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Chapter 14 - Sexual Intimacy

from Section II - The Journey Toward Positive Body Image

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2021

Nichole Wood-Barcalow ,
Tracy Tylka  and
Casey Judge
Nichole Wood-Barcalow
Affiliation:
Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center, Columbus, Ohio
Tracy Tylka
Affiliation:
Ohio State University
Casey Judge
Affiliation:
Ohio State University
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Summary

We describe sexual intimacy as being in touch with and responding to our bodies’ sexual desires in nurturing, compassionate, and safe ways that bring us joy and sexual pleasure, either alone or within a sexual relationship. Within a sexual relationship, sexual intimacy can be complex, as it corresponds not only with how physically attracted we are to our partners, but also how emotionally connected we are to them, how safe we feel with them, the extent we trust them, how attentive they are to our bodies and our desires, our religious and spiritual beliefs, and our adoption of social and cultural messages for how we should behave (e.g., feminine and masculine gender roles).

Type
Chapter
Information
Positive Body Image Workbook
A Clinical and Self-Improvement Guide
 , pp. 203 - 218
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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