Chapters 14-15 Summary

Mary Roach begins the chapter by stating, “Homo sapiens is one of the few species on earth that care if they’re seen having sex.” Roach brings up this idea because she is at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. Accompanied by primate researcher Kim Wallen, she is observing the mating rituals of rhesus monkeys. The subject is Page, a young female who is looking to mate. Although she is timid at first, determination leads her to seek the alpha male, Keystone. Page tries several tactics to capture Keystone’s attention and ultimately succeeds. Roach describes this interaction as hormones at play. This strong sexual desire seen in rhesus monkeys also occurs in humans.

Hormones can make us do crazy and sometimes unexplainable things. For women, there is a simple solution that will balance hormone levels. Birth control lowers a woman’s libido while taking the Pill; however, libido may remain low even when the Pill is no longer taken. In addition to hormones, sex pheromones are thought to affect how humans and animals act. These pheromones are scents that trigger responses within the brain. Some examples include: cucumber, Good ‘n’ Plenty candy, sweat, and urine. The reactions vary depending on the person, but studies suggest that pheromones do work. A combination of hormones and pheromones could lead to mating, but what makes great sex?

Throughout most of her book, Roach rarely mentions homosexuals. She must have realized this, and thus the fifteenth chapter was born. Masters and Johnson, who were regular references in Bonk, make one final appearance. Their lab studies show that the best sex occurs between gay and lesbian couples. Masters attributes this to a phenomenon known as “gender empathy.” This secret to great sex happens when people take their time in foreplay. Teasing one’s partner to a great extent before sex has the capability of turning both people on. Homosexuals excel at this. Roach simplifies gender empathy into a single statement: “Doing unto your partner as you would do unto yourself only works when you’re gay.” The topic of homosexuality deserves its own chapter and not a few brief pages at the end of the book. However, this last minute information shows how thorough Roach is in her research and how dedicated she is to the topic of sex.