| 1 | Guide To Sexual Health | "In clinical settings, sex is often defined as a risk that needs to be counseled against. But in the realm of sexual health, sex is becoming established as part of the human experience. Sexual health is considered a state of emotional, mental, physical, and social well-being that relates to sexuality. Sexual health isn’t just the absence of a disease or referring to sexual dysfunction or infirmity." | Pandia Health, Inc., pandiahealth.com, accessed 10/21/2020 |
| 2 | The Meaning Of Sex: Dynamic Words, Novel Applications, And Original Public Meaning | Abstract: "The meaning of sex matters. The interpretive methodology by which the meaning of sex is determined matters. Both of these were at issue in the Supreme Court’s recent landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, where the Court held that Title VII protects lesbians, gay men, transgender persons, and other sex and gender minorities against workplace discrimination. Despite unanimously agreeing that Title VII should be interpreted in accordance with its original public meaning in 1964, the Court failed to properly define sex or offer a coherent theory of how long-standing statutes like Title VII should be interpreted over time....By limiting the meaning of sex to 'biological distinctions' and failing to recognize that societal dynamism can change statutory coverage, the Court missed the opportunity to explicitly affirm that the societal evolution of gays and lesbians and transgender people has legal significance." | William N. Eskridge, Brian G. Slocum, and Stefan Gries, Michigan Law Review, papers.ssrn.com, 9/30/2020 |
| 3 | Why The Best Sex May Be Yet To Come | "However, the older men and women in this study described that their evolving definitions of sex, which now included more physical intimacy, were more pleasurable and satisfying than their previous, narrow definitions and experiences." | Sarah Hunter Murray Ph.D., psychologytoday.com, 9/13/2020 |
| 4 | What Is Considered To Be An Affair? | "The way we define sex at A Woman’s Touch is any intimate contact that produces pleasure and arousal that feels like sex to you. Many people don’t have intercourse at all when they have sex." | The Sex Counselor, sexualityresources.com, accessed 9/13/2020 |
| 5 | Making Sex Feel Good | "Often we’re encouraged to think of sex as penetrative, partner sex. But sex isn’t just about genitals – having sex is about your whole body, including your mind. It includes fantasizing, masturbating (solo or partnered), oral sex, vaginal or anal sex (intercourse) with dildos, penises, fingers or toys. Expanding your definition of sex can help expand your options for pleasure." | Teen Health Source, teenhealthsource.com, accessed 9/13/2020 |
| 6 | What Is 'Sex'? | "'Sex' relates to the sexual activities that people engage in. What people do sexually is as diverse as the many activities that are out there. Sex will mean different things to different people based on things such as their values, beliefs, preferences, desires, comfort level, partners, clients, etc." | Options for Sexual Health, optionsforsexualhealth.org, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 7 | Sex And Sexuality | "People define sex in many different ways. Your personal definition of sex is totally up to you. It may change throughout your life. Sex can be anything that creates sexual pleasure (for yourself or someone else)." | Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, teenhealthcare.org, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 8 | What Is Sex? | "Sex is a completely natural and normal activity – meant to be an intimate act, whether it is self-pleasuring or masturbation, or shared with someone you trust." | Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, sexandu.ca, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 9 | Sex Vs. Sexuality | "The term sex refers to categories (male, female) to which people are typically assigned at birth based on physical characteristics (e.g. genitals). Some people may be assigned intersex, when their reproductive, sexual or genetic biology doesn’t fit the traditional definitions of male or female. The term is often used to mean ‘sexual activity’ or ‘sexual intercourse'." | Alberta Health Services, teachingsexualhealth.ca, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 10 | What Is Sex? | "'Sexual health' means having consenting, pleasurable and safe sexual experiences. It's up to you to have sex in a way that reduces the chances of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or having an unplanned pregnancy. Remember you are in charge of your body, your health and your decisions about sex." | Government of Western Australia, wa.gov.au, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 11 | Safe Sex And STD’s, Let’s Talk About It. | "Some children, yes, children in middle schools...are confused about what counts as sex. In the aforementioned middle school, sexually transmitted infections were going around because the students didn’t seem to think that oral sex counted as sex. Sex is sex. Oral sex, anal sex, vaginal intercourse. You name it, it’s sex. All sex is sex. All sex should be had safely. " | Weiler Counseling, weilercounseling.com, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 12 | Defining Sexual Health | "Sex refers to the biological characteristics that define humans as female or male. While these sets of biological characteristics are not mutually exclusive, as there are individuals who possess both, they tend to differentiate humans as males and females. In general use in many languages, the term sex is often used to mean 'sexual activity', but for technical purposes in the context of sexuality and sexual health discussions, the above definition is preferred." | World Health Organization, who.int, accessed 9/11/2020 |
