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June 21, 2007

Sexuality and spirituality

Filed under: Sexology — admin @ 8:18 am

Sexual energy is instrumental to the Ageless Body. It is by virtue of the hormones and their master glands connected to sexual function that the body stays in a perpetual state of “juicy” youth. While the physical body has its primordial agenda, ever nudging us towards procreation, we may have our own response to the magnificent currents with which it titillates and entices us. That same orgasmic rush that flushes precious energy from the body can be orchestrated and turned upward to vitalize our entire being. It can also be transformed into creative feats and great powers of knowing or healing.
Through conscious application, the body’s life-enhancing secretions and substances can serve our needs in many ways. The sexual-physical body can be transformed into a higher octave energy body that nourishes the entire multidimensional Being. The sexual energy can be awakened from its base in the genitals, fed by the endocrine glands and released throughout the entire body to create an infinite helix of ageless energy.
Since sexual energy is a “raw” energy, it can be focused on almost any level. For example, if a person suffers from fatigue, mental confusion or even chronic sore throats, the sexual energy is powerful enough to strengthen every aspect of the being. It is really the handmaiden of the divine soul because it is the vehicle that transports soul into body.
Sexual energy is directly linked to the force of creativity, though it often plays the adversary and tries to restrict the creative surge by entrapping it in the lower octaves. Because it is coupled with biological sensations, it will tend to focus its force within the body without extending to more subtle forms of expression.
I remember very clearly how I suffered from the connection between the two. Especially as a teenager, whenever I would get a strong creative impulse, whether it was to make something or even to write, my sexual currents would immediately become activated as well. Often I simply could not withstand the intensity and would dissipate the energy by dancing or running or doing anything I could to free myself of its electrifying charge. It took me years to learn to contain the frequencies and push the sexual urge through the channels of creative expression. I am sure this is the reason young people so often start and abandon their creative projects; great beginnings are left half finished because the young person cannot hold the high energy voltage.
This aspect of sexual energy that wants to be released is the cause of much sexual dissatisfaction and misunderstanding between women and men, who both make love, all too often, for the release of tension, rather than to heighten communion. It is the most commonly expressed disappointment by women, who then say that the best part of sex for them is the closeness they seek after the act. They seem to feel that the act itself is mostly focused on the needs of the man. On the other hand, men feel judged and truly uncertain of how to make love to women outside of their own rushing pulse. Men often come to closure of sexual energy when women are just beginning to move towards it. The yang rhythm is basically a linear crescendo, while the yin tends towards a rolling, rising and falling pulse. A lot of this out-of-sync rhythm can be dissolved if the man will focus on foreplay that allows the woman to have some of her experiences first; then the couple can join each other at a closer pitch.
A very rewarding interplay is the conscious bringing together of the energies that can be accomplished by tantric and other techniques. By sending and receiving breath between the partners, a powerful charge of energy is built up that dissolves the blocks to profound union and heightens the body’s sensual experience of touch. As this happens, a much more profound awareness of energy exchange on subtle levels occurs, and one would never return to the old ways of intercourse.

Climax is the closure of the sexual act in terms of the rush of energy which exits the body; however, it also opens the space for the next wave which is a more subtle, but equally powerful, energy. After climax the body must rebalance itself from the exertion and loss. Here is a point where both partners can draw the energy from the genital area back up through the endocrine system. This revitalizes the gonads and feeds the body’s meridians and chakras, which have been opened emotionally as well as energetically from the exchange of energy passing through the joined auric fields. If you do this together while still in the embrace of love, the effect is a beautiful affirmation of your respect and caring for your own bodies.
Because the result of a strong gonadal system is vibrant health for the whole body, you must preserve its vitality even if it will not be involved in procreative functions. It is important to teach the body to transcend its purely reproductive functioning and apply the energy that may originate in the lower chakras to recharge the rest of the body.
If you seek an Ageless Body, you must become aware of your energy stores and be able to notice when these vital energies have drained from you. You can learn to draw the fluidic spark back up into you during and after making love so that your whole being can ride these most powerful currents of life.
Many spiritual groups who understand the ancient knowledge of the body do not recommend that one waste precious life force in sexual activity, because without the disciplined and enlightened (tantric) practice of energy flow, the body will indeed lose its power. In fact, the value or detriment of sexual expression in relation to spiritual laws have been hotly debated throughout the centuries.

