Infant and Child Sexuality: A Sociological Perspective - Ipce

Jack had a nickel, which he was ready to toss.
If I (age twelve) called the correct side of the
coin as he tossed it, he would then touch his
erect penis to my genitals. It was like a gentle
love pat, not a forceful shove.... After the
first few times, no matter which side of the
coin landed up we touched our genitals every
time.... I remember experiencing great pleasure
when Jack’s penis touched my genitals. It was a
tingly feeling that surged through me. I liked
the feeling and thus we engaged in the game
about fifteen times that afternoon.... My only
concern at the time was about those outside the
closed door.... I knew that this was not something
I wanted anyone to interrupt.
He came and sat down next to me, put his arm
around me and kissed me, at the same time putting
his hand on my breast. Since it had been
arranged that I was to be with him, and since I
assumed that this was as accepted as was kissing,
I did not resist. It was important to me
that he was interested since he was a year older
than me, and therefore would be quite a status
builder. We spent this evening together, he
quite fascinated with my breasts (he told me I
had quite a handful), but this was the extent of
the sex play.... We were never together again,
nor did we even ever acknowledge that we knew
each other upon meeting.... I found these seemingly
innocent encounters were blown completely
apart when it came to what the boys had to say
about it. By the time I got to high school, I
heard that locker room talk related that this
boy had “laid” me.
Kissing
Kissing is one activity that many American children are familiar
with from infancy and childhood. They have kissed and been kissed by
their parents, their siblings, and sometimes their playmates. Kissing
in preadolescence may be equally as “innocent,” but it is frequently
marked by confusion, embarrassment, guilt, and some erotic overtones.
At about age nine, one boy... finally caught me
in a parked car in which I had hidden, and
kissed me fifty times.
I (an 11 or 12 year old boy) found the idea of
holding and kissing a girl (at dancing and making-out
parties) enjoyable, but yet uncomfortable
because a self-consciousness always
presided within me.
Everyone at a mixed-couple party sat on the couch
with the lights out and kissed. I (a seventh
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