Description

Book Synopsis

Everything you need to know about sex in the 21st century

S-e-x isn't a bad three-letter wordbut many of us are afraid to talk about it. In this new edition of the fun and comprehensive guide to sex, you'll find out how to approach intimacy in a new way to get the most pleasure from a physical relationship. Written by the world's favorite expert on the topic, Dr. Ruth helps you explore the ins and outs of dating and commitment, talk about sex with partners, and consider any health and social issues you may encounter along the way.

As well as giving you all you need to know about how to make your sex life happy, safe, and rewarding, this edition of Sex for Dummies has been updated to include discussions of recent changes and issues surrounding sexual topics such as transgender rights and the #metoo movement to provide a modern, 360-degree view of how our diverse sexualities impact and enrich the world around us.

  • Whether experienced or not, get

    Table of Contents

    Introduction 1

    About This Book 1

    Foolish Assumptions 3

    Icons Used in This Book 4

    Beyond the Book 4

    Where to Go from Here 5

    Part 1: Getting Ready for Sex 7

    Chapter 1: So You Want to Know More about Sex 9

    What is Sex, Anyway? 10

    So Why Do We Have It? 10

    Understanding the Ins and Outs of the Sexual Response Cycle 16

    Partnering Up 18

    Playing It Safe 20

    Adjusting Over Time 20

    Are You Ready to Get Busy? 21

    Chapter 2: Tuning the Male Organ 23

    The Penis: Inside and Out 23

    Grasping the Basics of Your Testicles 31

    The Prostate Gland 37

    Chapter 3: Demystifying the Female Parts 39

    Making Time for a Grand Tour 40

    Translating All Those Latin Terms 41

    The “Men” Words: Menstruation and Menopause 49

    Breasts: Hanging in There 55

    Chapter 4: Dating 59

    Does Anybody Still Date? 60

    Where Chemistry and Physics Mingle 60

    Giving Romance a Chance to Bloom 61

    Overcoming Loneliness and Getting Yourself in Dating Shape 62

    A Road Map for the Dating Apps 63

    The Thrill of the Chase, the Bummer of Rejection 65

    Finding the Right Partner: Difficult, Yes; Impossible, No 67

    If You’re North of the 29th Parallel 73

    Practical Dating Tips for All Ages 75

    Should You Have Sex On a First Date? 76

    Chapter 5: Introducing Sex into a Relationship 77

    Determining When the Time is Right 79

    Safety First 82

    Advice for Virgins 84

    Advice for Those with Prior Experience 85

    Chapter 6: Commitment and Marriage 89

    Knowing That Love Isn’t Enough 90

    Handling Children and Commitment 90

    Putting Your Marriage First 91

    Strengthening Your Marriage 91

    Chapter 7: It’s All about Control: Contraception and Sex 97

    Why Use Contraceptives? 98

    Considering Your Birth Control Options 100

    Facing Facts about Birth Control Myths 119

    If Your Method Fails 122

    Chapter 8: Growing Up Fast: The Challenges of the Teen Years 127

    Being a Teenager in the 21st Century 128

    Evolving into Adulthood 130

    Dealing with Common Concerns 131

    Protecting Your Privacy 141

    Don’t Stop Here 142

    Part 2: Doing It 143

    Chapter 9: Foreplay: Revving Up Your Engines 145

    Foreplay for Life 145

    Linking the Emotional to the Physical 146

    Setting the Stage 147

    Getting Physical 149

    Switching Gears: Engaging the Genitals 154

    Moving on to the Main Event 159

    Variety is the Spice of Foreplay 160

    Chapter 10: Intercourse: Coming Together for the First Time 161

    What’s the Rush? 162

    Making Your First Time Special 163

    The First Time for Women 167

    The First Time for Men 170

    The First Time All Over Again 171

    Chapter 11: Changing Positions: Variations on a Theme 173

    The Good Old Missionary Position 174

    The Female-Superior Position 177

    Taking Her from Behind 179

    East Side, West Side, Side by Side 183