| 13 | Defining Sex And Gender | "'Sex' refers to biological differences between females and males, including chromosomes, sex organs, and endogenous hormonal profiles…." | American Medical Women's Association, amwa-doc.org, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 14 | Sex: Definition | "noun...(1) The assemblage of characters or qualities of being a male or a female in animals and plants. | BiologyOnline, biologyonline.com, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| (2) The genitals; the physical distinction between male and female. |
| (3) Coitus; sexual intercourse." |
| 15 | What Is Gender? What Is Sex? | "Sex refers to a set of biological attributes in humans and animals. It is primarily associated with physical and physiological features including chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels and function, and reproductive/sexual anatomy. Sex is usually categorized as female or male but there is variation in the biological attributes that comprise sex and how those attributes are expressed." | Canadian Institutes |
| of Health Research, cihr-irsc.gc.ca, modified 4/28/2020 |
| 16 | Defining Sex, Gender, And Sexuality | "sex...The distinguishing property, quality, or assemblage of properties by which organisms are classified as female, male, or intersex on the basis of their reproductive organs and functions." | Lumen Learning, lumenlearning.com, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 17 | Sex Definition | "Sex Definition: The predominant sexual identity of an individual, as in male or female. Also refers to sexual intercourse." | Duhaime's Law Dictionary, duhaime.org, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 18 | Understanding Gender | "People tend to use the terms 'sex' and 'gender' interchangeably. But, while connected, the two terms are not equivalent. Generally, we assign a newborn’s sex as either male or female (some US states and other countries offer a third option) based on the baby’s genitals." | Gender Spectrum, genderspectrum.org, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 19 | Sex & Gender | "'Sex' refers to biological differences between females and males, including chromosomes, sex organs, and endogenous hormonal profiles. 'Gender' refers to socially constructed and enacted roles and behaviors which occur in a historical and cultural context and vary across societies and over time." | National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nih.gov, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 20 | Sex Terms: Sex | "1. A person’s biological makeup of sex organs and chromosomes that marks them as male, female or intersex; | Sex, Etc., sexetc.org, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 2. The act of engaging in sexual behaviors with another person—such as oral, anal or vaginal intercourse." |
| 21 | Sex Law And Legal Definition | "Sex may also refer to sexual intercourse. The definition of sexual intercourse varies by state." | USLegal, uslegal.com, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 22 | What Is Sex? | "People define sex differently. This will depend on your gender identity, the behaviors you enjoy doing with your partner or with yourself and can include more than the physical act of intercourse. Talking with your partner(s) about your personal definition of sex is important to make sure that all parties involved are on the same page." | WellWVU, West Virginia University, wvu.edu, accessed 9/10/2020 |
| 23 | How Older Adults Define Sex—And How Their Views Change Over Time | "Research has found that different people define sex in radically different ways." | Justin J Lehmiller, lehmiller.com, 9/9/2020 |
| 24 | How Older Adults Define Sex—And How Their Views Change Over Time | "First, the meaning of sex is something that appears to change over time for many people—and, specifically, the predominant shift seems to be from sex-as-intercourse to sex-as-intimacy. Importantly, this shift is one that seems to occur among men and women alike." | Stephanie Levine, stephanielevineblog.wordpress.com, 9/9/2020 |
| 25 | Sex: Noun | "sex noun (ACTIVITY)...physical activity between people involving the sexual organs…" | Cambridge Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org, accessed 9/8/2020 |
| 26 | Sex: Noun | "noun...-the male, female, or intersex division of a species, especially as differentiated with reference to the reproductive functions. | Dictionary.com, dictionary.com, accessed 9/8/2020 |
| -a male, female, or intersex label assigned to a person at birth. |
| -the sum of the structural and functional differences by which male, female, and intersex organisms are distinguished, or the phenomena or behavior dependent on these differences: plants that change sex depending on how much light they receive. |
