Yates
<< Epilogue >>

The sexual response is learned, just like any other behavior. It follows a natural progression throughout development. Certain aspects are appreciated at certain ages in consonance with overall physical and emotional growth. If the time for learning passes without the opportunity, the sexual response must suffer. Teaching an erotic response to a dysfunctional adult is like teaching a deaf person to sing — certainly possible, but the results may be disappointing.

The earliest experiences are clearly the most significant. Even "mature" orgasmic pleasure depends upon the freedom to be childish in bed. At the sex clinic, remedial exercises for sexual dysfunctions are analogous to children's sex play. Only through a journey back to childhood are inhibitions softened and shame alleviated. If prevention is to occur, it must occur at home — in the cradle, at the knee, and on the hobbyhorse.

We no longer preach to children about moral pollution and the evils of self-abuse. Instead we offer inattention, avoidance, and mild dissuasion. We assume that sex, like Topsy, "just grows." It's high time to rethink and redirect our efforts toward providing the child with a firm erotic foundation. We need to augment penis pride, clitoral consciousness, and a sense of potency. We can accomplish this through considered encouragement and the open acceptance of children as sexual beings. Once a firm erotic foundation is laid, sexual expression can be gently shaped through principles of honesty and responsibility. Our commitment to the future is to the children of today.

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