Abstract
Three crises facing sexology are described: what is happening with sexuality in the culture, what is happening with sexuality in academia, and what is happening with sexuality in medicine. In each case, the response of sexology has been benign neglect, disinterest, and a failure to understand the profound implications of these challenges for a field that considers itself the premiere source of accurate facts and comprehensive theories about sexuality. As a consequence we are losing control of our subject matter, and we are losing our professional legitimacy. A wake-up call is offered for sexologists to become more knowledgeable, for our paradigms and organizations to become more inclusive, and for our research methods to become more sophisticated.
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This paper, slightly modified, was originally delivered as the Presidential Address to the International Academy of Sex Research, June 1993, Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California.
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Tiefer, L. Three crises facing sexology. Arch Sex Behav 23, 361–374 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541403
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541403