Sexual energy is truly a sacred energy. It brought you into life through your soul connection to your parents who gifted you a physical vehicle with which to absorb and transcend your soul lessons. Through sexual energy you can move in exquisite concert with another being and together create new life! This mysterious feat has become devalued in an overpopulated world, but with the scourge of Aids, it will be seen differently by future generations who will view new life as a sacred and conscious act.
The enactment of sexual surging opens the auric field to allow you to embrace the nuances of another’s thoughts, feelings and bodily states. If you become aware of this intertwining you can caress and comfort on levels that have never been reached in human relationships. All healing is spiritual at its core and to give in these ways will always be part of the purpose of embodiment. If you tap your divine sexual energy at the higher frequencies, your whole life begins to transcend. Relationships will necessarily go through change as your deepened sexual experience carries you to a new depth of human fusion. From there the communication and sharing become transformed so that the “soul touching” echoes out into all other aspects of your life.
As your conception brought you into body, the threshold back across the veil becomes available to you when the same current courses upward again in search of its origin. Just as the sexual-physical body hungers to recreate itself by moving one step on to the next generation of itself, the sexual-spiritual body enacts the fusion of life through its marriage in the sea of the cosmos.
Do not be afraid to open your heart to the force of your spiritual nature as it awakens a new kind of sexual pulse. Human sexuality is ripe for a dramatic leap of expression. Each being can make love with a deep hope of touching something so profound that the ego is relinquished and the Higher Self encompasses the whole of conscious experience. Ultimately, to “have sex” using only the genitals is an empty, flat and one-dimensional exercise of isolation. It will not continue as a part of human expression because there is something stirring that is seeking an alignment of heart and soul. If you will join your sexual energy to your heart you will begin to feel the giggle of your ageless body.

Written by: Chris Griscom

June 18, 2007

Blondes of MC Nudes

Filed under: Erotic Art — admin @ 10:49 am

Adela

Valerie

Maria N.

Alexa

Today’s post is dedicated to blondes of MC Nudes and variety of those … just take a look at these 4 galleries added here. From big tit Adela posing on a couch, over two gorgeous curvy girls Valerie and Maria to slim Alexa! Exciting pictures of flawles beauty girls.

Erotic Art

Filed under: Daily Sex,Erotic Art — admin @ 10:45 am

We’ve had this part of our site before and we’re gonna add it agin but this time probably with little more content thanks to two sites MC Nudes and Met Art. Please bare in mind that we our intention is not to show these as a pornography places but as pure art, a erotic photography examples of flawless beauty. Enjoy!

June 5, 2007

NEW SEX ABOUT.NET

Filed under: Daily Sex — admin @ 8:23 am

As You may have noticed after 6 years being on-line SexAbout.net has a new look. For quite some time we’ve being trying to figure out how to improve this place and make it even more educational yet entertaining at the same time and to have a satisfying form witch will be easy to navigate and (we admit it) easy to manage but eye catching as well. With progress of BLOG scripts we realized that this is the web-site form we’ve being looking for and witch will be an upgrade of our previous version. Obvious choice is Word Press blog script.
We won’t be talking here about pros/cons for changes instead well give You just one obvious change toward You – the surfer: easy access to valuable sex educational information’s! Keeping that in mind let me inform You that we’ve moved almost all educational texts from last version, categories are the same as before and we’re plan on updating SexAbout.net more frequently than before.
We’re gonna give You educational, scientific and commercial links in order to keep update with current trends not only in sex education and sex theories but sex products and even on-line porn phenomena. We hope You’ll find us good enough to come back occasionally for new info.
Thank You for You’re continuous support in past 6 years,
SexAbout.net admin aka Jason!

Erotic Sex Game for the ‘bored’ partner ;-)

Filed under: Games — admin @ 7:59 am

For the ‘bored’ partner . . . ask your partner to let you plan an evening of entertainment. Arrive home from work early that day (before your partner gets home) and prepare a sexual meal. This may consist of linguine with clams, grapes, wine and cheese… (it all depends on your food tastes… and don’t forget, if you can’t cook, you can always order food and have it delivered). When your partner gets home, you will answer the door in a butler or maid’s outfit. The maid should be wearing just an apron, and the butler should be wearing just a tie. The only lights in the house should be some dimly lit candles. The table should be set with the fancy tablecloth, fine china and a bottle of champagne. You may want to have some snacks prepared in case your partner is hungry when she/he gets home. Upon your partner’s arrival, invite her/him to take a bath. After undressing your partner, you should help her/him into the bath tub, where you will proceed to wash her/him. Not only should you wash their hair, which entails a scalp massage, but pay special attention to the genital area. After your partner is relaxed from the wash, serve your partner dinner. During dinner, pay special attention to whatever your partner wants to talk about. Let yourself be inquisitive to learn more about whatever your partner has to say. What is the meaning behind her/his words? After dinner, lead her/him to the bedroom and begin giving a head-to-toe massage. Let your hands wander.