| -the sexual instinct or attraction drawing one organism toward another, or its manifestation in life and conduct: choosing a life partner based on sex." |
| 27 | Sex: Noun | "NOUN...1 (chiefly with reference to people) sexual activity, including specifically sexual intercourse. | Lexico.com, lexico.com, accessed 9/8/2020 |
| 2. Either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions....Transitive Verb...(sex something up) informal...Present something in a more interesting or lively way." |
| 28 | What Is Sex? | "Sex is not just vaginal intercourse. Sex is pretty much anything that feels sexual. How YOU choose to define sex might be a moving target during your teen years. Your sexual interests may change over time, and that’s okay too." | Teen Health Source, teenhealthsource.com, accessed 9/8/2020 |
| 29 | Half Of U.S. Christians Say Casual Sex Between Consenting Adults Is Sometimes Or Always Acceptable | "Half of Christians say casual sex – defined in the survey as sex between consenting adults who are not in a committed romantic relationship – is sometimes or always acceptable." | Jeff Diamant, pewresearch.org, 8/31/2020 |
| 30 | "What Do You Mean By Sex?” A Qualitative Analysis Of Traditional Versus Evolved Meanings Of Sexual Activity Among Older Women And Men | "Older adults remain sexually active well into later life; yet, there is no consistency in the literature about what sex means to them.... Acknowledging the nuanced meaning of sex for this population can contribute to a better understanding of the specificity of older adults’ sexuality." | Gabriela Gore-Gorszewska, The Journal of Sex Research, tandfonline.com, 8/11/2020 |
| 31 | How Asexuals Define Sex—And When And Why They Sometimes Have Sex | "While this research is not representative of the ace community, the results tell us a few important things. First, most people on the ace spectrum seem to agree about what constitutes sex, and they define it as any genital-based activity. This appears to be quite different from how allosexuals think of sex. Further, most aces say they’ve engaged in at least one such activity before, despite the fact that they aren’t interested in sex." | Kinsey Institute, blogs.iu.edu, 8/6/2020 |
| 32 | What To Know About Lesbian Sex | For many people, sex is mainly synonymous with penile-vaginal intercourse. Yet there are many ways to have sex. There are also several ways to have lesbian sex, which can involve a variety of techniques, including oral sex, fingering, and the use of sex toys. | Zawn Villines, Medically reviewed by Jennifer Litner, LMFT, CST, medicalnewstoday.com, 7/27/2020 |
| 33 | What Is Sex: Everything You Need To Know About Sex And Its Wonderful Benefits | "Sex is one of the most common and overrated terms that is used today. To ask 'what is sex' is necessary though as it can mean different things to different people." | TNN, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 7/21/2020 |
| 34 | How You Define Sex Matters! | "I would like to present a more diverse and healthy definition of sex. Sex is anything that is physically, mentally, and emotionally arousing, pleasurable, and leads to satisfaction. This definition does not include penis, vagina, intercourse, or orgasm, although these can be part of sex but are not required." | Jasmin Ahluwalia, carolinaswc.org, 7/1/2020 |
| 35 | Expanding The Definition Of Sex: SCOTUS Rules Employers Cannot Discriminate Based On Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity. | "While the Court does say that homosexuality and transgender status are distinct concepts from sex, it makes it clear that discrimination based on homosexuality or transgender status necessarily entails discrimination based on sex, as the first cannot happen without the second." | Lori Armstrong Halber, and Gavin Carpenter, employmentlawwatch.com, 6/15/2020 |
| 36 | Trump Administration Reverses Transgender Health Care Protections | "The Obama regulation defined gender identity to include 'one’s internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female.' In a press release announcing the new rule, the Department of Health and Human Services said it will interpret the word 'sex' as 'male or female and as determined by biology.'" | Tim Ryan, courthousenews.com, 6/12/2020 |
| 37 | The 8 Questions Premarital Counselors Always Ask | "What Does Sex Mean for Both of You?...How will you handle changes in your sex life over the years? What does sex mean to you? According to [Megan] Broadhead [owner of ENGAGE Premarital Counseling], it can be a difficult, vulnerable conversation to talk about sex, and the first step is to honor and recognize that, creating compassion for your partner. 'Couples have to talk about sex. It's a major part of a healthy relationship,' she says." | Marianne McGoldrick, brides.com, 6/5/2020 |
| 38 | Sexual Health And Sexual Behavior | "Both academic and lay definitions of sex vary. However, definitions generally gravitate around reproduction and the experience of pleasure." | Sebastian E. Bartos, oxfordre.com, 6/2020 |
