All the ways Soc152a made you a secret sexpert

At UCSB, Gauchos have the privilege to take one of the most interesting classes offered at any given University, a class that teaches them all about sex. Yes this is a real class and yes it is open for all majors to take -just in case you were wondering.

Anyone that has taken this class, or for those who have tried but were too intimidated by the syllabus know that Soc152a isn’t your regular 1:00pm lecture. Soc152a includes a variety of topics relating to human sexuality. Contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion and sex in the law and news.

Taught by the fabulous Janice and John Baldwin, Soc 152a is amongst the longest-running and most popular classes on campus. The Baldwin’s bond, which manifests itself in finishing each other’s sentences and acting out conversations about sex makes you feel comfortable about the topics they discuss. The Baldwins aim to help students fill in the gaps on the biology and sexual behavior of humans, and ultimately improve students’ sexual health and relationships.

If you are practicing abstinence, in a sexually active relationship, or having sex with whomever consents, this is a unique class that cam benefit every Gaucho.

Here are 12 ways on how Soc152a made you a secret sexpert.

And who would have thought you could become one with 300+ students around?

 Soc152a stresses the importance of sex being a huge part of your identity

Sexuality is one of our most basic drives, but it’s also fundamental to our identities as people. Identity means the sense of who you are, and it is often defined in terms of the social groups to which you feel you belong to. The direction of our sexual attractions to the other sex, our own sex, or both sexes has a profound influence on our personal and public lives and how we are viewed and treated by others.

 Soc152a will improve your understanding of the structure and function of your genital organs, and those of your partners, which will help you give and receive more pleasure from sex

The first few lectures go over the full anatomy of the female and male genital organs. The Baldwins go over words like vascongestion, endometrium, corona, and vas deferens. On the first of four written exams you have to know basically every single genital organ for both male and female. Understanding how everything works is fascinating and is extremely helpful for your sex life.

Women and men experience the same type of pleasure during climax

One is not better than the other.

In both men and women, orgasm is accompanied by a surgelike release of the hormone oxytocin from the pituitary gland. Oxytocin contributes to the contraction of smooth (involuntary) muscles such as those in the wall of the uterus and in breast tissue.

Learning about sexual diversity will encourage you to be more accepting of unspoken sexual desires and behaviors – whether in others or yourself

Different strokes for different folks. Being open minded towards different sexual desires and behaviors will help yourself feel more comfortable on sharing your own. We obviously are not going to all like the same things; so don’t be afraid to share what you’re into and keep an open mind to new ideas.

Educating yourself about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases will lessen the chances of  harming yourself or your partners

The Baldwins go over every single transmitted infections you can get it, the symptoms and how to treat one, if possible. Practicing safer sex allows you to reduce your risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases. Being aware of all the different STIs will make you more cautious to practice safe sex.

Educating yourself about sex enables you to educate others

One of the greatest benefits of a college education is the opportunity to broaden your mental horizons by discussing important topics with people whose backgrounds differ from your own.

“Society has changed drastically as people have learned about human sexuality and our knowledge about human sexuality has continued to expand”- Janice Baldwin

Soc152a emphasizes how sexuality differs across cultures

Each society has different norms about premarital sex, the age of sexual consent, homosexuality, masturbation, and other sexual behaviors. Individuals are socialized to these norms from early on as by their family, education system, peers, media, and religion.

Gay rights are a global Issue

The Baldwin’s discuss how the LGBTQ community has fought and is still fighting for equal rights. Members of the LGBTQ still face discrimination on a daily basis whether in the work field, within the family, a public restroom, or at school. Their narratives and experiences are often left out of typical American high school sex education classes.

You learn about the stages of transcending genders

The Baldwins cover how sex-reassignment is a multistage process. This gives you a better understanding of how hard it if for those who want to make that change and gives us insight on what we can do if we need to help the process.

This class covers society’s continuously evolving views on sexuality 

Human sexuality can be understood as part of the social life of human, governed by social norms, implied ruled of behavior, and the status quo. The meaning of the word “sex” has broadened over the centuries. Sex used to simply mean the categories of male and female based on anatomical characteristics but now the term sex could be defined as your gender, or your sexuality.

The History of contraception and abortion

Birth control has a long history and feminists led the campaign to legalize it. The Baldwins go over every type of birth control there is. If one is not right for you, there are a dozen of others you can chose from. They also cover abortion procedures and how much safer and easier it is now compared to what it use to be.

Sex is about relationships

Sexual relationships are central to most people’s lives.They may last a few minutes or several decades. They may be motivated by physical attraction, emotional bonding, a sense of duty, a desire to be a parent, a desire to conform or rebel. They may be mutually fulfilling, one-sided, unhappy, or abusive. They may involve two or more individuals. They may be centered on sex or include sex as a mere incidental feature.

Whether we are looking for a partner for a night or for a lifetime, consciously or subconsciously we shop around for the best partner we can get. Soc152a benefits everyone for different reasons, which is why it is so popular at UCSB. This class is extremely powerful and every Gaucho should consider becoming a secret sexpert for their own good.