sexuality rights & new media activist

Syllabus

Human Sexuality 120:208:B6
Rutgers University Newark
Conklin Hall 100
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 pm – 9.30 pm
Summer 2009


Instructor: Audacia Ray, MA
Email:  akray@andromeda.rutgers.edu

Course Format: Classes will consist of lectures, discussions, guest speakers, and videos.

Course Objectives: To examine sexuality through the lenses of biology and culture. To encourage students to think critically about sexuality and gender and to question their own assumptions.

Ground Rules: Class members are free to express their personal opinions (especially in response papers) and reactions. However, hateful speech or expression of disgust will not be tolerated. Among other things, this means: don’t say “ew” when we’re discussing something not to your liking.

Course Materials: There is no text book for this course. We will utilize material in a variety of mediums and will attempt to be as green as possible (aka, read stuff on your computer and print it out only if you need to). When hard copies of handouts are needed they will be distributed in class and marked on the syllabus as handouts. All other readings and multimedia will be available online and are linked on the class blog. After each class session, information about videos along with lecture powerpoints and suggestions for further reading will be posted on the blog as well. Material will include graphic information about sexuality, bodies, and sexual functions. http://rutgershmsexsummer09.wordpress.com/

Course Requirements:
1)    Papers (30% of grade) – papers are due in class OR can be emailed prior to the start of class. Papers emailed after the class in which they are due (even later that day) will be marked late. Late papers are marked down by 1 point each day they are late. All papers are graded on the thought put into them, as well as grammar and structure. You can turn in a paper that fulfills any of the below requirements for any of these dates, you just have to do all three at some point throughout the course. Response papers are meant for you to reflect on and engage with what you are reading/viewing for class. A response paper is NOT a summary paper, I already know what the piece is about! Papers should be 2 pages, double-spaced. Paper due dates are: June 4, June 18, July 2.

  • a.    Reading Response
  • b.    Video Response
  • c.    Personal Perspective

2)    Attendance and participation (40% of grade) – Although the vast majority of the course material will be accessible online, it is important that you are present in class. We will do short writing exercises at the beginning of many classes that count toward the participation grade.

3)    Final Exam (30% of grade) – The final exam is comprehensive and will include multiple question, true/false, short answer, and essay questions that will be based on readings, lectures, and supplemental materials.

Download a PDF of the unabridged syllabus, including videos and links to material, HERE.

5/26 – I’d Hit That: A Short History of Sex and An Introduction to Studying Sexuality

Videos

  • “Sex Research, the Video.” Slate Video, 2008. Mary Roach, author of the new book Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, relates how she and her husband became the first couple to be filmed on 4-D ultrasound while having sex. 3 min 21 seconds.
  • “Naked on the Inside.” Directed by Kim Farrant. Magic Real Picture Company, 2008. This fresh and unnerving feature-length documentary asks a simple, but audacious, question: Beyond our clothes and skin, who are we? Six extra-ordinary people from around the world reveal their bodies and share their secrets in a unique experiment in search of their inner selves. 82 mins.

Resources

5/28 – The Plumbing: Anatomy and Disorders of Sexual Development

Videos

Readings

Personal Perspective

Resources

6/2 – Knocked Up: Reproduction, Contraception, Unplanned Pregnancy, Pregnancy & Birth. With guest speaker.

Readings

Personal Perspectives

Resources

  • How Pregnancy Happens
  • Post-Abortion Counseling and Support http://www.pac-consortium.org and http://www.4exhale.org/
  • The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power, and the Future of the World. Michelle Goldberg. Penguin Press, 2009.

6/4 – The Bad: HIV & Other Sexually Transmitted Infections

Readings

  • The AIDS Timeline, Avert.org
  • Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk Assessment, Scarleteen
  • “The Moral Justification for a Compulsory Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Program.” Joseph E. Balog. American Journal of Public Health, April 2009, Vol 99, No. 4 (PDF)
  • “The Criminalization of HIV.” International Planned Parent¬hood Federation (IPPF), the World AIDS Campaign (WAC), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Living Positively, a project of the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA). 2008. (PDF)
  • “Male Circumcision as an HIV Prevention Strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Lawrence O. Gostin and Catherine A. Hankins. Journal of the American Medical Association, December 3, 2008—Vol 300, No. 21. (PDF)
  • “The Macro of Microbicides.” Alliance for Microbicide Development, 2008. (PDF)

Personal Perspectives

6/9 – The Good: Sexual Arousal, Pleasure, & Response

Video

Readings

Personal Perspectives

6/11 – Gender, Orientation, and Identity. With guest speaker.

Readings

Personal Perspectives

Resources

6/16 – Relationships and Love. With guest speaker.

Personal Perspectives

  • “Fiona and Sam” from Opening Up. Tristan Taormino. Cleis Press, 2008.

6/18 – Sexual Dysfunction and Treatment; Consent and Assault; Laws, Morals and Sexual Behavior
Videos

Readings
Sexual Dysfunction and Treatment

  • “The marketing of a disease: female sexual dysfunction.” Ray Moynihan. BMJ 2005;330;192-194. (PDF)
  • “ABC of Sexual Health: Assessing and managing male sexual problems.” Alan Gregoire. BMJ 1999;318;315-317. (PDF)

Consent and Assault

Laws, Morals, and Sexual Behavior


6/23 – Kink and Beyond: Atypical Sexual Behavior

Video

  • “Kinky: Black Sexuality and Kink.” Directed by A. Benjamin. 2008.

Readings

  • “Issues for DSM-V: Sexual Dysfunction, Disorder, or Variation Along Normal Distribution: Toward Rethinking DSM Criteria of Sexual Dysfunctions,” Editorial in American Journal of Psychiatry (PDF)
  • “The Pleasure of Pain – Why Some People Need S&M.” Psychology Today, September/October 1999.
  • Slap Happy.” Jessica Wakeman. Bitch, Issue 39. (PDF)
  • “Paraphilias.” Guy E Brannon. eMedicine, February 14, 2008.

6/25 – The Sex Industry. With guest speakers.

Readings

Personal Perspectives

Resources

6/30 – Controversial Topics: Kids, Old People, People With Disabilities, Sex Ed.

Readings
Kids and Sex

Old People and Sex

People With Disabilities

Sex Education

7/2 – Final Exam