For more tips written by this author please click here.

Sex Games – Tip #1

Filed under: Games — admin @ 7:51 am

The Recycled Virgin
Both you and your partner take turns pretending like you are virgins.  You take one night of the week and they can take the next one.  Have your partner walk you through it and calm your “imaginary” fears by giving you step-by-step instructions.  You can act shy and timid and keep pushing them away when they get to certain “bases” and it can be interesting to see how long you can pretend not to know a damn thing.  I mean how many “experienced” people can just lie there when they are getting fucked royally?
***************
Under No Circumstances
You gotta love this one and it is a game of mind over matter.  It also requires a hell of a lot of willpower.  Without tying your partners hands or confining them in any way, tell them that they can not touch you no matter what you do to them.  That means you mean can’t touch a woman if she does a lap dance or even if she sucks your dick.  Same goes for the women.  No touching whatsoever or you will have to pay the penalty.  My suggested penalty is that you must perform oral sex on your mate for twelve hours straight if you fuck up.
****************
Xtra Naked
Cover the bed or floor with an old blanket or something you don’t mind messing up and then get naked. Cover each other with baby oil from head to toe so that you are both very slippery and then fuck.  It will be hard to even hold on to each other and private parts will be slipping and sliding everywhere but it is mad funny.
Tips by Zane.

Gentlemen’s Test

Filed under: Sex Tests — admin @ 7:49 am

1. In the company of feminists, coitus should be referred to as:
a) Lovemaking
b) Screwing
c) The pigskin bus pulling into tuna town
           
2. You should make love to a woman for the first time only after you’ve both shared:
a) Your views about what you expect from a sexual relationship
b) Your blood-test results
c) Five tequila slammers
           
3. You time your orgasm so that:
a) Your partner climaxes first
b) You both climax simultaneously
c) You don’t miss Sports Center (Sky)

4. Passionate, spontaneous sex on the kitchen floor is:
a) Healthy, creative love-play
b) Not the sort of thing your wife/girlfriend would ever agree to
c) Not the sort of thing your wife/girlfriend need ever find out about
           
5. Spending the whole night cuddling a woman you’ve just had sex with is:
a) The best part of the experience
b) The second best part of the experience
c) $100 extra
           
6. Your girlfriend says she’s gained five pounds in weight in the last month. You tell her that it is:
a) Not a concern of yours
b) Not a problem – she can join your gym
c) A conservative estimate
           
7. You think today’s sensitive, caring man is:
a) A myth
b) An oxymoron
c) A moron
           
8. Foreplay is to sex as:
a) Appetizer is to entree
b) Priming is to painting
c) A queue is to an amusement park ride
           
9. Which of the following are you most likely to find yourself saying at the end of a relationship?
a) “I hope we can still be friends.”
b) “I’m not in right now. Please leave a message after the tone….”
c) “Welcome to Dumpsville. Population: You.”
           
10. A woman who is uncomfortable watching you masturbate:
a) Probably needs a little more time before she can cope with that sort of intimacy
b) Is uptight and a waste of time
c) Shouldn’t have sat next to you on the bus in the first place

If you answered ‘A’ more than 7 times, check your pants to make sure you really are a man.
If you answered ‘B’ more than 7 times, check into therapy, you’re still a little confused.
If you answered ‘C’ more than 7 times, call me up. Let’s go drinking.

Lucky Charms Sex Test

Filed under: Sex Tests — admin @ 7:46 am

Don’t cheat! Before you read on, choose your favorite marshmallow bit from Lucky Charms cereal from the list below:
Pink hearts
Yellow moons
Orange stars
Green clovers
Blue diamonds
Purple horseshoes
Those icky oat bits
Okay. Have you got one in mind? Now you can read on. And don’t change it!

