 | |
| Author | David M. Friedman |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Human sexuality |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | 2001 |
| Pages | 358 |
| ISBN | 978-0-684-85320-8 |
A Mind of Its Own: A Cultural History of the Penis is a non-fiction book by New York-based columnist and author David M. Friedman that details the history of the human penis.
The book is set up in different time periods, beginning with Mesopotamia and ending with modern Western beliefs about the male sex organ, ranging from being considered divine to being hidden. [1] [2] Two of the major focuses of the book are Sigmund Freud's sexual theories and the erection industry, such as Viagra. In the descriptions of how different religions have treated human penises, Friedman says that Christians started the trend of not liking the portrayal of the male sex organ. [1] There is a chapter about pseudoscientists who try to link penis size to race, while the last chapter of the book focuses on the erection industry. [3]
In The BMJ , Birte Twisselmann wrote that the book is "educational and entertaining by virtue of an amazing amount of information gathered from a wide range of mythical and medical, cultural and scientific, historical and humorous sources. It is the casually presented details and conclusions that provide food for thought." [4] A book review in the Journal of the History of Sexuality by Jeffrey M. Dickeman described it as "high journalism, neither acceptably historical nor cultural." [2] Wisam Mansour of the Journal of Men, Masculinities and Spirituality said that it is written "in a scholarly manner coupled with a sense of humor." [5]
Ian Sansom of The Guardian described the book as a work of philosophy in its own way. [6] Writing for the New Statesman , Marcelle D'Argy Smith commented that "Friedman's book reads like a Hollywood epic" as a mix of "sex, death, torture, self-destruction, heroes, villains, love, drugs, money and high-tech machinery." [7] A Seattle Times review said the book is "embarrassingly europhallocentric." [1]
The clitoris is a female sex organ present in mammals, ostriches and a limited number of other animals. In humans, the visible portion – the glans – is at the front junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra. Unlike the penis, the male homologue (equivalent) to the clitoris, it usually does not contain the distal portion of the urethra and is therefore not used for urination. In most species, the clitoris lacks any reproductive function. While few animals urinate through the clitoris or use it reproductively, the spotted hyena, which has an especially large clitoris, urinates, mates, and gives birth via the organ. Some other mammals, such as lemurs and spider monkeys, also have a large clitoris.
Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is the type of sexual dysfunction in which the penis fails to become or stay erect during sexual activity. It is the most common sexual problem in men. Through its connection to self-image and to problems in sexual relationships, erectile dysfunction can cause psychological harm.
Gender studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to analysing gender identity and gendered representation. Gender studies originated in the field of women's studies, concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics. The field now overlaps with queer studies and men's studies. Its rise to prominence, especially in Western universities after 1990, coincided with the rise of deconstruction.
Foreskin restoration is the process of expanding the skin on the penis to reconstruct an organ similar to the foreskin, which has been removed by circumcision or injury. Foreskin restoration is primarily accomplished by stretching the residual skin of the penis, but surgical methods also exist. Restoration creates a facsimile of the foreskin, but specialized tissues removed during circumcision cannot be reclaimed. Actual regeneration of the foreskin is experimental at this time. Some forms of restoration involve only partial regeneration in instances of a high-cut wherein the circumcisee feels that the circumciser removed too much skin and that there is not enough skin for erections to be comfortable.
Joseph Gelfer is a British author and academic. He is noted for his academic analysis of spiritual and religious topics and masculinity. His book 2012: Decoding the Countercultural Apocalypse attracted considerable media attention.
Frot or frotting is a gay sexual practice that usually involves direct penis-to-penis contact. The term was popularized by gay male activists who disparaged the practice of anal sex, but has since evolved to encompass a variety of preferences for the act, which may or may not imply particular attitudes towards other sexual activities.
Puppetry of the Penis is a comedic live performance-art show featuring a series of genital contortions. The show was initially conceived as the title of a highbrow art calendar released by Australian Simon Morley in 1996. The calendar showcased twelve penis "installations". In response to increasing requests for live demonstrations, in 1997 Morley enlisted fellow Australian, David "Friendy" Friend, to devise a performance show consisting of body-based genital comedy.
Antisexualism is opposition or hostility towards sexual behavior and sexuality.
Journal of Men, Masculinities and Spirituality (JMMS) is a free, online, scholarly, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, open access journal about men's studies. JMMS was established 2007, and is published twice a year with provision for other special editions. JMMS was founded by Joseph Gelfer who remains the executive editor.
Human sexuality covers a broad range of topics, including the physiological, psychological, social, cultural, political, philosophical, ethical, moral, theological, legal and spiritual or religious aspects of sex and human sexual behavior.
In human anatomy, the penis is an external male intromittent organ that additionally serves as the urinary duct. The main parts are the root (radix); the body (corpus); and the epithelium of the penis including the shaft skin and the foreskin (prepuce) covering the glans penis. The body of the penis is made up of three columns of tissue: two corpora cavernosa on the dorsal side and corpus spongiosum between them on the ventral side. The human male urethra passes through the prostate gland, where it is joined by the ejaculatory duct, and then through the penis. The urethra traverses the corpus spongiosum, and its opening, the meatus, lies on the tip of the glans penis. It is a passage both for urination and ejaculation of semen.
An erection is a physiological phenomenon in which the penis becomes firm, engorged, and enlarged. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular, and endocrine factors, and is often associated with sexual arousal, sexual attraction or libido, although erections can also be spontaneous. The shape, angle, and direction of an erection vary considerably between humans.
Penis envy is an idea in psychoanalytic theory.
Human female sexuality encompasses a broad range of behaviors and processes, including female sexual identity and sexual behavior, the physiological, psychological, social, cultural, political, and spiritual or religious aspects of sexual activity. Various aspects and dimensions of female sexuality, as a part of human sexuality, have also been addressed by principles of ethics, morality, and theology. In almost any historical era and culture, the arts, including literary and visual arts, as well as popular culture, present a substantial portion of a given society's views on human sexuality, which includes both implicit (covert) and explicit (overt) aspects and manifestations of feminine sexuality and behavior.
Human penises vary in size on a number of measures, including length and circumference when flaccid and erect. Besides the natural variability of human penises in general, there are factors that lead to minor variations in a particular male, such as the level of arousal, time of day, ambient temperature, anxiety level, physical activity, and frequency of sexual activity. Compared to other primates, including large examples such as the gorilla, the human penis is thickest, both in absolute terms and relative to the rest of the body. Most human penis growth occurs in two stages: the first between infancy and the age of five; and then between about one year after the onset of puberty and, at the latest, approximately 17 years of age.
A handjob is a manual sex act involving a person stimulating the penis or scrotum of another by using the hand. This is done to induce an erection for sexual pleasure, sexual arousal and may result in orgasm and ejaculation.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human sexuality:
Sexual arousal describes the physiological and psychological responses in preparation for sexual intercourse or when exposed to sexual stimuli. A number of physiological responses occur in the body and mind as preparation for sexual intercourse, and continue during intercourse. Male arousal will lead to an erection, and in female arousal the body's response is engorged sexual tissues such as nipples, vulva, clitoris, vaginal walls, and vaginal lubrication. Mental stimuli and physical stimuli such as touch, and the internal fluctuation of hormones, can influence sexual arousal.
Phallophobia in its narrower sense is a fear of the penis and in a broader sense an excessive aversion to masculinity.
The Yard of Wit: Male Creativity and Sexuality, 1650–1750 is a 2003 book by literature scholar and professor Raymond Stephanson.
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