So now we know.

[slemslempike]

From the pen of Dr Alexander Gunn, author of The Privileged Adolescent: An outline of the physical and mental problems of the student society, published by the Medical and Technical Publishing Co, in 1970.

I have so far only read the chapter on "Sex on the campus", because that is naturally what interested me in the first place. Here, we learn that, on university campuses:

"promiscuity (OED = 'indiscriminate mixture') as by definition girls who cohabit with more than one partner in, say, any one year, is agin less than 1 per cent. Indeed, promiscuity in the sense of the girl who 'sleeps around' is seen by university physicians as a sign and symptom of psychological disturbance - the girl is invariably, quite severely emotionally disturbed and her sexual behaviour is but one aspect of her illness." (35)

Then there is "a detailed survey carried out by the author" in which "an attempt was made to definte the social and psychological attitudes of those female students who were...regular users of the 'pill'." (35-36) I bet he carried that survey out. I bet it was very detailed indeed. Perhaps a phone survey, with most of the questions replaced by heavy breathing.

"With regard to domicile, it does not seem to make any significant difference as to whether the girl lives in lodgings, hostel or flat as to whether she uses an oral contraceptive or not." (37)

My god! They'll do it anywhere!

And, finally, I regret to inform you that "[there] is no satisfaction to be had from promiscuity beyond the spinal reflexes" (41) NONE WHATSOEVER. (Yes, I know what he means by spinal reflexes. But it amuses me to suppose that he doesn't. Also he says that these spinal reflexes are "rare" in young women.)


I wish this counted as work.

Comments

[cellardor.livejournal.com]

See, I didn't read the date and was all 'How old is this book?!!' So girls were promiscuous if they slept with more than one bloke in a year? God help the girls nowadays then. Crumbs. What would Nelly and Timberland say?

Crap that song's going to be in my head now.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

My favourite bit about that part is that he's clearly making it up - "say, a year" - he could easily "say" something else if he wanted. He couches it all as being about him as a physician telling us science, but his sources are 1) a dictionary and 2) him. Which are not right.

I have no idea what you're talking about. I am not down with any sort of "kids". (Seriously, what?)

[cellardor.livejournal.com]

Oh sorry, it's a song called 'Promiscuous Girl'. Or something. You are better off not knowing.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

So what's the definition of promiscuous men? Or are there only promiscuous girls on Planet Gunn?

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Naturally not! Men aren't promiscuous, they're manly.

Although he does say that men sometimes come to him depressed about their series of shallow relationships.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

"With regard to domicile, it does not seem to make any significant difference as to whether the girl lives in lodgings, hostel or flat as to whether she uses an oral contraceptive or not." (37)

And of course, no girl would be so shameless as to take them while living under her parents' roof.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Perish the thought! Nice Girls Don't.

[pisica.livejournal.com]

I was looking at Sex and the College Girl in the NLS the other day, but didn't have time to glean much.

Oh, AD passes on his thanks for the CDs! I think they are currently down in Plymouth with him.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

What's Sex and the College Girl? I don't know that.

He is very welcome! I am glad someone wanted them.

[pisica.livejournal.com]

1967 (or at least that's the earliest edition the NLS has) sociological study of sex on college campuses, which I think is based almost entirely on interviews. Gael Greene is the author.

Speaking as someone who came to Edinburgh to do her PhD primarily because of the holdings of the NLS, I highly recommend their collections, and will wave to you in the reading room if I see you there at any point. :)

[anglaisepaon.livejournal.com]

Spinal reflexes. Heeeee!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Are not "spinal reflexes" as it were, the very definition of satisfaction?