquitous nature of the Internet means that for most, presenting the self to other individuals via the Internet is a common, usually daily activity. **Impression management** (IM), originated by Erving Goffman (1959), describes a central aspect of role theory: how individual actors create, maintain, defend, and often enhance their social identities through assumptions, settings, props, and scripts in a play metaphor (Dillard et al 2000, Goffman 1959, and Schlenker 1980). IM explains the motivations behind complex human interactions and performances. It involves the processes by which people control how they are perceived by others. People are more motivated to control how others perceived them when they believe that their public images are relevant to the attainment of desired goals, the goals for which their impressions are relevant are valuable, and a discrepancy exists between how they want to be perceived and how other people perceive them. When people are motivated to manage their impressions, the impressions that they try to convey are influenced by the roles that they occupy and the norms in the social context, the values of the individuals whose perceptions are of concern, how they think they are currently perceived, their self-concepts, and their desired and undesired selves. Research on impression management has developed along two distinct paths. One line of research focuses on factors that affect the kinds of impressions people try to convey, and the other line applies self-presentational perspectives have been applied to the study of other psychological phenomena. Self-presentational perspectives have been applied to the study of topics such as conformity, aggression, [[prosocial behavior]](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/prosocial-behavior), leadership, negotiation, social influence, gender, stigmatization, close relationships, emotional experience, and mental and physical health. **Managing online identities is important because:** It provides **platforms** for people to express their feelings and show different sides of their personalities. It helps people to understand you more **holistically**. It helps to **shape** people's **interpersonal perception.** People often **associate** your virtual identities with real life identities. Employers will use online platforms to **verify and validate** the identity of individuals. More importantly, the materials posted online may **exist forever** and may **always be searchable.** With the existence of many different kinds of social media outlets, the online identities that you create should: be **detached**, but at the same time **reflective** of your true identity; use different social media platforms to provide **emphasis on different aspects** of your identity; depend on your **desired outcome** in different circumstances. For example:  Facebook is for a personal image and it is often shared among friends and families. C:\\Users\\GUIDAN\~1\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\ksohtml4516\\wps23.jpg LinkedIn is for a professional image and it is used for job-seeking or maintenance of professional relationships.  Twitter can be both personal and professional. It can be an effective tool for you to engage in issues and conversations that you care about. C:\\Users\\GUIDAN\~1\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\ksohtml4516\\wps25.jpg Instagram is for a personal image and it is often shared among friends and families; Instagram can also be an effective tool for product advertisement. **Boundaries of the Self Online** **Public Self** - Anything posted online should be considered as public no matter what our "privacy" settings are. The parts of you that you decide to show to the world. How you want people to view you and how you act around others shows your public self. **Private Self** - The way you act around others s no the same as how you act when by yourself. Your private self is who you truly are. It is your personal emotons, your morals, what you hide from everyone else. **Personal/Individual** - It is the interpersonal level of self which differentiates the individual as unique from others. **Social Identity** - It is the level of self whereby the individual is identified by his or her group memberships. **Gender and Sexuality -** According to Marwick (2013), while the terms "sex", "gender", and "sexuality" are often thought as synonyms, they are actually quite distinct. **Sex** - It is the biological state that corresponds to what might call a "man" or a "woman".  **Gender** - It is the social understanding of how sex should be experienced and how sex manifests in behavior, personality, preferences, capabilities, and so forth. It is a socioculturally specific set of norms that are mapped onto a category of sex (Kessier and McKenna, 1978; Lorber, 1994). It is produced by media and popular culture (Gauntlett, 2008; van Zoonen, 1994). It is taught by families, schools, peer groups, and nation states (Goffman, 1977). It is reinforced through songs, sayings, admonition, slang language, fashion, and discourse (Cameron, 1998; Cameron and Kulick, 2003). Gender is a system of classification that values male-gendered things more than female related things. This system plays out on the bodies of men and women, and in constructing hierarchies of everything from colors (pink vs blue), to academic departments (English vs Math) to electronic gadgets and websites. **\ ** **Sexuality-** It is and individual expression and understanding of desire. While like gender, this often viewed as binary (homosexual or heterosexual), in reality, sexuality is often experienced as fluid. According to the disembodiment hypothesis, Internet users are free to actively choose which gender or sexuality that are going to portray with the possibility of creating alternate identities (Wynn and Katz, 1997). The ability of users to self-consciously adapt and play with different gender identities would reveal the choices involved in the production of gender, breaking down binaries and encouraging fluidity in sexuality and gender expression. Social media sites like Twitter and YouTube have led to the emergence of a "free culture" where individuals are empowered to engage in cultural production using raw materials, ranging from homemade videos to mainstream television characters to create new culture, memes, and humor. At its best, this culture of memes, mash-ups, and creative political activism allows for civic engagement and fun creative acts. **Setting Boundaries To Your Online Self: Smart Sharing** The following guidelines will help you share information online in a smart way that will protect yourself and not harm others. Before posting or sharing anything online, consider the following: - Is this post/story necessary? - Is there a real benefit to the post? Is it funny, warm-hearted, teachable- or am I just making noise online without purpose? - Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? An issue that is still being worked out at home, or one that is either vulnerable or highly emotional, should not be made public. - Is it appropriate? Does t stay within the boundaries of our family values? - Will this seem as funny in 5 10, or 15 years? Or is this post better suited for sharing with a small group of family members? Or maybe not at all. **Here are additional guidelines for proper sharing of information and ethical use of the Internet according to New (2014):** - Stick to safer sites - Guard your passwords - Limit what you share - Remember that anything you put online or post on a site is there forever, even if you try to delete it. - Do not be mean or embarrass other people online. - Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior online - Be choosy about your online friends. - Be patient. **Ways to Combat Social Media Depression** 1. 2. 