    Lap Dancing 184

    The Oceanic Position 185

    Standing Up 186

    Oral Sex: Using Your Mouth 187

    Anal Sex: Handle with Care 188

    Safe Sex: Playing Alone Together 189

    Sex During and After Pregnancy: Orgasms are Okay, with Changes 189

    Chapter 12: Going for the Big O 195

    What is an Orgasm, Anyway? 195

    Experiencing Orgasms: Differences for Men and Women 196

    Achieving Orgasm: Let Me Count the Ways 199

    Don’t Try — Let It Come You’ll Be Glad You Did 202

    Putting on Your O-Face: Responding to the Orgasmic Experience 203

    The Best Reason to Have an Orgasm 204

    Chapter 13: Afterplay: Embracing the Moment 205

    Understanding the Importance of Afterplay 206

    Sharing the Moment 207

    The Simplest of Techniques 209

    Chapter 14: Spicing Up Your Sex Life 211

    Using Variety to Add Some Va Va Va Voom to Your Sex Life 212

    Expanding Your Toy Chest 214

    What If You’re Just Never in the Mood? 217

    Part 3: Different Strokes 219

    Chapter 15: Enjoying Oral Sex 221

    Overcoming Your Inhibitions 222

    Leaving Him Breathless: What Men Like 223

    Making Her Toes Curl: What Women Like 225

    Dealing with Some Delicate Details 227

    Assuming the Position 229

    Addressing the Safety Issue 230

    Chapter 16: Savoring Solo Play and Fantasy 233

    Exploring the Mythology of Masturbation 233

    Avoiding Too Much of a Good Thing 235

    Masturbation: Good for All Ages 236

    Masturbation Education 239

    Fantasy: It’s All in Your Head 244

    Chapter 17: Keeping Up with Cybersex and Other Hot Stuff 247

    Eyes Wide Open: A Word of Caution 247

    Cybersex: Sights for Mature Minds 248

    Sex and the Telephone: Aural Sex 254

    Sex and the Radio: It’s All Talk 255

    Sex and Television: A Different Meaning of Boob Tube 256

    Pulp Nonfiction 257

    Sex with Multiple Partners: Where Do All of These Body Parts Go? 258

    Chapter 18: Celebrating Same-Sex Relationships 261

    Considering Sexual Identity 261

    Determining Your Orientation: What Turns You On 266

    Revealing Your Sexual Identity 266

    Sexual Practices among Gay Men 271

    Sexual Expression between Lesbians 272

    Marriage between Same-Sex Partners 274

    Chapter 19: Conquering the Challenges of Mature Sex 275

    Female Changes: Tackling Menopause 276

    Male Changes: Not All the Same 277

    A benefit of aging: No more premature ejaculation 280

    The Psychological Pluses and Minuses 280

    Chapter 20: Thriving Sexually with Illness or Disability 283

    We are All Sexual Beings 284

    Sex When You’re Physically Disabled 284

    Sex After You’ve Had a Heart Attack 288

    When Disabilities Arise Later in Life 290

    Sex When You Have Diabetes 291

    Sex and People Who are Mentally Disabled or Ill 293

    Sex and People Who are Living in a Long-Term Care Facility 295

    Uncompromising Compromised Sex 296

    Part 4: Having a Healthy Sex Life 297

    Chapter 21: What You Can Catch and How to Prevent It 299

    STDs: Battle Scars No One Wants after a Night of Sex 300

    Let’s Get Serious 312

    Chapter 22: Erectile Dysfunction and Other Male Sexual Problems 321

    Premature Ejaculation 322

    Erectile Dysfunction 328

    Delayed Ejaculation 338

    Priapism — The Case of the Permanent Erection 339

    The Bent Penis 339

    Lack of Desire 341

    Chapter 23: Low Libido and Other Female Sexual Problems 343

    That Elusive Orgasm 343

    Ouch! It’s Too Tight in There 351

    When Cleaning the House Sounds Better Than Having Sex 352

    Every Body is Attractive 354

    Sex After a Mastectomy 355

    Chapter 24: Avoiding Sexual Relationship Pitfalls 357

    Making Time for Alone Time 358

    Making the Most of a Long-Distance Relationship 361

    Dealing with Addictive Behavior: Hooked on Porn 362

    Staying Close to Avoid the Empty-Nest Syndrome 364

    Making Sex a Priority 365

