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A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Abortion The premature termination of pregnancy, before the birth of the fetus. Abortions are not legal in every country; in India it is possible under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act within a stipulated time period of the pregnancy. Women's right to abortion is a matter of choice and is an act of a woman's sexual self-determination, although this view is not uniformly held by many individuals. Owing to social prejudice many women cannot access safe and legal abortions (for example when the pregnancy has resulted from rape, or premarital sex) and therefore have no other choice but to consult quacks or cheap and unsafe abortions, which can be fatal.

AIDS (Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome) A fatal disease state where the human immune system is weakened and cannot guard the individual against any disease-causing organism, even those that can be treated with drugs. AIDS is the final stage of an infection by the HIV (Human Immuno-deficieny Virus), which is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids (semen and vaginal fluids only). Education and awareness about HIV transmission and prevention are the most effective ways to protect oneself.

Anal intercourse Sexual intercourse through the anal opening when the penis is introduced into the anus of his partner( male or female). Anal intercourse without a condom is an extremely high-risk behavior for the spread of HIV due to rupture of blood vessels in the anal opening that mingles with semen of the partner.

Androgyny The merging of masculine and feminine traits, feelings, and qualities in balance in an individual's personality.

Analingus Oral stimulation of the anus, the practice of enjoying the licking and oral caressing of the anal opening.

Aureola The dark ring of skin surrounding the nipple.

B

Bestiality Any sexual act with an animal ranging from body contact to oral-genital contact, to penetration.

Bisexuality A sexual orientation in which an individual can enjoy emotional and sexual relationships with persons of both genders.

Blow job See FELLATIO

Blue balls A term used for pain in the testes or discomfort that occurs when a man becomes sexually aroused without ejaculating.

Butch (Slang) A woman who is more masculine in her expression, appearance and personality; this word is often used for lesbian women who identify more with a masculine persona. See FEMME

C

Castration The surgical removal of reproductive organs (in males and females)

Castration anxiety A psychological complex of referring to anxiety in males with fear of being castrated (meaning, being rendered "not a man", or, feminine, the underlying assumption being that femininity is a lesser state of being for a boy) first described by Sigmund Freud, as a psychological dynamic of the father-son relationship.

Celibacy A life style in which there is complete abstinence from sexual thoughts and activity.

Cervix The neck/opening of the uterus, that extends and opens into the vagina.

Cesarean section Also referred to as a C-section, a surgical delivery method in which an incision is made through the abdominal wall into the uterus, so the baby can be lifted out.

Chastity A moral value (applied to and expected only of women) where the individual is to abide by the socially defined sex norms of sexual abstinence till marriage, and sexual fidelity to the husband after marriage. Chastity is a socially constructed concept of female "virtue" that underlies the sexual double standard between men and women, where men are expected to be sexually adventurous and virile as an expression of their masculinity. Chastity is a restrictive and discriminatory standard against women. Even a woman who has been sexually assaulted or raped is said to lose her morals, i.e. be "un-chaste" when what happened was not her fault!

Circumcision The removal of the foreskin, the fold of skin that surrounds the head (or glans) of the penis ( also performed for religious or cultural reasons as in Judaism and Islam).

Climax See ORGASM

Clitoris A small bud shaped organ of the female genital anatomy, above the uretha (urinary opening) and vagina. It is the focal point of sexual pleasure leading to orgasms during masturbation or stimulation. It is the only organ in either human body whose sole function is to give sexual pleasure.

Coitus Penile-vaginal intercourse

Conception Beginning of pregnancy, when the male sperm fertilizes the female egg.

Condom A sheath of latex rubber worn on the penis just before ejaculation to prevent the mixing of semen with either the vaginal, oral, or anal regions. It is the most effective and safe method to prevent pregnancy, HIV, and other venereal diseases.

Contraception Methods used to prevent pregnancy; birth control measures.

Contractions Also called labor pains, these are the involuntary shortening of the muscles in the uterus that cause the baby to be forced out of the birth canal.