3. ------------- ----------------- **LESSON** **2** **SEXUAL SELF** **5 HOURS** ------------- -----------------  Each of us has a sexual self. We may think about sex as a behavior, not an identity; something we do, not something we are. If you begin to think of your sexuality as an unfolding aspect of who you are as a person, important questions arise, including: - What is the relationship between me and my sexual self? - How well integrated is my sexual self into my overall sense of who I am as a person? - To what degree do I feel entitled to access that part of me? - To what degree has that part of me been cordoned off because of shame, fear, or pain? These questions are at the heart of what we call sexual self-awareness---an ongoing, curious, and compassionate relationship between you and your sexual self. In this module, we will be exploring concepts about sexual self that may contribute to our self- concept that includes the totality of oneself as a sexual being, including positive and negative concepts and feelings. ***At the end of the lesson, the students will be able must have:*** a. ***Explained the biological factors that influence sexual behavior;*** b. ***Differentiated the types of sexual behavior;*** c. ***Differentiated the male and female reproductive system*** d. ***Discussed the developmental aspects of the reproductive system*** e. ***Articulate the development of secondary sex characteristics of male and female*** f. ***Understood the chemistry of lust, love, and attachment;*** g. ***Participated actively in the activities;*** h. ***Appreciated the gift of love.*** i. ***Identified the 5 most common STDs*** j. ***Discuss the possible symptoms of these diseases.*** k. ***Explained why and how these diseases were acquired.*** l. ***Sited some preventive actions to be done.***  **\ \ Activity \#1: *Read David and Rosa's story.\ *** ***\*Disclaimer:*** Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. ***QUESTIONS:*** *Coherence of Ideas: 5 pts* *Content and Relevance to the topic/self: 10 pts.* 1. ***How could David and Rosa reduce their risks and lower the chances for an unwanted consequence?*** 2. ***What advice can you give for David and Rosa*** ***If you have completed the activity, gather your thoughts on the following questions:*** - ***Is there anything that you disagreed upon the relationship of David and Rosa?*** - ***If there are any, what are those? How is this related to your view of your sexual self?***  I. **The Basic Biology of Sexual Behavior\ ** In all species of animals, including the human species, sexual behavior is directed by a complex interplay between hormone actions in the brain that give rise to sexual arousal and physical experiences with a sexual reward.\ In most animals, sexual activity and responses are primarily a matter of biology. Human sexual behavior is different from the sexual behavior of other animals, however. While \"lower\" animals or species partake in sexual behavior because they are driven by a \"force\" to reproduce, humans are not sexually active just for the sake of reproduction. There are a variety of complex factors that lead people to have sex. Human sexuality is the way in which we experience and express ourselves as sexual beings. From 1938 to 1963, biologist Alfred Kinsey (1894-1958) used interviews to research human sexual behavior and responses. Although controversial, society was intrigued with findings that showed men and women were more alike in their sexual instincts and preferences than previously thought, and their sexual behaviors were shaped by social and cultural forces. The Kinsey Institute used interviews to collect data about human sexual practices, including intercourse, anal and oral sex, masturbation, extramarital sex, erogenous zones (parts of the body involved in sexual arousal), sexual fantasy, homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual experiences, foreplay, nudity, orgasm, premarital sex, and sex with prostitutes. Those and current research findings have concluded that the lower the socioeconomic class, the more permissive the sexual behavior. Their primary contribution has been to help define sexuality as a healthy human trait and the experience of great pleasure and deep intimacy during sex (rather than just to procreate) is a socially acceptable goal. They focused on sexual functioning, sexual problems and therapeutic interventions (sexual therapy) for these problems, and helped move society toward a more open discussion of sexual practices and experiences. Findings were published just prior to the sexual revolution of the 1960's, when attitudes toward sex became much more permissive. **Hormones -** are chemical messengers that are secreted directly into the blood, which carries them to organs and tissues of the body to exert their functions.  In nonhuman animals, hormones profoundly influence sexual activity. **\ Hormones affect human sexual behavior in two ways:** a\. They influence physical development of the brain and body. b\. Through motivation, they activate reproductive behavior. **Human Sexual Behavior** -any activity---solitary, between two persons, or in a group---that induces sexual arousal (Gebhard, P.H., 2017 in Alata et al., 2018). **\ There are two major factors that determine human sexual behavior:** a\. the inherited sexual response patterns that evolved as a means of ensuring reproduction and that become part of each individual's genetic inheritance; b\. the degree of restraint or other types of influence exerted on the individual by society in the expression of his sexuality. II. **The Types of Behavior\ ** - **Solitary Behavior** \- solitary behavior involves only one individual. In solitary behavior, self-gratification means self- stimulation that leads to sexual arousal and generally, sexual climax. Most self- gratification takes place in private as an end in itself, but can also be done in a socio-sexual relationship. **Self-gratification**, generally begins at or before puberty, is very common among young males, but becomes less frequent or undone when socio-sexual activity is available. - Self-gratification is most frequent among the unmarried. - There are more males who perform acts of self-gratification than females. - The frequency greatly varies among individuals and it usually decreases as soon as they develop socio-sexual relationships. Nowadays, humans are frequently being exposed to sexual stimuli like advertising and social media. Some adolescents become aggressive when they respond to such stimuli. The rate of teenage pregnancy is increasing in our time. Adolescents need to control sexual response in order to prevent premarital sex and acquire sexually transmitted disease. - **Socio-sexual Behavior** \- Heterosexual behavior is the greatest amount of socio-sexual behavior that occurs between only one male and one female. -It usually begins in childhood and may be motivated by curiosity, such as showing or examining genitalia. There is varying degree of sexual impulse and responsiveness among children. Physical contact involving necking or petting is considered as an ingredient of the learning process and eventually of courtship and selection of a marriage partner. - Petting differs from hugging, kissing, and generalized caresses of the clothed body to practice involving stimulation. - Petting may be done as an expression of affection and a source of pleasure. It is regarded by others as a near- universal human experience and it is important not only in selecting the partner but as a way of learning how to interact with another person sexually. - **Coitus** \- the insertion of the male reproductive structure into the female organ, is viewed by society quite differently depending upon the marital status of the individuals. - In most societies, marital coitus is considered an obligation. - Societies are becoming more considerate toward males than females who engage in extramarital coitus. - This double standard of morality is also evident in premarital life. A behavior may be interpreted by society or individual as erotic depending on the context in which the behavior occurs. Examination and touching someone's genitalia is not interpreted as a sexual act especially when done for medical purposes. Consequently, the apparent motivation of the behavior greatly determines its interpretation. III. **REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM\ ** - The major function of the reproductive system is to ensure survival of the species - The human species could not survive without functional