what does phd mean sexually

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17 Sex Terms You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask About, Defined

Especially with the rise of social media, new terms are coined all the time, including in the arena of sexuality. For instance, while the word "cuck" has become an insult hurled by the right-wing trolls, it's related to cuckolding, which can (and should) be a hot and consensual sexual activity that all involved parties enjoy. If you weren't quite sure of what that particular word's definition is — or you're unclear on terms like felching, docking, or queening, for that matter — I've written a near-comprehensive guide.

Additionally, if you're wondering if any given sex act is really a thing, keep in mind the wise words of sex educator Jimanekia Eborn : " Everything is a thing, is basically what I have learned working in sex education." In other words, if you can dream it, you can do it — or at least rest assured that someone else has probably tried to. With that being said, here are 17 sex terms you probably didn't learn in sex ed, explained.

1. Pearl Necklace

As Samantha explained to Charlotte on a memorable episode of Sex and the City , a pearl necklace is what results when someone ejaculates on or around their partner's neck or chest (yes, so that the semen is roughly where a pearl necklace is when worn). If you're not someone who enjoys wearing this kind of pearl necklace, feel free to stick to Charlotte's preferred version, which you can find at Bloomingdale's.

2. Impact Play

Impact play refers to any impact on the body done for sexual gratification, from spanking to whips and crops . When engaging in impact play, remember to pick a safe word and continually check in with one another to ensure the level of pain is desirable. It's also important to stick to areas on the body which are safe to spank or tap on with a crop, which means fleshy, meaty areas away from the organs, such as the butt and thighs. If this sounds appealing to you, be sure to check out my guide to first-timer BDSM tips .

Dungeon Dwellers And Domination Enthusiasts Descend On DomconLA

3. squirting.

Squirting is when a person with a vagina ejaculates fluid during sex. Eborn says she is frequently asked if squirting is a myth, and she's only too happy to share that it is not, nor is it "just peeing." Research suggests that the fluid involved comes partly from Skene's glands, also known as the "female prostate" — but as with many subjects that don't focus on a penis, more research is required. Not everyone squirts, and among those who do, some squirt from clitoral stimulation and some squirt from G-spot stimulation (that is, stimulation of the sensitive front wall of the vagina).

You may be familiar with cognitive behavioral therapy , a helpful form of talk therapy. However, within the world of kink, CBT refers to "cock and ball torture." This form of CBT can be therapeutic for people with penises interested in having a dominatrix inflict pain on their genitals, through the use of ropes, whips, or even chastity devices.

Pegging refers to when a woman penetrates a man anally with a strap-on dildo . There's a now-infamous pegging scene in a Broad City episode that recently repopularized the term.

6. Queening

Queening is just a glamorous name for sitting on someone's face. There's nothing more to it than that.

7. Scissoring

Scissoring, also called tribadism or tribbing, is most often thought of as the territory of same-sex, female-identified couples. It's usually considered to be two partners rubbing their vulvas against each other's, but can also be defined as one partner rubbing their vulva against other body parts of their partner's (including the thighs and butt), as Autostraddle pointed out . In so-called "classic" scissor position, partners' legs intersect so that they look like — you guessed it — scissors. Porn (especially porn made for the male gaze) has probably hyped up scissoring as a more popular act among women who have sex with women than it actually is in real life, but plenty of people love it.

Women in lingerie touching each other

8. edge play.

When you first hear the term "edge play," it's easy to assume it refers to extreme sex acts that literally involve an edge of some sort, such as knives or needles (and yes, some people consensually incorporate those things into sex). But no sharp objects need to be involved in this type of edge play. The term means kinky sexual acts that push your boundaries (consensually) to the edge, which can be exhilarating for some. What is considered edge play differs from person to person, as we all have our own boundaries and limits. For some, psychological play such as name-calling may be edge play. If you are going to try pushing your boundaries , please do so with a partner you trust and use a safe word.

Figging is one of those sexual acts that are so interesting it's fun to know what it means, but you have to wonder if anyone actually does it. Figging is the act of inserting a piece of peeled ginger into someone's butthole, which would burn, sting, and be quite painful. Figging allegedly originated as a (non-sexual) form of corporal punishment on female prisoners by the Greek and the Roman empires. These days, the term also can refer to the general infliction of consensual pain on the anus.

10. Aftercare

Aftercare is a sexual practice that everyone should be doing, whether you're having kinky sex or vanilla sex. It's a term created by the kink community and simply means checking in with your partner(s) after sex to make sure all parties felt good and safe about what just went down and taking care of one another emotionally and physically. This can mean cuddling, bringing ice to the submissive partners if there are any spanking bruises, and talking about what you liked or what you didn't like. It really just means checking in post-sex, and if anything did happen that one or all parties felt weird about, making sure it doesn't happen the next time.

11. Felching

To felch is to suck up semen out of an orifice (using a straw is optional). For instance, someone may ejaculate inside their partner's anus and then suck their own semen out of the anus with their mouth; they then may or may not swallow. (Keep in mind that exchanging fluids in this way is associated with the risk of STIs , including HIV.)

12. Bukkake

Bukkake is both a sex act and popular genre of porn in which multiple men, typically three or more, ejaculate all over a woman.

13. Docking

"Docking is when two uncircumcised [people with penises] get together," Eborn explains. "[The first] pulls his foreskin back and holds it while [the second] stretches [theirs] open and outward as far as possible over the head and shaft of [the first partner's] penis." She says she is frequently asked if this act is real and possible, and her response is that with enough imagination and determination, most things are. (That said, remember that comfort and safety should take priority in all sexual encounters, no matter how creative.)

14. Cuckolding

Cuckolding is when a person in a relationship stands by as their partner has sex with someone else. There are many ways to cuck: The "cuckold" may look on while tied up in a corner, or the cuckold's partner may go out on their own, have sex, and report back. There is usually an element of humiliation involved: For instance, a wife may tell her husband all about how her other partner has a massive penis and can satisfy her in ways her husband cannot. Yes, some men are turned on by being told they suck in bed. (Important note: It's totally possible to share sexy fantasies about cuckolding with your partner without actually doing it.)

Professional dominatrixes often get requests to do cuckolding sessions in which they may have their submissive watch as they have sex with a different partner or tell the submissive to buy them lingerie for them to wear on a date with someone else. While cuckolding is primarily associated with married, opposite-sex couples, people can enjoy cuckolding play regardless of gender, orientation, or relationship status.

Me, My Boyfriend And My Slave

15. water sports.

According to safe-for-work Google searches, water sports are aquatic activities such as jet-skiing. In the bedroom, however, the term refers to the incorporation of urine in erotic play. A golden shower, for example, is when one partner pees on the other. If you want to try this kind of play for the first time but are a little nervous, peeing on your partner (or being peed on) in the shower is a good way to dip your toe in the water, metaphorically speaking.

16. Fisting

Fisting is when one partner inserts their entire hand or fist into the other partner's vagina (or anus, for the highly talented). If you enjoy intense penetration but are dating someone with a small penis, remember that they have an entire fist to use on you. (And no, a penchant for fisting won't make your vagina loose ( nor will sex in general , so put that myth out of your head).

If you'd like to try it, go slow and use plenty of lube ; the fister can also wear a latex glove to keep things extra sanitary and help the hand slide into the orifice. And as with any sex act, enthusiastic consent and in-the-moment communication are key to enjoyment by all parties.

Medicine. Medical staff putting on latex gloves. Germany, Europe

17. queefing.

OK, so this one may not be a sex act, exactly, but it frequently happens during sex. Queefing is when air escapes from the vagina, often during or after penetration, and makes a farting sound. It's a form of flatulence, and it's totally normal. "At one point in time, it happens to all of us. We laugh [about it] to keep from being embarrassed," Eborn says.

Read more stories about sexuality and exploration:

11 of the Most Common Sexual Fetishes

What You Need to Know Before Having a Threesome

BDSM Sex Tips to Try If You're a Total Beginner

Now, watch our wellness editor try out flavored lube:

Don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and Twitter .

What Does Phd Mean In Slang & How To Use It

What does phd mean in text, tiktok and social platforms, pretty huge d*ck.

PHD is an abbreviation that stands for “Doctor of Philosophy” and is a postgraduate academic degree. It is not commonly used in text, chat, TikTok, or Snapchat, and it is not appropriate to use it to mean “Pretty Huge D*ck”. If someone uses the abbreviation in this way, it is best to ignore it or respond with something like, “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, but PHD stands for Doctor of Philosophy, not that other thing.”

Here is an example conversation between two friends

Friend 1: Hey, did you see the new TikTok that Jake made? Friend 2: Yeah, it was pretty funny. He’s such a PHD. Friend 1: What do you mean by that? Friend 2: Oh, sorry. I meant he’s a Doctor of Philosophy. I must have been thinking about something else.

In this conversation, Friend 2 made a mistake by using the abbreviation PHD to mean something vulgar, but quickly corrected themselves.

What does Phd mean from a guy

PhD is a degree that is awarded to individuals who have completed advanced studies and research in a specific field. It stands for “Doctor of Philosophy” and is typically considered a high level of academic achievement. It is not appropriate to use the term “Pretty Huge Dick” in reference to a person’s PhD.

It is impossible for me to determine whether the person in question likes or hates you based on their use of the term PhD. Additionally, I cannot determine whether they are trying to make a move or not without further information. It is always best to communicate openly and directly with someone in order to understand their intentions and to avoid misunderstandings.

Girl: Hey, I noticed you have a PhD in physics. That’s really impressive! Guy: Thanks! I’ve been working on my research for a long time.

In this example, the girl is complimenting the guy on his academic achievement and the guy is responding modestly.

Girl: I’m thinking about applying to graduate school. What’s your advice for someone who wants to get a PhD? Guy: It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s also very rewarding. Just make sure you’re passionate about your research and you’ll be fine.

In this example, the girl is asking the guy for advice on pursuing a PhD and the guy is giving her some general advice.

What does Phd mean from a girl

PhD stands for “Doctor of Philosophy.” It is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities to students who have completed a course of study that typically lasts three to five years. This degree is typically earned in a specific field of study, such as physics, chemistry, or psychology. It is not a term that is used to refer to anything else.

In terms of responding to someone who uses “PhD” in a different context, such as in the phrase “Pretty Huge Dick,” it would be best to ignore the comment and not engage with it. It is not appropriate to use derogatory or offensive language, and doing so can make the person who used the term look foolish.

As for the examples of a conversation between a girl and a guy using “PhD” in different meanings, here are two possibilities

Girl: Hey, I just got accepted into a PhD program in biology! Guy: That’s awesome! Congratulations on your acceptance.

In this example, the girl is using “PhD” to refer to the postgraduate academic degree, while the guy is responding in a supportive and congratulatory manner.

Girl: I heard you have a PhD in physics. Guy: Yeah, that’s right. I just finished my dissertation last year.

In this example, the girl is using “PhD” to refer to the postgraduate academic degree, and the guy is confirming that he has earned this degree in the field of physics. He also mentions his dissertation, which is a long research paper that is required for the completion of a PhD program.

In both examples, “PhD” is being used in its correct and intended meaning, as a postgraduate academic degree. It is not being used in any derogatory or offensive way.

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Sex slang glossary: 20 naughty terms from rail to Netflix and Chill

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To quote Salt-N-Pepa, let’s talk about sex , baby. Or, rather, let’s talk about how we talk about sex.

