UNPACKING

THE SELF:
THE SEXUAL SELF
 Development of Secondary Sex
Characteristics and the Human Reproductive
System

The development of the reproductive system

starts immediately after the fertilization of an egg.
Fast reproductive development occurs inside the
mother’s womb.
Development of Sexual Organs
in the Embryo and Fetus
● The female sex is considered the
“fundamental” sex.
● For a fertilized egg to become male, an
avalanche of chemical reactions must be
present.
● Both male and female embryos have the same
group of cells that will potentially develop into
sex glands.
(Lumen Learning, WEB)
 Further Sexual Development
Occurs at Puberty

Puberty is the stage in

life when an individual
becomes sexually mature.
It is a process that usually
occurs between ages 10
and 14 for girls, and ages
12 and 16 for boys. (NIH: National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development, 2016)
Puberty can be divided into the
following five stages:
FIRST STAGE
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Female Approximately The ovaries enlarge
between 8 and 11 and hormone
years old production starts.
Male Approximately Male hormones
between 9 and 12 become a lot more
years(http://www.healthofchildren.com/P/Puberty.html
old active.
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/stages-of-
puberty#tanner-stages)
Puberty can be divided into the
following five stages:
SECOND STAGE
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Female Approximately between ●First sign is breast
8 and 14 years old development, also often
called “buds”.
●The area around the
nipple, called areola,
will increase in size.
●First stage of pubic
hair may be present.
●Height and weight
increase.
Male Approximately ●Height increases.
between 9 and 15 Body shape
years old changes.
●Muscle tissue and
fat develop.
●The areola
darkens and
increases in size.
●Testicles and
scrotum grow.
●Pubic hair starts
to grow.
(http://www.healthofchildren.com/P/Puberty.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/stages-of-
puberty#tanner-stages)
 Puberty can be divided into the
following five stages:
THIRD STAGE
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Female Approximately between ●Breasts continue to grow.
9 and 15 years old ●Pubic hair becomes coarser and
thicker.
●Vaginal discharge may be
present.
●For some, the first menstrual
period or menarche happens.
Male Approximately between ●Penis begins to grow in
11 and 16 years old length.
●Pubic hair becomes
coarser and thicker.
●Height continues to
increase.
●Face starts to look more
mature and facial hair
begins to develop above
the upper lip.
●Shoulder broadens.
●Voice starts to deepen

(http://www.healthofchildren.com/P/Puberty.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/stages-of-
puberty#tanner-stages)
Puberty can be divided into the
following five stages:
FOURTH STAGE
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Female Approximately ●Areola becomes darker. Breasts
from 10 to 16 take on a fuller shape.
years old ●Pubic hair may start to have a more
adult triangular pattern of growth.
●Menarche should start at this stage
if not in Stage 3.
●Ovulation may start.
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Male Approximatel ●Penis begins to grow in width.
y from 10 to ●Testicles and scrotum continue to grow.
17 years old ●Underarm and facial hair growth
increases.
●Hair in the anus may start to grow.
●Deeper voice becomes permanent.
●Acne may start to appear.

(http://www.healthofchildren.com/P/Puberty.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/stages-
of-puberty#tanner-stages)
Puberty can be divided into the
following five stages:
FIFTH STAGE
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Female Approximately from 10 ●Full height is reached.
to 16 years old ●Reproductive organs and
genitals are full developed.
●Regular ovulation
happens.
●Hips, thighs, and buttocks
fill in shape.
SEX AGE CHARACTERISTICS
Male Approximately 11 ●Height growth will
to 17 years old slow down.
●Penis, testicles, and
scrotum will have
reached adult size.
●Some will need to
begin to shave facial
hair.

(http://www.healthofchildren.com/P/Puberty.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/stages-of-
puberty#tanner-stages)
 What are the Erogenous Zones
of the Body?
Erogenous zones refer to the parts
of the body that are said to be
pleasurable to touch. These are highly
sensitive and often linked to sexual
excitement.
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
THE SKIN
A. Nonspecific Type
In this type, the skin is the same as any other part of
the common haired skin. The sensation that is felt in
this area can be described as an excessive kind of tickle.
Example:
● sides and back of the neck
● axilla, also called the armpit
● sides of the thorax, also called the chest
(Winkelmann, 2004)
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
B. Specific Type
This type is found in the mucocutaneous parts of our
body. Acute sensation is felt in these areas.
Example:
● prepuce
● penis
● female external genitalia, also called vulva
● perianal skin
● lips
● nipples
(Winkelmann, 2004)
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
The Skin Type: Specific Type
PREPUCE
➢ also called the foreskin, is a fold of skin
that covers the glans or the head of the
penis
➢ or the skin that protects the head of the
clitoris
(https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/prepuce)
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
The Skin Type: Specific Type
PENIS
➢ the sex organ of males
➢ composed of several parts:
glans, corpus cavernosum, and
corpus spongiosum

