Great Food, Great Sex

Chapter One

1

What’s Under the Hood

Pushing Freud Out of Bed

The sexual needs of men and women may differ categorically, but there is considerable overlap, particularly with regard to function. And in terms of our understanding of sexual function, science has come a long way, baby.

Drs. Masters and Johnson were the first to bring sex science into the bedroom more than thirty years ago. They carefully mapped out and described the hydraulics and the mechanics of the “sexual act.” Based on their daring and astonishing scientific observations, they showed how men and especially women go through distinct stages of sexual arousal before one can insert “tab A” into “slot A.”

It took many years for the mechanics and physiology of sex to seep into psychiatry and sex therapy. Armed with theories about the Oedipus conflict and other assorted obscure neuroses, conventional psychological wisdom fought Masters and Johnson tooth and nail. Men, but more often women, were made to feel that their sexual problems were “all in their head.” ... read full excerpt from Great Food, Great Sex ebook