Whether it’s a euphemism used to shy away from talking about a topic that’s too taboo from some, or the complete opposite and a visceral, visual slang term that penetrates the mind, we’ve invented a lot of ways to start discourse around intercourse.   

There’s a popular tidbit about the Inuit people having over 50 words for snow, but we might have them beat for the different terms for sex.

Here, we take a look at some of the favourite phrases used to discuss doing the deed…

What does getting railed mean?

Let’s start off with one of the more uncouth phrases – since Google search results indicate a lot of people are curious as to what this particular saying means.

Getting railed, quite literally, means having sex – or, if you prefer to take the cue from Urban Dictionary, it means the act of having wild, wild sex.

So, making romantic, meaningful love, this is not.

Netflix and Chill

Netflix and chill has become the most common mating call for a modern day audience.

To Netflix and Chill implies putting on Netflix as background noise – or a convincing alibi – as you and your partner(s) engage in a bit of consensual fun.

Some of these terms get their names from the implication that a penis is involved in the act.

Boning is such a term – entering the lexicon most likely as an after-effect to boner becoming a popular term for an erect penis.

D***ing down

If you have been d***ed down, you have had vigorous sex – this one is fairly self-explanatory.

Clapping cheeks

Getting one’s cheeks clapped is a newer term which is rising in popularity.

The name comes from the idea that, when you are in the throes of very intense sex, bum cheeks could make a clapping sound.

Porking is another term people use forhaving sex.

We wouldn’t suggest Googling the term, but there are some who think the term came about because squealing, the sound associated with pigs, is sometimes the sign that sexual partners are having a good time.

The origins of this term should be fairly obvious for anyone with, or who has sex with people with, a penis, sometimes colloquially called a shaft.

Nothing to do with the crime fighting cop.

This is a term most often associated with sexual acts between people who identify as men.

Breeding, or to be bred, generally means having unprotected anal sex.

There are too many to name, but other phrases for having sex that deserve a shoutout include:

• Laying pipe
• Taking the skin boat to tuna town
• Getting drilled
• Nutting/Busting a nut

Euphemisms for having sex   

In Human Nature, Queen of Pop and queen of never shying away from the subject, Madonna proclaimed ‘oops, I didn’t know I couldn’t talk about sex’ – and she was on to something.

Some people are more comfortable using gentler language to avoid any blushes.

Some euphemisms that actually mean having sex include:

• Making love
• Knocking boots
• Hitting the sheets
• Going all the way
• Getting lucky

MORE : Woman reveals how to have an orgasm by rubbing your lower back

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A-Z of sex lingo

From Anus to Areola and Boner to Balls there are a lot of words when it comes to sex, sexual health, and your body. Luckily, we’re here to help.

The termination of a pregnancy before birth.

Age of consent

The age at which the law considers a person old enough to decide to have sex with another person. "Depending on what state or territory you're in, you can only give consent to engage in certain sexual acts once you've reached a certain age. Until you've reached that age -  ' the age of consent ' - the law says you cannot give your permission to have sex. So even though you might have agreed to have sex with someone, that person can still be charged with sexual assault if you haven't reached the age of consent."

Sexual activity involving penetration of the anus.

A gender identity or appearance that is isn't clearly male or female.

The opening from the rectum located in-between the buttocks.

The dark area surrounding the nipples of women and men.

Having a lack of (or very low level of) sexual attraction to others and/or a lack of interest or desire for sex or sexual partners. Another term used within the asexual community is “ace,” meaning someone who is asexual.

Slang for testicles.

Curious about exploring same-sex sexual attraction and behaviour.

A person who has two gender identities either simultaneously or at different times.

Biological Sex

Medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal and anatomical characteristics that are used to classify an individual as female or male or intersex. Often referred to as simply "sex", "physical sex," "anatomical sex", or specifically as "sex assigned [or designated] at birth."

Birth control

Behaviours, devices, or medications used to avoid unintended pregnancy (see also: contraception).

Bisexual Person

A person who identifies as or who has romantic and/or sexual relationships with, and/or attractions toward people of multiple genders.

The organ that collects and stores urine produced by the kidney. The bladder is emptied through the urethra.

Slang term for an uncomfortable feeling in the genitals that may occur when men do not have an ejaculation following sexual excitation. Women may experience similar aches if they do not reach orgasm.

Bondage & Discipline (B&D)

Consensual sexual role-play that includes performance of power and submission. It often involves physical restraint and/or pain.

Slang for an erect penis.

Glandular tissue and fat on the chests of women. Breasts are secondary sex characteristics in women. They are also considered sex organs because they are often sexually sensitive and may inspire sexual desire. Like mammary glands in other mammals, they produce milk during and after pregnancy. Men also have breast tissue.

A toy for anal sex designed to stay in place in the anus and rectum. Some are designed to stimulate a man’s prostate gland.

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60 Sex-Relevant Terms You May Not Know — and Why You Should

As sex-relevant words proliferate, so do our ways of living and loving..

Posted April 6, 2017 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• The Fundamentals of Sex
• Find a sex therapist near me

Matters of sex, relationships, sexual orientation , and gender identity all used to seem much simpler than they are now — even if they really weren’t. Now, the list of letters that used to be limited to LGBT never stops growing.

The additions to all the sexual orientations include some non-sexual , or not very sexual, orientations. We’ve also learned to appreciate orientations other than sexual ones, such as orientations toward relationships. A binary that once seemed utterly self-evident, male vs. female, is now routinely questioned.

Reading a terrific thesis, “Party of One,” by Kristen Bernhardt, woke me up to the proliferation of new concepts relevant to relationships, sexual orientations, gender identities, and more. (Thank you, Kristen.) So I set out to spend an evening gathering some relevant definitions.

Many days later, I was still at it. I admit to shaking my head in exasperation a few times along the way. Ultimately, though, I ended up feeling enormously optimistic . No longer is there just one way to approach sex, love, or relationships that is valued and appreciated.

People who, not so very long ago, may have wondered what was wrong with them now have a new answer: Nothing. People who secretly wondered why romantic relationships were valued above all others can now find validation for their perspective. Maybe they aren’t oddballs, but forward-looking, open-minded, democratic thinkers.

I’ll share definitions for 60 terms — just a sampling of the universe of possibilities that are out there. One of the most comprehensive sources I found was a glossary provided by the University of California at Davis. Unless I specifically mention one of the other sources I drew from, my definitions are from that glossary.

To try to make sense of the 60 terms, I’ve organized them into five sections. Other categorizations would have been possible.

• Sex vs. gender: What’s the difference? And what about sexual orientation vs. gender identity ?
• What is your sexual orientation?
• What kind of attraction do you feel toward other people?
• What is your orientation toward relationships?
• How do you value different relationships?

I. Sex vs. gender: what’s the difference? And what about sexual orientation vs. gender identity?

“Sex” and “gender” aren’t the same.

• Sex (1) is “a medically constructed category often assigned based on the appearance of the genitalia, either in ultrasound or at birth.”
• Gender (2) is “a social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some other identity.”

Remember when we thought there were just two sexes, male and female, and everyone just assumed that anyone born male or female was, in fact, a male or a female? Now it is much more complicated. Here are some of the concepts that challenge those notions:

• Non-binary (3) : “A gender identity and experience that embraces a full universe of expressions and ways of being that resonate for an individual. It may be an active resistance to binary gender expectations and/or an intentional creation of new unbounded ideas of self within the world. For some people who identify as non-binary there may be overlap with other concepts and identities like gender expansive and gender non-conforming.”
• Gender expansive (4) : “An umbrella term used for individuals who broaden their own culture’s commonly held definitions of gender, including expectations for its expression, identities, roles, and/or other perceived gender norms. Gender expansive individuals include those who identify as transgender , as well as anyone else whose gender in some way is seen to be stretching the surrounding society’s notion of gender.”
• Gender non-conforming (5) : “People who do not subscribe to gender expressions or roles expected of them by society.”
• Gender fluid (6) : “A person whose gender identification and presentation shifts, whether within or outside of societal, gender-based expectations. Being fluid in motion between two or more genders.”
• Bigender (7) : “Having two genders, exhibiting cultural characteristics of masculine and feminine roles.”
• Gender queer (8) : “A person whose gender identity and/or gender expression falls outside of the dominant societal norm for their assigned sex, is beyond genders, or is some combination of them.”
• Polygender (9) or Pangender (10) : “Exhibiting characteristics of multiple genders, deliberately refuting the concept of only two genders.”
• Neutrois (11) : “A non-binary gender identity that falls under the genderqueer or transgender umbrellas. There is no one definition of Neutrois, since each person that self-identifies as such experiences their gender differently. The most common ones are: Neutral-gender (12), Null-gender (13), Neither male nor female (14), Genderless (15) and/or Agender (16) .”

At Aeon , Rebecca Reilly-Cooper challenged the notion that gender is a spectrum . At Vox , 12 people explained why the male/female binary doesn’t work for them .

Sexual orientation and gender identity aren’t the same.

• Gender identity (17) : When you say that you are a man or a woman, you are describing your gender identity. Gender identity is “a sense of one’s self as trans,* genderqueer, woman, man, or some other identity, which may or may not correspond with the sex and gender one is assigned at birth.” (For more on trans* and genderqueer, see the section below, “What is your sexual orientation?”) Transgender is a gender orientation; it is also included in the list of letters referring to sexual orientations.
• Sexual orientation (18) : “an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual or affectional attraction or non-attraction to other people.”

II. What is your sexual orientation?

If you are old enough, you may remember a time when “straight” and “gay” (or heterosexual and homosexual) covered all the sexual orientations that got any attention . Gay people were often described as queer (and worse) when the word was still solely a pejorative.

The terms then expanded to include LGBT : lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. A lesbian (19) is “a woman whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender.” Although “gay” (20) has often been used to refer to men who are attracted to other men, it is also used more broadly to refer to anyone attracted to someone of the same sex. Bisexuals (21) are attracted to both men and women, though not always to the same degree. Transgender (22) people are also called “trans” (23) or “trans*” (24) (the asterisk “indicates the option to fill in the appropriate label, i.e., Trans man”). The term “describes a wide range of identities and experiences of people whose gender identity and/or expression differs from conventional expectations based on their assigned sex at birth.”

Trans Man and Trans Woman are further explained by the Resource Center at the University of California at San Diego:

• Trans Man/Trans Male (25) : “A female-to-male (FTM) transgender person who was assigned female at birth, but whose gender identity is that of a man.” FTM is sometimes expressed as F2M.
• Trans Woman/Trans Female (26) : “A male-to-female (MTF) transgender person who was assigned male at birth, but whose gender identity is that of a woman.” MTF is sometimes expressed as M2F.

If you are not transgender, you may think that you don’t need a special term. But you have one. You are cisgender (28) : “a gender identity, or performance in a gender role, that society deems to match the person’s assigned sex at birth. The prefix cis- means ‘on this side of’ or ‘not across’.”

The list of letters has continued to expand. The letters added most often are QIA, giving us LGBTQIA .