Copulation Sexual intercourse for reproduction

Cross dressing The practice of wearing the clothes of the opposite gender, usually for sexual or emotional gratification.

CSA(child sexual abuse) The sexual and emotional violation of a child by an adult, through verbal, visual or physical acts, abusing the realtionship of power and authority that adults have over children.

Cunnilingus Oral stimulation of the female genitals for sexual pleasure. See ORAL SEX.

D

Dhat Syndrome (Hindi) a syndrome of anxiety over semen loss, stemming from a belief that loss of semen is equivalent to loss of blood from the body leading to physical weakness.

Diaphragm A female barrier contraceptive method; a dome shaped rubber device with a flexible rim that is placed in the vagina behind the pubic bone blocking sperm from reaching the uterus. Diaphragms have to inserted by a gynecologist; not readily available in the Indian market.

Dildo An object made of plastic or rubber, shaped like a penis, serving as a substitute for penetration.

Dysmenorrhea Painful menstruation, specifically abdominal cramps, spasms, and back pain, commonly called "stomach cramps"

E

Ejaculation Rhythmic contractions in males that propels the semen out of the penis in spurts.

Erection The condition of the penis when the tissues in it fill up with blood, becoming firm and growing in size, as a result of either physical or psychological stimulation, or both. Slang - "hard on", "boner"

Erogenous zones The areas of the male and female body that are specially capable of arousing sexual desire and pleasure

Erotic Sexually stimulating , pertaining to sexual love or sensation.

Eunuch A cultural and social community of people who are either biologically male and adopt feminine traits and expressions; or, castrated men; or, hermaphroditic men (born with diminished male and female genitalia and other sexual characteristics) Due to their sexual difference they are social outcasts and have to either beg or become commercial sex workers to support themselves. They are also called hijras across India..

Exhibitionism The compulsive act of exposing the genitals, often in public, or to a specific person, for the purpose of sexual arousal and gratification.

F

Fellatio Oral stimulation of the male genitalia for sexual arousal and pleasure; slang - "blow job", " giving head" etc.

Fetish A sexual fixation on a concept, object, or body part. A person with a fetish feels a compulsive need to use the object in order to obtain sexual gratification, and cannot achieve pleasure without it. There is usually a psychological connection between the individual's fetish and important events in the past. Common fetishes - for feet, watching pornographic movies, for lacy underwear, certain smells etc.

Fisting Inserting a whole hand into either the vagina or the anus.

Foreplay Sexual acts like kissing, body massage, oral stimulation, breast/nipple arousal, and other stimulating acts a couple engages in before sexual intercourse.

Foreskin A fold of skin that covers the head of the penis.

Frottage Sexual pleasure derived from rubbing against another person's body or body parts.

G

Gay ( Popular Slang) for a male homosexual

Genitals The external sexual body parts. In females they include the labia majora (outer lips), labia minora (inner lips), clitoris, mons pubis (a soft mound covered with pubic hair)and vestibule (where the urinary and vaginal opening are found). In the male the genitals are the penis and the scrotum.

Glans The head of the penis.

Gonad An organ that produces the sex cells. In the females these are the ovaries and in the males the testes.

Gonorrhea A common sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterium.

Groin The fleshy hollow where the thigh joins the abdomen, where the genitals are placed.

G-spot (Graffenberg spot) This is an area located on the inside anterior vaginal wall. When stimulated it increases in size and swells up and gives intense orgasms with the release of a large amount of vaginal secretions. This spot can be reached by insertion of the finger into the vagina.

H

Hermaphrodite A person born with diminished sexual organs of both sexes as a result of a genetic anomaly, and therefore has physical sexual traits and characteristics in between that of a man or a woman. The hermaphroditic individual is usually incapable of reproduction.

Heterosexual A person who prefers to have sexual and emotional relationship with members of the opposite gender.

Homosexual A person who prefers emotional and sexual relations with the member of the same gender.

Hot flushes Physical symptoms that occurs in most women during the menopausal period as a result of natural variations in the hormone level; includes sweating, rise in body temperature, and other bodily responses.

