The Science of Sexuality, Monday

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

There was a chart taped up on the board when the class arrived. Next to it, there was an X with ‘Asexuality’ written beneath it. Since Kinsey, in Sherlock’s opinion, ignored the lack of sexual inclination.

"Good morning,” chirped John Watson, looking fairly smiley (if simply in the face of overwhelming odds) and clapped his hands. “And welcome to the Science of Sexuality. I’m Doctor John Watson, this is Sherlock Holmes. We’ll be discussing any number of things over the course of our time together, things you might want to know at your age. But I believe this is the week of introductions, and so we’ll be asking you to introduce yourselves. But first, a little theory.”

Sherlock was less smiley than him, but that was about par for the course if you knew the man. “Sexuality is not as black and white as being heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual,” he said, gesturing toward the chart. “A pure zero or six is more uncommon than one might think. If you’re truly honest with yourself, you will find yourself somewhere between number one and number five on this chart. Take John, for example. He would, undoubtedly end up somewhere within that group.”

Way to be kind to your flatmate, Sherlock.

“...Yes, thank you, Sherlock.” Who was now the recipient of a glare. “At best, I would be a one. Can we please move on?”

That earned him a quick smile before Sherlock continued. He did so enjoy being correct. “As I have written on the board, Kinsey ignored the last potential label for ones’ sexuality. If you look at the handouts on your desk of Rabger’s model, you’ll see the characteristics of attraction and desire. Numbers zero through six include a mixture of both primary and secondary attraction and desire. Asexuality is the absence of primary with the possibility of secondary. It is referred to as being demisexual when the secondary characteristics are present.”

Which was possibly what the teacher was. If pressed and forced to be completely honest. Which would never happen.

Rabger’s Model
Primary Sexual Attraction
-an instant attraction to people based on instantly available information such as their looks or smell which may or may not lead to arousal or sexual desire
Secondary Sexual Attraction
-an attraction that develops over time based on a person's relationship and emotional connection with another person
Primary Sexual Desire
-the desire to engage in sexual activity for the purposes of personal pleasure whether physical, emotional, or both
Secondary Sexual Desire
-the desire to engage in sexual activity solely for the sake of the happiness of the other person involved, or for another ulterior motive such as the conception of children

Was there anyone here in the room willing to press him? John certainly wasn’t. “Right, so that’s two scales of sexual attraction,” he said. He was still recovering from the earlier speculation on his sexuality, but he was doing so nicely, if you asked him. “Now, we’d like you to introduce yourselves today with your name and form, and of course, where you believe you rank on these scales. Oh, and if you’ve had sexual education before.”

He smiled encouragingly at the class. It was possible he was trying to cancel out his roommate.

Comments

Sign In

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

On a scale of zero to six!

Re: Sign In

[glacial_queen]

Karla, 3.5!

YOU NEVER SAID IT HAD TO BE INTEGERS, DID YOU?

Listen to the Lecture

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

There's some actual information in there. Honest.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[glacial_queen]

This was actually the most informative sex ed. lecture Karla had heard since Miss Brennan had left. She was taking notes and copying down the chart.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[willbethenight.livejournal.com]

That was very nearly the kind of lecture Bruce expected. Less bickering, maybe, but close.

The notes he took were extensive, of course.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

The word 'sex' had been in the title of this class which made it a must take for Nathan. That was the reason he'd shown up and that was the reason he was still there even if the lecture included fewer pictures of naked people than he would have liked.

He didn't take notes, instead choosing to balance his pen on his upper lip while listening to the two professors talk and talk and talk.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

William was listening, and trying to be objective, really, but the apparent casual acceptance of homosexuality was... troubling, to say the least.

[ooc: so very much not my opinion, omg.]

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[eyebrowgoesup]

Spock was not entirely certain how he had wound up in another class about human sexual behavior, but at least it seemed to be science-based, so he was content enough as he recorded copious notes on his data padd.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[notmyownage]

This one was clearly Mrs. Frederic's fault. Because, you know, Sherlock wasn't weird enough without the added "Let's talk about sex" thing.

Still, at least it all seemed nice and open. Way better than some of the classes she'd had to suffer through back in Minneapolis.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[icecoldfrost]

Considering that Emma was looking at psychology for her primary major next fall - assuming she got in anywhere - this class had almost been required. So she had her notebook out, in case they did anything interesting instead of just introductions today, and was quietly thrilled that the other teacher did not have a brain like a cracked-out chipmunk high on Pop Rocks and Red Bull.

Sherlock.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[angelo_wings]

Rinoa tilted her head, wondering about the whole primary desires vs. secondary desires. And taking notes. And fidgeting.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[dontvotemeout]

Jason would be over here sinking down in his seat a little and trying to ignore the fact that Bruce was here. TMI was clearly going to be the magic word this semester.