| 39 | 5 Things Couples With Healthy Sex Lives Do, According To A Sex Therapist | "'Sex means different things to different people,' Madeline [Cooper, a New York City based social worker and sex therapist] explains. 'Sex does not always mean penetration. I encourage people to find words that work for them, such as intercourse, anal sex, penetration, oral sex, manual stimulation, masturbation or solo sex, petting, kissing and more. Make sure that you are specific with your partner about what kind of sex you’d like.'" | Mary Retta, hercampus.com, 4/30/2020 |
| 40 | Talkstarter For Teens: What Counts As “Having Sex”? | "Ask your teen: What do they think about that idea? Are there other ways to think about what qualifies as a sexual experience? Should pleasure be part of the equation? Should mutuality? What would a definition of sex look like if it factored in the experiences of people of different genders?" | Jill Whitney, keepthetalkgoing.com, 4/9/2020 |
| 41 | Sex Definition And Types: What Is Sex Exactly? | "In general, sex is thought to be penetrative intercourse between a man and a woman. But depending on your sexual orientation and personal definition of sex, that’s not necessarily the case. Let’s take a closer look at what is considered sex. " | Olga Adereyko, MD, flo.health, 4/7/2020 |
| 42 | Answering 'What Is Sex' May Not Be As Straightforward As You Think | "Sex has a very clear definition in biology – it’s how reproduction occurs. However, clearly even not every heterosexual amorous coupling can result in pregnancy. Infertility issues aside, we know that couples in their 60s and beyond still have sex lives that keep going strong long after havings kids are a possibility, so we can discount that particular definition right off the bat." | Lea Marsden, lelo.com, 3/20/2020 |
| 43 | Let’s Talk About It!: A Guide To Consent And Sexcessful Communication | "Sex or sexual activity...Encompasses physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of consensual erotic interactions. Includes kissing, caressing, massage, solo or mutual masturbation, oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex, etc." | UC Davis Student Health & Counseling Services, ucdavis.edu, 2/28/2020 |
| 44 | How Sex Changes With Aging (& What You Can Do About It) | "There’s no doubt that female sexual function changes with aging, with a decline in sexual activity from 40% in women ages 65-74 to less than 20% in those 75-85. Many older women define sex as vaginal intercourse, which may amplify the decline in sexual activity if a male partner is less healthy or available. The healthier the woman, the more likely she is to engage in sexual activity and although sexual desire may flag, the desire for intimacy does not." | by Nicole Didyk, MD, betterhealthwhileaging.net, 2/8/2020 |
| 45 | Lgbtqia Resource Center Glossary | "Sex: a medically constructed categorization. Sex is often assigned based on the appearance of the genitalia, either in ultrasound or at birth." | UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center, ucdavis.edu, 1/14/2020 |
| 46 | Adolescent and School Health: Terminology | "Sex: An individual’s biological status as male, female, or something else. Sex is assigned at birth and associated with physical attributes, such as anatomy and chromosomes." | Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, cdc.gov, 12/18/2019 |
| 47 | Three Things You May Talk About With A Sex Therapist | "Do you know what you like when it comes to sex? If you’ve ever chatted with someone about what you like it might be different than what someone else likes. In fact, if you were to ask, 'what is sex?' or 'what does sex mean to you'? You might get different answers from every single person you ask." | The Truism Center, thetruismcenter.com, 11/30/2019 |
| 48 | 10 Things To Consider Before Having Sex For The First Time | "What Does Sex Mean To You?...You might have a particular act in mind when you think of sex, but does your potential partner share that definition? Be specific here — are you thinking about oral sex? Vaginal? Anal? Fingering? It may feel awkward to get down to details here, but it will help get through one of the biggest sexual communication hurdles and set you up to answer some of the next questions." | Cassandra Corrado, Medically Reviewed by Louise Bourchier, MPH, o.school, 9/24/2019 |
| 49 | You Answered: How Do You Define 'Sex'? | "In the old days, the word 'sex' generally meant penetrative sex between a man and a woman, which left out a whole host of scenarios, identities, and emotions. Mercifully, times have changed. Depending on who you are, 'sex' can mean anything from missionary pivving, oral sex, and digital stimulation to anal play, mutual mastubation, and using sex toys with each other. It can refer to an act, an orgasm, and an intangible vibe or feeling." | Swell, swell.damewellness.co, 9/18/2019 |
| 50 | Let’s Talk About Sexual Health Awareness | "According to the American Sexual Health Association, sexual health must go beyond outdated views of simply avoiding disease or unplanned pregnancy and should include experiencing pleasure and intimacy when desired, along with respecting the sexual rights we all share. As you think about what sexual health means, you should try to think about your own definitions of sex and how that relates to your body." | Howard Brown Health, howardbrown.org, 9/3/2019 |
