Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

the arousal, but I was aroused.
Children learn early the need for privacy and secrecy in their sexual
encounters. The scepter of the appearance of mother (or some other
representative of the generalized other) already implanted in the
child’s consciousness can alter the patterns of behavior. The two cases
that follow show the early regard for adult standards.
I (a girl) was playing with a boy cousin who was
the same age as I was, about five years old. We
had been told that boys go to the bathroom alone
and girls go to the bathroom alone, but you know
how sometimes an emergency arises and you both
have to go. They had an old fashioned two-holer
outdoor toilet, so we made a pact not to look at
each other if we went together.
Some girls, one other boy, and myself (a boy)
were playing in our grass huts. We were playing
house and since I was the oldest, I was elected
to fulfill the role of “father,” thereby receiving
the privilege of occupying a single hut with
the girl elected to take the role of my “wife.”
After my wife and I had fondled each other’s
genitalia for awhile, I decided that I should
have a private consultation with each of the
“children.” Consequently, by the end of the day,
I had exchanged caresses with one boy and four
girls. The fifth girl was very frightened by
such intimate contact. She said that her parents
would definitely not like it, and that she
was afraid of their judgement. Her response
frightened me as I suddenly realized that my
parents would not appreciate my behavior either.
Homosexual Sexual Encounters With Peers In Early Childhood
The boy’s behavior in the case above could be labeled as bisexual
since he “exchanged caresses with one boy and four girls.” Actually,
during late childhood and early adolescence, sexual play with members
of the same sex is probably more common than with members of the opposite
sex. (Comfort, 1963, p. 42). Homosexual sex play in childhood involves
handling the genitals of a person of the same sex, primarily, as
in the case above. In a smaller number of cases it also involves oral
or anal contact and occasionally urethral or vaginal insertions. (Broderick,
1966). Sometimes homosexual activity takes the form of “show it”
such as a group of boys urinating together outdoors. For example, a
mother reports that she saw two boys giggling excitedly while having a
contest to see which one could “wee-wee” the farthest. (Sears, Maccoby,
and Levin, 1957, p. 205). The activity is mildly competitive and
perhaps low in erotic intent or satisfaction. The following case of homosexual
play of females, on the other hand, is explicitly genital and
erotic.
I (a girl) encountered a sexual experience that
was confusing at kindergarten age.... Some
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