Hymen A thin sheath of tissue partially covering the vaginal passage that can be broken by active sports.

I

I.U.D. (Abbreviation) Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Device - for birth control, inserted into the uterus by a gynecologist and is made of plastic and metal (usually copper). It prevents the fertilized female egg from settling in the uterine wall. The most common IUDs are Copper T and Lippes Loop. If inserted incorrectly can leading to scarring and bleeding of the uterus.

Impotence Inability of a man to sustain an erection. It is usually caused by psychological factors such as anxiety about sexual performance, guilt and conflict about sex, emotional-relationship problems, or, owing to organic factors ; spinal chord injury, diabetes, drug use, age, or insufficient male hormones. More than 95% of impotence arises from psychological anxiety.

Impregnation To make a woman pregnant i.e. the process of intercourse and subsequent fertilization

Incest Sexual activity between members of the same family. Incestuous relationships may or may not be consensual and lead to the same emotional and psychological problems as in child sexual abuse. See CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Infertility Inability to reproduce which could be temporary. When permanent its called sterility. Both men or women can be infertile.

Insemination The ejaculation of the semen into the vagina. Artificial insemination is the placement of semen into the cervix or in the uterus using the syringe.

Intercourse Sexual act during which the penis is inserted into the partner's vagina (vaginal sex) or anus (anal sex) or mouth (oral sex).

K

K-Y Jelly A water soluble lubricant applied on the condom to reduce friction with the vaginal or anal opening during sexual intercourse

L

Labia majora The larger outer lips of the female external genitalia.

Labia minora The smaller, inner lips of the external female genitalia.

Labor The process of giving birth, during which the baby and the mother's body prepare themselves for delivery.

Lactation The period after child birth when the milk is secreted from the mother's breasts due to the influence of a hormone called oxytocin which also helps in inducing contractions during labor

Lesbian A homosexual woman.

Libido Psychic drive or energy associated with sexual energy; energy of life instinct, the desire for sexual union and pleasure.

Lubrication The natural body fluid that appears in the woman's vagina when she is sexually stimulated without which a woman would find penetration painful. External (non-natural) lubricants are used by men to make the anus easy to penetrate since

Lumpectomy Surgical removal of lump ( benign or malignant) in the breast

M

Mammoplasty Plastic surgery to increase the breast size (breast augmentation), to decrease breast size(breast reduction), or to reconstruct one or both breasts following mastectomy for cancer or any other disease.

Masculine Socially constructed patterns of how men are expected to behave

Masochism Masochism is a form of sexual gratification in which an individual is sexually aroused by either the threat or enactment of pain or humiliation and degradation. This might involve whipping, beating, bondage, submission to and by a more dominant sexual partner.

Mastectomy The surgical removal of the breast to treat cancer.

Masturbation Stimulation of one's own genitals and body parts to achieve sexual pleasure. It may or may not result in an orgasm.

Menopause The permanent stopping of menstruation occurring between the ages of 45-55 years

Menstruation Periodical cycle in women wherein once a month an egg is released from the ovary, and the uterine wall is thickened to prepare for the fertilized egg to settle in it. If fertilization does not occur, then for 3-6 days the uterine lining sheds with discharge of blood.

Miscarriage Spontaneous discharge through the vagina of a developing fetus before it is able to survive.

Molestation A sexual offence in which sexual advances are made against the will of the victim.

Mons Mound of flesh located above the vaginal opening and over the pubic bone.

N

Nocturnal emissions Also called wet dreams, this is ejaculation of semen during sleep due to erotic dreams or prolonged sexual arousal or masturbation not resulting in ejaculation.

O

Oral pills A contraceptive method of birth control. These pills bring about hormone change that prevents an egg from being released each month, thereby preventing pregnancy. The pills have to be regularly consumed for effective results. Consumption of oral pills is not without side effects because it alters the natural hormone state of the body.

Orgasm A highly pleasurable, climactic response during sex, the peak of sexual pleasure, that is the result of a complex interaction of physical, emotional and hormonal factors. In men it is usually at the time of ejaculation.

