How I Got Into Sex.

How I Got Into Sex. By Bonnie Bullough, Vern L. Bullough, Marilyn A. Fithian, William E. Hartman, & Randy Sue Klein. Amherst, NY. Prometheus Books, 1997,480 pages. Cloth, $29.95.

Reviewed by Konstance McCaffree, Ph.D., The University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, Human Sexuality Department, 3700 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

What a fun assignment! The opportunity to read unique stories written by more than 40 sexologists, some of whom are my "heroes," detailing some of the influences that led to their interest in the "sex" field was exciting. During a contemplative time at a professional meeting, I have often wondered what drew this person or that one into sexology. My entry and that of many of my close friends was serendipitous, yet I anticipated that others may have interesting and circuitous routes to this life passion. I was not disappointed. Most sexologists found their "way" through curiosity, unanswered questions, and challenges. Many people recognized that the path might be a difficult one; others were motivated by the mission.

Although to some readers How I Got Into Sex may seem to be beach reading for the prurient, the writings here contribute to the history of our relatively young field and can be extremely useful in developing an understanding of our society's attitudes towards sex.

I was especially fascinated by the stories of those whom I knew (or thought I knew). I was enriched by the personal sharing. So often we talk to our colleagues about their professional work or our immediate personal lives and have no history or life circumstances on which to enhance our vision or understanding of them. Our lens is bluffed. I found myself wanting to ask questions, to make connections when a piece of the story felt like mine.

I imagine there are many who have predetermined ideas about why someone would be so interested in sex that he/she would dedicate an entire career to its study or promotion. The presumption may be that sexologists undoubtedly have had some trauma with sex, been sexually abused by an adult, been over indulged as a child, or had a rigid or lax religious upbringing. Although the stories included some of those histories, most people who shared their stories found their way through the challenges of life in an attempt to find the answers to puzzling questions.

The editors attempted to include a diverse group of contributors, not only in academic fields but also in sexual orientation and career choice. Among the contributors are male-to-female and female-to-male transexuals, cross-dressers, a married Catholic priest, a sex surrogate, and a sex toy manufacturer. These individuals come from a variety of fields, including medicine, nursing, history, sociology, law, biology, anthropology, and psychology. They pursued careers as journalists, activists, educators, therapists, and academicians. Missing for me were those whose contributions to the field bridge other racial and ethnic groups, who also enrich our culture and contribute greatly and sometimes quietly to the understanding of sexuality. The publicity of the leaders in our field often portrays the dominant culture, whereas those representing the complexity of the social and ethnic milieu are hidden. Hearing the stories from an even broader ethnic mix would enrich the editor's goal, which was to help students contemplating entering sexual science know the varied backgrounds of those who compose the field today. One unintentional message that may be sent to readers was related to the gender of those identified as sexologists. Twenty-seven of the 46 authors identify as male. Women may be underrepresented in this volume, although we have been prominent in the profession. Men historically were more visible. They continue to be in this volume.

I anticipated being able to read the stories of the professionals in one or two sittings, but I was unable to do so. To be able to digest what each individual shares, and to contemplate the many meanings within a story, I needed to spread the book out over many readings. Some sexologists describe their philosophy of sexuality and how it developed; others articulate their history with no implications for deeper interpretations. Both are valuable.

How I Got Into Sex is a fascinating read. It reinforces how we are an interdisciplinary field and how much we are dependent on others for support, learning, and perspective. As the authors suggest, "It is this mutual learning perspective which serves to give sexology a spirit of cohesion and support lacking in most other fields" (p. 12). Through stories shared by these sexual scientists, we see passionate professionals dedicated to enhancing our profession.