La médicalisation de la sexualité: Aspects sociologiques et historiques

The paper gives an introduction to a discussion about the process of medicalization of sexuality. This process is defined as: a social construction of knowledge on sexuality based on a biological conception of the body and health; clinical practice based on diagnosis and medical technologies; a strong relation between medecine and sexual morality. The paper is based on a study of the medical treatment of masturbation, sterilization and homosexuality in a historical perspective. Then the paper, shows how, currently, the process of medicalization of sexuality is twofold: on one hand stimulation of «normal» sexual activity (pharmacological treatment of sexual dysfunction) and inhibition of deviant sexual behavior (sexual abusers). At last, the paper, gives a short view on the potential transformations of the patient-doctor interaction.