All About Sex: A Family Resource on Sex and Sexuality.

All About Sex: A Family Resource on Sex and Sexuality. By Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997, 362 pages. Paper, $20.00.

Reviewed by Stephen T. Russell, Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, P.O. Box 830801, Lincoln, NE 68583-0801; e-mail: [e-mail].

Where can you turn for a comprehensive book on sexuality that speaks to all members of a family? A visit to your local bookstore will probably lead you to one of two areas. First, you may find yourself browsing the "Your Changing Body" section (or some similar aisle heading), where you will find books written primarily for young teenagers about "where babies come from" and pubertal development. Second, you may be led to "Human Sexuality," where you will find everything from sex manuals, how-to books, self-help guides, and even the new Sex for Dummies (yes, seriously), all aimed primarily at adults. While the books in each section might address specific concerns, you will be hard-pressed to find a book that has a format and range of information appropriate for the whole family. The good news is that Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. has developed an exciting resource on sex and sexuality for contemporary families in the United States that transcends both bookstore categories. The intention was to provide thorough, current information on sex and sexuality in a format that all members of a family can understand and use. Planned Parenthood hopes that individuals can use this information to deepen both the understanding and the enjoyment of their sexualities. All About Sex proves to be a solid success.

The authors anchor the book with four guiding facts: "sexuality is a healthy, natural, and normal part of being human"; "human sexuality is diverse and complex"; "all people are sexual from birth to death"; and "sexuality serves many important purposes other than reproduction" (p. xx). The authors integrate these facts into each subject they consider; this book does not segregate gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual behavior later in life, or the personal responsibility for sexual health into minor chapters. These issues are considered in the first chapter as the very issues that define contemporary sexualities. They are then carried throughout the book as central themes relating to all aspects of human sex and sexuality.

As much as I was excited to see human sexuality diversity addressed directly, I was concerned about several problematic definitions. The authors state: "Gender identity means the degree to which someone is considered to act feminine or masculine" (p. 5). This is a strangely external definition. In the glossary, a more accurate definition is given: "feelings about one's gender and gender role" (p. 326). Also, the definition of transvestite--one who wears clothes of the other gender because it gives sexual pleasure--is problematic and outdated. Usually this word has referred only to men, and does not necessarily imply sexual pleasure; further, transvestite has been replaced in common usage with cross-dresser and transgender. Finally, the authors write "transgender people typically have two different identities, and even two names for themselves--one female and one male" (p. 8). This is inaccurate. Certainly these are contemporary issues that are not easily defined or discussed, and I commend Planned Parenthood for making a commitment to providing information about these issues. I am concerned, however, that some of the definitions provided are not more current and accurate (refer to GenderPAC at www.genderpac.org for recent information about gender and transgender issues).

The book continues with a frank look at how we individually come to understand sexuality. The important roles played by families, peers, media, religion, government, and law are each examined in Chapter 2, followed by a consideration of Western cultural and historical influences on the ways we think about sex and sexuality. While clearly written for the contemporary United States, attention is given to non-Western cultures and histories and how cultural differences influence the understanding of sexuality.

One of the great benefits of All About Sex is that it is written at an intermediate reading level so that it is accessible to all reading members of the family, beginning in the pre-teenage years. There are times, however, when the desire to simplify leads to overly broad generalizations. One example is the statement: "Soldiers, away from home, want sex. That's why sex workers flock to military camps" (p. 48). This could be funny if it were not meant to be true. The relationship between the sexual behaviors of members of the military and sex workers is a complex topic that cannot he characterized this simply.

The third and fourth chapters focus on anatomy and sexual development from birth through old age. The section "Talking About Our Bodies" emphasizes the importance of using proper names for body parts. Of particular note in these chapters is a section on "Body Variations and Our Sexuality," in which the authors discuss with honesty and sensitivity the special challenges faced by people with disabilities, including blindness, deafness, loss of limb, spinal cord injuries, and mental health concerns. I know of no other general resource on sex and sexuality that addresses these issues as a part of normal human variation.

Sexual feelings are considered in Chapter 5. In their discussion of sexual inhibition, the authors not only include the effects of negative body image or low self-esteem; jealousy and internalized homophobia are also considered as factors that inhibit sexual feelings, desires and performance. I was curious to find a section titled "Have Sex in Safe Places"; what I found was a frank discussion of the challenges faced by non-married or co-residential persons that is an important addition to a family resource that takes seriously the importance of sexuality in individuals' lives, as well as the diversity in the ways in which people live their lives.

Sexual health and family planning are the subjects of the sixth and seventh chapters. The discussion of family planning is comprehensive regarding pregnancy prevention; however, I was surprised to find no information on infertility and the many new methods for planning families in light of new reproductive technologies. Certainly this is an issue about which many contemporary families need information and education. While this may have been beyond the scope of Planned Parenthood's goals for All About Sex, an acknowledgment of this limitation would have been appropriate. Finally, laws that affect our sexual lives are considered in the concluding chapter.

All About Sex closes with a history of Planned Parenthood, a list of resources and suggested readings, and a thorough glossary, which may become the most read part of All About Sex. The glossary will be an important resource for parents, teens, educators, and researchers. In addition to the expected topics of sex and sexuality, under "Organizations, Hot Lines, and Web Sites" you will find a wide range of resources, with categories including Academic Programs in Human Sexuality; Child Rights; Disabilities; Eating Disorders; Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues; Sex Workers; and Transgender Issues.

There is no doubt that All About Sex will disturb those who believe that ignorance about sex and sexuality is bliss. However, for families that believe that human sexuality across the lifespan is healthy, natural, normal, and diverse, this book will prove to be a wonderful resource. It fills a void in books that can be read and understood by wide audiences, while providing information on nearly every aspect of human sexuality that many of us encounter during our lives. Written for people of all ages, it will be best used as a guide for interactive family education and discussion about sex and sexuality. It will be important for parents not only to make this book available to their children, but also to use this book to talk actively with children about sex and sexuality. In addition to its usefulness to families, the encyclopedic coverage, resources lists, and glossary make All About Sex an important new guide and resource for professionals in human services and academic fields.

Michael R. Steveson, Ph.D.

Department of Psychological Sciences Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306, USA