• Q stands for Queer or for Questioning.
• Queer (29) is a broad label, which can refer to “people whose gender, gender expression and/or sexuality do not conform to dominant expectations.” It is sometimes used even more broadly to refer to “not fitting into norms” of all sorts, including size, physical abilities, and more.
• Questioning (30) is “the process of exploring one’s own gender identity, gender expression, and/or sexual orientation.”
• I is for Intersex (31) : “People who naturally (that is, without any medical intervention) develop primary or secondary sex characteristics that do not fit neatly into society's definitions of male or female… Hermaphrodite (32) is an outdated and inaccurate term that has been used to describe intersex people in the past.”

[Another A word is Allosexual, which is very different from Asexual. Allosexual (36) is “a sexual orientation generally characterized by feeling sexual attraction or a desire for partnered sexuality.”]

[Still another A word — one that does not describe a sexual orientation — is ally. Allyship (37) is “the action of working to end oppression through support of, and as an advocate with and for, a group other than one’s own.”]

There’s more. Among the other letters sometimes added to the list are P and K, giving us LGBTQIAPK .

• P can refer to Pansexual (or Omnisexual) or Polyamorous .
• Pansexual (38) and Omnisexual (39) are “terms used to describe people who have romantic, sexual or affectionate desire for people of all genders and sexes.”
• Polyamory (40) “denotes consensually being in/open to multiple loving relationships at the same time. Some polyamorists (polyamorous people) consider ‘poly’ to be a relationship orientation. Sometimes used as an umbrella term for all forms of ethical, consensual, and loving non-monogamy.”
• K stands for Kink (41) . According to Role/Reboot , “‘K’ would cover those who practice bondage and discipline, dominance-submission and/or sado-masochism, as well as those with an incredibly diverse set of fetishes and preferences.” If you are rolling your eyes, consider this: “According to survey data, around 15% of adults engage in some form of consensual sexual activity along the ‘kink’ spectrum. This is a higher percentage than those who identify as gay or lesbian.”

Not everyone identifies as either sexual or asexual. Some consider asexuality as a spectrum that includes, for example, demisexuals and greysexuals. These definitions are from AVEN :

• Demisexual (42) : “Someone who can only experience sexual attraction after an emotional bond has been formed. This bond does not have to be romantic in nature.”
• Gray-asexual (gray-a) (43) or gray-sexual (44) : “Someone who identifies with the area between asexuality and sexuality, for example because they experience sexual attraction very rarely, only under specific circumstances, or of an intensity so low that it's ignorable.” (Colloquially, sometimes called grey-ace (45) .)

There is also more than one variety of polyamory. An important example is solo polyamory. At Solopoly , Amy Gahran describes it this way:

• Solo polyamory (46) : “What distinguishes solo poly people is that we generally do not have intimate relationships which involve (or are heading toward) primary-style merging of life infrastructure or identity along the lines of the traditional social relationship escalator. For instance, we generally don’t share a home or finances with any intimate partners. Similarly, solo poly people generally don’t identify very strongly as part of a couple (or triad etc.); we prefer to operate and present ourselves as individuals.” As Kristen Bernhardt pointed out in her thesis, solo poly people often say: “I am my own primary partner.”

(For a definition of “relationship elevator,” see the section below, “What is your orientation toward relationships?”)

III. What kind of attraction do you feel toward other people?

Interpersonal attraction is not just sexual. AVEN lists these different kinds of attraction (47) (“emotional force that draws people together”):

• Aesthetic attraction (48) : “Attraction to someone’s appearance, without it being romantic or sexual.”
• Romantic attraction (49) : “Desire of being romantically involved with another person.”
• Sensual attraction (50) : “Desire to have physical non-sexual contact with someone else, like affectionate touching.”
• Sexual attraction (51) : “Desire to have sexual contact with someone else, to share our sexuality with them.”

Asexual is the term used for people who do not feel sexual attraction. Another term, aromantic, describes something different. According to the AVEN wiki :

• Aromantic (52) : “A person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Where romantic people have an emotional need to be with another person in a romantic relationship, aromantics are often satisfied with friendships and other non-romantic relationships.” (Want to know more? Check out these five myths about aromanticism from Buzzfeed .)

People who experience romantic attraction have crushes. Aromantics have squishes. Again, from the AVEN wiki :

• Squish (53) : “Strong desire for some kind of platonic (nonsexual, nonromantic) connection to another person. The concept of a squish is similar in nature to the idea of a ‘friend crush.’ A squish can be towards anyone of any gender and a person may also have many squishes, all of which may be active.”

IV. What is your orientation toward relationships? (For example, do you prefer monogamy? Do you think your relationships should progress in a certain way?)

Many of the alternatives to monogamy fit under the umbrella term of “ethical non-monogamy.”

• Monogamy (54) : “Having only one intimate partner at a time.”
• Consensual non-monogamy ( or ethical non-monogamy) (55) : “all the ways that you can consciously, with agreement and consent from all involved, explore love and sex with multiple people.” (The definition is from Gracie X, who explores six varieties here . Polyamory is just one of them.)

According to the conventional wisdom , romantic relationships are expected to progress in a certain way. That’s called the “ relationship escalator .” Amy Gahran describes it this way:

• Relationship escalator (56) : “The default set of societal expectations for intimate relationships. Partners follow a progressive set of steps, each with visible markers, toward a clear goal. The goal at the top of the Escalator is to achieve a permanently monogamous (sexually and romantically exclusive between two people), cohabitating marriage — legally sanctioned if possible. In many cases, buying a house and having kids is also part of the goal. Partners are expected to remain together at the top of the Escalator until death. The Escalator is the standard by which most people gauge whether a developing intimate relationship is significant, ‘serious,’ good, healthy, committed or worth pursuing or continuing.”

V. How do you value different relationships?

Do you think that everyone should be in a romantic relationship, that everyone wants to be in a romantic relationship, and that such a relationship is more important than any other? Thanks to the philosopher Elizabeth Brake , there’s a name for that assumption, amatonormativity . Importantly, amatonormativity is an assumption, not a fact. A related concept is mononormativity. (The definition below is Robin Bauer’s, as described in Kristen Bernhardt’s thesis.) In the same family of concepts is heteronormativity. (Definition below is from Miriam-Webster .) An entirely different way of thinking about relationships has been described by Andie Nordgren in her concept of “relationship anarchy.”

• Amatonormativity (57) : “The assumption that a central, exclusive, amorous relationship is normal for humans, in that it is a universally shared goal, and that such a relationship is normative, in the sense that it should be aimed at in preference to other relationship types.” (Drake Baer’s discussion of the concept in New York magazine is excellent.)
• Mononormativity (58) : “Based on the taken for granted allegation that monogamy and couple-shaped arranged relationships are the principle of social relations per se, an essential foundation of human existence and the elementary, almost natural pattern of living together.”
• Heteronormative (59) : “Of, relating to, or based on the attitude that heterosexuality is the only normal and natural expression of sexuality.”
• Relationship anarchy (60) : “Relationship anarchists are often highly critical of conventional standards that prioritize romantic and sex-based relationships over non-sexual or non-romantic relationships. Instead, RA seeks to eliminate specific distinctions between or hierarchical valuations of friendship versus love-based relationships, so that love-based relationships are no more valuable than are platonic friendships.”

Bella DePaulo, Ph.D. , an expert on single people, is the author of Single at Heart and other books. She is an Academic Affiliate in Psychological & Brain Sciences, UCSB.

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Glossary of Must-Know Sexual Identity Terms

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Daniella Amato is a biomedical scientist and fact-checker with expertise in pharmaceuticals and clinical research.

Verywell / Alex Dos Diaz

A Through E

F through l, m through q, r through z.

Sexual identity terms refer to words and phrases used to describe human sexuality and orientation including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual. These terms are not related to gender identity and may differ depending on the individual person or culture. In addition, terminology changes over time and will continue to evolve into the future.

It’s important to understand and use the proper terminology to refer to sexual identity and sexual orientation in order to be an ally and empower and affirm individuals who in the past may have faced prejudice and judgment over their sexual orientation.

Use of the correct words can be affirming while use of incorrect terminology can be disempowering. If you are in doubt, it is always best to ask a person what terminology they prefer that you use.

Below is a glossary of terms related to sexual identity. Remember that this list will continue to evolve so it is always important to keep up with any changes and the most up-to-date usage.

Ally : Referring to a person who supports the LGBTQ+ community but does not identify as a member of the community (e.g., heterosexual).

Aromantic : Referring to a person who has no romantic attraction or interest in romantic relationships with any gender.

Asexual: Referring to a person who is not sexually attracted to any gender but may still be romantically interested in a relationship.

Autosexual: Referring to a person who feels sexually attracted to themselves. These individuals are capable of having relationships with others but prefer sex with themselves.

Androsexual/Androphillic: Referring to a person who experiences sexual or romantic attraction to masculinity, males, or men including those who identify as men regardless of assigned sex at birth.

Allosexual : Referring to a person who experiences sexual attraction.

Allosexism: The assumption that people in society experience or should experience sexual attraction. This leads to privilege for those who experience attraction and prejudice against people who are asexual.

Autoromantic: Referring to a person who is romantically attracted to themselves.

Bicurious : Referring to a person who is curious and exploring their attraction to people of the same sex/gender but who don’t necessarily identify as bisexual.

Biphobia: Fear, intolerance, discomfort, dislike, stigma, or hatred toward people who identify as bisexual. These attitudes are generally based on stereotypes about bisexual people such as the supposed inability to be monogamous.

Bi-positive: An attitude toward bisexual individuals that is validating and accepting (the opposite of biphobia).

Biromantic: Referring to a person who feels a romantic or emotional connection to two or more genders regardless of whether they feel sexual attraction.

Bisexual: Referring to a person who feels sexually attracted to two or more genders.

Butch: A term used to refer to a woman who acts or looks masculine or who plays the dominant role in a partnership. This term can be used in a derogatory way for lesbian women but may also be used in an affirming way for some people if that is how they identify.

Cishet : A person who is both cisgender and heterosexual.

Closeted: Referring to a person who does not accept their own sexual orientation or chooses to keep it a secret from other people out of fear of rejection or being judged.

Coming out: The ongoing emotionally difficult process of disclosing and acknowledging one’s sexual orientation to people in one’s life including friends, family, work colleagues, etc. For example, by sharing about a same-gender relationship or attraction.

Cupiosexual/ cupioromantic : Referring to people who don’t experience sexual attraction but still desire to be in a sexual relationship or engage in sexual behavior.

Demiromantic : Referring to a person who only experiences romantic feelings after they build a strong emotional connection with a person.

Demisexual : Referring to a person who doesn’t innately feel sexual attraction but can develop it over time through a strong emotional connection to a person.

Erasure: The practice of ignoring that sexuality exists on a spectrum.

Family of choice: A group of people chosen for their support and validation that may be missing from the family of origin.

Family of origin: A person’s biological family or the one that was involved in their development.

Fluid: The concept that sexuality and sexual orientation can change over time and depend on the context or situation.

Fraysexual : A fraysexual person is someone who usually prefers sexual encounters with people they don't know over those they do. It is the opposite of demisexual

Gay: A person who has a sexual orientation or romantic attraction toward people of the same gender. The term usually refers to men who are attracted to men, but can also be used for other genders.

Gay-positive: An attitude that is accepting and affirming of gay individuals.

Gynesexual/Gynephilic: Attraction to femininity, women, or females regardless of their assigned sex at birth.