male and female reproductive systems - The reproductive systems play essential roles in the development of the structure and functional differences between males and females, influence human behavior , and produce offspring. Within the context of producing offspring, the reproductive system has four functions: - To produce egg and sperm cells - To transport and sustain these cells - To nurture the developing offspring - To produce hormones These functions are divided between the primary and secondary, or accessory, reproductive organs. It is the sex chromosomes of humans define our sex (male or female) and our secondary sexual characteristics. - It controls our genetic make up since childhood - It in influences our self and social life These organs are responsible for producing the egg and sperm cells gametes), and hormones. These hormones function in the maturation of the reproductive system, the development of sexual characteristics, and regulation of the normal physiology of the reproductive system. All other organs, ducts, and glands in the reproductive system are considered secondary, or accessory, reproductive organs. These structures transport and sustain the gametes and nurture the developing offspring During the early stage of human development, the embryonic reproductive structures of male and females are the same with no differences. The gonads (reproductive glands that produce the gametes; testis or ovary) begin to form until about eight weeks of the embryonic development. During the early stage of human development, the embryonic reproductive structures of male and females are the same with no differences. Marieb, E.N. (2001) explains that the gonads (reproductive glands that produce the gametes; testis or ovary) begin to form until about eight week of the embryonic development. The development of the accessory structures and external genitals begins after the development of the primary reproductive structures are formed.  Primary sex organs: gonads - Testes in males - Ovaries in females These produce the gametes (sex cells) - Sperm in males - Ovum (egg) in females Endocrine function also: secretion of hormones - Accessory sex organs - Internal glands and ducts External genitalia - Penis and scrotum in males - Labia, clitoris, and outer vagina in females The development of the accessory structures and external genitals begins after the development of the primary reproductive structures are formed. The release of testosterone from the embryonic testis leads to the formation of the male external genital Female genitalia is formed due to the absence of testosterone since female embryo develops ovaries Any intervention with the normal pattern of sex hormone production may results in strange abnormalities - Pseudohermaphrodites -- individuals having accessory reproductive structures that do not match their gonads - True hermaphrodites -- individuals possessing both ovarian and testicular tissues **Sexual Development** Gonads can become either Testes or Ovaries Develop as a function of the presence or absence of SRY gene In males, at 7th week, outer portions of gonads degenerate and inner portions develop into testes In females, at 11th week, inner portions of gonads degenerate and outer portions develop into ovaries 23 chromosomal pairs. 1 pair is the sex hormones that determines the sex of the human and the rest of the 22 hormones are called autosome - **XX** - Normal Female - **XY** - Normal Male Abnormal separation of chromosomes during meiosis can lead to congenital defects of the reproductive system - **XXY** -- males who possess extra female chromosomes (usually have atrophy of the testicles and are sterile) - **XO** -- females who appear normal but lack ovaries - **YO** -- males lacking an X chromosomes (usually die during development) - **Phimosis** -- narrowing of the foreskin of the male reproductive structure and misplaced urethral opening **Gonads** become **testes** in **males** and **ovaries** in **females** Testes - endocrine glands that produce  male hormones (androgens) Mullerian Inhibiting Substance Most changes reflect the presence or absence of androgen The Male Reproductive System Testes (singular testis) or testicles: the gonads - In embryo, first develop in posterior abdominal wall, then migrate - Internal body temp too hot for viable sperm - Temp cooler in the scrotum because of superficial position - Sperms cells are heat sensitive and must develop at a temperature slightly less than the normal body temperature - The testes are located outside the body cavity in the scrotum where the temperature is lower - The descent of the testes occurs during the 7th or 8th month of fetal development or in some cases shortly after birth Male external genitalia - Scrotum - Penis Penis: 3 parts - Root (attached) - Free shaft or body - Enlarged tip called glans penis Skin of penis is loose **Prepuce or foreskin** \- Cuff around glans \- Removed if circumcision \- Urethra (called spongy or penile urethra here) \- 3 erectile bodies (parasympathetic stimulation during sexual excitation causes engorgement with blood allowing erection): - Corpus spongiosum - Pair of corpora cavernosa - Vessels and nerves Ejaculation caused by sympathetic nerves \- Contraction of smooth muscle of ducts and penis **Male Reproductive Health Concerns** **Cryptorchidism** -- a condition where the testis fails to descend to the scrotum one month before birth - This may cause sterility in male and cancer of the testes - Surgery is usually performed to solve the problem at the age of 4 months  **Prostate cancer** - is a common type of cancer in males, but it is highly treatable in the early stages. It begins in the prostate gland, which sits between the penis and the bladder. **\ Testicular cancer -** occurs in the **testicles** (testes), which are located inside the **scrotum**, a loose bag of skin underneath the penis.  **Enlarged prostate or BPH -** is often called benign **prostatic** hyperplasia (BPH). is a benign (noncancerous) ***enlargement*** of the ***prostate*** that blocks the flow of urine through the urethra. **Prostatitis -** is swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland situated directly below the bladder in men. The prostate gland produces fluid (semen) that nourishes and transports sperm. **Prostatitis** often causes painful or difficult urination. **Erectile dysfunction -** is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. It\'s sometimes referred to as impotence, although this term is now used less often. Occasional **ED** isn\'t uncommon. Many men experience it during times of stress. **Male infertility -** refers to a **male\'s** inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female.  Commonly due to deficiencies in the semen, and semen quality is used as a surrogate measure of **male** fecundity. **Testosterone deficiency - o**r Hypogonadism, is a condition in which a man\'s body does not produce sufficient **testosterone**, the primary male hormone.  **FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM** **Gonads: the ovaries** Paired, almond-shaped, flanking the uterus in lateral wall of true pelvis Hormonal Control of Reproductive Cycle **Menstrual cycle** - Menarche - is the first menstrual cycle, or first menstrual bleeding - Begins with secretion of FSH to stimulate growth of ovarian follicles (epithelial cells surrounding each ovum) - As ovarian follicles mature they secrete estradiol causing the growth of the lining of the uterus (preparation for fertilization) - Increasing levels of estradiol triggers the release of LH causing ovulation (release of ovum) - Ovum enters a Fallopian tube and starts migrating towards uterus. - If it meets sperm and becomes fertilized it begins to divide and then attaches itself to uterus wall - If it is not fertilized, the ruptured ovarian follicle (corpus luteum) and the lining of the uterine wall will be expelled -- menstruation commences  Follicular phase - 1st approx 14 days but variable - Egg develops in a follicle - Stimulated by FSH (see next slide) - Estrogen produced Ovulation - Egg released from follicle (LH surge) - Egg in abdominal cavity - Picked up by fimbria of fallopian tube - Not necessarily halfway point Luteal phase - Postovulatory phase 14 days (more constant) - Corpus luteum develops from exploded follicle - Produces progesterone as well as estrogen - Progesterone stimulates uterus to be ready for baby - If no pregnancy, corpus luteum degenerates into corpus albicans The Uterus (The Womb) In pelvis anterior to rectum and posterosuperior to bladder Hollow, thick-walled organ - Receives - Retains - Nourishes fertilized egg=embryo Uterus is pear-shaped (before babies) Usually anteverted, can be retroverted The Vagina - Thin-walled tube - Inferior to uterus - Anterior to rectum - Posterior to urethra & bladder - "Birth canal" - Highly distensible wall: 3 layers \- Adventitia \- Muscularis \- mucosa External female genitalia aka vulva or pudendum **Mons pubis:** fatty pad over pubic symphysis, with hair after puberty **Labia (lips) majora:** long fatty hair-covered skin folds **Labia minora:** thin, hairless, folds enclosing vestibule **Vestibule:** houses external openings of urethra and vagina \- Urethra is anterior (drains urine from bladder) \- Baby comes out through vagina (vaginal orifice in pic) **Clitoris:** anterior, homolog of penis (sensitive erectile tissue) **Perineum:** diamond shaped region Mammary glands (breasts) - Modified sweat glands - Both sexes but function (normally) only in lactating female - Produce milk to nourish baby - Respond to hormonal stimulation - Lymph drains into parasternal and axillary lymph nodes - Nipple surrounded by pigmented ring of skin, the areola - Muscles underneath: pectoralis major and minor, parts of serratus anterior and external oblique **Reproductive Health Concerns for Women** **Endometriosis** is a problem affecting a woman's uterus---the place where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. Endometriosis is when the kind of tissue that normally lines the uterus grows somewhere else. It can grow on the ovaries, behind the uterus, on the bowels, or on the bladder. Rarely, it grows in other parts of the body.This "misplaced" tissue can cause pain, infertility, and very heavy periods. The pain is usually in the abdomen, lower back, or pelvic areas. Some women have no symptoms at all, and having trouble getting pregnant may be the first sign they have endometriosis. **Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)** happens when a woman's ovaries or adrenal glands produce more male hormones than normal. One result is that cysts (fluid-filled sacs) develop on the ovaries. Women who are obese are more likely to have PCOS. Women with PCOS are at increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. Symptoms may include - [Infertility.](https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/index.htm) - Pelvic pain. - Excess hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, thumbs, or toes. - Baldness or thinning hair. - Acne, oily skin, or dandruff. - Patches of thickened dark brown or black skin. Gynecologic cancer is any cancer that starts in a woman's reproductive organs. Gynecologic cancers begin in different places within a woman's pelvis, which is the area below the stomach and in between the hip bones. A. [**[Cervical cancer]**](https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/index.htm) begins in the cervix, which is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. B. [**[Ovarian cancer]**](https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/index.htm) begins in the ovaries, which are located on each side of the uterus. C. [**[Uterine cancer]**](https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/uterine/index.htm) begins in the uterus, the pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis where the baby grows when a woman is pregnant. D. [**[Vaginal cancer]**](https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/vagvulv/index.htm) begins in the vagina, which is the hollow, tube-like channel between the bottom of the uterus and the outside of the body. E. [**[Vulvar cancer]**](https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/vagvulv/index.htm) begins in the vulva, the outer part of the female genital organs. **PUBERTY** - The time of life when a child experiences physical and hormonal changes that mark a transition into adulthood. - The child develops secondary sexual characteristics and becomes able to have children. - Secondary sexual characteristics include growth of pubic, armpit, and leg hair; breast enlargement; and increased hip width in girls. - In boys, they include growth of pubic, face, chest and armpit hair; voice changes; penis and testicle growth, and increased shoulder width. **MALE SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS** The increased secretion of testosterone from the testes during puberty causes the **malesecondary sexual characteristi**cs to be manifested. In males, testosterone directly increases size and mass of muscles, vocal cords, and bones, deepening the voice, and changing the shape of the face and skeleton. Converted into DHT in the skin, it accelerates growth of androgen-responsive facial and body hair but may slow and eventually stop the growth of head hair. Taller stature is largely a result of later puberty and slower epiphyseal fusion. Male secondary sex characteristics include: - Growth of body hair, including underarm, abdominal, chest hair and pubic hair. - Growth of facial hair. - Enlargement of larynx (Adam\'s apple) and deepening of voice. - Increased stature; adult males are taller than adult females, on average. - Heavier skull and bone structure. - Increased muscle mass and strength. - Broadening of shoulders and chest; shoulders wider than hips. - Increased secretions of oil and sweat glands. **FEMALE SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS** In females, breasts are a manifestation of higher levels of estrogen; estrogen also widens the pelvis and increases the amount of body fat in hips, thighs, buttocks, and breasts. Estrogen also induces growth of the uterus, proliferation of the endometrium, and menstruation. Female secondary sex characteristics include: - - - - - - **Testosterone** is a hormone that is responsible for the maturity of the reproductive system that males developed their secondary sexual characteristics such as: - growth of pubic - face, chest and armpit hair - voice changes/adam's apple - penis and testicle growth - increased shoulder width. **Estrogen and Progesterone** are also hormones that is responsible for the maturity of the reproductive system that females develop their secondary sexual characteristics such as: - growth of pubic - armpit, and leg hair - breast enlargement - increased hip width in girls. **Progesterone** is also called the pregnancy hormone. IV. **UNDERSTANDING GENDER AND SEXUALITY** **GENDER** - is a socially constructed definition of men and women. It is not the same as sex or the biological characteristics of men and women. **Sexuality** - is a multidimensional phenomenon that included feelings, attitudes, and actions - Gives direction to a person's physical, emotional, social and intellectual responses throughout life - It is the process by which people experience and express themselves as sexual beings - "Each person is born a sexual being" **GENDER ROLE** - Male or female behavior a person exhibits - Maybe the same or different from biologic gender - Your sexual orientation and gender are important parts of who you are. Learning more about gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation can help you understand yourself and the world around you. - There's a lot more to being male, female, or any gender than the sex assigned at birth. Your biological or assigned sex does not always tell your complete story. - It's common for people to confuse sex, gender, and gender identity.  