    Chapter 25: Sex and the Law 367

    Sex, Children, and the Law 368

    Rape: A Growing Concern 372

    The Law and Contraception 373

    The Law against Spreading Diseases 374

    Abortion: A Legal Safeguard 375

    The Law and Homosexuality 376

    Prostitution: The Case for Legalization 377

    Pornography: Erotic or Obscene 378

    Adultery: Cheating the Law 380

    Chapter 26: Teaching Your Children about Sex and Keeping Them Safe 381

    Not Everything is Dangerous 382

    Answering Children’s Questions 384

    Warning Signs of Possible Sexual Abuse 385

    The Accidental Voyeur 386

    Protecting Your Children from the Media 387

    Protecting Your Kids from Cyberporn 388

    Giving the Speech about Strangers 391

    Sex Ed and the Older Child 393

    Other Messages You Don’t Want to Send 394

    Part 5: The Part of Tens 397

    Chapter 27: Ten Dumb Things People Believe about Sex 399

    If I Haven’t Had Sex by the Time I’m 18, I’m a Loser 399

    The More I Score, the More Pleasure I’ll Have 400

    The Sex Depicted in Porn is True to Life 401

    The Grass is Always Greener in the Neighbors’ Bedroom 401

    Sex Will Make Everything All Right 402

    A Good Lover Must Be an Open Book 402

    I Should Compare Sexual Partners 403

    I Can’t Become a Better Lover 403

    Lovers Want and Need the Same Things 404

    I’m Too Old to Have Sex 404

    Chapter 28: Ten Tips for Safer Sex 407

    Learn to Say No 407

    Limit Your Number of Partners 408

    Don’t Rely Solely on Your Instincts 408

    Never Dull Your Senses When You’re with Strangers 409

    Discuss Safer Sex in Advance 409

    Use Condoms 410

    Develop a Relationship Before You Have Sex 410

    Don’t Engage in Risky Behavior 411

    Don’t Forget about the Other STDs 411

    Don’t Sell Your Other Options Short 412

    Chapter 29: Ten Things Women Wish Men Knew about Sex 413

    Chivalry Isn’t Dead Yet 413

    Appearances Count 414

    You Can’t Hurry Love 414

    A Clitoris is Not Just a Small Penis 415

    Women Need to Bask in the Afterglow 415

    Kinky Sex Isn’t Sexy Sex 416

    Wandering Eyes Mean Less Sex 417

    Slam-Bam-Thank-You-Ma’am Doesn’t Cut the Mustard 417

    Changing Diapers is Sexy 418

    Just Because You Can’t Doesn’t Mean You Won’t 418

    Chapter 30: Ten Things Men Wish Women Knew about Sex 419

    Being Aware of Mixed Signals 419

    Lack of Sex Really Can Hurt 420

    Sometimes Wasting Electricity is Okay 420

    Teamwork is Important 420

    Celebrities’ Bodies are Not a Threat 421

    A Little Tact, Please 422

    If You Really Loved Me, You’d 422

    The Way to a Man’s Heart is Not through His Stomach 423

    It Might Just Be Sex 423

    The Older a Man Gets, the More Help He Needs 424

    Chapter 31: Ten Tips for Truly Great Lovers 425

    Don’t Make Love on Your First Date 425

    Set the Mood as Far in Advance as Possible 426

    Find Out What Your Partner Needs 426

    Protect Yourself and Your Partner 427

    Don’t Fall into a Rut 427

    Fix the Potholes of Love 428

    Use Your Sense of Touch 428

    Become a Great Kisser 429

    Satisfy Your Partner Even If You Don’t Feel Like Sex 429

    Adjust to Changes Caused by Aging 430

    Appendix A: Step Into My Office 431

    Appendix B: Terrific Resources 441

    Index 445

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    Description

    Book Synopsis

    Everything you need to know about sex in the 21st century

    S-e-x isn't a bad three-letter wordbut many of us are afraid to talk about it. In this new edition of the fun and comprehensive guide to sex, you'll find out how to approach intimacy in a new way to get the most pleasure from a physical relationship. Written by the world's favorite expert on the topic, Dr. Ruth helps you explore the ins and outs of dating and commitment, talk about sex with partners, and consider any health and social issues you may encounter along the way.