| 51 | What's Sex? | "When we say 'sex,' what we mean is any number of different things people freely choose to do to tangibly and actively express or enact their sexuality; what things people have identified and do identify as a kind of sexual experience." | Heather Corinna, scarleteen.com, updated 8/27/2019 |
| 52 | Forget Foreplay - Sex Is More Than Intercourse | "As our understanding of sexuality, gender, and orientation expands and changes, our definition of sex is going to change as well. " | Katrina Knizek, vibrantgrowthcounseling.com, 8/12/2019 |
| 53 | Should We All Be Having Sex Every Day? | "'If your definition of sex includes mutual masturbation or cuddling together while each of you gets off, then that makes a daily sexual routine more realistic,' [Brianna Rader, CEO and founder of sex and relationship coaching app Juicebox] explains." | Erika W. Smith, refinery29.com, 7/5/2019 |
| 54 | How To Have Sex If You're Queer: What To Know About Protection, Consent, And What Queer Sex Means | "Redefine and self-define sex. Sexual desire exists on a spectrum just like gender, sexuality, and other fluid and fluctuating parts of our identities. From Ace to Gray-Ace to Allosexual and everywhere in between and beyond, check in with yourself and your partners about how they experience sexual desire (if at all)." | Yana Tallon-Hicks, teenvogue.com, 6/4/2019 |
| 55 | Would You Try Scheduling Sex With Your Partner? I Did And This Is What Happened. | "What counts as sex when you’re scheduling sex? | Amy Clark, mamamia.com, 4/9/2019 |
| As [sexologist and relationships expert Dr Nikki] Goldstein said, 'It’s one thing to have sex and it’s another thing to have good sex', but for some people, scheduling sex is more about carving out time with your partner with the idea that sex can happen." |
| 56 | Why Are We Having Less Sex Today Than Ever Before? | "Some researchers, however, have refuted the claim that Americans really are having less sex. They point out that many of the surveys that collect data on sexual activity don’t define what counts as sex. Does oral or anal sex count? What about mutual masturbation? " | Alyssa Wooden, jhunewsletter.com, 2/14/2019 2/14/2019 |
| 57 | Sexting, Spanking, Stroking: What 'Counts' As Sex? | "I’ve been writing about sex online for the better part of a decade now, and my understanding of what 'sex' is has only become broader and murkier as time has progressed (not to mention, as acts like sexting and phone sex have become a bigger and bigger part of my life). I’m not sure I know what sex is. I’m not sure I ever knew." | Kate Sloan, girlyjuice.net, 2/11/2019 |
| 58 | Defining Sex | "I define sex by the way that I feel, and this is what that I shared with my clients." | Shelby Devlin, shelbydevlin.com, 1/30/2019 |
| 59 | Measure Sex By Quality, Not Quantity, To Reap All The Pleasurable Rewards | "Go ahead, define 'sex.' If you’re anything like me, your answer conjured mental images making the whole process look pretty narrow. That shouldn’t be, says [sex-positive psychologist Liz Powell, PsyD]." | Kells McPhillips, wellandgood.com, 1/15/2019 |
| 60 | Beyond Taboos: The Sexual Life Of Older Adults | "The last theme that emerged from the systematic review is that older adults often narrowly define sexuality as sexual intercourse. The loss or decrease in sexual function can thus cause distress, disappointment, frustration and despair among older adults when they fail to experience this so-called 'normal' sexuality. However, older adults facing health problems that affect sexual function tend to adopt broader definitions of sexuality and sexual activity." | McMaster University, mcmasteroptimalaging.org, 11/21/2018 |
| 61 | Freud Versus Jung: A Bitter Feud Over The Meaning Of Sex | "Most of the psychoanalysts who fell out with [Sigmund] Freud did so over the subject of sex. In his theory of the libido, Freud was convinced that he had found the universal engine of all human desire and achievement – whether personal, cultural or civilisational. All of this, he argued, stems ultimately from sexuality. Psychoanalysis rests upon this theory of the libido, so to jettison it is to do away with the whole thing. [Psychiatrist Carl Gustav] Jung had, from the very beginning, misgivings about whether sex was the only source of such energies and drives. Freud hoped this resistance would be scrubbed away." | Sam Dresser, aeon.co, 11/14/2018 |
| 62 | Narrow Definition Of Sex Could Affect Transgender Students | "Advocates for transgender students have argued that the concept of sex in Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools, was intended to refer more broadly to the concept of gender. In some cases, they've even cited law dictionaries from the 1970s, when the law was enacted, to show their definitions did not refer strictly to biological sex assigned at birth." | Evie Blad, edweek.org, 10/30/2018 |
| 63 | Its Intersex Awareness Day - Here Are 5 Myths We Need To Shatter | "According to experts, around 1.7% of the population is born with intersex traits - comparable to the number of people born with red hair. | Amnesty International, amnesty.org, 10/26/2018 |
| Despite this, the term intersex is still widely misunderstood, and intersex people are massively underrepresented. This week a leaked memo from the Trump administration suggested that the US government is working towards new definitions of sex and gender, dividing them into 'unchangeable' categories of male and female. This would completely deny the existence of transgender and intersex people, with dangerous implications for human rights in the US and beyond." |