An amazing new study shows that your favorite Lucky Charms
marshmallow bit shape determines what you’re like in bed!

Yes, it’s true–just take this simple test to determine your true
bedroom personality:

GREEN CLOVERS: If your favorite Lucky Charms marshmallow shape is the green clover, you’re a happy-go-lucky type in bed. You don’t take anything too seriously in the bedroom or elsewhere and always manage to have a good time, even if you have someone else with you. You don’t have any patience with depressed people and tend to sit on them until they cheer up.
BLUE DIAMONDS: If your favorite marshmallow shape is the blue diamond, your thoughts in bed are mostly about what you’ll get later. “If he really enjoys this, will he buy me that mink coat?” is probably what’s going through your mind. People who like blue diamonds have a notebook of preprinted fill-in-the-blank palimony suit forms and are the people most likely to file their nails while making love.
ORANGE STARS: If your favorite shape is the orange star, you
expect to be the center of attention in bed. You expect your partner to spend most of his time pleasing you and when you do something for him, you expect enthusiastic moaning if not applause. People who like orange stars often have mirrors over their beds, not because they are turned on by watching what is being done, but because they want to be able to watch themselves having a good time. They often moan out their own names while
making love.
PINK HEARTS: If you like pink hearts, you’re the romantic type. You like your partner to whisper romantic phrases into your ear and, if he’s too distracted to form coherent phrases, you’ll settle for romantic syllables. People who like pink hearts read most of the romance novels published and are turned on by people wearing armor.
PURPLE HORSESHOES: If purple horseshoes are your thing, your tastes are modern, uninhibited, and somewhat warped. You like variety in the bedroom, especially when you can include handcuffs, chains, swingsets, and chocolate pudding. Be careful when going out on a picnic with anyone who likes purple horseshoes–she’s/ he’s likely to pin you down with croquet hoops when you’re not looking and who knows what could happen next?
YELLOW MOONS: If you’re the yellow moon type, you’re more interested in satisfying your partner’s needs than your own. You prefer to lie back and wait for your partner to jump on you and express her/his needs verbally or nonverbally. People who like yellow moons usually own several pairs of handcuffs and other instruments of kinky sex just in case someone should ever want to tie them up and ravish them. Keep your eyes open for anyone who eats all the yellow moons out of her cereal as soon as she opens
the box.
OAT BITS:  Those little oat bits that aren’t marshmallows at all: If you prefer the little oat bits, you probably don’t like sex anyway and don’t need to read this article.  People who prefer the oat bits usually become accountants, librarians who work at the reference desk, or government employees; these people like to chow down on a big bowl brimming with oat bits before a tough day of protesting suggestive lyrics in rock music. People who like oat bits have more time to spend writing letters to the editor than any other type.

Gentlemen’s Sexual Addiction Screening Test

Filed under: Sex Tests — admin @ 7:44 am

By Patrick Carnes, Ph.D. and Robert Weiss, LCSW

Answer each question yes or no. Depending on the particular pattern of symptoms:
1- 3 “yes” responses may indicate an area of concern and should be openly discussed with a friend or family member.
4 – 6 positive answers would indicate a possible problem with sexual addiction, leading to consideration of a 12-Step support program such as Sex Addicts Anonymous, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous, Sexual Recovery Anonymous, or Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous (click 12-STEP INFO button).
6 or more “yes” responses clearly describe a problem with potentially self abusive and/or dangerous consequences. Should seriously consider treatment with a counselor trained in the area of sexual addiction.
————————————————————————
Were you sexually abused as a child or adolescent?
 
Have you subscribed or regularly purchased/rented sexually explicit magazines or videos?
 
Did your parents have trouble with their sexual or romantic behaviors?
 
Do you often find yourself preoccupied with sexual thoughts?
 
Has your use of phone sex lines, computer sex lines etc. exceeded your ability to pay for these services?
 
Does your significant other(s), friends, or family ever worry or complain about your sexual behavior? (not related to sexual orientation)
 
Do you have trouble stopping your sexual behavior when you know it is inappropriate and/or dangerous to your health?
 
Has your involvement with pornography, phone sex, computer board sex, etc. become greater than your intimate contacts with romantic partners?
 
Do you keep the extent or nature of your sexual activities hidden from your friends and/or partners? (not related to sexual orientation)
 
Do you look forward to events with friends or family being over so that you can go out to have sex?
 