Graysexual : Referring to people who are in a gray area of the spectrum of sexuality and don’t identify as sexual or asexual.

Grayromantic: Referring to people who are in the gray area of the spectrum of romantic attachment and don’t identify as romantic or aromantic.

Heterosexual: Referring to people who have a sexual orientation or emotional attraction toward members of the opposite gender (also known as being “straight”). 

Heteroflexible : Referring to people who are primarily heterosexual but who may have interest in same-sex relationships.

Heterosexual privilege: Privileges experienced by people who are heterosexual simply because of their sexual orientation. This includes the ability to publicly display affection without fearing judgment or raising children without fear of discrimination.

Homophobia : Fear, prejudice, anger, or negative attitudes aimed at people who are gay or lesbian. This can range from mild to severe forms.

Homosexual: Referring to a person with a sexual orientation toward members of the same gender. This is a somewhat outdated term and most people prefer gay or lesbian.

Heteronormativity: The belief by people or institutions that heterosexuality is the normal/default way for people to identify and that heterosexuality is superior to all other sexualities.5 Heteronormativity can create social, cultural, political, and economic ideologies that can harm the lifestyles and livelihoods of LGBTQ people.9

Hypersexual: Referring to the ability to experience sexual attraction to someone without knowing them in a personal way.

Internalized homophobia : Self-hatred based on fear and judgment about one’s sexual orientation that is rooted in homophobia that has been internalized.

Lesbian: A female or female-identifying person with a sexual orientation or attraction toward other women or people of the same gender expression. Nonbinary people can also identify as lesbian. Some lesbians may also identify as gay or queer.

LGBTTTIQ: An acronym referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, two-spirit, intersex , and queer communities. 

LGBTQIA: An acronym referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual communities. 

LGBTQ+ : An acronym referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, etc. communities.

LGBTQIA+: An acronym referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, etc. communities.

MSM: An acronym referring to a man who has sex with men regardless of whether they are heterosexual, bisexual or gay. This term is generally used for men who may not identify as gay but who have relations with other men in certain situations.

Monoamorous/Monogamous: People who only have relationships with one person at a time.

Monosexual: Referring to people with a sexual orientation or attraction toward people of only one gender whether they are heterosexual, gay, or lesbian.

Neptunic: A nonbinary person attracted to men.

Out or Out of the closet : The ongoing process of being open about one’s sexual orientation with other people.

Outing: Exposing someone’s sexual orientation without their prior consent. This can be very harmful as they may not be in an environment that's safe to come out in.

Omnisexual: Referring to a person whose sexuality is not limited to a particular sexual orientation.

Pansexual : Referring to a person who experiences a sexual orientation or romantic attraction to all persons regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

Panromantic : Referring to a person who experiences romantic or emotional attraction to all persons regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

Perioriented : Referring to a person with a sexual and romantic orientation toward the same gender. For example, being sexually interested in women and also romantically interested in women.

Polyamorous : A term referring to people who have relationships with more than one person at the same time.

Polysexual : A term referring to people who have a sexual orientation or romantic attraction to people of varying genders.

Pomosexual: A term referring to people who reject labels regarding their sexual identity or don’t identify as any particular label.

Queer: Historically this term was used in a derogatory way to refer to the LGBTQ community. This word has since been used in a positive way by individuals to convey their identity when they prefer not to use terms that depend on sexuality or gender such as lesbian or gay.

Questioning : The process through which an individual questions, explores, or discovers their sexual orientation.

Romantic Attraction: The process by which people have an emotional attraction and the desire to be in a romantic relationship with another person.

Same Gender Loving: Term used by the Black community to convey a same-gender sexual orientation.

Skoliosexual: Attraction to transsexual and genderqueer individuals and presentations.

Sexual Minorities : The subset of people who identify as LGBTQ.

Sexual Orientation: Referring to the enduring patterns or specific type of physical and emotional attraction that a person experiences toward other people. For example, heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual. Sexual orientation can change over the course of one’s life and depending on the situation.

Sexuality: How a person experiences romantic and sexual attraction.

Straight: Another term used to refer to people with a heterosexual orientation or who are attracted to people of the opposite gender or a different gender. This can include both people who are cisgender and transgender.

Sapiosexual : Referring to a person who experiences attraction based on the intelligence of another person rather than any other characteristic.

Sexual Attraction: The experience of sexual desire toward a person or group of people.

Sex Averse: Referring to people who are disinterested or averse to sexual behavior including those who are asexual.

Sex Favorable: Referring to people who are asexual but in some situations have positive feelings about sex.

Sex Indifferent: Referring to people who are asexual and feel neutral about sexual behavior.

Sex Repulsed: Referring to people who are asexual and are repulsed by sexual behavior or are very disinterested in sexual behavior.

Spectrasexual: Referring to people who are attracted to individuals of multiple genders.

Trixic: A nonbinary person attracted to women. Trixic people can also identify as lesbian.

Varioriented: When a person’s sexual interest and romantic orientation are not aimed at the same gender. For example, a man being romantically attracted to women (heteroromantic) but sexually attracted to both men and women (bisexual).

WSW: Referring to women who have sex with women. This can include lesbians, bisexual women, and heterosexual women. Not all women who fall into this category identify themselves as bisexual or lesbian.

A Word From Verywell

Remember that this list is not exhaustive and the terminology will change over time. While it is important to keep up with recent changes to terms, the best way to ensure that you are using inclusive language is to listen and ask someone what they identify with or what they prefer to be called.

When in doubt, don’t make assumptions based on your own social rubric or point of view, particularly if this involves a normative stance or the experience of being in a position of heterosexual privilege.

While you may not understand the need for being careful with your words, those who potentially face discrimination or prejudice daily will be appreciative of the effort you make to understand things from their point of view.

As terminology continues to evolve, you may also find that terms people prefer that you use also change. Rather than feeling frustrated by this request, acknowledge that you can’t understand what it’s like to be in the other person’s position and do what you can to be an ally and supporter.

Government of Canada. Gender and sexual diversity glossary .

National Institutes of Health. Sexual and gender minority .

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

• Sexual Health

What does it mean when a doc asks if I'm sexually active?

I've dry humped before and come from it, but have always kept at least my underwear and bra on and my boyfriend always had at least his underwear on too. We didn't go further than that - like we didn't touch each other with our hands down there over clothes or underwear. A doctor recently asked if I was sexually active. Does my experience with dry humping mean I have to say yes to that question now?

That's a really, really good question!

To answer it, I want to stop for a second to talk about why  your doctor asked you that question. Usually, for young people (especially if you've seen them before and it's the first time they've asked you that question), the doctor wants to assess what kinds of preventative care that you might need that's relevant to sexual⁠ ( sexual : About or relating in some way to sex or sexuality. ) risk. That could look like:

• Testing for sexually transmitted infections⁠ ( sexually transmitted infections : STIs: illness, infection and/or disease which is often or can be transmitted through sexual or other intimate contact, like HIV, Chlamydia or Herpes. Some people call STIs STDs. ) , like gonorrhea⁠ ( gonorrhea : A bacterial infection/STI which can infect the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, urethra, mouth, throat or anus. It requires medical treatment. ) , chlamydia⁠ ( chlamydia : A very common bacterial infection/STI. It can infect the cervix, urethra, testicles, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. It can also infect the throat when acquired through oral sex. Chlamydia requires medical treatment. ) , etc.
• Vaccination to prevent the most harmful strains of HPV⁠ ( HPV : Human papillomavirus, a very common sexually transmitted infection with more than 40 HPV types. )
• Screening and counseling for barrier methods/ contraception⁠ ( contraception : Devices, medications or behaviors used to intentionally aim to prevent pregnancy, including the condom, the cervical barrier, the implant, the patch, the pill, the rhythm method, the ring, the shot, the IUD, spermicide and withdrawal. ) (if pregnancy⁠ ( pregnancy : The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the uterus. Medically, someone is considered to be pregnant when an egg has been fertilized by sperm, cells divide, and the fertilized egg is implanted within the lining of the uterus. ) is a risk for you or your partner⁠ ( partner : In a sexual context, a person with whom someone is having some kind of sex. The term "partner" can be used for all kinds of relationships, not just serious ones. "Partner" can also mean the person someone is with in a romantic or familial partnership. ) (s)
• Screenings for cancer or reproductive abnormalities
• Screening/questions about whether you feel healthy and safe in your relationship⁠ ( relationship : An ongoing interaction or association with another person, place or thing. ) (s)

All of these things can vary hugely based on whether you came in with a specific concern or just for a regular checkup, your age, your anatomy⁠ ( anatomy : The body, parts of the body, or physical structure of organisms like people, animals or plants. ) , your medical history, et cetera. It's the type of thing that tends to be added to your chart/medical record, so that they can ensure that you're getting the care that's appropriate for your particular situation.

So if it's not entirely obvious why the doctor is asking that question, you  can always ask! You always have the right to ask questions about the care you're getting. In your particular case, you haven't had any risks for STl's or pregnancy in your sexual activity, but being honest about what you have done will help your doctor get the info that they need to give you the best care and support that they can. This might sound like:

Yes, I am sexually active⁠ ( sexually active : Someone who has had or is currently having some kind of genital sex with a partner or partners. ) , but only manual sex⁠ ( manual sex : Sometimes also called digital sex. Kinds of sex involving the hands and fingers to sexually stimulate the genitals or other parts of the body. Fingering, handjobs or "fisting" (deep manual sex) are some kinds of manual sex. ) with clothes on - no intercourse⁠ ( intercourse : When people interlock their genitals and move together as feels good to them for the purpose of sexual stimulation and/or reproduction. ) . Why do you ask?

When you assert yourself like that, you're ensuring that you understand how and why things are being asked of you, and you're taking charge of your own healthcare, which means you'll be better off when it comes to making decisions about sex⁠ ( sex : Different things people choose to do to actively express or enact sexuality and sexual feelings; often this involves genitals, but not always. ) , relationships, and your body that you can feel good about.

Speaking of doctors, questions, and asserting yourself, you might also find it helpful to check out⁠ ( out : Short for ‘out of the closet’. When someone’s LGBTQ+ identity is known to other people. ) our guide, Dealing With Doctors: Taking Control of Your Healthcare Destiny .

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When healthcare professionals ask that question, they are asking from a sexual health perspective.

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Do I need to tell my doctor that I’m sexually active?

Oct. 13, 2010 2 min read

By Amy @ Planned Parenthood

I went to the doctors today and i told the doctor im not sexually active which is a complete lie, is that wayy bad?

Doctors and other health care providers often ask both teens and adults about their sex histories and whether or not they’re sexually active. It’s important to be honest with health care providers so they can get an accurate picture of your health and needs. It can help health care providers determine if it’s a good idea to test for sexually transmitted infections, prescribe birth control, recognize pregnancy symptoms, or talk with a client whose sexual relationships are problematic.

There’s sometimes confusion over what “sexually active” actually means. Some people may think it just refers to vaginal intercourse, but it’s important to let health care providers know about other forms of sex that may put people at risk for sexually transmitted infections, such as anal or oral sex.

The confidentiality of this information is up to the health care provider, so teens who are concerned about confidentiality may want to ask providers about their policies before making an appointment.

Planned Parenthood health centers strive to provide services that are confidential and affordable, especially for teens. But for one reason or another, health care providers in certain locations may not be able to guarantee complete confidentiality. Make an appointment at the  Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.