    As well as giving you all you need to know about how to make your sex life happy, safe, and rewarding, this edition of Sex for Dummies has been updated to include discussions of recent changes and issues surrounding sexual topics such as transgender rights and the #metoo movement to provide a modern, 360-degree view of how our diverse sexualities impact and enrich the world around us.

    • Whether experienced or not, get

      Table of Contents

      Introduction 1

      About This Book 1

      Foolish Assumptions 3

      Icons Used in This Book 4

      Beyond the Book 4

      Where to Go from Here 5

      Part 1: Getting Ready for Sex 7

      Chapter 1: So You Want to Know More about Sex 9

      What is Sex, Anyway? 10

      So Why Do We Have It? 10

      Understanding the Ins and Outs of the Sexual Response Cycle 16

      Partnering Up 18

      Playing It Safe 20

      Adjusting Over Time 20

      Are You Ready to Get Busy? 21

      Chapter 2: Tuning the Male Organ 23

      The Penis: Inside and Out 23

      Grasping the Basics of Your Testicles 31

      The Prostate Gland 37

      Chapter 3: Demystifying the Female Parts 39

      Making Time for a Grand Tour 40

      Translating All Those Latin Terms 41

      The “Men” Words: Menstruation and Menopause 49

      Breasts: Hanging in There 55

      Chapter 4: Dating 59

      Does Anybody Still Date? 60

      Where Chemistry and Physics Mingle 60

      Giving Romance a Chance to Bloom 61

      Overcoming Loneliness and Getting Yourself in Dating Shape 62

      A Road Map for the Dating Apps 63

      The Thrill of the Chase, the Bummer of Rejection 65

      Finding the Right Partner: Difficult, Yes; Impossible, No 67

      If You’re North of the 29th Parallel 73

      Practical Dating Tips for All Ages 75

      Should You Have Sex On a First Date? 76

      Chapter 5: Introducing Sex into a Relationship 77

      Determining When the Time is Right 79

      Safety First 82

      Advice for Virgins 84

      Advice for Those with Prior Experience 85

      Chapter 6: Commitment and Marriage 89

      Knowing That Love Isn’t Enough 90

      Handling Children and Commitment 90

      Putting Your Marriage First 91

      Strengthening Your Marriage 91

      Chapter 7: It’s All about Control: Contraception and Sex 97

      Why Use Contraceptives? 98

      Considering Your Birth Control Options 100

      Facing Facts about Birth Control Myths 119

      If Your Method Fails 122

      Chapter 8: Growing Up Fast: The Challenges of the Teen Years 127

      Being a Teenager in the 21st Century 128

      Evolving into Adulthood 130

      Dealing with Common Concerns 131

      Protecting Your Privacy 141

      Don’t Stop Here 142

      Part 2: Doing It 143

      Chapter 9: Foreplay: Revving Up Your Engines 145

      Foreplay for Life 145

      Linking the Emotional to the Physical 146

      Setting the Stage 147

      Getting Physical 149

      Switching Gears: Engaging the Genitals 154

      Moving on to the Main Event 159

      Variety is the Spice of Foreplay 160

      Chapter 10: Intercourse: Coming Together for the First Time 161

      What’s the Rush? 162

      Making Your First Time Special 163

      The First Time for Women 167

      The First Time for Men 170

      The First Time All Over Again 171

      Chapter 11: Changing Positions: Variations on a Theme 173

      The Good Old Missionary Position 174

      The Female-Superior Position 177

      Taking Her from Behind 179

      East Side, West Side, Side by Side 183

      Lap Dancing 184

      The Oceanic Position 185

      Standing Up 186

      Oral Sex: Using Your Mouth 187

      Anal Sex: Handle with Care 188