| 64 | Sexual Intimacy And Parkinson’s | "If you define 'sex' as just intercourse, and can no longer do that, you might think that your sex life is history. However, if your definition of sex is more flexible, then bidding farewell to intercourse is like passing up one dish at a huge buffet." | Parkinson Society British Columbia, parkinson.bc.ca, 10/22/2018 |
| 65 | PQ 19.1 — How Do I Define “Sex”? What Activities Are Sex? What Aren’t? | "Anyway, this stuff is complicated. So my new approach when negotiating relationship agreements with other people is to avoid talking about 'sex' as a general umbrella category. And instead, I talk about individual acts. So if I’m talking about anal, oral, and vaginal sex, I’ll either say exactly that — or I’ll use an umbrella term that I’ve already defined to the person I’m talking with." | Page Turner, poly.land, 9/23/2018 |
| 66 | That Arthritis Thing No One Talks About (Hint: It Starts With ‘S’ And Ends In ‘Ex’) | "How You Can Have Arthritis and Bring Sexy Back Too...Step one: Change how you define sex, say experts. People tend to hold on to this ingrained idea that sex is only about intercourse, explains [clinical sexologist Deb] Laino; if you’re not doing that, then you’re not having sex, the thinking goes." | Teresa Dumain, creakyjoints.org, 9/20/2018 |
| 67 | The Perils Of Heteronormativity: How Inclusive Is Our Definition Of Sex? | "Sex is defined in most major dictionaries as the physical union of the male and female genitalia, or the act in which a man puts his penis into the vagina of a woman. The idea that sex is simply the penis popping in and out of the vagina is quite ridiculous and considering the decriminalisation of same-sex sexual activity last week by the Indian Supreme Court [9/6/2018], it is quite ‘unnatural’ (pun intended) for us to still have such a limited idea of what sex is...." | Leah Koonthamattam, feminisminindia.com, 9/11/2018 |
| 68 | Let’s Talk About Sex | "Sex can also mean expectations. Expectations can bring up multiple issues such as how will I perform, will my desire ramp up, what if I turn them away, what if they/I don’t climax, and so on. Sex might mean having to perform to someone else’s needs. These forms of expectations often make it difficult for a couple to engage. If you are expected to perform sex, then there is an added pressure to it. It may be helpful to talk to your partner about this." | UB’s Michael Maloney, LCPC, urbanbalance.com, 7/30/2018 |
| 69 | What Is Sex? | "Most people think that ‘sex’ involves: penetration, or genital contact with someone else. But people also like (or prefer); kissing, stroking, licking, sucking, rubbing, holding, and grabbing. Folk can have sexy times when they are not together, like texting or emailing or sending pictures. Or people can have sex by themselves by masturbating or just thinking about sexy thoughts or stories (fantasies)." | Justin Hancock, bishuk.com, 5/21/2018 |
| 70 | Good Sex Over A Lifetime | "A sexual repertoire for a lifetime must include multiple activities that do not depend on any particular body part, function, or experience. If we define sex as 'penis-in-vagina penetration', or 'orgasm,' or any other particular experience, I can guarantee at some point things won’t go as planned. However if we define sex as 'activities that are pleasurable,' or 'anything sexy,' or 'connection plus pleasure,' the likelihood of creating a satisfying sexual encounter skyrockets." | Martha Kauppi, instituteforrelationalintimacy.com, 5/16/2018 |
| 71 | Valuation Of Women’s Virginity In The Philippines | "The definition of virginity, which determines whether or not one is a virgin, has long been debated in gender and sexuality studies. One simple definition refers to individuals who have not yet had sex....This definition, however, hinges on one’s definition of sex and sexual activity....What counts as sex—only penile-vaginal intercourse, or also lesbian or gay sex? Does sex include oral sex, masturbation, and technology- mediated behaviors such as cyber sex and phone sex? And what about rape and other forms of coerced sexual activity? Empirical evidence from surveys indicate that sex is prototypically defined in the minds of people as heterosexual intercourse, but there is less consensus for other sexual behaviors such as oral sex, genital touching, or anal intercourse in both Western...and Asian, specifically Philippine...samples." | Eric Julian Manalastas, and Clarissa C. David, e-asianwomen.org. 3/31/2018 |
| 72 | What To Do When They’re Hot, And You’re Not: Differences In Sexual Desire | "Have a discussion about your sexual relationship. What are each partner’s preferred environment, preferred frequency, what does sex mean to each partner, likes, dislikes, desire enhancers or inhibitors and so on… Having this discussion could be immensely helpful in rediscovering your own and each other’s sexuality. " | Dori Bagi, M.S., SAS, MACA, and Dori Bagi, growingself.com, 3/21/2018 |