Tags: doctors , confidentiality

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February 14, 2024

How to Explore Your Sexuality, according to Science

Some researchers say that the standard definition of sexual orientation is incomplete—and offer a tool for expanding it.

By Meghan McDonough

Molly Ferguson

Stacy Watnick: The first thing that I do with clients is I tell them that we’re going to go slow—because there are three things that most clients ... do not talk about in therapy, and those are religion, politics and sex.

[CLIP: Intro music]

Kate Klein: There’s this, like, whole world underneath people’s clothing that no one talks about.

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Sari van Anders: Our science, in some ways..., is…catching up with people’s existences.

Meghan McDonough: I’m Meghan McDonough, and you’re listening to Scientific American’s Science, Quickly. This is part one of a four-part Fascination on the science of pleasure. In this series, we’re asking what we can learn from those with marginalized experiences to get to the bottom of BDSM, find the female orgasm and illuminate asexuality. In this episode, we’ll discuss new ways to question your sexuality, according to science that draws from feminism and queer theory.

But first, let’s get real basic.

Stacy Watnick: Tell me, when I say the word sex or sexuality to you, what comes up?

McDonough: That’s Stacy Watnick , a clinical psychologist based in San Diego, California. She specializes in relationship issues and sexuality. She’s noticed certain patterns in her clients when she asks this question.

Watnick: First, surprise—that there’s such a range of experiences in their body and in their mind about it.... Frequently, I get some shame and discomfort. They’re not sure what words they’re supposed to use: “Are those bad words?”

A little lean forward…. they’re sort of excited and there’s some tension in wanting to tell me—or a little lean back because they’re not sure it’s safe.

McDonough: Stacy asks her clients if they’ve heard of gender and orientation. They talk about the words they know. And then she brings up the zine.

Zine is short for “magazine.” But zines are different from traditional magazines. They tend to be self-published and not typically what you’d find in an academic setting.

This particular zine invites readers on a “journey through the landscape of your sexuality.” The front cover features a drawing of five people on a path leading into the horizon. Each is holding a map labeled “SCT.” SCT stands for sexual configurations theory, a term coined by Sari van Anders , a gender, sex and sexuality researcher at Queen’s University in Ontario.

Sari van Anders: I was doing some work about multipartnering and things like polyamory..., I was at a conference where there was ... a session about asexuality.... And I started thinking about the way these two ... identities claimed by different people might come together.

McDonough: Here’s Sari, the creator of this theory. She and her team created the zine as a more accessible offshoot of her 2015 academic paper on the topic.

Van Anders: It was the most exciting piece of work I’ve ever done. I’ve never really done work where it just felt like it had to come out, and it was sort of bubbling out of me.

I think we can maximize our pleasure when we understand what it is that we’re wanting, what the options are, who we are. We can think through some things that we might never have had prompts to do before.

McDonough: Oxford Languages defines sexual orientation as “a person’s identity in relation to the gender or genders to which they are typically attracted.” Sexual configurations theory asks: What if this sort of definition is incomplete?

Sari’s theory basically complicates the idea that sexual orientation is only based on gender. She built it on the existing academic literature and on what people shared about their sexualities.

Van Anders: And it was really important to me to include not just diverse sexualities and genders and people with diverse sexualities and genders but people with marginalized experiences, and so on ...

McDonough: Such as people who are LGBTQ+, disabled, into kink or BDSM, asexual or non-monogamous.

Van Anders: Our science, in some ways, is, if anything, sort of, like, catching up with people's existences.... I think many women know that, like, not all women who are attracted to men, maybe including themselves, that means they’re attracted to, like, penises or that’s the thing only that turns them on. And, and so there’s sort of an assumption that gender/sex sexuality, or what people typically call sexual orientation, is about, like, genital match-ups, like, “I have these genitals, and I’m attracted to people who have those genitals.” But really, like, we rarely see people’s genitals until we’ve already decided we’re attracted to them, right.... Usually there’s so much else going on.

McDonough: Sari uses the term “gender/sex” to mean features that are both socialized and biological and considers it to be just one aspect of sexual orientation. 

Van Anders: You know, it’s not always bodies; there’s also ways of being in the world or clothes, appearance, presentation, the way people talk, how someone treats you. And research on attraction is pretty clear that a lot of other things are rated pretty high up, like kindness or sense of humor or things like that.

McDonough: Sari refers to this as “sexual parameter n”—all the other things that make us attracted to a person.

The way she visualizes these aspects is through cone-shaped diagrams where people can pinpoint their preferences.

Aki Gormezano: As an example, you could think about the tornado for gender/sex sexuality…. So there’s a space on top where there’s a ring going around the outside that SCT calls the binary ring.

McDonough: This is Aki Gormezano, a sexuality researcher who did his Ph.D. with Sari at Queen’s. The ring he’s describing represents what most people know as the sexuality spectrum.

Gormezano: And then there’s a whole space beyond that, falling inside of the binary ring, completing that circle, where you’re not just thinking about women and men, you’re thinking about gender/sex-diverse folks who are occupying spaces outside of that binary ring.

McDonough: This is called the “challenge area.”

Gormezano: That circle I described is on the top, but then it moves all the way down to a point forming what kind of looks like a cone. And there’s a little meter ranging from zero to 100 on the far left of that, and that’s to indicate the strength of your attractions.

McDonough: In lay terms, if gender/sex was an important part of your attraction to people, you’d mark a place higher up on the tornado. If it wasn’t, you’d mark a place farther down. There are also tornadoes for partner number—one, multiple or none—as well as for sexual parametern, representing the other factors Sari mentioned, such as kindness and sense of humor.

Gormezano: Growing up, I was, like, pretty uncritical of my sexuality for the most part… Like I identified as straight by default. And a lot of my attractions, you know, as a cis boy at the time, or, like, now a cis man, were to cis women.

McDonough: In case you don’t know, “cis” here refers to cisgender, when a person’s gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth.

Gormezano: I had a point in high school where I realized ... I did have attractions to people who were not cis girls or cis women.... I think I was just, like, confused and upset and didn’t really feel like it was something I could talk about. You know, especially as someone who played sports and was known as an athlete, where that was a big piece of my identity—like, I played soccer all the way through and still do.... I think, for me, the hardest part about realizing that I had interests and attractions that didn’t fit with being straight was that it challenged a lot of my identity around being a man or, like, wanting to be.

McDonough: Aki says that studying sexuality as an adult has helped him see that this isn’t a problem and that sexual orientation, identity and status don’t necessarily line up perfectly. Sexual configurations theory calls this “branched.”

Van Anders: Orientations have to do with, like, attractions, interests, arousals, desire [and] pleasure, and those might be different, or they might be the same. Like, you might really enjoy the thoughts or have fantasies about being with a man. And then when it comes to the actual sex you do, you find people of any gender are really enjoyable.... And status refers to, like, what you’re kind of actually doing, have done or will do..., who you’re actually with, for example.

McDonough: In a 27-country survey conducted by the market research company Ipsos in 2021, for example, 80 percent of self-identified heterosexual people reported that they were only attracted to the opposite sex, and 12 percent of them said they mostly were. Meanwhile 60 percent of self-identified lesbian and gay people said they were only attracted to the same sex, and 24 percent of them said they mostly were. These “branches” of sexuality can all be mapped on separate “tornado” diagrams. If you’re still struggling to picture them, you’re not alone. Between gender/sex, partner number, and other factors—plus identity, orientation and status—it’s a lot. But portraying sexuality as complex is also kind of the point.

McDonough (tape): To what extent do you think sexuality labels are limiting or expanding? If you could imagine your ideal world of how people conceive of sexuality, would everyone have a label?

Gormezano: I think when you just have identities and you just have labels, especially when identities and labels are really narrow..., you might not have the language to articulate the ways in which you don’t perfectly fit with that identity or label.... And I think the more people ... who are able to understand the ways in which they might branch from their label or, like, perfectly coincide with it, the more open everyone will be around, you know, just like understanding that, like, around each identity is, like, a collection of people who might vary from that in different kinds of ways.

McDonough: Stacy, the therapist we heard from earlier, commonly meets clients who are working through their sexualities.

McDonough (tape): How do you help them kind of figure that out?

Watnick: We kind of try labels on like clothes.... I’m gonna try this sort of sweater on and see: Does that feel snuggly? Do I feel comfortable? Is there, like, a resonance in my body and in my mind and my heart and my genitals, all over me, that this feels true...? And much like the sweater I put on, I don’t have to wear it all the time.... There’s a very flexible return policy on this kind of content: if they decide they don’t want it; they don’t have to keep it. But we’re trying it on. Let’s see how it feels.

McDonough: Stacy first saw Sari speak at a virtual conference during the pandemic. 

Watnick: And my whole brain lit up.

McDonough: The two of them have since formed a working group to bring sexual configurations theory into more clinical settings.

Van Anders: Those of us with marginalized or minoritized or oppressed genders, sexes or sexualities are often not given the tools from science or scholarship to make sense of ourselves. And so this can be helpful in that way. But also people who are majorities..., our culture tells everyone..., you’re just a cisgender man; that’s that; there’s nothing more complex; the complexity is for, you know, the other “complicated,” quote, unquote, people. But our research finds that the majorities actually have a lot of complexity and often have had even less prompt to think about it.

McDonough (tape): I’m wondering if you’ve had any pushback from the scientific community or otherwise?

Van Anders: We get a fair bit of skepticism from academics that what people might call laypeople, just you, people on the street, could actually do SCT diagrams because they are a bit more complex than “What is your attraction...?”.... So we sometimes get people who say, “This is pretty hard” or “I’m kind of confused.” And then we’re like, “Okay, can you describe yourself?” And then we look at the dot, and it matches. So people are actually able to do it anyway.

Van Anders: And we sometimes get pushback, too, from majorities who get, like, a little bit angry, who are like, “Okay, well, here, I can locate myself, but, like, I don’t believe in all these other locations....” You know, they’re usually seeing questions that have heterosexual first if there’s a checklist. And here it’s, like, you know, if you’re interested in women, that’s just one little dot in this whole diagram, and that can be a bit disorienting for people who are used to being with the center.

McDonough: Sari thinks that accounting for this complexity is not only helpful for individuals but also for future scientific research.

Van Anders: People sometimes forget that every measure we use is sort of telling a story about what the world is.... They’re kind of almost like a sieve that you sieve the world through. And depending on what that sieve looks like—whether it’s SCT, whether it’s a one-word question with a checkbox or answer or something—is going to let kind of different kinds of things through.... What is empirical in science is to try to measure the world as it is.

For Science, Quickly, this is Meghan McDonough. Tune in next time to listen to episode two of a four-part series on the science of pleasure.

Science, Quickly is produced by Tulika Bose and Jeffery DelViscio. This episode was reported and edited by me, Meghan McDonough, with music by Dominic Smith.

Subscribe to ScientificAmerican.com for more in-depth science news.

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The Sexual Response Cycle: What Happens to Our Bodies During Sex

The sexual response cycle is how experts describe what’s going on inside your body that makes you feel and respond the way you do during sex .

