https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/femaleorgasms

I'm testing an obscure but potentially important premise.

Please take this quick survey (17 questions) and tell

your friends. Survey is running through Feb. 14, 2011.

Thank you!

Ever wonder why fig leaves are attached to the genitals of statues? And why the Catholic Church once issued a papal bull to mandate fig leaves on works of art? It's not just for modesty. It's quite possible the fig leaf carries a symbolic message of harsh punishment for sexual activity and nudity, because real fig leaves and branches are extremely irritating to skin. Imagine the blisters that would result from the "fig leaf apron" worn by Adam and Eve in Genesis. You can read more about this novel theory at 

http://carnalnation.com/content/58665/999/fig-leaf

The CARAS conference on Alternative Sexualities, which took place in San Francisco last Thursday was a rich experience for helping professionals and community members alike. 

Prior to attending the conference, and in the spirit of inquiry, I took on three difficult topics and related them to BDSM. The following topics are links to these columns. 

What can be done about domestic violence disguised as BDSM?http://carnalnation.com/content/58584/999/domestic-ultra-violence

What happens when kinky elders are confronted with a social worker's claim that they are being abused? http://carnalnation.com/content/58627/999/kink-old-folks-home

It's one of the last frontiers of parenting: what to do if your child is kinky?http://carnalnation.com/content/58543/999/parents-kink

The following columns address a variety of sexual issues in the context of traditional Hawaiian culture and the political occupation of a once sovereign kingdom. This is a unique group of columns. Anyone interested in Pacific Island cultures will find thoughtful treatment of these themes. I wrote these columns from the perspective of a sexologist and tantra practitioner as well as a student of Hawaiian culture and as an activist for Hawaiian independence. 

The personal IS political. Would welcome dialogue from readers. Thank you!

http://carnalnation.com/content/58105/999/genital-chants-hawaii

http://carnalnation.com/content/58264/999/hawaiian-sacred-sex-part-i

http://carnalnation.com/content/58334/999/hawaiian-sacred-sex-part-2

http://carnalnation.com/content/45571/999/sky-dancers-lizard-women-mo-o-dakini

http://carnalnation.com/content/46046/999/hawai-i-yellow-page-blues

http://carnalnation.com/content/44973/999/lealea

This article, Love Among the Objectum Sexuals, discusses the results of a survey of 21 English-speaking members of OS-Internationale, an internet group formed by people who identify as Objectum Sexuals. The article contains numerous quotes from people in the OS community, giving an unprecedented, intimate look at the lives and loves of this rare sexual minority.

http://www.ejhs.org/volume13/ObjSexuals.htm

In Part II of my upcoming column on Carnal Nation (Feb. 3), I'll be revisiting my Semen Taste survey and describing the results for a special group of respondents - those who work as professionals in the realm of human sexual behavior. How do they differ from the general population in terms of using protection during fellatio?

In addition, learn about the availability of recipies that incorporate semen, including a cookbook called Natural Harvest, published by a San Francisco nurse. Is this a safe practice? What do you think? This column is an eye opener, in more ways than one.

What happens when a sexologist mom (me) finds XXX-rated graffiti in a middle school textbook? The following Carnal Nation column answers this question. Sexology is indeed where you find it, and for me, reading the things kids had written in this book was a valuable learning experience. 

http://sf.carnalnation.com/content/40335/999/middle-school-confidential

My column also references the late child development sexologist, Dr. Loretta Haroian. Her monograph on Child Sexual Development can be read here, in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality.

http://www.ejhs.org/volume3/Haroian/body.htm

The internet shows a huge preoccupation with the issue of semen taste -

even though condom use is recommended during fellatio.

There is also a great deal of "folk wisdom" about why semen tastes bad and

how to make it better.

This quickie survey gets at some of the basics: who is worried and why, 

how big a "deal breaker" is "bad tasting" semen, what do people believe will

improve or worsen the situation and where do they get their information.

Feel free to take this survey and add your comments.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=vr74WBIwTLCog12sXJ0v_2bw_3d_3d

I'm the mother of a trans kid, and trans issues and gender expression issues are hot topics of conversation in my house. Even though I am a sexologist by trade, training (and inclination), I can scarcely keep up. I keep learning more from my son and I look forward to this constant learning process. 

Even so, I was moved to write this column on Carnal Nation, to pay tribute to some people I knew personally, and others I gaze at from a distance.

I think it's a good read, and if you have comments, please let me know!

http://sf.carnalnation.com/content/39286/999/reflections-gender-mandala

The women who are notorious for being "in love with the Eiffel Tower" and "married to the Berlin Wall" - activists representing a small group known as Objectum Sexuals and Objektophiles - have become easy targets for ridicule thanks to the internet, right wing bloggers, and YouTube videos. These women have been interviewed in print media and have appeared on numerous television shows such as the British "Strangelove" series, Good Morning America, The Tyra Show and others. 

However, there is very little understanding of Objectum Sexuality, as most sexuality and psychology professionals have quickly tossed this rare orientation into the catch-all category of fetishes and paraphilias and thus are inquiring no further. 

This is a pity for those folks, and yet it's been great for me, as I've been able to venture into very fresh, uncharted terrain. 

I was lucky enough to be the first person to conduct any type of research in this community, and my simple survey of 21 English speaking members of OS-Internationale revealed some very interesting features.

I've written a three-part series, "People Who Love Objects," as part of my Love's Outer Limits column on www.carnalnation.com. This series offers personal perspective and insights from the survey, as well as the intriguing theory that OS may be linked to Object Personification Synesthesia. This is interesting given the predominance of...