But they're actually all different things. - Our society has a set of ideas about how we expect men and women to dress, behave, and present themselves. **GENDER IDENTITY** - Formation of identity is affected by hormones and environment just as much as it is by biological sex. - **Sex** is a label --- male or female --- that you're assigned by a doctor at birth based on the genitals you're born with and the chromosomes you have. It goes on your birth certificate. - **Gender** is much more complex: It's a social and legal status, and set of expectations from society, about behaviors, characteristics, and thoughts. Each culture has standards about the way that people should behave based on their gender. This is also generally male or female. But instead of being about body parts, it's more about how you're expected to act, because of your sex. **GENDER EXPRESSION** - Gender expression is all about how you demonstrate gender through the ways you act, dress, behave, and interact---whether that is intentional or unintended. - Gender expression is interpreted by others based on traditional gender norms (e.g., men wear pants; women wear dresses) - **GENDER EXPRESSION** is something that often changes from day to day, outfit to outfit, and event or setting to event or setting - It's about how the way you express yourself aligns or doesn't with traditional ways of gendered expression, and can be motivated by your gender identity, sexuality, or something else completely (e.g., just for fun, or performance). **BIOLOGICAL SEX** - Biological sex refers to the objectively measurable organs, hormones, and chromosomes you possess - being **FEMALE** means having a vagina, ovaries, two X chromosomes, predominant estrogen, and the ability to grow a baby in your abdominal area - being **MALE** means having testes, a penis, an XY chromosome configuration, predominant testosterone, and the ability to put a baby in a female's abdominal area - Or being **INTERSEX** can be any combination of both male and female. For example, someone can be born with the appearance of being male (penis, scrotum, etc.), but have a functional female reproductive system inside - Some intersex people have ambiguous genitalia or internal sex organs, such as a person with both ovarian and testicular tissues. - Other intersex people have a combination of chromosomes that is different than XY (male) and XX (female), like XXY. - And some people are born with what looks like totally male or totally female genitals, but their internal organs or hormones released during puberty don't match. **SEXUAL ORIENTATION** - Sexual orientation is all about who you are physically, spiritually, and emotionally attracted to - If you are a man and you're attracted to women, you're **STRAIGHT/HETEROSEXUAL**. - If you're a man who is attracted to men and another gender, you're **BI- SEXUAL**. - And if you're a man who is attracted to men, you're **GAY** or **HOMOSEXUAL**. - **Gay**: A person who is attracted primarily to members of the same sex. Although it can be used for any sex (e.g. gay man, gay woman, gay person), "lesbian" is sometimes the preferred term for women who are attracted to women. - **Lesbian**: A woman who is primarily/sexually attracted to other women.  **Human Sexuality is diverse. ** - Rigid beliefs on sex and gender put people in boxes (or closets), but these beliefs do not reflect realities on human sexuality, especially how gender roles and expressions, sexual attraction, and sexual behavior influence how a person views or lives his or her own sexuality.  - These notions favor male-female distinctions and are biased against those who do not fit existing stereotypes on sex and gender. - **Human Sexuality is diverse. ** - However, diversity is a natural characteristic of human sexuality: in reality, sexual attraction can and do happen between people of the same or opposite genders, and we do not always fit in gender roles and identities expected of us. - **Sex is simply the marker recorded in our birth certificates** - It is the biological difference that distinguishes people as manifested by a combination of anatomical (our internal reproductive organs and our genitals), genetic, and hormonal distinctions, as well as other sexual characteristics - The term is problematic when used to essentialize sex as the totality of one's sexuality. For instance, for intersex persons, or individuals whose sexual anatomy does not conform with the above definition, this could expose them to stigma, forced surgery, and other possible human rights abuses. - Many prefer to use the term "assigned sex" to contextualize that in many instances, one's sex is often imposed by a society to an individual. - **Gender identity refers to one's inner sense of self of being a girl/woman, boy/man, other genders, all, or neither. ** - Our gender identity is not determined by our assigned sex. While the common assumption is that our assigned sex and our gender identity are the same (male = boy/man, female = girl/woman), sex and gender are two distinct categories. Sex is the body or container, while gender is the content or matter that fills the container. - Your gender identity is how you feel inside and how you express those feelings.  Clothing, appearance, and behaviors can all be ways to express your gender identity. - A person whose lived experiences do not match their assigned sex assigned is known as a **TRANSGENDER PERSON** or **GENDER DIVERSE PERSON**. - Their assigned sex is of the other gender from their gender identity (i.e., assigned sex is female, but gender identity is male). These people are called **TRANSGENDER** - A person whose assigned sex is male and identifies as a woman is a **TRANSGENDER WOMAN** or **TRANSWOMAN**. - A person whose assigned sex is female and identifies as a man is a **TRANSGENDER MAN** or **TRANSMAN**. - A person whose gender identity matches his or her assigned sex is considered **CISGENDER**, while a person who relates to neither, all or a combination of genders is known as gender fluid, gender queer or other categories. - **GENDER FLUID** is a gender identity which refers to a gender which varies over time. A gender fluid person may at any time identify as male, female, neutrois, or any other non binary identity, or some combination of identities. Their gender can also vary at random or vary in response to different circumstances. - **GENDER QUEER** is most commonly used to describe a person who feels that his/her gender identity does not fit into the socially constructed \"norms\" associated with his/her biological sex.  - It is an identity that falls anywhere between man/boy/male and woman/girl/female on the spectrum of gender identities. - **GENDER VARIANCE** or gender nonconformity, is behavior or gender expression by an individual that does not match masculine and feminine gendernorms. **Gender expression refers to how an individual expresses his or her sense of self. ** - Our gender expression is influenced by our assigned sex, our sexual orientation, and/or gender identity, and it may or may not reflect a society's expectations. - So if sex is the "container" and gender is the "content", gender expression is the container's decorations. **Sexual orientation refers to romantic and/or sexual attraction to men, women, both, or neither.** - A person can be attracted to people of the opposite gender ("**heterosexual**"), to people of the same gender ("**homosexual**", "**gay**" for male-to-male, or "**lesbian**" for female-to-female), or to both genders ("**bisexual**"). One can also be "**asexual**" (no sexual attraction to anyone) or "**pansexual**" (sexual or romantic attraction is not limited to any particular sex or gender identity). **What are Gender Roles?** - Gender roles in society means how we're expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct ourselves based upon our assigned sex. *For example, girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing. Men are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, and bold.* **GENDER DYSPHORIA** - involves a conflict between a person\'s physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify. - The distress a person experiences as a result of the sex and gender they were assigned at birth - People with gender dysphoria may be very uncomfortable with the gender they were assigned, sometimes described as being uncomfortable with their body (particularly developments during puberty) or being uncomfortable with the expected roles of their assigned gender. **How do Gender Stereotypes affect people?