(https://www.webmd.com/men/picture-of-the-penis)
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
The Skin Type: Specific Type

VULVA
➢ the external female genitalia
➢ it includes mons pubis, birth canal, vagina,
labia majora and labia minora, clitoris, and hymen

(Human Reproductive Biology, 2012)

What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
The Skin Type: Specific Type
PERIANAL SKIN
⮚ refers to the hair-bearing skin
that lies within a 5-cm radius
of the anal verge
(Abbass MA, Valente MA. Premalignant and Malignant Perianal Lesions. Clin
Colon Rectal Surg. 2019 Sep;32(5):386-393. doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1687835.
Epub 2019 Aug 22. PMID: 31507349; PMCID: PMC6731115.)
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
The Skin Type: Specific Type

LIPS
“Unlike in other animals, human lips are uniquely
everted, meaning they purse outwardly. They are
packed with sensitive nerve endings so even the
slightest brush sends a cascade of information to
our brains, which can feel very good.”
(Kirshenbaum, 2017)
What are the Erogenous Zones of
the Body?
The Skin Type: Specific Type

NIPPLES
➢ the small raised tissue at the
center of the areola
➢where the breast milk flows
and comes out during lactation
(https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionarie
s/cancer-terms/def/nipple)
Remember that individuals
differ in sensitivity. Also,
how our brain interprets
messages varies from
person to person.
 Sexual Response Cycle

It refers to the series of physical and

emotional development that happens to a
person when sexually aroused or
engaging in sexual activities, such as
intercourse and masturbation.
(https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sexual-health-your-guide-to-sexual-response
cycle#:~:text=The%20sexual%20response%20cycle%20has,orgasm%20at%20the%20same%20ti
me.)
 There are four (4)
phases of sexual response
cycle: excitement, plateau,
orgasm, and resolution.
Males and females
experience these phases.
However, they vary on the
timing.
(https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sexual-health-your-
guide-to-sexual-response-
cycle#:~:text=The%20sexual%20response%20cycle%20has,orgasm%20
at%20the%20same%20time.)
✓American gynecologist William
Masters and American sexologist
Virginia Johnson initiated the
research on the nature of human
sexual response, and the diagnosis
and treatment of sexual
dysfunction and disorders.
FOUR PHASES OF THE HUMAN
SEXUAL RESPONSE
PHASE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
1. Excitement ●Muscle tension increases.
●Heart rate quickens and breathing is accelerated.
●Skin may become flushed (blotches of redness appear on the
chest and back).
●Nipples become hardened or erect.
●Blood flow to the genitals increases, resulting in swelling of the
woman's clitoris and labia minora, and erection of the man's
penis.
●Vaginal lubrication begins.
●The woman's breasts become fuller and the vaginal walls begin
to swell.
●The man's testicles swell, their scrotum tightens and begin
secreting a lubricating liquid.

(https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sexual-health-your-guide-to-sexual-response-
cycle#:~:text=The%20sexual%20response%20cycle%20has,orgasm%20at%20the%20same%20time.)
FOUR PHASES OF THE HUMAN
SEXUAL RESPONSE
PHASE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

2. Plateau ●The changes begun in phase 1 are intensified.

●The vagina continues to swell from increased blood flow,
and the vaginal walls turn a dark purple.
●The woman's clitoris becomes highly sensitive (may even
be painful to touch) and retracts under the clitoral hood to
avoid direct stimulation from the penis.
●The man's testicles tighten.
●Breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure continue to
increase.
●Muscle spasms may begin in the feet, face, and hands.
●Muscle tension increases.

(https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sexual-health-your-guide-to-sexual-response-
cycle#:~:text=The%20sexual%20response%20cycle%20has,orgasm%20at%20the%20same%
20time.)
FOUR PHASES OF THE HUMAN
SEXUAL RESPONSE
PHASE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
3. Orgasm ●Involuntary muscle contractions begin.
●Blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing are at their
highest rates, with a rapid intake of oxygen.
●Muscles in the feet spasm.
●There is a sudden, forceful release of sexual tension.
●In women, the muscles of the vagina contract. The
uterus also undergoes rhythmic contractions.
●In men, rhythmic contractions of the muscles at the
base of the penis result in the ejaculation of semen.
●A rash, or "sex flush" may appear over the entire body.

