Introduction to invited papers.On April 26, 2003, the Eastern Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, formed in 1957, claims to be "the oldest organization of professionals interested in the study of sexuality in the United States." It claims to have some 900 members and has a quarterly newsletter, Sexual Science. established The John Money Award to recognize scholars who have made significant contributions to our understanding of human sexuality. It will be awarded at the annual conference of the Eastern Region of the Society beginning in the year 2004. According the award text, "The award honors Dr. John Money for pioneering conceptual frameworks and developing language that have significantly deepened our comprehension of lovemaps, pairbonding, and, especially, gender. In 1955, his seminal work in formulating a multivariate model of sex included the naming of gender as one of its essential variables. Since then, Dr. Money's concept of gender has become intrinsic to the history of social science and has permeated idiomatic id·i·o·mat·ic adj. 1. a. Peculiar to or characteristic of a given language. b. Characterized by proficient use of idiomatic expressions: a foreigner who speaks idiomatic English. as well as academic usage." Dr. Money has made important contributions to our understanding of gender identity, sexual orientation, transsexualism transsexualism Self-identification with one sex by a person who has the external genitalia and secondary sexual characteristics of the other sex. Early in life, such a person adopts the behaviour characteristic of the opposite sex. , and the treatment of hermaphroditic her·maph·ro·dite n. 1. An animal or plant exhibiting hermaphroditism. 2. Something that is a combination of disparate or contradictory elements. or intersex intersex /in·ter·sex/ (in´ter-seks) 1. hermaphrodite. 2. pseudohermaphrodite. 3. intersexuality. female intersex a female pseudohermaphrodite. children. His work has influenced conceptions of the causes and treatment of sexual deviance or paraphilia paraphilia /para·phil·ia/ (par?ah-fil´e-ah) a psychosexual disorder marked by sexual urges, fantasies, and behavior involving objects, suffering or humiliation, or children or other nonconsenting partners. , and has generated both praise and criticism. The Board of Directors of the Region inaugurated the award at a special session held during the Eastern Region meeting in Baltimore, MD, in April 2003. The Board invited Vern Bullough, arguably the Dean of historians of the scientific understanding of sexuality, to address Dr. Money's contributions to the field. Bullough's presentation was followed by remarks by John Money. The two papers are published in this issue of The Journal of Sex Research in recognition of their significance. John DeLamater, Editor |
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