Introduce Yourselves

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

Like it's introduction week. Name, class, place on either of these scales, and past sex... ed experience.

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[glacial_queen]

"I'm Karla, a sophomore," Karla said when it was her turn. "I like males and females both, with a tendency to be more interested in females on a physical basis, but forming more lasting romantic relationship with males. Though I'm pretty sure that's heavily influenced by the culture I come from," she added after a moment's thought.

"I've taken several classes here on the island, but I belong to both the Healer and Black Widow castes. The training for both requires extensive sexual education."

Beat.

"Oh, and I work for the goddess of love in the sex shop in town. That's a whole different kind of education."

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[willbethenight.livejournal.com]

"Bruce Wayne, Junior. I'd say I'm probably a one on the Kinsey scale," Bruce said. He would be a strong zero, if not for some passing thoughts in the past. He figured that counted as 'incidental'. "The only sexual education I've had are the basic knowledge and safety conversations with my guardian -" which Alfred really nailed, so to speak, even if it was clear that he was just slightly uncomfortable with it "- and some research of my own into safety and such. Nothing formal, though."

But there was practical experience. Oh yeah.

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"Nathan. Here, I guess I'd be a junior but let me assure everyone, there is nothing junior about me."

No one probably cared but, to Nathan, everyone should care.

"And I'm a straight up zero, man," he continued with all the confidence of someone who had no idea what he was really talking about. To him, he was a zero. "I just fit that much better with a girl, yeah. We match."

He clasped his hands together and gave them a shake, illustrating that point.

"As for my past experience, well, dirty magazines are a booming industry for a reason."

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[chief-cheerio.livejournal.com]

"Quinn Fabray," Quinn said, when her turn to speak came. "I like boys. Only boys." She'd had a few thoughts about her fellow Cheerios, but she figured that was down to short skirts and their proclivity for making out with each other and talking about it.

She continued, "I took the standard sex ed unit in health class freshman year. Also I believe in abstinence until marriage for religious reasons, so a lot of things we discuss might not apply to me."

True facts: Believing in Jesus really hard was an awesome contraceptive. Oh, wait.

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

"Hello." When it got around to her turn, Ariel gave a faint smile, not without a little bit of a blush across her cheeks, but she was determined to be very adult about this sort of thing. "My name is Ariel, and I'm a sophomore. I suppose, by the looks of it, I'd be around a one on the scale, maybe a two, but I haven't really given it that much thought, which is probably why it's a one, because if it was a two, I'd have thought about it more, right? And I've had sex," don't flit your eyes to anyone else in the room, Ariel, don't flit your eyes, don't---darn it, "education in the summer. With Mr. Winchester, I think."

Yes, that was it. She was never going to be able to forget about that car, even if she wanted to.

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

My name is Helen and I am a senior. As best I can tell, I am a zero on the scale. I've never felt any attraction towards members of my own sex." She shrugged. "I suppose I cannot rule out the possibility that I might at some point, but this far I have not. I did take a sexual education summer course previously."

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[icecoldfrost]

"Emma Frost, senior," she said smoothly. "I'm a one -" usually. Mostly. That she'd admit to herself, let alone in-front of people she didn't know. "-and I have taken some of the school's previous offerings for sexual education, including being the TA for Mr. Bond's course."

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[wwiii]

"I'm Warren Worthington," he could have added the third, but that just seemed like showing off, "and a junior. And... honestly, I think I'm probably about a one on the Kinsey Scale."

He fidgeted a little. He hadn't bothered to hide his wings today, but they were going to cramp if he folded them any more tightly across his back.

"And I haven't really had a sex ed course that counts. I mean, unless Mr. Winchester's Hooking Up class counts."

Which Warren kind of doubted.

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

"William Murdoch, freshman, and I am a zero," William said, in a tone that probably gave away the fact that he didn't really approve of any of those other numbers on the scale. "I've taken a unit on human biology at my former school." Look, he was Victorian and Catholic, honestly he was lucky that the Jesuits had beeen thorough enough to touch on the reproductive system during that biology class.

Re: Introduce Yourselves

[onlymistaken]

Cally hadn't been here for a full term and not gone near a television, so the fact that some cultures had...issues... on this subject wasn't a surprise. It still threw her a bit, though, hearing the discomfort in some of the voices that had already spoken.

"My name is Cally; I suppose I fall in the middle of the first scale, and vaguely toward the secondary, on the other. My people reproduce largely in vitro now; gender needn't be a consideration when seeking a partner, beyond personal taste."

Talk to the Teachers

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

God help John.

Re: Talk to the Teachers

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

Yes. God help John, indeed. He was trying to keep his spirits up, though. He really was.

OOC

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

FRESH NEW WEEK.

Re: OOC

[willbethenight.livejournal.com]

Riddle me this: HOW AM I NOT SLEEPING YET? I HAVE TRIED! IT IS NOT HAPPENING.