Sexuality
Sexuality has three stages: Desire is an interest in being sexual. Excitement is the state of arousal that sexual stimulation causes. And orgasm is sexual pleasure's peaking. A sexual disorder occurs when there's a problem in at least one of these stages.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
Understanding sexual orientation and gender identity
- Answers to Your Questions About Transgender Individuals and Gender Identity
Transgender is an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity (sense of themselves as male or female) or gender expression differs from that usually associated with their birth sex.
- Answers to Your Questions For a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality
This pamphlet is designed to provide accurate information for those who want to better understand sexual orientation and the impact of prejudice and discrimination on those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
- Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
This task force conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed research on sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) and concluded that efforts to change sexual orientation are unlikely to be successful and involve some risk of harm.
Getting help
News
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Doctors decry media's portrayal of sex
August 31, 2010, U.S. News & World Report
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Medical treatment carries possible side effect of limiting homosexuality
August 16, 2010, Los Angeles Times
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American Psychological Association reiterates support for same-sex marriage
August 11, 2010
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Prop. 8 trial frames debate on marital rights
August 8, 2010, San Francisco Chronicle
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'Late-life lesbians' reveal fluidity of sexuality
August 7, 2010, NPR
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APA praises Prop 8 decision as victory for science, human dignity
August 4, 2010
Monitor on Psychology Articles
- Complex sex
April 2010
- Insufficient evidence to support sexual orientation change efforts
October 2009
- Wanted: Better research on today's gay and lesbian teens
October 2009
- The debate over low libidos
April 2009
Books
- Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children
September 2009
- Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships
August 2005
- Sexual Orientation and Mental Health
August 2005
- Sex and Babies: First Facts
October 2002
APA Offices and Programs
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns
The mission of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Office (LGBTCO) is to advance psychology as a means of improving the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, as a means of increasing understanding of gender identity and sexual orientation as aspects of human diversity, and as a means of reducing stigma, prejudice, discrimination, and violence toward LGBT people.
- Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
This task force conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed research on sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) and concluded that efforts to change sexual orientation are unlikely to be successful and involve some risk of harm.
- Sexualization of girls
This task force found that the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls' self-image and healthy development.