| 73 | Sex Defined | "When most people think about sex, they think about intercourse between a penis and a vulva. Sex covers much more than that. It can include anal sex, oral sex, or the use of just the hands in someone’s genital area. Sex can occur between two people or multiple at a time. Sexual activity can occur between people of any gender." | Explore Sex Talk, exploresextalk.com, 2/20/2018 |
| 74 | Is Your Sex Drive Normal? Probably | "'Doctors struggle enough to define normal sexual activity, so it would be impossible to say someone has a normal or abnormal sex drive, except perhaps on extremes,' [ Bradley] Anawalt [M.D., an endocrinologist who specializes in low testosterone and male fertility] says." | McKenna Princing, rightasrain.uwmedicine.org, 2/20/2018 |
| 75 | Sex And Gender: What Is The Difference? | "In general terms, 'sex' refers to the biological differences between males and females, such as the genitalia and genetic differences. | Tim Newman; Medically reviewed by Karen Cross, FNP, MSN, medicalnewstoday.com, 2/7/2018 |
| 'Gender' is more difficult to define, but it can refer to the role of a male or female in society, known as a gender role, or an individual’s concept of themselves, or gender identity." |
| 76 | For Queer Women, What Counts As Losing Your Virginity? | "To be clear, relying on penetration as a defining aspect of sex only serves to exclude all those who aren’t interested in or physically capable of engaging in penetrative sexual acts—regardless of their sexual orientation." | Rachel Charlene Lewis, self.com, 2/7/2018 |
| 77 | Sexual Desire Discrepancies And What To Do About It | "Some women stop having sex with their partners because they feel like their partner just wants to have an orgasm. If this is so for you, then this could be a great conversation. Ask yourself, 'Other than getting off, what does sex mean to me?' Then ask your partner the same." | Dr. Gary Brown, drgarybrowntherapy.com, 2/6/2018 |
| 78 | Women’s Sexual Health And Aging | "In the traditional 'Masters and Johnson' view of the sexual response, sexual experiences begin with sexual desire, which leads to sexual arousal, followed by plateau and orgasm. Studies show that for many women, particularly | Lisa Granville, MD, and Janet Pregler, MD, wiley.com, 2/4/2018 |
| older women, this 'linear' view of sexuality does not apply. Instead, emotional intimacy makes women receptive to sexual experiences and is the desired outcome." |
| 79 | Sex Is NOT A Cookie Cutter Experience | "When I define sex I always explain the roots of intimacy which include the psychological, spiritual, and physical. The psychological can be described as one's self-concept, perception of emotions, past/present experiences, and self-identity. The physical component encompasses what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Spirituality is defined as your intuition, morals/values, and where you find peace. Conflict in any of the three areas will cause conflict in a "women" sexual experience." | Theresa Braddy MRC, LPC, boutiquetalkcounseling.com, 12/28/2017 |
| 80 | Sexuality Within Female Same-Gender Couples: Definitions Of Sex, Sexual Frequency Norms, And Factors Associated With Sexual Satisfaction | "Findings indicated that women in FSG [female same-gender] relationships hold broad definitions of sex, with the majority of behaviors conceptualized as sex, including acts that involved partnered genital touching." | Shelby B. Scott, Lane Ritchie, Kayla Knopp, Galena K. Rhoades, and Howard J. Markman, springer.com, 11/28/2017 |
| 81 | Sex Marks The Spot: Definitions, Genitalia, Frequency | "Q: How can you identify if you’ve ever had sex? What counts? | Katherine Hewitt, trinitonian.com, 11/3/2017 |
| A: The short answer is that sex can mean many different things to many different people…." |
| 82 | What People Of Different Sexualities Say Really Counts As Sex | "But straight people are only a portion of the population, and certainly don't get to define sex for all of us. So a new study published in The Journal of Sex Research, set out to learn what gay, lesbian, and bisexual people count as 'doing the deed.'" | Kasandra Brabaw, refinery29.com, 10/24/2017 |
| 83 | This Is How Most People Define Sex, According To Their Sexuality | "At the end of the day, why does the definition of sex even matter? Well, from a health stance, it's important for doctors and patients to have an open understanding of what 'sexually active' really means, the study authors say. And when it comes to relationships, having a consensus about what sex is can help partners effectively communicate about their sexual agreements and expectations." | Korin Miller, womenshealthmag.com, 10/23/2017 |
| 84 | Sid On Sex: Why My Definition Of Sex Doesn’t Include Orgasm | "The standard definition of sex will work for as long as your mind and body are able to turn on readily to sex. But can it hold against the changes that occur throughout life?" | Sid Azmi, awomensthing.org, 10/4/2017 |
| 85 | What Counts As Having Sex To Most Gay And Bisexual Men? | "Among gay and bisexual men, the only two activities that a majority of participants endorsed as 'definitely sex' were insertive and receptive anal intercourse (or 'topping' and 'bottoming' in colloquial terms)." | Justin Lehmiller, PhD, vice.com, 10/3/2017 |