\(https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sexual-health-your-guide-to-sexual-response-
cycle#:~:text=The%20sexual%20response%20cycle%20has,orgasm%20at%20the%20same%20time.)
FOUR PHASES OF THE HUMAN
SEXUAL RESPONSE
PHASE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
4. Resolution ●the body slowly returns to its normal level of functioning
●swelled and erect body parts return to their previous
size and color
●fatigue.
●some women are capable of a rapid return to the
orgasm phase with further sexual stimulation and may
experience multiple orgasms
●men need recovery time after orgasm, called a
refractory period, during which they cannot reach orgasm
again

(https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sexual-health-your-guide-to-sexual-response-
cycle#:~:text=The%20sexual%20response%20cycle%20has,orgasm%20at%20the%20same%20tim
SEX AND THE BRAIN:
WHAT ARE THE PARTS
INVOLVED?
DEFINITION
Sex, according to Merriam-Webster
dictionary, is heterosexual intercourse
involving penetration of the vagina by the
penis.

Brain is the largest sex organ that regulates

our emotional and physical responses to
sex.
 Roles of the Brain in Sexual
Activity
1. The nerve impulses sensed by the skin
are translated by the brain into
pleasurable sensations.

2. The brain controls the nerves and

muscles utilized in sexual activities.
Roles of the Brain in Sexual Activity
3. In theory, sexual
thoughts and fantasies are
said to be located in the
cerebral cortex, the part
of the brain that is
responsible for thinking
and reasoning.
Roles of Hormones in Sexual Activity
The most important part
of the brain for sexual function
is the hypothalamus. The
relationship of the
hypothalamus and the
pituitary gland is important in
human sexual activity.
 “THREE
WORDS ICE
BREAKER”
Roles of Hormones in Sexual Activity

OXYTOCIN
➢also called the ‘love hormone’
➢known to be involved in our desire
to maintain close relationships
➢released during sexual intercourse
when orgasm is achieved

(lumenlearning.com)
Roles of Hormones in Sexual Activity

FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE
(FSH)
➢responsible for ovulation in females

LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH)

➢stimulates the testes to produce
testosterone

(lumenlearning.com)
Roles of Hormones in Sexual
Activity
VASOPRESSIN
➢involved in the male arousal
phase

ESTROGEN and PROGESTERONE

➢regulate motivation of females to
engage in sexual activity
(lumenlearning.com)
 UNDERSTANDING THE
CHEMISTRY OF LOVE, LUST,
& ATTACHMENT
✓ American anthropologist Helen Fisher
suggested that there are three (3)
categories of romantic love: lust,
attraction, and attachment. Each
category has its own set of hormones
that originate from the brain.

https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-attraction-
companionship/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20team%20of,the%20brain%20(Table%201)
THREE CATEGORIES OF ROMANTIC LOVE

LUST
➢ driven by the desire for sexual
satisfaction
➢ testosterone increases libido
➢ estrogen is linked to sexual
motivation
(https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-
attraction-
THREE CATEGORIES OF ROMANTIC LOVE

ATTRACTION
➢ involves the brain pathways that
control “reward” behavior
➢ sort of explains the honeymoon
stage of a relationship
(https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-
science-behind-lust-attraction-
THREE CATEGORIES OF ROMANTIC
LOVE:
ATTRACTION
1. DOPAMINE
➢ produced by the hypothalamus
➢ released when we do things that feel
good, such as spending time with
someone and having sex
(https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-
THREE CATEGORIES OF ROMANTIC LOVE:
ATTRACTION
2. NOREPINEPHRINE
➢ make us giddy, energetic, and euphoric
➢ keep us alert
➢ implies the phenomenon that you can be so
‘in love’ that you cannot eat or sleep
(Love, Actually: The science behind lust, attraction, and
companionship.)
THREE CATEGORIES OF ROMANTIC LOVE:
ATTRACTION

3. SEROTONIN
➢ it is believed that people who are in love and people
with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have low
levels of these chemicals
➢ this caused to speculate that this is the reason for
the overpowering infatuation during the beginning
stage of a relationship
(https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-
attraction-
companionship/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20team%20of,the%20brain%
THREE CATEGORIES OF ROMANTIC LOVE