Back in 1966, sex researchers William Masters, MD, and Virginia Johnson came up with the term. They defined four stages, or phases, of this cycle:

Phase 1: Excitement. As you get excited, your heart beats faster and your breathing gets heavier. Your skin may redden. More blood flows to your genitals. The clitoris swells and the penis gets erect. Nipples harden and the vagina may get wet. Muscles throughout your body tense up, boosting sexual tension.

Phase 2: Plateau. The changes in your body intensify. Breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure rise. Muscle tension increases even more. The vagina swells and its walls turn a darker color. The clitoris becomes super-sensitive to touch. The testicles pull upward.

Phase 3: Orgasm. Sexual excitement reaches its peak. You feel a series of intense muscle contractions as your body releases the tension. The muscles of the vagina and the uterus contract. Muscles at the base of the penis tighten and release, releasing semen in an ejaculation.

Phase 4: Resolution. Now spent of your pent-up energy, your body returns to its pre-sex state. Your breathing calms. Muscles relax. The penis and vagina return to their original size and color. You may feel calm, satisfied, or tired out.

This four-phase cycle is a fairly simple way to describe the human sexual response. In reality, human bodies (and minds) are unique. The way we respond to sex doesn't always fit neatly into four ordered boxes.

"Since the Masters and Johnson model, we've learned much more," says Kristen Mark, PhD, the Joycelyn Elders endowed chair in sexual health education at the University of Minnesota Medical School . "One thing coming before another is pretty inaccurate to the human sexual experience."

Newer Views on the Sexual Response

For one thing, not every sex act leads to orgasm. Some people have sex without feeling any excitement. Others have multiple orgasms in a row, and they don't reach resolution.

The sexual response cycle model has gotten some updates over the years. In the late 1970s, sex therapist Helen Singer Kaplan, MD, PhD, added desire to the cycle. In her view, people need to be in the mood and emotionally ready for sex to get aroused and have an orgasm.

In 2001, Rosemary Basson, MD, a professor of sexual medicine at the University of British Columbia, threw the whole model for a loop -- literally. She created a circular sexual response model. Its main ideas are that people have sex for many different reasons, not just excitement. And each part of the cycle doesn't have to happen in any special order. For example, desire can come late in the process.

Orgasm isn't the only reward for having sex. You can do it for lots of other reasons, like to increase intimacy or make your partner happy. "Just because someone doesn't have an orgasm doesn't mean they aren't feeling some level of satisfaction," Mark says.

How Is Your Sexual Response Cycle Unique?

The sexual response cycle doesn't differ much by gender or sexual orientation, Mark says. But it can change from encounter to encounter. "It's super-individualized and really unique to each sexual experience."

For example, if you've desired someone for a long time and you finally have sex, the arousal phase might be faster. Early in a relationship, when the person you're dating is new to you, desire can come before arousal. Once you've been together for many years, you may get excited before you feel desire.

What Can Go Wrong?

Problems can happen at any phase of the sexual response cycle. Desire can dim, you may have trouble getting aroused, or you may not be able to reach orgasm.

Sometimes, a physical problem is to blame. For instance, erectile problems or vaginal dryness can make sex more difficult or painful. In turn, a physical problem can trigger an emotional response where you don't desire sex as much, Mark says.

But again, everyone is different. Even if you never get aroused, you might be just fine with your sex life.

Whether there’s a problem that needs help "comes down to your quality of life and how important this is to you," says Irwin Goldstein, MD, medical director of San Diego Sexual Medicine.

If you’re unhappy about your sex life, tell your doctor. You could have a treatable medical problem, like vaginal dryness or erectile dysfunction . Some types of medications can also hamper desire. Changing the dose or switching prescriptions might help.

If the problem isn't physical, your doctor can refer you to a sex therapist to help you work through any emotional, relationship, or psychological issues that are affecting your sex life. The therapist can teach you and your partner ways to manage problems like a lack of desire or trouble reaching orgasm.

It also helps to get to know your body's sexual response cycle. Pay attention to how you react. Do you feel arousal? What kinds of touch make you reach orgasm? By learning about your own response, "you can have a more satisfying experience and better communicate or tell your partner what you like," Mark says.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Human Sexuality

A doctoral degree for professionals shaping the future of critical sexuality studies

In this Section

Program overview, 5 - 7 years, our approach.

Our Human Sexuality Ph.D. program helps shape the research, practice, and cultural dialogue around a wide variety of sexuality-related subjects. We emphasize intersectional and critical views of sexuality that include attention to salient power differentials including: ethnicity, race, gender, class, age, ability, national origin, religion, and geography.

Our students engage in rigorous academic exploration by learning and evaluating differences in theories and synthesizing theoretical and methodological approaches. Through coursework, students undergo an analysis of power structures by exploring the many socio-cultural organizations of sex and gender that influence societies.

A primary goal of our program is the ability for each person to identify their own values and participate in exchange of controversial ideas and positions while maintaining the respect for the inherent worth of each person, even those with whom one adamantly disagrees. Our program is inspired by a spirit of inclusivity and equity, seeks to further the dialogue and actual benefits for expanded freedom, rights, and expression in human sexuality. 

Our students advance the field of sexuality studies through the original research in their dissertation. Many students use their dissertation to contribute to growing bodies of research in areas including clinical work, sex education, and activism.

Career Paths

Most students enter our doctoral program as early or mid-career professionals. Using their dissertation subject, students work over the course of their time in the program to network into exciting career pathways. The Ph.D. prepares students for a wide range of professional opportunities:

• Research (basic research, translational research, or applied research) 
• Education (K-12, higher education, and community education)
• Clinical and counseling mental health (including LGBTQ+ Centers, community mental health clinics, women’s centers) 
• Advocacy and policy advisement (including reproductive rights and pleasure activism)
• Nonprofit health organizations (including women’s health, HIV/AIDs clinics, transgender health, and eating disorder clinics)  
• Entrepreneurial pursuits and startups (including research consulting, starting SexTech or FemTech businesses)
• NGOs or governmental efforts (including anti-trafficking efforts, health departments, and human rights organizations)

Students should note that while select courses integrate several core knowledge areas of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists ( AASECT ) to assist students seeking AASECT certification, the Ph.D. in Human Sexuality by itself does not lead to AASECT certification.

CIIS’ primarily online Human Sexuality Ph.D. starts with four semesters, 44 units of online coursework, including readings, and discussion boards which are taught asynchronously. Students then complete two comprehensive exams and a dissertation that contributes to the field of critical sexuality studies. After the completion of the dissertation research and manuscript, a public dissertation defense is held.

The program also includes academic residency weekends that engage students in-person or via Zoom where necessary. The academic residencies consist of three weekends per semester, spaced at the start of the semester, the middle and near the end. Academic residencies are incredibly important for our program, as this is where we meet to inspire and support each other on the journey towards tomorrow’s critical sexuality studies.

Our semesters are held over fall (Aug-Dec) and spring (Jan-May). The average time to complete the program is five to six years for full-time students.

Curriculum Highlights

HSX 7173 Sexual Theory and Intersectionality (3 units) This foundational course surveys various theories through a lens of critical sexuality studies using a triadic framework: (1) concepts, (2) abjection, and (3) normativities. It is a primer for orienting the vast works that inform the field using critical sexuality studies as a central way of understanding and synthesizing these. The theories examined in this course are not exhaustive, but many have been applied to provide fruitful insights into various questions regarding sexuality. Further, this course supports the idea that experiences of sexuality and gender are collocated within power structures articulated as intersectional positionalities, such as race, ethnicity, class, nation, geographic location, age, religion, sexed body, dis/ability, and various other salient social and cultural locations, identities, and ascriptions—neither sexuality nor gender may be accurately understood without such contextual specificity. The emergent field of critical sexuality studies aims to agree not on content but on a basic orientation for thinking about the phenomena of sexuality and related praxis in research and applied work.

HSX 7228 Global Sexualities (3 units) This course considers sex- and gender-related practices, desires, and identities around the world with an emphasis on non-Western contexts. In the first part of the course, students will become familiar with some of the problematic assumptions that have imbued theorizing gender and sexuality from within Western frameworks. Additionally, it will examine alternatives to approaching knowledge production about other peoples and practices that decenter a Western gaze. After becoming acquainted with this general approach, the course continues with a survey of contemporary issues and debates centering on different ways of knowing that inform sexual cultures. Special topics of focus may include sexual migration, globalization, and its impacts on Indigenous sexual/gender identities; transnational comparisons of sex work; virtual intimacies; body modification and desire; and the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, among others.

HSX 7232 Problems and Professional Issues in Sexuality (3 units) The focus of this course is to address issues of ethics, axiology, exploitation, abuse, harassment, assault, trauma, rape, rape culture, sex trafficking, problematic sex (e.g., compulsions, dysfunction, sexuality and substances, and disease), and other issues that can be thought of as problematic. While not necessarily subscribing to a pathologizing or criminalizing view, these important issues will be thoughtfully considered in a historical, contextual, reflexive, and critical manner. Attention will be paid to the history of the field, current controversies with internet sexuality, ethics, philosophical issues, and professional communication skills. These content areas are aligned with AASECT’s course knowledge areas and are part of the required content for sex therapy and sex educator certification.

First Year Coursework

In the first year, we build the cohort experience, and lay down an intersectional foundation of knowledge including concepts, theory, and methodology. 

Semester 1 | Fall

HSX 7170 Introduction to Human Sexuality (3 units)

HSX 7173 Sexual Theory and Intersectionality (3 units)

HSX 7229 Sexual Function and Practices (3 units)

Semester 2 | Spring

HSX 7175 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (3 units)

HSX 7232 Problems and Professional Issues in Sexuality (3 units)

HSX 7885 Understanding Research (3 units)

Second Year Coursework

In the second year, students continue to refine their research questions and learn more about methodology, content, and theory.

Semester 3 | Fall

HSX 7263 Sexual, Gender, and Reproductive Rights (3 units)

HSX 7228 Global Sexualities (3 units)

HSX 7237 Methodology I (3 units)

Semester 4 | Spring

HSX 7274 Gender and Queer Theory (3 units)

HSX 7238 Methodology II (3 units)

HSX 7236 Sex Education and Learning Theory (4 units)*

HSX 7234 Sex Therapy Professional Skills (4 units)*

*Elective course – students take one elective (of at least 3 units) in year two and may choose from the two listed above or any others offered online at CIIS.

Third Year and Beyond

Starting in the third year, students take comprehensive examinations, also known as qualifying examinations. Students get two tries on each exam and must pass these examinations to move to the dissertation phase of the program. Dissertation proposal generation takes one to three semesters maximum, with an average duration of two semesters. Once a proposal has been accepted by the student’s dissertation committee and approved by the department Chair and Provost, the student becomes a doctoral candidate and then may enroll in a dissertation seminar. Students are allowed a maximum of four years to complete and defend their dissertation once they become doctoral candidates. Comprehensive Examinations

HSX 7883 Core Concept Comprehensive Examination (3 units)

HSX 7884 Literature Review Comprehensive Examination (3 units)

Dissertation

HSX 9800 Dissertation Proposal (0.1 unit)

HSX 9900 Dissertation Seminar (0.1 unit)

Total: 42.2 - 43.2 units

Entry Requirements

If you would like to learn more about this program, we’re here to help. Explore our program further with in-depth materials, discuss your personal and career goals at one of our open houses, or get in touch with our admissions counselors, who are ready to assist you in navigating the application process.