Do you visit sexual bathhouses, sex clubs and/or video bookstores as a regular part of your sexual activity?
 
Do you believe that anonymous or casual sex has kept you from having more long-term intimate relationships or from reaching other personal goals?
 
Do you have trouble maintaining intimate relationships once the “sexual newness” of the person has worn off?
 
Do your sexual encounters place you in danger of arrest for lewd conduct or public indecency?
 
Have you spent time worrying about being HIV positive, and continue to engage in risky or unsafe sexual behavior anyway?
 
Has anyone ever been hurt emotionally by events related to your sexual behavior, e.g. lying to partner or friends, not showing up for event/appointment due to sexual liaisons, etc., (not related to sexual orientation)?
 
Have you ever been approached, charged, arrested by the police, security, etc. due to sexual activity in a public place?
 
Has sex been a way for you to escape your problems?
 
When you have sex, do you feel depressed afterwards?
 
Have you made repeated promises to yourself to change some form of your sexual activity only to break them later? (not related to sexual orientation)
 
Have your sexual activities interfered with some aspect of your professional or personal life, e.g. unable to perform at work, loss of relationship? (not related to sexual orientation)
 
Have you engaged in unsafe or “risky” sexual practices even though you knew it could cause you harm?
 
Have you ever paid for sex?
 
Have you ever had sex with someone just because you were feeling aroused and later felt ashamed or regretted it?
 
Have you ever cruised public restrooms, rest areas and/or parks looking for sexual encounters with strangers?

Greek parents towards sex education

Filed under: Sexual Education — admin @ 7:41 am

For more than 20 years there has been an ongoing dialogue between the Greek Ministry of Education and other interested parties — schools, parent associations — on the introduction of sexual education into the Greek high school curriculum. But there is still no final decision on sexual education.
Recently the debate about sexual education in high schools in Greece has focused on whether there should be a separate course or whether sex education should be part of a broader curriculum on health education and health behavior. This is the latest stage in an issue which remains unresolved despite long-running discussions and results from several studies.
The appearance of HIV/ AIDS has led to a reconsideration of young people’s sexuality and their awareness of protective measures. Young people, and especially high-school students who start their sexual activity at the age of 15 and 16, are at risk of being infected by HIV as they are not well informed . Their knowledge is often limited to peer information because there is no sexual education in schools at present and any health education courses avoid topics on sexuality. Thus young people usually begin their sexual life without adequate information on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV prevention and contraception.
Many parents, although concerned about the sexual behavior of their children, appear to be hesitant about the introduction of sexual education in schools. Nevertheless, a Parents’ Association in the Athens region wrote a letter addressed to the Ministries of Education and Health, the Greek Family Planning Association, the teachers’ associations of elementary and secondary education, and to SEXTANT, expressing serious concern about the lack of official information being given to their children. They took this initiative after participating in a seminar organized by the Greek FPA, where they had had the chance to hear about the consequences of lack of information on sexual matters. At this time, SEXTANT applied for and received funding from the Ministry of Health’s Centre for Control of Infectious Diseases for a pilot survey in the area of Athens on parental attitudes towards the sexual education of their children.
Parents have distinctive attitudes towards the inclusion or not of sexual education in the school curriculum. Some parents support the idea and consider it extremely important because of the threat of HIV infection. On the other hand, other parents are completely against the idea, their main argument being that such lessons will ‘push’ their children to start their sexual activity much younger than would have ‘normally’ been the case. These extremely opposite attitudes coexist and make it difficult for decision makers to take any steps since they do not wish to cause serious problems to any number of parents.

Research aims and methodology
The research project focuses on five aspects of sexual education:
current attitudes of parents towards informing children about sexual behavior topics that parents do not want to be included in sexual education classes
attitudes concerning the ‘proper’ age that parents believe their children should learn about sexual behavior possible differences in attitudes of parents relating to the gender of the child and what they feel male and female children should learn ideas about the most ‘adequate’ person/ institution to be responsible for provision of sexual education to young people.
Limited financial resources did not allow for national research in a representative sample. Thus the decision was made to carry out a pilot survey in the Athens region, the results of which could be interpreted as only indicative not conclusive. A questionnaire was used containing open and closed questions.
In all, 140 questionnaires were completed by parents in three areas of Athens covering the centre, which includes a mixed population in socio-economic terms, working class areas and provinces with a more upper-middle-class population. The sample was drawn randomly from Parents’ Association lists in the relevant areas. Then the researchers called up parents to inform them about the research and where parents were willing to take part interviewers visited them at home or in the workplace. The parent completed the questionnaire on his or her own. However, in many cases parents preferred the interviewer to read the questions out and record responses.
The only refusals were related to lack of time available and not to the research themes. Interviewers asked for either parent to complete the questionnaire but in the majority of cases the father suggested that the mother was the more appropriate person to answer such a questionnaire. Thus the sample has an over-representation of mothers. After the completion of the questionnaires the open questions were coded and the gathered data analyzed using multiple correspondence analysis as well as cluster analysis.

