Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D.: “Sexuality’s Advocate”
Author, Professor, and Producer of SexQuest.com
Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D., is the founder and producer/director of SexQuest/The Sex Institute, the first national organization to focus on and promote the inherently healthy and positive nature of human sexuality. Called “sexuality’s advocate,” Dr. Noonan, an internationally recognized sexologist, was one of the first persons to publicly address the scarcity of positive attitudes toward human sexuality in the age of AIDS. To advance his ideas, he founded the Pro-Sex Forum in 1986 to confront sex negativity and AIDS hysteria at a national level and to advance his alternative “Sane Sex” messages of sanity and hope in these beleaguered times. Dr. Noonan has served as Assistant Program Management Officer and Public Health Educator, Special Projects, for the Division of AIDS Program Services, New York City Department of Health, and has worked with Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and other sexual health organizations. Working in the field of sexology for over 35 years, he was one of the first sexologists to provide sexual health information on the Internet and World Wide Web, and continues to develop innovative approaches to sexuality issues. Dr. Noonan currently teaches human sexuality, health education, and stress management at the Fashion Institute of Technology of the State University of New York (FIT-SUNY) in Manhattan, where he formerly chaired the Health and Physical Education Department. He is also Website Editor of CCIES at the Kinsey Institute, the online version of The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, and moderates cutting-edge discussions on The SexQuest Blog: International Trends, Chaotic Systems, and Alternative Futures in Sexuality. Below are some highlights of his recent and past writings and presentations.
- “Creating a Flexible Pluralism of Intimate Relationships for Our Internet-Connected ‘Global Village.’” Poster presentation with Robert T. Francoeur at the 2006 Conference of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS), November 11, 2006, Las Vegas, NV.
- “Ethics and Issues in Teaching about Culturally Sensitive Sexual Topics: Lessons from The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality.” Continuing Education session presented at the 2005 Conference of the Eastern and Midcontinent Regions of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS), November 6, 2005, Atlanta, GA.
- “Lessons from a Decade of Cross-Cultural Sexual Research in 60 Countries: Summary and Future Directions.” In Robert T. Francoeur, Suzanne G. Frayser, & Raymond J. Noonan (Chairs), Lessons from a decade of cross-cultural sexual research in 60 countries. Symposium conducted by the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) during the XVII World Congress of Sexology, July 14, 2005, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
- “Female Sexuality Today: Challenging Cultural Repression,” by Robert T. Francoeur, Raymond J. Noonan, Beldina Opiyo-Omolo, and Jakob Pastoetter, an article in the Fall 2004 “Flesh and Spirit: Essays in Sexuality” issue of CrossCurrents, the journal of The Association for Religion and Intellectual Life in New York City.
- Read Dr. Ray Noonan’s September 11, 2002, commentary on this Nation’s disgraceful official response to the destruction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, which persists today: Let Us Forget: The Twin Towers and Bin Laden’s New York.
- “Sexuality and Space: Theoretical Considerations for Extended Spaceflight,” was Dr. Noonan’s first presentation of the results of his dissertation research at New Horizons: The 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) in Houston in May 2000. Dr. Noonan completed his doctorate at New York University, making him the world’s expert on this topic. An abstract, the table of contents, and the preface of his dissertation, A Philosophical Inquiry into the Role of Sexology in Space Life Sciences Research and Human Factors Considerations for Extended Spaceflight, the first comprehensive analysis of the issue of sex in space, can be found at this link. In addition, you will find links to ordering information from University Microfilms (UMI).
- “Sex in Space: An Interdisciplinary Synthesis for Present and Future Studies,” was his presentation of these results to sexologists at the 2000 Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) in November 2000 in Orlando, Florida.
- “Philosophy and Sex: Foundations and Analysis in Sex Research,” was a synthesis of Dr. Noonan’s work in the philosophy of sex at the 2000 Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) in November 2000 in Orlando.
- Dr. Noonan continues to delve into other cutting-edge critical issues in sexology, including his work on heterophobia and its impact on heterosexual relationships, sexuality and the Internet, the effects of excesses in social constructionist perspectives on public policy and the social sciences, and the historic alt.sex.conferences.
- “Heterophobia: The Evolution of an Idea,” a workshop at the 1999 Joint Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) and the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) in November 1999 in St. Louis.
Although Dr. Noonan, as a sexologist, regards the issue of heterophobia as more broadly based in its manifestations, Professor Daphne Patai provides a focused look at one particular aspect of it in her important book, Heterophobia: Sexual Harassment and the Future of Feminism—highly recommended. - “From Columbine to Fashion to Virtual Reality: Toward a Holistic Sexual Ecology I & II,” a two-part presentation at Healthy Sexuality in the 21st Century, an AASECT New York City Metro Section conference at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT/SUNY) in October 1999 in New York City.
- “The New Media: Reflections of Our Sexuality from the Internet,” a presentation at the 1998 Joint Annual Meeting of SSSS and AASECT in November 1998 in Los Angeles.
- “The Social Construction of Sexual Harassment and Heterophobia,” in “Alt.sex.conference II: A Follow-Up Symposium on Controversial Unaddressed Issues,” a presentation and symposium at the historic second alt.sex.conference, at the 1998 Joint Annual Meeting of SSSS and AASECT in November 1998 in Los Angeles.