Online Admissions Application: Begin the application process by submitting an online application and paying the non-refundable $65 application fee.

Degree Requirement: A master's degree from an accredited college or university. The master’s degree must be conferred to begin fall semester classes but may be in process during application to the program.

Minimum GPA: A GPA of 3.0 or higher in previous coursework is required. However, a GPA below 3.0 does not automatically disqualify an applicant and CIIS will consider a prospective student whose GPA is between 2.0 and 3.0. These individuals are required to submit a GPA Statement and are encouraged to contact our Admissions Team to discuss their options.

Transcripts: Official transcripts from all accredited academic institutions attended where 7 or more credits have been earned. If transcripts are being mailed to CIIS, they must arrive in their official, sealed envelopes. Transcripts from institutions outside the US or Canada require a foreign credit evaluation through World Education Services (WES) or CIIS will also accept foreign credential evaluations that are in a comprehensive course-by-course format from the current members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) .

Admissions Essays: Please answer the questions below.

• What does critical sexuality scholarship mean to you? How do you see doctoral study in human sexuality at CIIS advancing your professional goals? (500-word maximum; Note: The admissions committee will consider both the content and writing style of your written responses to all questions.)
• Describe the research or topical interests that inspire your work in our program. Propose an area of study for your dissertation topic and a tentative research question. Mention or cite the names of scholars or academics, either those teaching within the Human Sexuality department at CIIS or those whom you have either read or worked with as a way to show us that you understand what doing doctoral-level work means. (500 word maximum)
• Please describe any relevant experience you have had working on the subject of human sexuality in your current or past employment and/or volunteering (e.g., in your work as a therapist, as a volunteer at an LGBTQIA center, working on issues of sex trafficking, teaching sex education in schools, activist work on transgender rights, running sexual harassment trainings/workshops, etc.). (200-word maximum)
• Please comment on how you will balance the demands of a doctoral program with your other obligations (e.g., employment, caretaking, volunteering, self-care, etc.). Be sure to include whether you participated in any form of distance education (e.g., fully online, or hybrid meaning part in-person and part online) coursework and how you manage to stay on task and motivated while in coursework. (350-word maximum)

Goal Statement: A 500-word (typed, single-spaced) statement of your educational goals including your potential dissertation topic and the scholars (CIIS Human Sexuality Faculty or other scholars) you would like to work with on this project. Please also consider answering where you see yourself professionally after you graduate with this doctoral degree.

Two Letters of Recommendation: One letter must be from an academic reference and one letter must come from a professional reference. Recommendations should use standard business format and include full contact information including name, email, phone number, and mailing address. If an applicant has been out of school for more than five years, two letters may be submitted from professional references.

Academic Writing Sample: A writing sample that demonstrates your capacity to think critically and reflectively and demonstrates graduate level writing abilities. A sample that uses outside sources must include proper citations based on a style guide of your choice (i.e. APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.). You may submit copies of previous work, such as a final project paper, an academic paper, article, or report that reflects scholarly abilities.

Group Interview: After an applicant submits a complete online application and all supplemental documents are received, the Human Sexuality department will review the application materials and will conduct group interviews with viable candidates.

The Human Sexuality Ph.D. curriculum is taught both online and during in-person academic residencies. For full-time students, the first two years of coursework are held asynchronously online and in-person, weekend-long (starting Friday morning and ending Sunday evening) academic residencies. There are three academic residency weekends per semester during coursework.

After coursework and during the comprehensive examinations and dissertation phases, students are not expected to travel to campus. Students are expected to be active participants online and at residencies, use our online learning management system for dialogue, submit their assignments, and follow the course curriculum with daily interaction.

The benefit of a hybrid program means that students do not need to relocate to San Francisco to pursue this degree, but still receive the benefits of in-person collaboration and community-building. Being an online hybrid makes our program available to more people, and enriches the student dialogue in sexuality studies by integrating student perspectives from different places around the U.S. and internationally.  

The three academic residency weekends are generally held within the first two weeks of the semester, around the middle of the semester, and two weeks before the end of the semester.

Academic residency schedules for a given semester are communicated to all students at least one week before a semester begins and align with course times listed in the course registration portal under each course.

Academic residency weekends allow our program to accept a more diverse group of students, and enrich student dialogue in sexuality studies by integrating student perspectives from different places around the U.S. and internationally. Coming together for academic residencies allow students to build rapport with each other and faculty, facilitating a deeper sense of community for scholar development and networking with peers. Dissertation defenses are conducted virtually via video conference given that our students and their colleagues, family and friends are located across the globe.

Courses in the Human Sexuality Ph.D. program guide students through the history of sexuality studies, including paying close attention to the ways that white, Western ideas of sexuality laid the groundwork for much of the early field.

Beginning with a critical engagement with the historicity of sexuality studies allows our program to, from the very first semester, engage with the vibrant interventions and reclamation of the field from previously silenced voices.

More specifically, our program centrally includes scholarship by and for those who are positively shaping and expanding the field in recent decades to on issues related to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) LGBTQ+, women of color (WOC), and intersections between sexuality and transgender experience.

We join these content-based courses with courses that build research skills in multiple research methodologies (or ways of thinking about theory as applied to the practice of research) as well as teaching about qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods (ways of doing research).

Together, our curricula joined with the scholar-practitioner model shape the engaged and timely critical sexuality studies research that are a signature of our students and graduates.

Full-time students can expect to complete the degree within five to six years with some taking less time and some more time dependent on the dissertation project.

For full-time study, there are two years of coursework (three courses per semester), one semester of comprehensive exams (if passed on the first try), and dissertation preparation/research. Once the coursework and comprehensive exams are complete, students dive into the dissertation process with support from their dissertation committee.

The U.S. Department of Education sets a maximum of 10 years from the date of enrollment to complete the program. But once a student becomes a dissertation candidate, CIIS faculty have set the timeline of four years to complete the dissertation project and graduate.

We schedule academic residencies for three long weekends each semester, with the intention of not cutting too deeply into the standard workweek. However, full-time students can expect roughly 40 hours of schoolwork each week as they participate in online discussion forums, and complete reading and writing assignments.

Many students do work full-time during coursework and balance this load by setting up flexible work arrangements, switching jobs to allow more time for school, or using time off to complete assignments when needed during the semester. We would be happy to put you in touch with current students to get a better idea of how they manage their schedules.

It is possible to attend the program part-time at two courses per semester, rather than three. Students who do this will straddle two cohorts.

Yes, you can. You will be provisionally accepted to our program until you submit the final transcript from your master’s program.

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Our Department in Action

Lavender Languages Institute

Ten days of online class discussion, research opportunities and informal conversations exploring topics of current interest in language and sexuality studies, queer linguistics, and various lavender language themes.

Admissions Office Hour

Online with Skylar Hall. Focus programs: Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.), Human Sexuality (Ph.D.), Transformative Leadership (M.A.), Transformative Studies (Ph.D.).

Financial Aid Workshop

A Free Online Workshop with Jennifer Gruczelak and Michelle Domingo

Take the Next Step

For over 50 years, CIIS has been at the forefront of education that integrates rigorous science, innovative scholarship, and social justice. You will learn from faculty at the forefront of their fields, local artists and activists, and a community of peers as passionate and dedicated as you. There’s never been a better time to be here – let’s build a healthier and more equitable world.

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• Human Sexuality Studies (PhD)

With a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in human sexuality studies, you'll acquire the practical expertise and research skills to become an empathetic leader at the cutting-edge of sexuality studies.

• Graduate Degree Programs

At a Glance

Hybrid (Online & On Campus)

• College of Health & Human Services
• Chester, PA

On This Page

Explore the human sexuality studies phd.

In our doctoral degree in human sexuality studies (PhD) program, you'll gain essential training for a fulfilling future conducting empirical research and contributing to sexuality scholarship. Students in this program are often mid-career professionals already practicing as sexuality educators, counselors, or therapists who bring a wide range of knowledge from social work, counseling psychology, and other social science fields.

You'll work collaboratively with community educators, teachers, therapists, clinicians, and writers to develop skills in areas  including:

• Social justice education
• Research methodologies
• Curriculum development & teaching strategies
• Clinical research
• Assessment and intervention
• Culturally-appropriate program design

Choose a specialization  that fits your needs and goals and receive hands-on practical experience in either educational or clinical settings. Most of our classes are scheduled on weekends and evenings with working adults in mind, so you'll be able to keep your current job during your studies.

Through a practicum placement and a rigorous, research-oriented education, you'll graduate prepared to meet requirements to become certified by the  American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists  and excel in the field of human sexuality study.

PhD in Human Sexuality Program Options

The PhD in human sexuality places emphasis on research design and methodology and involves completing the MEd in human sexuality studies as part of doctoral curriculum.

After foundational courses in history and ethics, cross-cultural perspectives, relationships across the lifespan, sexuality research methods, and more, you'll be able to explore a specialization as you complete your MEd.

Then, your advisor will help you determine the best practicum placements for your needs, interests, and goals, as you hone towards your dissertation. The scope of the dissertation project must be such that it will contribute to improved practice or theoretical understanding within the field.

View the Loading... for curriculum and coursework requirements for the human sexuality studies PhD degree .

Enhance your knowledge and sex therapy practice or related work (e.g., clinical research, intervention development) in the sex therapy specialization. International consensus is that sex therapy is considered a subdiscipline of other clinical disciplines (e.g., social work, clinical psychology, marriage and family therapy, professional counseling).

Please note: To enroll in the sex therapy track, you must either already hold a licensable mental health degree or must enroll in one of our interdisciplinary programs.  Licensable mental health degrees include: MSW, LMFT, LCSW, LPC, LEP, PPS, MA in Psychology, or an MA in Counseling. Please  contact  us  if you are unsure as to whether or not you are qualified to apply to the sex therapy track.

View the c urriculum & coursework requirements for the sex therapy track .

Explore educational philosophy, teaching methodologies, and practical skills necessary to educate others about human sexuality in communities, schools, or universities. Students choosing this specialization often seek careers as community educators, teachers, educational consultants, curriculum developers, professional writers, or journalists.

The sexuality education curriculum emphasizes developmentally and culturally appropriate design, delivery, and assessment of educational interventions across the broad spectrum of human sexuality.

View the  Curriculum & coursework requirements for the sex education track .

Ready to advance your career at the intersection of policy, advocacy and sexuality? The public policy specialization is for you.

Policies set at the local, state, and federal levels impact the scope of individual rights, as well as access to information and quality services in the fields of sexuality, reproductive rights, and sexual health. In this specialization, you'll gain greater understanding of the dynamic and complex policy sector and build skills to effectively advocate for positive change, concluding with a practicum component where you'll spend a year working in a professional setting that sets you up for success in the field.

Note: While the sexuality-specific courses are taught in a combination of weekend and online courses, the four public administration courses required for this concentration are only offered weekday evenings on Widener’s Chester campus.

Curriculum & coursework requirements for the public policy track

The non-profit management specialization will advance your skills as a leader of non-profit and/or non-governmental organizations that work in the sexuality sector and related areas (i.e. reproductive justice, sexuality education, public education and information, healthcare, etc.).

This track enhances leadership and managerial skills, as well as the advancement and communications knowledge necessary to thrive given the increasing demands and challenges facing the non-profit sector. The program includes a practicum component where you'll spend a year working in a professional setting to get real-world experiences that set you up for success.

