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Dr. Clark shares the age at which young women should be encouraged to learn about their sexuality.
Dr. Clark:
Well children are, we are sexual from birth. We have a body so therefore we are sexual. We are very curious about sexuality and we are naturally curious up until we have puberty and women, females have puberty usually a few years earlier than males and so, it’s part of an acceptance of that curiosity, of all of us accepting our sexuality as it not being evil or bad or a sin or a problem.
And so there would be that acceptance instead of a sometimes, double standard, that it’s okay for a male to be curious. Even in our latency, which is about seven to puberty, we are still curious about our sexuality. We may not express it. You know, usually there’s even a modesty that comes with that, that we want everybody out of the bathroom, you know, “I need some privacy,” and that’s perfectly natural to have that.
But, you know, there’s always a curiosity about bodies and what people look like and all that and of course, but the sex drive doesn’t come in until puberty. Then the acceptance of that and even now-a-days many families don’t teach or so tongue-tied about teaching or looking at sexuality and with menses and the beginning of that.
About Dr. Mary M. Clark, Ph.D.:
Mary McGinn Clark, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist (PSY17897), Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC17748) and an AASECT Certified Diplomate in Sex Therapy with over 25 years of experience working with people. She addresses sexuality, relationship and intimacy concerns for individuals and couples. She has taught at the University of San Diego, SDSU, MiraCosta and Grossmont Community Colleges and presented material at UCSD and at professional conventions.
Visit Dr. Clark at San Diego Sexual Medicine at Alvarado Hospital