Multiple orgasms mean having several orgasms within a short period of time. Only women can have multiple orgasms.

Ovary Reproductive female gonads located on either side of and behind the uterus. The ovaries release ova (eggs) during the woman's reproductive years, and produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Ovulation The process whereby an ovum is released from an ovarian follicle into a fallopian tube. Ovulation begins during puberty and continues commonly on a monthly basis into the menopausal years (menstruation). During pregnancy ovulation discontinues.

Ovum Female reproductive cell released by the ovary during ovulation.

Oxytocin A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the uterus to contract, causing labor to begin. It also stimulates secretion of milk from breasts.

P

Pedophilia A sexual dysfunction where the person achieves sexual arousal or satisfaction only through the sexual exposure of children i.e. either watching them naked or undressing them or indulging in child pornography. A pedophilic may not necessarily have sex with the child to attain satisfaction, but enjoys the vulnerability of a child. A pedophiliac may have some experience of sexual trauma in his own childhood.

Penis The male sex organ, which consists of a head called glans, and the shaft or body. At the tip of the glans is the urethral opening, through which urine and semen leave the body. The shaft or the body of the penis is made of spongy tissue and blood vessels. And it fills with blood an grows in size (becomes erect) during sexual excitement.

Perineum The perineum is the short stretch of skin starting at the bottom of the vulva and extending to the anus. The perineum in women often tears during birth to accommodate passage of the child, and this is natural. Some physicians may cut the perineum preemptively (called an episiotomy) on the grounds that the "tearing" may be more harmful than a precise scalpel, but statistics show that such cutting in fact may increase the potential for infection.

Placenta It is the exchange and filtering system that develops between the mother and the fetus in the uterus, responsible for filtering oxygen and nourishment from the mother's blood to the fetus. Following the delivery of the baby the placenta is expelled from the uterus.

Pornography Verbal or visual material or acts that embody violence, coercion, discrimination, force or brutality on women, men, children, or animals in sexual acts, and represent them in a degrading position.

Premature ejaculation Early ejaculation when a man cannot recognize that he is about to ejaculate and therefore is unable to control it.

Prostate glands The prostate is about the size of a walnut in a normal man, and is immediately behind the rectal wall about three centimeters inside the anus. It can be felt by placing one finger within the anus and feeling along the anterior wall for a round bulb. For some men, touching or rubbing this spot is extremely pleasurable; a rare few can even orgasm through this technique. Others report that the touch is painful or makes them feel as if they need to urinate.

Puberty The phase of adolescence in which boys and girls begin to develop sexual and physical characteristics like facial and body hair, breasts in girls, voice cracking in boys etc.

R

Rape An act of sexual violence. Sexual assault involving force or threat of force to have vaginal, oral or anal intercourse.

Refractory period The stage in the male sex response cycle after ejaculation during which a man is unable to have another erection immediately.

Resolution phase Last phase of sex response cycle women and men, following orgasm.

S

Sadism Sadism is a form of sexual gratification in which a person is sexually aroused and gratified by threat or infliction pain or humiliation and degradation on a more submissive sexual partner. This was first written about and described by the Marquis de Sade, which is where the word comes from.

Sadomasochist A person who derives sexual gratification and fulfillment from being subjected to or inflicting pain/humiliation or threat of it. Sadomasochism is a form of gratification that combines sadistic and masochistic roles in sexual interaction

Scrotum The thin-walled, soft pouch of tissue containing the testicles. It regulates and maintains proper temperature for sperm production. Commonly called "balls", "nuts" etc.

Semen The milky white fluid that leaves a man's penis when he ejaculates, containing reproductive cells called sperms.

Sexual intercourse SEE INTERCOURSE

Sexual orientation A sexual preference or choice that determines whether one chooses a member of the same or the opposite sex, or both, for sexual satisfaction.

