Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

shocked, told me not to do it anymore and
spanked me. Then she never mentioned it again.
The child quickly learned that this pleasant sexual experience was
not something to be shared with his mother. The fact that she “never
mentioned it again” is significant. Children remember being admonished
“not to do it anymore.” In many non-sexual things that the child does
the mother stops the activity but promises the child that he can do it
later, or can do it when he is old enough. Not so with sexual activity;
children do not recall that the negative injunction is ever removed
by the mother saying, “Now it is alright to do it.” Because of
this negative reaction of the parents, children masturbate with feelings
of guilt. Masturbation then becomes a “group” rather than an individual
activity since mother or father, with negative response, is
present as a significant other in the child’s fantasy, disapproving of
his activity as he masturbates.
“Show it” activity is also apt to be met by negative injunction or
unambiguous instruction (“never do such a thing again”) resulting in
confusion for the child.
We saw no harm in this (boy and neighbor girl
stripping to examine each other) but our parents
scolded us, and told us never to do such a
thing again. This troubled me, my body was not
to be seen by anyone except myself.
In the following case, mother lost her composure (“she became quite
upset”) and gave unambiguous instructions (“never to touch this object
again”) with no explanation as to the reason for the unambiguous instructions
and without indicating that the injunction would ever be removed.
It is doubtful that the mother really meant that her daughter
should never touch a contraceptive again!
When rummaging through my mother’s chest-ofdrawers
I discovered a circular, rubbery object
(a diaphragm). Too wide and flat to be a balloon,
I was fascinated by the fact that I could
stretch this piece of rubber, and so I did. I
was caught by my mother who became quite upset
and told me never to touch this object again
without any explanation as to what it was.
The words “never again” come easily to the lips of a repressive
mother.
My friend and I were in the basement of our home,
hiding behind the furnace, about to do something
“nasty.” My friend dropped his trousers, bent
over, and manly spread his “cheeks” in order for
me to get the best view possible. I exclaimed.
Then I did the same thing for him and he
exclaimed. Later my mother asked what we were
doing in the basement. I finally told her that we
were showing butts. She told me never to do anything
like that again. I felt almost certain that
I had done something which would prove to be
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