An assessment of the impacts of feminism on sexual science

This paper presents an assessment of the impacts which feminism has had on sexual science. The assessment is based on an analysis of the degree to which feminist perspectives and scholarship have been integrated into: a) human sexuality curriculum materials, and b) articles published from 1980–1986 in a leading sexual science journal. Feminist impacts on curriculum materials are evaluated by reviewing several recent analyses and critiques of them. Data from an exploratory study of feminist content, gender and disciplinary affiliation of authors, and gender of editors in a sexual science journal and of disciplinary backgrounds and gender of the membership in the professional organization which publishes the journal, is then presented. The data, which show the differential distribution of journal authors and organization members by various disciplinary affiliations and by gender within those disciplines, are discussed in the context of recent explanations of factors, especially epistemological traditions, which affect the receptivity of various disciplines to feminist scholarship. Strategies for increasing the interaction between feminist scholars of sexuality and sexual science are discussed.

Key words:

• feminism
• sex research
• sex education
• social constructionism