Sexuality A composite term referring to the totality of being a person-sexuality suggests our human character, not simply our genital acts and has implications regarding the total meaning of being a man or woman. Sexuality is concerned with the biological, psychological, sociological and spiritual variables of life that affect personality development and interpersonal relations. It includes one's self-perception, self-esteem, personal history, personality, concept of love and intimacy, body image etc.

Sexually transmitted diseases(STD) Also called venereal disease or VD, these are diseases passed between people through sexual contact and are caused by bacteria, viruses or other parasites. Gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV are some examples of STDs.

Sodomy Also known as anal sex, these is the insertion of the penis into the partner's rectum, and may or not involve coercion.

Sperm (Plural spermatozoa) The male reproductive cells produced in the testicles beginning at puberty and normally continuing well into the 70's. When a male ejaculates, between 2 and 7 million sperm leave his body.

Sterility The permanent inability to conceive a child.

T

Tampon A tube of absorbent material, such as cotton, that comes in various sizes that fit snugly in the vagina to absorb the menstrual flow.

Testes SEE TESTICLES

Testicles Also called testes, or "balls", these are the male gonads, located in the scrotum, under the penis. They produce the male sex hormone, testosterone, from birth, and the male sex cells, sperms from puberty onwards.

Transsexual A person who believes that he or she is psychologically akin to the opposite gender and feels trapped in one’s biological sex. A transsexual may seek medical help to surgically change the genitals and other aspects of appearance to match the deeply felt internal gender identity. This is a rare identity that has to be established by numerous psychological assessments; it occurs over many years. There are many well-documented cases of transsexuals in recent history.

Transvestite A person who obtains sexual gratification from the personal style and appearance of the opposite gender and is usually homosexual (but not always). The male transvestite population are more visible and are sometimes called "drag queens", and form a flamboyant sub-culture who are forced to make a living as performers in specific clubs because they are not accepted in mainstream society. Many transvestite men may even opt for breast implants, intake of female hormones to prevent the growth or body hair, but may be comfortable with their biological sexual organs, and may not desire a sex change operation. A number of films and books have celebrated this identity.

U

Umbilical chord The flexible tube connecting fetus to the placenta; it is the connection to the mother's body and is cut at birth.

Urethra The tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. In women it is between the vaginal opening and the clitoris. In men the opening is at the tip of the penis and is responsible for release of both semen and urine.

Uterus Also called the womb, this is a structure located in the female pelvis in which the fetus develops during pregnancy.

V

Vagina The canal leading from the vulva to the uterus in females. The vagina has great elasticity, allowing for the insertion of a penis for reproduction. During sexual excitement, a fluid is secreted by the walls of vagina that act as a lubricant during intercourse. During menstruation the blood is released through the vagina. The vagina is also the birth canal through which the child is delivered.

Vaginismus An involuntary spasm of the muscles around the vaginal opening that makes sexual intercourse extremely difficult, often due to psychological and emotional factors, the memory of sexual trauma etc.

Vestibule The area around the opening to the vagina and the urethra in women.

Vibrator A device used for sexual pleasure that is powered by batteries or is plugged into an electrical outlet; made of plastic/metal/rubber to be inserted into the vagina. Virginity A social concept that places importance on refraining from sex till marriage. The concept of virginity is loaded with double standards against women - women are expected to be virginal till marriage though men can be implicitly encouraged to lose their virginity. In women, it has nothing to do with the hymen.

Vulva The external female genitals-the labia majora and minora , the mons pubis, the clitoris and the vestibule.

W

Wet dreams See NOCTURNAL EMISSION

Withdrawal A birth control technique in which the penis is removed from the vagina before ejaculation.

Womb Another term for uterus.

X X chromosome A chromosome in an egg or sperm that carries female genetic material. When joined with a Y chromosome from the sperm, male offspring will result. When an X egg chromosome is joined with an X sperm chromosome, a female offspring will result. The egg always carries X chromosomes.

Y

Y chromosome A chromosome in a sperm cell that carries male genetic material. Men release male and female (X and Y chromosomes) genetic material and therefore determine the sex of the child.

Z

Zygote The single cell formed at the moment of fertilization by the union of sperm and egg.

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