Demographic characteristics
As mentioned above, most respondents (72 per cent) were women, 21.4 per cent lived in working class areas, 55.7 per cent in the centre of Athens and 22.9 per cent in the northern provinces. Most respondents belonged to the age group 41– 50 and the mean age of respondents’ first child was 16. More than half (51.4 per cent) of the parents had completed secondary education and 34.3 per cent were university graduates. Most parents were either civil servants or freelance professional, and 17.9 per cent of the women were housewives.
Researchers included a question on where respondents had lived most of their lives, in Athens or in the countryside. The aim of this question was to investigate whether parents who had lived most of their lives in urban areas expressed more progressive ideas than those who came from rural areas. Some 62.9 per cent of the parents had lived most of their lives in the countryside, which is not surprising because the majority of citizens in Athens do originally come from the countryside.
A question about the religious beliefs of the parents was also included since it may affect people’s attitudes towards sex and sexuality. In this sample, most of the parents (64.3 per cent) considered themselves a little religious while 26.4 per cent considered themselves very religious.
Most (66.4 per cent) indicated that they were not members of any clubs or associations — the aim of this question being to identify differences in attitudes between socially active parents and those who are less active in the community. (In this study no noticeable differences were established.)
Parents were also asked how often they read newspapers or magazines, with a response of 50.7 per cent indicating that they read a newspaper every day. In the multiple correspondence analysis there were differences between parents who were often informed through the mass media and those who were not. The former express more progressive attitudes in relation to the education of their children in sexual issues.

Health, sexuality, AIDS and other STDs
The majority of parents declared that their primary sources of information on health issues were television (64.3 per cent) and specialized scientists (53.6 per cent). In general, respondents believed that they had enough information on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (66.4 per cent). This question was aiming to establish parents’ personal evaluation of their knowledge on important issues that their children might need to informed about by them. Only 19.3 per cent of the parents believed that they were very well informed on such issues.
Almost all parents (99.3 per cent) believed that their children should be informed about these issues and 49.3 per cent considered that the best time for such education to be the first three years of high school when students are between 12 and 15 years old. A substantial minority of parents (40.7 per cent) believed that the best time that a child should gain some information on these topics was elementary school ( 6 to 12 year olds). It is noticeable here that parents are split into two groups: those who realize that the earlier someone is informed on these issues the more protected he or she is in the future, and those who believe that their child should get information when he/ she is almost ready to start sexual activity.
As many as 76.4 per cent of parents reported that they were the most appropriate people to inform their children on these issues and only 7.9 per cent mentioned teachers as the right people to give such information. This opinion is related to the fact that 91.4 per cent of parents believe that they are able to discuss issues relating to sexuality with their children. According to these parents, the subjects that their children should be informed on are: methods of family planning (28.6 per cent), AIDS (20 per cent), and relationships and love (19.3 per cent). Another 19.3 per cent consider other subjects more important, subject such as drugs, health problems, condoms as protection from sexually transmitted diseases, etc.
When the parents were asked if they had ever bought a book on sex education for their children, 45.7 per cent said ‘no’ and 40 per cent said that there was no information on AIDS and other STDs in their homes.
Almost all of the parents (98.6 per cent) agreed that sex education should be included in the school curriculum, and it is encouraging that 41.4 per cent of the parents reported that sex education should begin in elementary school. Amongst the subjects that should be included in these lessons, the parents mentioned AIDS and other STDs, family planning and condom use. As for the most appropriate person to teach these subjects, parents believed that a health specialist (40.7 per cent) or a doctor (37.1 per cent) are the best.
Another indicative answer of the parents’ concerns over sex education courses in schools emerged in their belief that health education should include sex education topics and thus there should not necessarily be a separate course concentrating mostly on sexuality. Here it is either fear that a sex education course will lead to early sexual experimentation or that school is not the best place for their children to be informed about sexual matters, but only on health issues.
A considerable number of parents (57.1 per cent) are confident that their child can be protected against AIDS and other STDs and only 13.6 per cent said that they did not know or they were not certain if their child had adequate information in order to protect themselves.
Another subject was one the mass media coverage of health issues. If children do not get information at school, can they at least learn something through the mass media. Many parents (80 per cent) believed that today in Greece the mass media do not adequately cover health issues and suggested that there should be more TV programs about health and related matters.

