Sex in America is an exhaustive survey of American sex beliefs and practices. Using methodologically sound approaches, the book explains the evolution of sexual beliefs in the United States. In doing so, it highlights the key changes in sexual practices, and identifies the causes and consequences of these changes. Despite this, it is not the only study on sexual practices that reveals the complex social patterns of American sex. Sex in America is a fascinating and valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the complex world of American sex.
The podcast’s eclectic guest list offers a diverse mix of perspectives on the topic. Guests include former Surgeon Generals, sex researchers, and porn clowns. The hosts, Sunny Megatron and Ken Melvoin-Berg, are internationally recognized Sexuality Educators. The two are married and the force behind Showtime’s original series, Sex with Sunny Megatron. The duo has on-air chemistry that enchants listeners.
The study is incredibly detailed, containing 130 pages of data and language that only erudite researchers would find arousing. The results are the most comprehensive national study on the subject in almost two decades and, arguably, since Dr Alfred Kinsey’s two now-famous reports. The authors say that sex in America has become a complex issue for Americans to grapple with. So what is the real state of affairs with sex in the United States?
One of the reasons why sex is declining in the United States is that the number of people in the 20s and 30s marry later. People in their 30s and 40s are more likely to marry than those in their 20s. Similarly, older Americans are more likely to have sex than their younger counterparts. Moreover, it is not uncommon for young people to experience sex but still feel a lack of sexual intimacy.
It’s not uncommon for Americans to have sex with strangers. In fact, 42 percent of adult Americans call themselves sexually adventurous, and 29 percent say they’ve had sex on a first date or with someone new. Similarly, 15 percent of men and three percent of women have engaged in paid sex. And one-third of women report having sex with their partners. It is not uncommon for people to fake an orgasm or pretend to be an orgasm.
Most adult Americans report having sex once a week or more. The majority of heterosexuals have sex once or twice a month. Only a quarter report having sex just once or twice a year. The last time they had sex, 98 percent reported vaginal intercourse. About 20 percent of men and seven percent of women reported oral sex. Less than three percent of heterosexuals reported anal sex. Men overestimate the frequency of orgasms in women, with 44 percent reporting that their partner always orgasms. Single adults, meanwhile, report having sex just twice per month.
In addition to the rise of the prostitution industry, many immigrants brought with them a host of sexual practices. During the Civil War, nearly 24 million immigrants arrived in the United States. Unease about the culture of immigrants often led them to portray them as promiscuous and sexually immoral. Some immigrant girls even engaged in sexual activities that were considered impure by native-born whites. It’s unclear why, but the consequences of this discrimination were immense for the lives of young immigrants.
Although teen sex was rarely discussed during the 19th century, it became more common in the early twentieth century. The popularity of public high schools led to a higher level of intimacy between boys and girls. In 1900, less than ten percent of American youth aged fifteen to eighteen attended a public high school. By the 1940s, two-thirds attended public high schools. In this setting, the stigma of teen sex had become a common practice.
The transformation of American sex education is part history and biography and puts a prominent woman in the center of the controversy. It’s a timely read that contributes to the history of the culture wars. More’s research is also noteworthy and provides a glimpse into the lives of women in the medical profession. She’s the author of Restoring the Balance: Women Physicians in the United States, 1850-1995, and co-editor of Women Physicians and the Cultures of Medicine.
The Great American Sex Drought is also affecting young people. The number of adults aged 60 and older has grown significantly from 18 percent in 1996 to 26 percent in 2018, while the percentage reporting no sex has been consistently hovering around fifty percent. This trend reflects a general decline in sex, but may be due to more significant changes in the opposite age groups. Between 2008 and 2018, the portion of Americans aged eighteen to 29 who reported no sex in the past year doubled. And the trend may be particularly harmful for young men.
