Human sexuality: scholarly perspectives and research

¶ … sexuality in older adults. The writer explores a specifically chose article and outlines its content and conclusion with regard to the sexuality of older humans. There was one source used to complete this paper.

Throughout modern history, the issue of sexuality has always belonged to the young. Commercials, television shows, and movies have worked to build a strong case for human sexuality in those who are under retirement age. While it was acknowledged in passing that order people are capable of feeling and having sexual relations it was usually a topic that was ignored. In more recent years however, human sexuality among older people has moved to the forefront of attention. Commercials advertising pills that can help sustain erection, advertisers for doctors that treat erectile dysfunction and other vehicles have made the world realize that the older generation is still interested in sex. As researchers begin to examine this fact one study looks at all aspects of human sexuality in people over the age of 65, and concludes it is part of a healthy and fulfilled lifestyle.

The article explores the myths of society present in the thinking about older adults and sexuality.

This article was of interest to me because I plan to work with seniors as part of my career and with the commercials and other ideas regarding human sexuality in older adults I believe this article will help me form educated opinions about the topic.

One of the first things it does is discuss the myths that currently surround the topic which include the idea that older adults are not interested in sexual relations, those who do express an interest are not normal and it is not acceptable for older women to marry younger men though the other way around is perfectly acceptable (Huffstetler, 2006).

With these and other ideas about older human sexuality being accepted by society there is a mindset that men and women should be separated by gender in nursing homes once they attain a certain age. This mindset has also led to married couples being separated from each other in the same home.

There were several facts used to support the author's ideas in this article. One of the first facts that is brought to light is the historical belief that sex was at one point only to be used for the purpose of procreation. Atone pointing history, as the article points out, people beyond childbearing years who engaged in sexual relations, even with a spouse were sinning.

The middle 1800's saw a scientific interest in the sexuality of people, however, even at that time and until two decades ago it was still believed that older people were not interested in having sexual relations with each other (Huffstetler, 2006).

Studies have contradicted this belief for many years.

Several studies have validated the view that sexual activity continues late in life for both men and women reported that 70% of 70-year-olds are sexually active at least once a week. As early as the 1950s, Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, and Gebhard (1953) suggested that women's interest in sex is fairly consistent from their late teens through their 60s, although most experience a modest decline in frequency of sexual intercourse as they age (Huffstetler, 2006)."

The author also relates study facts to the article that show men and women as late as 90 years old are still engaging in sexual activities at least once a week.

Sexual organs in older adults rarely fail completely. When failure does occur, it is generally the by-product of a medical intervention such as surgery or medications (Huffstetler, 2006)."

The facts of this article have been well supported by other reading that I have done in the past. I have spent time looking at various aspects human sexuality among older people and have found the research and texts that have been recently published all support the belief that older people do enjoy and continue to have sexual relations.

For years this was a topic that was not discussed nor was much research done to determine its importance or existence among society residents, but in more recent years there has been an increased focus on the sexuality of older adults.

Many studies have looked at the older adult's interest in sex as well as the ability to participate in sexual relations with other older adults and concluded there is an active sexuality going on among the older generation members.

This article also supports what I have read concerning the psychological aspects of older adults and sexual interest.

Although physiological changes may contribute to reduced sexual performance among older adults, some psychological theories have been offered to explain why older persons may not pursue sexual intimacies (Huffstetler, 2006). For instance, Freudian theory suggests that rejection of sexuality in older adults originates from the Oedipus complex (Huffstetler, 2006). The Oedipus complex is a concept that describes how a child falls in love with and wants to have intercourse with the opposite-sex parent (Huffstetler, 2006). The accompanying hostility toward the same-sex parent and the desire to engage in incest are not socially sanctioned, so feelings of anxiety and guilt accompany the Oedipus complex (Huffstetler, 2006). The child then develops repulsion toward the thought of his or her parents having sexual intercourse, which could be perceived as an aversion toward sexuality in older adults in general (Huffstetler, 2006)." learned several new pieces of information while reading this article. I learned that older people do have sex well into their golden years. While other studies and articles I have read supported this theory, this particular article used statistical facts and numbers to illustrate its points.