Parent and child relations
Parents were asked if they discussed issues related to sexual behavior with their sons and their daughters respectively. The questions were asked separately for boys and girls to identify possible differences in subjects parents prefer to discuss or avoid in relation to the gender of their child. From their answers, it is evident that with their sons parents talk often about AIDS and other STDs, condom use and gender relations, while they avoid topics such as masturbation, abortion and orgasm. While parents appear to discuss the same issues with their daughters, they avoid discussing homosexuality. It also appears that abortion is still considered a woman’s issue as parents spend more time talking to their girls about contraception and abortion (53 per cent for both issues with daughters, while for sons these percentages are 44.3 per cent and 25.3 per cent, respectively).

Communication within the family
The mother is usually the one who undertakes to discuss with her children topics concerning sexuality (68.6 per cent) and in some cases (21.4 per cent) both parents do. Subjects that parents do not feel comfortable discussing with their children are masturbation and homosexuality. These subjects are relevant for both genders so parents do not appear to make any distinction between boys and girls.
Two-thirds of the parents declared that they were aware of the fact that their child (12– 18 years of age) had already begun his or her sexual activity. Most of the parents found out this information from their own child, while 14.3 per cent said they had found out in different ways, such as through the child’s friends, their child’s behavior, or just from instinct.

Talking about sex
A significant number of parents claimed that they were aware of the fact that their child was using a contraceptive method (54.4 per cent). This might be related to the parents’ belief that their child trusts them (54.3 per cent) and talks to them about his/ her relationships with the opposite sex. Parents appear to have frequent discussions with their children on these topics and 35.7 per cent of the parents had positive feelings about talking to their children about sexuality. However, 24.3 per cent of parents did admit that they felt uncomfortable and described different negative feelings such as stress, fear, shame, and so on.

Conclusions
The results of this pilot survey are not more than tentative. Taking these limitations into account, the following observations are most striking. Mass media is the main source of information in health issues with TV being the primary source. Most of the parents think that they are well informed about AIDS and STDs and they gain this information mainly from doctors and seminars. Many parents do not consider teachers the most appropriate people to inform their children and to undertake sexual education in schools.
Almost all parents believe that they are able to discuss sexuality with their children. This is in contrast to children who say that they seldom talk to their parents about these subjects (Greek Institute of Sexology, 1997. Agrafiotis et al, 1991.) It is also important to take into consideration that many parents have never bought a book or any other material on sexuality for their children.
Parents believe that the subjects are important for the children and that they should be informed about contraceptive methods, AIDS and sexual relations.
Parents are persuaded that sex education should be included in the school curriculum. However, they do not think that it should be taught as an independent subject but should be integrated in health education. And most felt that is should start in high school.
It is evident that mothers have the task to inform their children about sexuality and they select the issues they discuss with them. Subjects that some consider important for adolescents such as masturbation or orgasm are avoided by parents. It is well known though that ignorance and wrong information in these issues could lead to sexual problems in adult life.
Most of the parents find out from their own child if he/ she has started sexual activity. This is also reinforced by the fact that the majority of parents believe that children trust them and discuss with them their relations with the other sex.
The more informed parents are on health and sexual issues, the more progressive are their attitudes towards informing their children.
In research that was carried out among parents, teachers and adolescents in Greece in relation to sex education (Kakavoulis A., 1995) it appeared that both parents and school are not adequate in providing the proper sex education to young children. Young people feel that they do not have the satisfactory information they should have on these issues. They also believe that sex education should begin very early and not in high school. Most importantly, parents appear to be ready to accept sex education to be included in the school curriculum. This may result from the threat of AIDS and the threat it poses to young people.

Dr Elizabeth Ioannidi-Kapolou

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