Participating in research on sexual behavior and extensive experience in sex education and personal counseling have convinced me that we face certain semantic difficulties when we try to improve understanding about sexual matters. Our language the words we use and the definitions we employ reflect our feelings our concepts and our scope of knowledge. This is true with sex or anything else. When we lack words to express minute variations and subtle differences when words simply reinforce our prejudices or when our attitudes permit us to express ourselves in a circumscribed fashion only communication is hampered and ineffective. This in turn interferes with clear understanding. (excerpt)