- “The Sexual Health Initiative (SHI): Toward a Sane Sex Perspective,” a presentation at the historic first alt.sex.conference, held during the 1997 Joint Annual Meeting of SSSS and AASECT in November 1997 in Arlington.
- “Realizing Sexual Potential Through the World Wide Web,” a presentation in A. Cooper (Chair), Sexuality and the Internet—Surfing into the Next Millennium, a symposium conducted at the 105th Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association (APA) in August 1997 in Chicago.
- Also available at this site: Dr. Noonan’s often-cited master’s thesis, Sex Surrogates: A Clarification of Their Functions, for those who always wanted to know what surrogates really do! Be sure to visit the Web site of the International Professional Surrogates Association (IPSA) for additional information about sex surrogate therapy.
- Read Dr. Noonan’s Commentary on the National Crisis and Sexual Health: Sexuality in the Age of Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky, and Kenneth Starr.
- To read online excerpts from the revised second edition of Dr. Noonan’s book, Does Anyone Still Remember When Sex Was Fun? Positive Sexuality in the Age of AIDS, detailing some of his innovative ideas, which are developed further in the third edition above, follow these links:
- Survival Strategies for Lovers in the 1990s
Synopsis: “Survival Strategies for Lovers in the 1990s” continues to have relevance in the 21st Century. It discusses general guidelines for the satisfying and healthy expression of sexuality that are particularly relevant to our lives today as we enter the new millennium—during what hopefully will be the closing years of the age of AIDS. They will be vital in the aftermath of AIDS that will probably occur in the opening years of the 21st Century—if we allow it to occur. - The Politics of Sexuality and AIDS: Psychosocial Aspects and Other Theoretical Considerations
Synopsis: “When you have sex with someone, you’re having sex with everyone else they’ve had sex with,” is just one of the popular myths that are debunked by Dr. Noonan, making this his most important chapter—and the most controversial in the book. In it, he introduced his Sane Sex Alternative to contemporary misinformation about sex and AIDS, as well as his concept of AIDS-Related Fears and Anxieties (ARFA), a generalized, misdirected fear of sex and intimacy that plagues many people because of the misuse of AIDS and other potentially negative aspects of sexual expression as instruments of terror by those who wish to impose and enforce their own highly restrictive and narrow views of sexual morality. Included is a discussion of the concept of relative risk and how our perception of risk is distorted in sexual and other matters. A more accurate assessment of sexual risk is then presented. A must-read for everyone! - Older online articles by Dr. Noonan are also available at this site: “Evolving Marriage: The New Sexualities in Perspective” (a paper presented at the IV World Congress of Sexology in the Symposium, “The Validity of Marriage,” on December 17, 1979, at the Centro Medico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico); “Assessing Right-Wing Opposition to Sex Education” (a paper presented at the IV World Congress of Sexology in the Plenary Session, “Sexology, Religion, and Politics,” on December 19, 1979, at the Centro Medico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico); “Sex and the Mind I” (an early article on the Philosophy of Sex that originally appeared as: Noonan, R. J. (1974, Summer/Fall). Sex and the mind. Philadelphia Review, 1(2), 8-9); and “Sex and the Mind II” (a follow-up article defending the concept of Philosophy of Sex that originally appeared as: Noonan, R. J. (1975, Spring/Summer). Sex and the mind. Philadelphia Review, 2(1), 6).
Dr. Ray Noonan’s Current and Recent Projects:
Honors and Awards
- The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality: Recipient of the first Annual Book Award for 2005 by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), 2005.
- The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality: Named one of the Outstanding Academic Titles of 2004 by CHOICE, the American Library Association’s Association of College & Research Libraries’ journal for academic libraries, 2005.
Fashion Institute of Technology of the State University of New York (FIT-SUNY) in Manhattan
Assistant Professor and Former Chair, Health and Physical Education Department
- Chairperson of the Department (2001-2004; Acting: Spring 2001)
- Human Sexuality (Spring 1995, 1997-2005; Fall 2001-2002, 2004, 2006)
- Health Education (Fall 1995-1996, 2000, 2002, 2004-2006; Spring, 1996,
1999-2000, 2005-2006) - Stress Management (Fall 2000-2006; Winter 2001-2004, 2005-2006;
Spring 2002-2006; Summer 2001-2006) - Chair, Liberal Arts Division Distance Learning Committee
(Fall 1998; Spring 1999; Fall 1999; Spring 2000) - Developed online course in human sexuality (Fall 1999)
Human Sexuality Program, School of Education, New York University
Ph.D. recipient. Research and writing interests (primary areas of expertise):
- Sexuality and Gender Issues Related to Long-Duration Spaceflight (the subject of my dissertation)
- The Philosophy of Sex and Sexosophy
- The Psychology, Sociology, and Politics of Sex and AIDS
- Sexual Expression in Musical Lyrics
- The Functions of Sex Surrogates in Sex Therapy
- Alternative Forms of Marriage and Family
- Sexuality Education, Contraception, and Abortion Issues
- Sexuality Issues Online and on the Internet/World Wide Web
Dr. Ray Noonan’s Home Page
Links on the Web Related to Sexuality and Gender (Revised and Expanded):
SexQuest’s Web Index for Sexual Health
(The SexQuest WISH List)
Your first source for sexuality information on the Web