      Safe Sex: Playing Alone Together 189

      Sex During and After Pregnancy: Orgasms are Okay, with Changes 189

      Chapter 12: Going for the Big O 195

      What is an Orgasm, Anyway? 195

      Experiencing Orgasms: Differences for Men and Women 196

      Achieving Orgasm: Let Me Count the Ways 199

      Don’t Try — Let It Come You’ll Be Glad You Did 202

      Putting on Your O-Face: Responding to the Orgasmic Experience 203

      The Best Reason to Have an Orgasm 204

      Chapter 13: Afterplay: Embracing the Moment 205

      Understanding the Importance of Afterplay 206

      Sharing the Moment 207

      The Simplest of Techniques 209

      Chapter 14: Spicing Up Your Sex Life 211

      Using Variety to Add Some Va Va Va Voom to Your Sex Life 212

      Expanding Your Toy Chest 214

      What If You’re Just Never in the Mood? 217

      Part 3: Different Strokes 219

      Chapter 15: Enjoying Oral Sex 221

      Overcoming Your Inhibitions 222

      Leaving Him Breathless: What Men Like 223

      Making Her Toes Curl: What Women Like 225

      Dealing with Some Delicate Details 227

      Assuming the Position 229

      Addressing the Safety Issue 230

      Chapter 16: Savoring Solo Play and Fantasy 233

      Exploring the Mythology of Masturbation 233

      Avoiding Too Much of a Good Thing 235

      Masturbation: Good for All Ages 236

      Masturbation Education 239

      Fantasy: It’s All in Your Head 244

      Chapter 17: Keeping Up with Cybersex and Other Hot Stuff 247

      Eyes Wide Open: A Word of Caution 247

      Cybersex: Sights for Mature Minds 248

      Sex and the Telephone: Aural Sex 254

      Sex and the Radio: It’s All Talk 255

      Sex and Television: A Different Meaning of Boob Tube 256

      Pulp Nonfiction 257

      Sex with Multiple Partners: Where Do All of These Body Parts Go? 258

      Chapter 18: Celebrating Same-Sex Relationships 261

      Considering Sexual Identity 261

      Determining Your Orientation: What Turns You On 266

      Revealing Your Sexual Identity 266

      Sexual Practices among Gay Men 271

      Sexual Expression between Lesbians 272

      Marriage between Same-Sex Partners 274

      Chapter 19: Conquering the Challenges of Mature Sex 275

      Female Changes: Tackling Menopause 276

      Male Changes: Not All the Same 277

      A benefit of aging: No more premature ejaculation 280

      The Psychological Pluses and Minuses 280

      Chapter 20: Thriving Sexually with Illness or Disability 283

      We are All Sexual Beings 284

      Sex When You’re Physically Disabled 284

      Sex After You’ve Had a Heart Attack 288

      When Disabilities Arise Later in Life 290

      Sex When You Have Diabetes 291

      Sex and People Who are Mentally Disabled or Ill 293

      Sex and People Who are Living in a Long-Term Care Facility 295

      Uncompromising Compromised Sex 296

      Part 4: Having a Healthy Sex Life 297

      Chapter 21: What You Can Catch and How to Prevent It 299

      STDs: Battle Scars No One Wants after a Night of Sex 300

      Let’s Get Serious 312

      Chapter 22: Erectile Dysfunction and Other Male Sexual Problems 321

      Premature Ejaculation 322

      Erectile Dysfunction 328

      Delayed Ejaculation 338

      Priapism — The Case of the Permanent Erection 339

      The Bent Penis 339

      Lack of Desire 341

      Chapter 23: Low Libido and Other Female Sexual Problems 343

      That Elusive Orgasm 343

      Ouch! It’s Too Tight in There 351

      When Cleaning the House Sounds Better Than Having Sex 352

      Every Body is Attractive 354

      Sex After a Mastectomy 355

      Chapter 24: Avoiding Sexual Relationship Pitfalls 357

      Making Time for Alone Time 358