ATTACHMENT
➢ primary factor in long-term relationships
➢ two primary hormones involved are
oxytocin and vasopressin
➢ Oxytocin is often called ‘cuddle hormone’

(https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-
attraction-
companionship/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20team%20of,the%20brain%20
 PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASPECT OF SEXUAL
DESIRE
➔Sexual desire is the subjective
feeling of craving to have
sexual intercourse. It can be
triggered by a wide variety of
cues and situations.
➔ Sexual desire is often confused
with sex drive, but they are two
different constructs. Sex drive or
libido is the biological need to
engage in sexual activity.
(https://leighnoren.com/human-sexuality-blog/sexual-
desire-vs-sexual-arousal-whats-the-difference/)
GENDER DIFFERENCES ON SEXUAL
DESIRE
Factors that influence gender difference
on sexual desire:
● culture;
● social environment; and
● political situations.
GENDER DIFFERENCES ON SEXUAL
DESIRE

Women give much importance on

interpersonal relationships as part of
the experience. On the other hand,
men consider sex as merely a casual
interaction.
Physiological mechanism
of sexual behavior
motivation
✓ The Hypothalamus plays an
important role in motivated
behaviors, and sex is no
exception.

✓ Research suggest that limbic

system structures, such as
Amygdala and nucleus
accumbens are especially
important for sexual
motivation.
AMYGDALA – is the
integrative center for
emotions, emotional
behavior, and motivation.

NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS –
plays a role in motivation
and cognitive processing
of aversion.
 THE DIVERSITY OF SEXUAL
BEHAVIOR
SEXUAL ORIENTATION is defined as an individual’s general
sexual disposition toward partners of the same sex, the
opposite sex, or both sexes.

- Is a person’s emotional and erotic attraction toward another

individual.

GENDER IDENTITY – refers to one’s sense of being male or

female.
TRANSWOMAN: From Male to Female
BB GANDANGHARI NICOLE GUEVARRA
TRANSMAN: From Female to Male
AIZA SEGUERRA JAKE ZYRUS
WHAT IS
LGBTQ+ ?
 LGBTQ+
Is an umbrella term for a wide spectrum of gender identities,
sexual orientations, and romantic orientations.

L – stands for LESBIAN

G –stands for GAY
B- stands for BISEXUAL
T- stands for TRANSGENDER
Q – stands for QUEER
+ - is there to signify that many identities are not explicitly
represented by the letters. This includes INTERSEX and
ASEXUAL.
 WHAT IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
SEX AND GENDER?
SEX – is a label either MALE or FEMALE.
GENDER – the relations between men
and women.
SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS
Socio-cultural factors influence the
various issues related to sexual
orientation and gender identity
 FAMILY INFLUENCES
Children’s interests, preferences,
behaviors, and overall self-
concept are strongly influenced
by parental and authority figure
teachings regarding sexual
stereotypes.
 URBAN SETTING
Research discovered that
homosexuality positively
correlated with urbanization
 History of Sexual Abuse
Previous published studies claimed
that abused adolescents,
particularly those victimized by
males, are more likely to become
homosexual or bisexual in
adulthood.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
DISEASE (STD)
A disease or infection acquired
through sexual contact where the
organisms that cause STD are
passed on from person to person
in blood, semen, and vaginal or
any other bodily fluids.
STD can also be transmitted non-
sexually such as:
● Mother to infant during pregnancy

● Blood transfusion

● People sharing needles for injection

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive
Health Act of 2012 (R.A. 10354)

Informally known as the Reproductive

Health Law or RH Law, is a law in the
Philippines that guarantees access to
contraceptive methods, such as
fertility control, sexual education and
maternal care.
 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES
OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
● Reduced the maternal mortality ratio

● Reduced the under-five mortality rate

● To have halted the spread of HIV/AIDS

REGIONAL OBJECTIVES:
● Improve access to the full range of affordable, equitable
and high-quality family-planning and reproductive health
services to increase contraceptive use rate and reduce
unwanted pregnancies and abortions.
● Making pregnancy safer.
● Support countries and areas in developing evidence-
based policies ad strategies for the reduction of maternal
and newborn mortality.
● Improve the health and nutrition status of women of all
ages, especially pregnant and nursing women.
● Gender, women and health
● Integrate gender and rights considerations into
health policy and programs especially into
reproductive health and maternal health care.
● Improve the health nutrition status of women of
all ages.
Do you have any
questions?
 Thanks!
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