** - A stereotype is a widely accepted judgment or bias about a person or group --- even though it's overly simplified and not always accurate. Stereotypes about gender can cause unequal and unfair treatment because of a person's gender. This is called sexism. **Four Basic Kinds of Stereotypes** - **Personality traits** --- For example, women are often expected to be accommodating and emotional, while men are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive. - **Domestic behaviors** --- For example, some people expect that women will take care of the children, cook, and clean the home, while men take care of finances, work on the car, and do the home repairs. - **Occupations** --- Some people are quick to assume that teachers and nurses are women, and that pilots, doctors, and engineers are men. - **Physical appearance** --- For example, women are expected to be thin and graceful, while men are expected to be tall and muscular. Men and women are also expected to dress and groom in ways that are stereotypical to their gender (men wearing pants and short hairstyles, women wearing dresses and make-up. - Hyper femininity is the exaggeration of stereotyped behavior that's believed to be feminine. Hyper feminine folks exaggerate the qualities they believe to be feminine. This may include being passive, naive, sexually inexperienced, soft, flirtatious, graceful, nurturing, and accepting. - Hyper masculinity is the exaggeration of stereotyped behavior that's believed to be masculine. Hyper masculine folks exaggerate the qualities they believe to be masculine. They believe they're supposed to compete with other men and dominate feminine folks by being aggressive, worldly, sexually experienced, insensitive, physically imposing, ambitious, and demanding. - These exaggerated gender stereotypes can make relationships between people difficult. Hyper feminine folks are more likely to endure physical and emotional abuse from their partners. Hyper masculine folks are more likely to be physically and emotionally abusive to their partners. - Extreme gender stereotypes are harmful because they don't allow people to fully express themselves and their emotions.  *For example, it's harmful to masculine folks to feel that they're not allowed to cry or express sensitive emotions. And it's harmful to feminine folks to feel that they're not allowed to be independent, smart or assertive. Breaking down gender stereotypes allows everyone to be their best selves.* Explainer: tackling the stigma and myths around sexuality V. **Understanding LOVE\ ** Love - The science behind love is more complex than you might think. The scientific basis of love is often sensationalized, and people don't know enough to draw firm conclusions about every piece of the puzzle. However, much of love can be explained by chemistry. Think of the last time you ran into someone you find attractive. You may have stammered; your palms may have sweated; you may have said something incredibly stupid and tripped spectacularly while trying to move away. Chances are, your heart was thudding in your chest. It's no surprise that, for centuries, people thought love (and most other emotions, for that matter) arose from the heart. As it turns out, love is all about the brain -- which, in turn, makes the rest of your body go haywire. According to a team of scientists led by Dr. Helen Fisher at Rutgers, romantic love can be broken down into three categories: (1) lust, (2) attraction, and (3) attachment. Each category is characterized by its own set of hormones stemming from the brain.\ \ \ \ **Stage 1: LUST** - This is the first stage of love and is **driven by the sex hormones** testosterone and estrogen -- in both men and women. - **Estrogen** and **Testosterone** are the two basic types of hormones present equally in men and women's body that excites the feeling of lust within the brain.  - When you're in this stage you feel physically attracted and drawn to the object of your affection. You want to seduce them or be seduced. - There may be an element of mystery or an intensity that makes things exciting.   - **This is driven by the desire for sexual gratification.** The evolutionary basis for this stems from our need to reproduce, a need shared among all living things.  - The hypothalamus of the brain plays a big role in this, stimulating the production of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen from the testes and the ovaries. **Stage 2: ATTRACTION** - This phase is said to be one of the beautiful moments of life. ** This is the phase when a person actually starts to feel the love.  ** - This is the amazing time when you are truly love-struck and can think of little else. - Scientists think that three main neurotransmitters are involved in this stage; **adrenaline, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.** - Attraction involves the brain pathways that control "reward" behavior which partly explains why the first few weeks or months of a relationship can be so exhilarating and even all-consuming. - You obsess about your lover and crave his presence. Your heart races and you don't feel like sleeping or eating. You may even get sweaty palms.  You feel a surge of extra energy and excitement as you fantasize about the things you'll do together - These feelings are created by three chemicals: **ADRENALINE -** The initial stages of falling for someone activates your stress response, increasing your blood levels of adrenalin and cortisol. This has the charming effect that when you unexpectedly bump into your love one, you start to sweat, your heart races and your mouth goes dry. **DOPAMINE** - Helen Fisher asked newly 'love struck' couples to have their brains examined and discovered they have high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. This chemical stimulates 'desire and reward' by triggering an intense rush of pleasure. Fisher suggests "couples often show the signs of surging dopamine: increased energy, less need for sleep or food, focused attention and exquisite delight in smallest details of this novel relationship". Increased dopamine is associated with motivation, reward, and goal-directed behavior, hence the drive to pursue your loved one or create them in fantasy if you can't be with them. Dopamine also creates a sense of novelty. Your loved one seems exciting, special and unique to you and you want to tell the world about his special qualities. **NOREPINEPHRINE** - is responsible for the extra surge of energy and racing heart that you feel, as well as the loss of appetite and desire for sleep. It puts your body into a more alert state in which you are ready for action. **SEROTONIN** - One of love\'s most important chemicals that may explain why when you're falling in love, your new lover keeps popping into your thoughts. Scientists think serotonin probably decreases at this stage, but more studies need to be done. Low levels of serotonin are found in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and are thought to cause obsessive thinking. **Does love need to be blind?** - Newly smitten lovers often idealise their partner, magnifying their virtues and explaining away their flaws says Ellen Berscheid, a leading researcher on the psychology of love. -  New couples also exalt the relationship itself. "It\'s very common to think they have a relationship that\'s closer and more special than anyone else\'s". - Psychologists think we need this rose-tinted view. It makes us want to stay together to enter the next stage of love -- attachment. **Stage 3: ATTACHMENT** - When a couple passes through the above two stages of love successfully, the time of bonding with each other becomes powerful. - Attachment is a bond helping the couple to take their relationship to advanced levels. It instigates the feeling of bearing children and falling in love with them wholeheartedly. - Scientists think there might be two major hormones involved in this feeling of attachment; **oxytocin and vasopressin.** - Attachment involves wanting to make a more lasting commitment to your loved one. This is the point at which you may move in together, get married, and/or have children.   - After about 4 years in a relationship, dopamine decreases and attraction goes down. If things are going well, it gets replaced by the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin, which create the desire to bond, affiliate with, and nurture your partner. You want to cuddle and be close and share your deepest secrets with him/ her. - You plan and dream together. **Oxytocin -- The cuddle hormone** - Oxytocin is a powerful hormone released by men and women during orgasm.  - It probably deepens the feelings of attachment and makes couples feel much closer to one another after they have had sex. The theory goes that the more sex a couple has, the deeper their bond becomes.  - Oxytocin also seems to help cement the strong bond between mum and baby and is released during childbirth. It is also responsible for a mum's breast automatically releasing milk at the mere sight or sound of her young baby.  **Vasopressin** - Vasopressin is another important hormone in the long-term commitment stage and is released after sex. -  Vasopressin (also called anti-diuretic hormone) works with your kidneys to control thirst. Its potential role in long-term relationships was discovered when scientists looked at the prairie vole. - Prairie voles indulge in far more sex than is strictly necessary for the purposes of reproduction. - They also -- like humans - form fairly stable pair-bonds. This illustrates how chemicals secreted in the human body can be quite powerful in making people feel and behave in certain ways.  **What Can We Do?** Understanding the science of lust, attraction, and attachment can help you develop more realistic expectations of your relationships. Below are some tools to guide you through the stages of love: 1\. Don't mistake lust for love - give a new relationship time before you start dreaming of a future together. 2\. Keep the dopamine flowing in a long-term relationship by having date nights, studying your lessons, or going on trips in which you do novel and exciting things together. Perhaps you can go hiking, climb a rock climbing wall, or go and see a thrilling movie. 3\. Keep the oxytocin flowing by writing cards and or sending text messages, think of your partner when she\'s not around, share your hopes and dreams, and support those of your partner. 4\. If you're the jealous, controlling type, start developing your own activities and friendships that make you feel important and cared about.  With an irresistible cocktail of chemicals, our brain entices us to fall in love. We call it love. It feels like love. But the most exhilarating of all human emotions is probably nature's beautiful way of keeping the human species alive and reproducing. Real love lasts and is not about our initial biochemical high \-- because that high can never last. I suppose its purpose is only to get people together.  However, staying together is about a much deeper emotional intimacy and commitment, not brain chemicals and hormones.  VI. **Paraphilic Disorders\ ** **What is Abnormal Sexual Behavior?** - When evaluating the "normality" of a given sexual behavior, the context is extremely important. - Attitudes and behaviors related to sexuality are continually evolving over time. - Contemporary human sexuality researchers: - Alfred Kinsey - William Masters - Virginia Johnson Accepted norms of sexual behavior and attitudes vary greatly within and among different cultures. Health care practitioners should never be judgmental of sexual behaviors, even under societal pressure. Generally, what is \"normal\" and \"abnormal\" cannot be defined medically. However, when sexual behavior or difficulties cause significant distress for a patient or the patient's partner or cause harm, treatment is warranted. **Paraphilic Disorders** - Behaviors in which an individual has recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving: - \(1) nonhuman objects - \(2) children or other non-consenting persons - \(3) the suffering or humiliation of self or partner - Psychological dependence on the target of desire that results in inability to experience sexual arousal without target. - A paraphilic disorder in which an adult is sexually aroused by children or adolescents. - 2/3 of all sexual assault victims are children & adolescents - Nearly 2/3 of victims are female - Vast majority of perpetrators are male - About 1/3 of offenders are relatives of the victimized children VII. **Sexually Transmitted Diseases** **MYTHS OF STDs True or False** - Most people with an STD experience painful symptoms. - Birth control pills prevent the spread of STDs. - Douching will cure and STD. - Abstinence is the best way to prevent STDs. - If you get an STD once, and are treated, you can't get it again. - A person does not need to see a doctor if she/he notices scores on his/her genitals once, but then they go away. - Condoms help prevent the spread of STDs **Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)** remain very prevalent in the population. It is therefore of great value to be aware of the importance of screening symptom less individuals. This allows to both avoid further infections and prevent complications in infected patients. An overview of the prevailing frequentness of STDs will be provided together with a review of the most prevalent ones engaged in medical practice. A specific assessment of the current state of HIV disease will be given. And this will involve a discussion on its worldwide impact on the population. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) STDs are diseases and infections which are capable of being spread from person to person through: \- sexual intercourse \- oral-genital contact or in non-sexual ways. \- IV drug Symptoms What are the symptoms? How would I know if I have been infected? - Sores (either painful or painless) - Blood in urine - Burning sensation when urinating - Rashes - Itching - Bumps - Warts - Unusual discharge Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites, and viruses. There are more than 20 types of STDs, including - [**[Chlamydia]**](https://medlineplus.gov/chlamydiainfections.html) A person can get chlamydia during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone who has the infection. A woman can also pass chlamydia to her baby during childbirth.If a person had chlamydia and were treated in the past, he.she can get re-infected if he.she have unprotected sex with someone who has it. **Who is at risk of getting chlamydia?** - Chlamydia is more common in young people, especially young women. You are more likely to get it if you don\'t consistently use a condom, or if you have multiple partners. **What are the symptoms of chlamydia?** - Chlamydia doesn\'t usually cause any symptoms. So you may not realize that you have it. People with chlamydia who have no symptoms can still pass the disease to others. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with an infected partner. **Symptoms in women include** - Abnormal vaginal discharge, which may have a strong smell - A burning sensation when urinating - Pain during intercourse - If the infection spreads, one might get lower abdominal pain, pain during sex, nausea, or fever. **Symptoms in men include** - Discharge from your penis - A burning sensation when urinating - Burning or itching around the opening of your penis - Pain and swelling in one or both testicles (although this is less common) If the chlamydia infects the rectum (in men or women), it can cause rectal pain, discharge, and/or bleeding. - [**[Genital herpes]**](https://medlineplus.gov/genitalherpes.html) **Genital herpes** is a [[sexually transmitted disease]](https://medlineplus.gov/sexuallytransmitteddiseases.html) (STD) caused by a [[herpes simplex]](https://medlineplus.gov/herpessimplex.html) virus (HSV). It can cause sores on your genital or rectal area, buttocks, and thighs. You can get it from having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has it. The virus can spread even when sores are not present. Mothers can also infect their babies during childbirth. **Symptoms of herpes are called outbreaks**. You usually get sores near the area where the virus has entered the body. The sores are blisters which break and become painful, and then heal. Sometimes people do not know they have herpes because they have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. The virus can be more serious in newborn babies or in people with weak immune systems. Repeat outbreaks are common, especially during the first year. Over time, you get them less often and the symptoms become milder. The virus stays in your body for life. There are tests that can diagnose genital herpes. There is no cure. However, medicines can help lessen symptoms, decrease outbreaks, and lower the risk of passing the virus to others. Correct usage of latex condoms can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading herpes. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. - [**[Gonorrhea]**](https://medlineplus.gov/gonorrhea.html) Gonorrhea is a [[sexually transmitted disease]](https://medlineplus.gov/sexuallytransmitteddiseases.html). It is most common in young adults. The bacteria that cause gonorrhea can infect the genital tract, mouth, or anus. You can get gonorrhea during vaginal, oral, or anal sex with an infected partner. A pregnant woman can pass it to her baby during childbirth. Gonorrhea does not always cause symptoms. In men, gonorrhea can cause pain when urinating and discharge from the penis. If untreated, it can cause problems with the prostate and testicles. In women, the early symptoms of gonorrhea often are mild. Later, it can cause bleeding between periods, pain when urinating, and increased discharge from the vagina. If untreated, it can lead to [[pelvic inflammatory disease]](https://medlineplus.gov/pelvicinflammatorydisease.html), which causes problems with pregnancy and infertility. Health care provider will diagnose gonorrhea with lab tests. Treatment is with antibiotics. Treating gonorrhea is becoming more difficult because drug-resistant strains are increasing. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading gonorrhea. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. - [**[HIV/AIDS]**](https://medlineplus.gov/hivaids.html) HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms a person's immune system by destroying the white blood cells that fight infection. This puts him/her at risk for serious [[infections]](https://medlineplus.gov/hivaidsandinfections.html) and certain cancers. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final stage of infection with HIV. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS. HIV most often spreads through unprotected sex with a person who has HIV. It may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of a person who has HIV. [[Women]](https://medlineplus.gov/hivaidsinwomen.html) can give it to their babies during [[pregnancy]](https://medlineplus.gov/hivaidsandpregnancy.html) or childbirth. The first signs of HIV infection may be swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. These may come and go within two to four weeks. Severe symptoms may not appear until months or years later. A blood test can tell if you have HIV infection. Health care provider can do the test, or you can use a home testing kit. There is no cure, but there are many [[medicines]](https://medlineplus.gov/hivaidsmedicines.html) that fight HIV infection and lower the risk of infecting others. People who get early treatment can [[live with]](https://medlineplus.gov/livingwithhivaids.html) the disease for a long time. Strategies to reduce the risk of HIV infection include not having sex, limiting the number of sexual partners, never sharing needles, and using condoms the right way every time you have sex. People who are at high risk may take [[HIV prevention medicines]](https://medlineplus.gov/hivprepandpep.html). - [**[HPV]**](https://medlineplus.gov/hpv.html) Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of related viruses. They can cause [[warts]](https://medlineplus.gov/warts.html) on different parts of your body. There are more than 200 types. About 40 of them are spread through direct sexual contact with someone who has the virus. They can also spread through other intimate, skin-to-skin contact. Some of these types can cause cancer. There are two categories of sexually transmitted HPV. Low-risk HPV can cause warts on or around your [[genitals]](https://medlineplus.gov/genitalwarts.html), anus, mouth, or throat. High-risk HPV can cause various cancers: - [[Cervical cancer]](https://medlineplus.gov/cervicalcancer.html) - [[Anal cancer]](https://medlineplus.gov/analcancer.html) - Some types of [[oral]](https://medlineplus.gov/oralcancer.html) and [[throat]](https://medlineplus.gov/throatcancer.html) cancer - [[Vulvar cancer]](https://medlineplus.gov/vulvarcancer.html) - [[Vaginal cancer]](https://medlineplus.gov/vaginalcancer.html) - Penile cancer Most HPV infections go away on their own and don\'t cause cancer. But sometimes the infections last longer. When a high-risk HPV infection lasts for many years, it can lead to cell changes. If these changes are not treated, they may get worse over time and become cancer. **Who is at risk for HPV infections?** - HPV infections are very common. Nearly all sexually active people are infected with HPV soon after they become sexually active. **What are the symptoms of HPV infections?** - Some people develop warts from certain low-risk HPV infections, but the other types (including the high-risk types) have no symptoms. If a high-risk HPV infection lasts for many years and causes cell changes, you may have symptoms. You may also have symptoms if those cell changes develop into cancer. Which symptoms you would have depends on which part of the body is affected. - [**[Syphilis]**](https://medlineplus.gov/syphilis.html) Syphilis is a [[sexually transmitted disease]](https://medlineplus.gov/sexuallytransmitteddiseases.html) caused by bacteria. It infects the genital area, lips, mouth, or anus of both men and women. A person can usually get syphilis from sexual contact with someone who has it. It can also pass from mother to baby during pregnancy. The early stage of syphilis usually causes a single, small, painless sore. Sometimes it causes swelling in nearby lymph nodes. If a personwon't treat it, syphilis usually causes a non-itchy skin rash, often on a person's hands and feet. Many people do not notice symptoms for years. Symptoms can go away and come back. The sores caused by syphilis make it easier to get or give someone [[HIV]](https://medlineplus.gov/hivaids.html) during sex. If a personis pregnant, syphilis can cause complications, or could lose the baby. In rare cases, syphilis causes serious health problems and even death. Syphilis is easy to cure with antibiotics if onecatch it early. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading syphilis. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. - [**[Trichomoniasis]**](https://medlineplus.gov/trichomoniasis.html) Trichomoniasis is a [[sexually transmitted disease]](https://medlineplus.gov/sexuallytransmitteddiseases.html) caused by a parasite. It spreads from person to person during sex. Many people do not have any symptoms. If a person do get symptoms, they usually happen within 5 to 28 days after being infected. It can cause [[vaginitis]](https://medlineplus.gov/vaginitis.html) in women. Symptoms include - Yellow-green or gray discharge from the vagina - Discomfort during sex - Vaginal odor - Painful urination - Itching burning, and soreness of the vagina and vulva Most men do not have symptoms. If they do, they may have - Itching or irritation inside the penis - Burning after urination or ejaculation - Discharge from the penis Trichomoniasis can increase the risk of getting or spreading other sexually transmitted diseases. Pregnant women with trichomoniasis are more likely to [[give birth too early]](https://medlineplus.gov/pretermlabor.html), and their babies are more likely have a [[low birth weight]](https://medlineplus.gov/birthweight.html). Lab tests can tell if a person have the infection. Treatment is with [[antibiotics]](https://medlineplus.gov/antibiotics.html). If you are infected, you and your partner must be treated. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading trichomoniasis. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause can be more severe for women. If a pregnant woman has an STD, it can cause serious health problems for the ba