      Making the Most of a Long-Distance Relationship 361

      Dealing with Addictive Behavior: Hooked on Porn 362

      Staying Close to Avoid the Empty-Nest Syndrome 364

      Making Sex a Priority 365

      Chapter 25: Sex and the Law 367

      Sex, Children, and the Law 368

      Rape: A Growing Concern 372

      The Law and Contraception 373

      The Law against Spreading Diseases 374

      Abortion: A Legal Safeguard 375

      The Law and Homosexuality 376

      Prostitution: The Case for Legalization 377

      Pornography: Erotic or Obscene 378

      Adultery: Cheating the Law 380

      Chapter 26: Teaching Your Children about Sex and Keeping Them Safe 381

      Not Everything is Dangerous 382

      Answering Children’s Questions 384

      Warning Signs of Possible Sexual Abuse 385

      The Accidental Voyeur 386

      Protecting Your Children from the Media 387

      Protecting Your Kids from Cyberporn 388

      Giving the Speech about Strangers 391

      Sex Ed and the Older Child 393

      Other Messages You Don’t Want to Send 394

      Part 5: The Part of Tens 397

      Chapter 27: Ten Dumb Things People Believe about Sex 399

      If I Haven’t Had Sex by the Time I’m 18, I’m a Loser 399

      The More I Score, the More Pleasure I’ll Have 400

      The Sex Depicted in Porn is True to Life 401

      The Grass is Always Greener in the Neighbors’ Bedroom 401

      Sex Will Make Everything All Right 402

      A Good Lover Must Be an Open Book 402

      I Should Compare Sexual Partners 403

      I Can’t Become a Better Lover 403

      Lovers Want and Need the Same Things 404

      I’m Too Old to Have Sex 404

      Chapter 28: Ten Tips for Safer Sex 407

      Learn to Say No 407

      Limit Your Number of Partners 408

      Don’t Rely Solely on Your Instincts 408

      Never Dull Your Senses When You’re with Strangers 409

      Discuss Safer Sex in Advance 409

      Use Condoms 410

      Develop a Relationship Before You Have Sex 410

      Don’t Engage in Risky Behavior 411

      Don’t Forget about the Other STDs 411

      Don’t Sell Your Other Options Short 412

      Chapter 29: Ten Things Women Wish Men Knew about Sex 413

      Chivalry Isn’t Dead Yet 413

      Appearances Count 414

      You Can’t Hurry Love 414

      A Clitoris is Not Just a Small Penis 415

      Women Need to Bask in the Afterglow 415

      Kinky Sex Isn’t Sexy Sex 416

      Wandering Eyes Mean Less Sex 417

      Slam-Bam-Thank-You-Ma’am Doesn’t Cut the Mustard 417

      Changing Diapers is Sexy 418

      Just Because You Can’t Doesn’t Mean You Won’t 418

      Chapter 30: Ten Things Men Wish Women Knew about Sex 419

      Being Aware of Mixed Signals 419

      Lack of Sex Really Can Hurt 420

      Sometimes Wasting Electricity is Okay 420

      Teamwork is Important 420

      Celebrities’ Bodies are Not a Threat 421

      A Little Tact, Please 422

      If You Really Loved Me, You’d 422

      The Way to a Man’s Heart is Not through His Stomach 423

      It Might Just Be Sex 423

      The Older a Man Gets, the More Help He Needs 424

      Chapter 31: Ten Tips for Truly Great Lovers 425

      Don’t Make Love on Your First Date 425

      Set the Mood as Far in Advance as Possible 426

      Find Out What Your Partner Needs 426

      Protect Yourself and Your Partner 427

      Don’t Fall into a Rut 427

      Fix the Potholes of Love 428

      Use Your Sense of Touch 428

      Become a Great Kisser 429

      Satisfy Your Partner Even If You Don’t Feel Like Sex 429

      Adjust to Changes Caused by Aging 430

      Appendix A: Step Into My Office 431

      Appendix B: Terrific Resources 441

      Index 445

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