| 86 | What Counts As Sex? | "So what counts as sex? The answer depends partially on what your sexual orientation is. The nature of your sexual and romantic attractions will shape what you consider to be sex." | Nathan A Heflick Ph.D., psychologytoday.com, 9/30/2017 |
| 87 | How Do I Know If I'm Ready To Have Sex? | "What does sex mean to you with your partner? Are you sure if your partner feels the same way about sex in the relationship?...Being on the same page can spare a lot of broken hearts and misunderstandings. You both can decide if this is a next step in your relationship, or if it is 'just physical' or something in between. Both of you should view this the same way." | Dr. Offutt, realtalkwithdroffutt.org, 9/25/2017 |
| 88 | Don’t Buy The Idea Teens Are Having Less Sex Until You Take A Closer Look At The Data | "There is no universal definition of what counts as sex." | Sarah Slobin, qz.com, 9/23/2017 |
| 89 | How To Rethink Intimacy When 'Regular' Sex Hurts | "There's no rule that says sex has to be penetrative." | Breena Kerr, self.com, 9/8/2017 |
| 90 | How Safe Is Oral Sex? | "Oral sex is technically a form of sexual activity. This involves the stimulation of the genitalia using the mouth, namely the lips, tongue, throat or teeth. The oral stimulation of the other parts of the body is technically not considered oral sex." | Dr. George Lee, thestar.com, 9/3/2017 |
| 91 | Why Men Say They’ve Had More Sex Partners Than Women | "Perhaps most interesting of all the reasons these studies might skew higher for men is that, eager to keep that number up, men may toss in nearly anything remotely sexual as a sex act in their tally." | Tracy Moore, melmagazine.com, 7/19/2017 |
| 92 | Sex, Intimacy And Aging Focus Of Public Health Keynote Address | "'As we age, the definition of sex, how we define sex, how we think about sex can change. For anybody, for men and women, we want to communicate with our partner. If you’re really adventurous, there are some really fun, fabulous sex toys out there.'" | Dawn Brazell, muschealth.org, 5/25/2017 |
| 93 | All Of The Mind-Blowing Tricks To Making Sex Last Longer | "'I define sex as any contact with someone that is about mutual pleasure,' says Liz Powell, PsyD, an LGBTQ-friendly sex educator, coach, and licensed psychologist." | Sophie Saint Thomas, refinery29.com, 5/25/2017 |
| 94 | Sex And Disability | "Sex can be a wonderful reason to keep going when everything else seems bleak, and it can be a beautiful way of connecting with someone we love. If we define sex not as intercourse, but as physical contact for the purpose of sharing intimacy and pleasure, there’s really no disability that makes sex impossible." | Matty Silver, Sex Therapist, thebeast.com.au, 5/23/2017 |
| 95 | Is Oral Sex Really Sex? | "In some ways, it doesn’t matter whether you consider oral sex to be sex as long as you and your partner, if you are in a relationship, see it the same way" | Eileen Bailey, healthcentral.com, 4/13/2017 |
| 96 | Recent Research About Millennials' Sex Life | "I find helping my clients discover an expanded, more realistic sexual education with a new view of what SEX and Sex Esteem actually means (the whole smorgasbord of sexual behaviors), they can begin to explore a much wider menu of activities, decide how their particular emotional connection can at time inhibit their erotic expression and realize the best way to negotiate their potentially differing ways to enter their individual erotic zone with their partner, they can begin to differentiate more effectively and not take the requests or signals as a personal hurt or with anxiety. " | Sari Cooper, CST, LCSW, psychologytoday.com, 3/14/2017 |
| 97 | Of Mice, Men And Women | "To begin with, it’s important to define the terms accurately to avoid confusion. Even many research articles, and researchers, refer to gender when they mean sex." | Krista Conger, stanford.edu, 2017 |
| 98 | Most Sexual Problems For Women & Between Couples Are How We Define Sex | "I'm finding more and more clinical evidence that most sexual problems for women and between couples are how we define sex. The male model of PIV sex (penis inside vagina) is the dominant image and remains in place from the past to the present day." | Betty Dodson, dodsonandross.com, 1/26/2016 |
| 99 | Sex | Sex, the sum of features by which members of species can be divided into two groups—male and female—that complement each other reproductively. | N.J. Berrill, britannica.com, 10/18/2013 |
| Sex, sexuality, and reproduction are all closely woven into the fabric of living things. All relate to the propagation of the race and the survival of the species. Yet there can be sex without sexuality, and reproduction need not be sexual, although for most forms of life sexual reproduction is essential for both propagation and long-term survival.... |
| 100 | Living With Arthritis Blog: Pillow Talk | "A good time to broach the topic with your doctor and therapists is when reviewing your goals for a drug regimen, surgery or physical or occupational therapy. Define sex as an activity on your list of 'daily living tasks,' like walking, gardening and other lifestyle goals, says Nicholas Frisch, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon with Ascension Crittenton Health in Rochester, Michigan." | Arthritis Foundation, arthritis.org, 2/28/2019 |
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