View  Curriculum & coursework requirements for the non-profit management track

Take Your Human Sexuality Degree Further

Our curriculum puts you on the right track to meeting the requirements for certification by the American Association and Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).

Widener University is an AASECT-approved continuing education provider for human sexuality studies. Earning certification from AASECT is an essential milestone in your professional journey, validating that you have met rigorous training and experiential requirements. AASECT provides certification for sexuality educators, sexuality counselors, sex therapists, and supervisors. For healthcare and human service professionals, certification is widely recognized as a fundamental prerequisite for practice.

Learn more about earning your AASECT certification.

The Center for Social Work Education and the Center for Human Sexuality Studies offer a joint MSW and PhD in human sexuality. This program prepare professional social workers to teach, consult, conduct research, and give counsel and therapy in a variety of settings on complex issues of human sexuality. Students pursuing the joint degrees take courses in both programs concurrently.

Learn more about the dual degree in social work

Because the PhD Program in Human Sexuality Studies involves completing the MEd as part of doctoral curriculum, you can start in the master's program before fully committing to the PhD.

Explore the human sexuality studies MEd

Career Outlook & Outcomes for Human Sexuality Professionals

Industry growth.

Employment of marriage and family therapists, including sex therapists, is expected to increase by 14% by 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Projections.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Potential Careers

• Clinical sexologist/sex therapist
• Sexualities researchers
• Policy advocate
• Sexual health educator
• Community health organizer
• Sexual wellness non-profit leader

Why Study Human Sexuality at Widener?

Learn Beyond the Classroom

Our education emphasizes practical experience, so you'll complete a practicum requirement that applies your classroom knowledge to real-world clients, students, and organizations. We'll help you find the best placement to fit your career goals and personal needs, and a faculty member will supervise and mentor you throughout your placement.

In addition to your field education, the Center for Human Sexuality Studies operates the  Interdisciplinary Sexuality Research Collaborative (ISRC) , where you can assist in applying research to shape innovation in sexuality education. You'll also find a plethora of research material in the library's  Sexuality Archives  that will aid in independent research projects.

• Explore the ISRC

Connect With Committed & Engaged Faculty

Here, you'll find welcoming faculty mentors committed to  equity, inclusion, diversity , and social justice. Our faculty are highly-skilled practitioners and educators who can be found influencing policy, conducting de-stigmatizing sexuality research, and performing at our latest drag brunch. They're passionate about your personal success and provide mentorship, feedback, and support during your studies and even after graduation.

• Learn about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at Widener

Expand & Strengthen Your Professional Network

In addition to fostering relationships with faculty mentors, you'll build bonds with driven classmates and accomplished alumni by attending events, joining discussions, and participating in various clubs and organizations, including Gamma Eta Rho - A National Honor Society in Human Sexuality, Human Sexuality Education Student Organization, and more.

• View All Health & Human Services Clubs & Organizations

Student Stories

"Widener gave me the skill set and education I needed to become the sex doctor I always dreamt of being. I am excited to see where the program goes, and the many more brilliant people who come from it."

"Widener has transformed my professional expertise through my MEd & PhD in Human Sexuality Studies. I coordinate professional sexuality conferences & commit to educating the next generation of sexuality & health educators, centering diversity and inclusion"

"I knew pretty quickly that I wanted to go to the program at Widener. I’d heard it was a reputable program at an accredited university, and after learning about the backgrounds of the faculty and their research interests, I knew this was the place."

Our Faculty

Recent News

$1.3 Million Grant Awarded to Widener Human Sexuality PhD Student

The Center for Human Sexuality Studies offers the support and flexibility to help students advance in their careers, like Arial Moore who's nonprofit Safe Havynn Education Center received a $1.3 million federal grant to expand teen sexual wellness programming.

University Awarded Nearly $1M to Improve HIV Education for Black Gay Men

Widener's Interdisciplinary Sexuality Research Collaborative receives ViiV Healthcare grant to continue developing sexuality education resources and tools

Admissions & Aid

Our admissions and financial aid teams are here to support you every step of the way. Have a question?  Ask away!

Admissions Information

• GPA of 3.5 or higher in most recent degree program
• Applicants interested in the sex therapy track MUST have a licensable mental health degree
• Complete Widener online application
• $35 application fee
• Professional Goals & Personal Statement s
• Professional Writing Sample
• Three letters of recommendation: two academic and one professional/volunteer
• Official transcripts from all completed undergraduate and graduate programs
• Personal or group interview (scheduled after receipt and review of completed application)

Please apply by January 10 for matriculation in the fall semester.

Widener University serves as a "second home" for students from around the world. We are located just outside of Philadelphia and close to New York City and Washington, D.C.—offering many unique professional and personal opportunities to explore.

Want to know what it's like to be an international student on campus or need assistance navigating English proficiency requirements? We're here to help, and our international admissions director will support you through the application process. This support doesn't end with admissions—our International Student Support team will serve as a valuable resource throughout your Widener journey—meeting Visa/immigration requirements, getting acclimated to campus, and much more.

How to Apply as a Graduate International Student

• Complete your online application
• Submit your official transcripts from all college/university post-secondary institutions. A course-by-course credential evaluation completed by a NACES certified organization will be accepted if the transcript is not in the English language.
• Fulfill the English Proficiency requirements
• If you require an F-1 visa, you must provide written proof you have adequate funding available to meet the expenses incurred while studying in the United States

Learn more about applying as an international student

Financial Aid

Because Widener is a private institution, we're able to offer financial assistance that brings our education within reach for individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford it.

You might be surprised how much we are able to offer.

Getting started is easy. Simply apply to Widener and submit your FAFSA to be automatically considered for scholarships and grants. "FAFSA" stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and helps identify whether you are eligible for aid awarded by Widener, the government, and other sources. Our school code is 003313.

In order to receive a financial aid offer, students must meet certain  eligibility requirements . Here are the general eligibility requirements for most financial aid programs:

• Must demonstrate financial need
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Be enrolled or admitted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program

Learn more about applying for financial aid as a graduate student

Paths to Savings

85% of full-time grad students receive aid.

Simply  apply to Widener  and complete the financial aid process to be automatically considered for scholarships and grants. Because Widener is a private institution, we are able to offer financial assistance that brings our education within reach for individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford it. You might be surprised at how much we are able to offer in assistance.

Applying For Financial Aid as a Graduate Student

In order to receive your part of the financial aid pie, all you have to do is submit your FAFSA. "FAFSA" stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and helps identify whether you are eligible for aid awarded by Widener, the government, and other sources.

COMPLETE YOUR FAFSA 

Graduate Assistantships

Widener offers a limited number of graduate assistantships to enrolled students. GAs receive tuition assistance for their work. Once you're a student, contact your program director for more information.

Widener Scholarships

A limited number of university-based scholarships are made available to enrolled graduate students made possible directly from our academic department or thanks to the generosity of university donors. No extra steps are needed to be taken prior to admission. Once enrolled, contact your program director to learn more.

Employer Discounts & Tuition Reimbursement

Widener University also partners with many local organizations and corporations to offer discounted tuition and other incentives to their employees. Don't see your company on the list? Ask them to become a partner. In addition, employers often offer educational reimbursement benefits. We encourage you to explore these opportunities and will be glad to provide any necessary documentation.

Explore Our Employer Partnerships

20% Discount for Widener Alumni

If you graduated with a degree from Widener, you may qualify for a 20% tuition discount . The first step to see what you qualify for is to submit your application. Widener offers students many paths to savings, and while we don't offer "double discounts", we'll make sure you'll get the biggest financial benefit you're eligible for . Only students who have completed an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree are eligible. Students who have pursued a 4+1, 4+2, or 3+3 pathway, graduate assistantship, Widener-funded scholarship, or other tuition discount may not be eligible if the financial discount granted surpasses 20%.

Learn more about qualifying for an alumni discount

Program Cost

Human sexuality studies phd.

Tuition rates are subject to change. Official costs for your first year will be determined at time of enrollment.

• More About Tuition & Financial Aid

Take the Next Steps

To visit Widener is, often, to fall in love with the place. To fit your timeline and schedule, we offer a variety of ways to get to know us.​

View Admissions Events

We offer a variety of virtual events to get to know Widener and meet with faculty and admissions staff.

Request Information

Have a question about Widener? Drop us a line and an admissions counselor will be in touch. We're always happy to help!​

Visit our online application system to complete your app and share supplemental materials. There is a $35 application fee to apply to Widener.

• Pay Application Fee

Get in Touch

Graduate admissions office.

Hyatt Hall 14th St Chester, PA 19013

• 610-499-4282
• [email protected]
• Graduate & Continuing Studies Facebook
• Graduate & Continuing Studies X
• Graduate & Continuing Studies Instagram

Center for Human Sexuality Studies

501 E 13th Street

• 610-499-1378
• [email protected]
• Center for Human Sexuality Facebook
• Center for Human Sexuality Studies X
• Center for Human Sexuality Studies Instagram

Pamela J. Lannutti

501 E. 13th Street Room 104

• (610) 499-4282
• [email protected]

• Interesting for you
• My settings

Everything you need to know about studying a PhD in Gender & Sexuality Studies

Part of social sciences.

Gender Studies & Sexuality studies are a subdiscipline of Social Sciences, focusing on analysing the impact gender has on our society and human interactions. Gender Studies & Sexuality promotes social, political, and economic equity.

Some of the subfields of Gender Studies & Sexuality are Equality Studies, Social Research, Women's Studies, Men's Studies, LGBTQ Studies, etc.

Courses in Gender Studies & Sexuality have an interdisciplinary approach. They combine principles from fields such as Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Ethnic Studies, and others. You will research and analyse gender identity, and how it is different from sexual identity. There will be a lot of room for debate, so you can formulate and express your own ideas. In order to be a successful professional in Gender Studies & Sexuality, you need to be able to empathise and show understanding and acceptance towards other people and ideas.

Your research work will focus on discovering the impact of gender and sexuality on human society. You’ll have to analyse the connections between gender and sexuality and other aspects, such as race, class, disability, and others. You will approach many subjects, including sexual preference, feminism, women’s rights, fighting prejudice and discrimination, and changing mentalities. These are sensitive topics in today’s world and that’s why you’ll learn how to communicate efficiently and properly support your arguments.

Gender Studies & Sexuality graduates can be expected to find work in various fields, including Teaching, Health and Welfare, Political or Public Policy-Making, Media Writing and Advertising, Management of Private or Public Enterprises, etc.

View all PhDs in Gender & Sexuality Studies . Keep in mind you can also study an online PhDs in Gender & Sexuality Studies .

Interesting programmes for you

Specialisations within the field of social sciences.

• Area & Cultural Studies
• Archaeology
• Communication Studies
• Anthropology
• Ethnic Studies
• Gender & Sexuality Studies
• International Relations
• International Development
• Organisational Behaviour
• Econometrics
• American and Australasian Studies
• Cognitive Science
• Criminology
• European Studies
• Public Policy
• Political Science
• Terrorism & Security
• Counselling Psychology
• Childhood Studies
• Community Development
• Social Policy
• Italian Studies
• Forensic Psychology
• Asian Studies
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Slavic Studies
• Art Therapy
• African Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies
• French Studies
• German and Scandinavian Studies
• Iberian Studies
• British Studies

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