Charles Allen Moser
Encyclopedia
Charles Allen Moser is an American
physician
specializing in internal medicine
and focusing on sexual medicine
. Moser is based in San Francisco and focuses his research and practice on individuals in the LGBT
, kink
, and fetish
communities. Described by sex therapist Marty Klein
as a national forensic
expert, Moser is well-known in his field, and he frequently writes to oppose diagnosing paraphilia
s, dyspareunia
, hypersexuality
, and other sexual phenomena as disorders. Moser was the 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Contributions to Sexual Science Award from the Western Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
. Moser served on the Board of Directors of The Foundation for the Scientific Study of Sexuality from 2001 to 2003 and on the Board for the St. James Infirmary Clinic
from 2006 to 2008. He was elected a fellow of the American College of Physicians
in 2006.
in physics from State University of New York at Stony Brook
in 1974. He then earned an M.S.W. from the University of Washington
in 1975 and a degree from the non-accredited Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality
in 1979. He is currently Professor of Sexology and Dean of Professional Studies there. He earned his M.D.
from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in 1991. He is a board-certified sexologist in practice since 1980 and has practiced as a board-certified Internal Medicine
physician since 1994. Moser has served as the President of the Western Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
and is on the Editorial Board of San Francisco Medicine.
Publications have included discussions of paraphilia
, use of Viagra by women, foot fetish
es, nipple piercing
, sadomasochism, safer sex, orgasm
, and the effects of recreational drugs on sexual functioning. He has stated that the prevalence of sadomasochism is around 10% of the population. The specific paraphilias he has questioned as mental illnesses include pedophilia
, hebephilia
, sadism, autogynephilia, and zoophilia
. Moser's views have been criticized by conservatives.
He and Peggy Kleinplatz
have criticized aspects of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
, arguing for the removal of paraphilia
s and dyspareunia
from the manual. They wrote, "The equating of unusual sexual interests with psychiatric diagnoses has been used to justify the oppression of sexual minorities and to serve political agendas. A review of this area is not only a scientific issue, but also a human rights issue."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
specializing in internal medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
and focusing on sexual medicine
Sexual medicine
Sexual medicine is a medical specialty that deals with sexual health. At times heavily influenced by current local views on morality, with heavy cultural overlay, in broad terms this specialty is concerned with diagnosing, assessing and treating all aspects which relate to sexuality.Issues can be...
. Moser is based in San Francisco and focuses his research and practice on individuals in the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
, kink
Kink (sexual)
In human sexuality, kinkiness and kinky are terms used to refer to a playful usage of sexual concepts in an accentuated, and unambiguously expressive form....
, and fetish
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
communities. Described by sex therapist Marty Klein
Marty Klein
Marty Ralph Klein is an American sex therapist, author, educator and public policy analyst. Klein is critical of censorship, the concepts of "sex addiction" and "porn addiction," and the anti-pornography movement.-Life and career:...
as a national forensic
Forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is the intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. It involves understanding criminal law in the relevant jurisdictions in order to be able to interact appropriately with judges, attorneys and other legal professionals...
expert, Moser is well-known in his field, and he frequently writes to oppose diagnosing paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
s, dyspareunia
Dyspareunia
Dyspareunia is painful sexual intercourse, due to medical or psychological causes. The symptom is reported almost exclusively by women, although the problem can also occur in men. The causes are often reversible, even when long-standing, but self-perpetuating pain is a factor after the original...
, hypersexuality
Hypersexuality
Hypersexuality is extremely frequent or suddenly increased sexual urges or sexual activity. Hypersexuality is typically associated with lowered sexual inhibitions. Although hypersexuality can be caused by some medical conditions or medications, in most cases the cause is unknown...
, and other sexual phenomena as disorders. Moser was the 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Contributions to Sexual Science Award from the Western Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality , formed in 1957, is a non-profit, professional membership organization that says it is "the oldest professional society dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about sexuality." It reports to have more than 1,000 members and has a quarterly...
. Moser served on the Board of Directors of The Foundation for the Scientific Study of Sexuality from 2001 to 2003 and on the Board for the St. James Infirmary Clinic
St. James Infirmary Clinic
The St. James Infirmary, abbreviated SJI, was founded by members of the sex worker activist community in 1999 and is a peer-based, full spectrum medical and social service organization serving female, transgender, and male sex workers and their families. Located in the South of Market district in...
from 2006 to 2008. He was elected a fellow of the American College of Physicians
American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
in 2006.
Career
Moser received his B.S.Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in physics from State University of New York at Stony Brook
State University of New York at Stony Brook
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, also known as Stony Brook University, is a public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island, about east of Manhattan....
in 1974. He then earned an M.S.W. from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1975 and a degree from the non-accredited Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality
Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality
The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality is a non-accredited degree-granting institution and resource center in the field of sexology located in San Francisco, California. Degree and certificate programs focus on public health, sex therapy, and sexological research...
in 1979. He is currently Professor of Sexology and Dean of Professional Studies there. He earned his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in 1991. He is a board-certified sexologist in practice since 1980 and has practiced as a board-certified Internal Medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
physician since 1994. Moser has served as the President of the Western Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality , formed in 1957, is a non-profit, professional membership organization that says it is "the oldest professional society dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about sexuality." It reports to have more than 1,000 members and has a quarterly...
and is on the Editorial Board of San Francisco Medicine.
Publications have included discussions of paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
, use of Viagra by women, foot fetish
Foot Fetish
Foot Fetish is the first solo studio album by the Jackyl's lead singer, Jesse James Dupree.- Track listing :All songs written by Jesse James Dupree except where noted.# "Mainline" – 3:25 # "First Taste of Freedom" – 3:53...
es, nipple piercing
Nipple piercing
A nipple piercing is a piercing, centered usually at the base of the nipple. It can be pierced at any angle but is usually done horizontally or, less often, vertically. It is also possible to place multiple piercings on top of one another...
, sadomasochism, safer sex, orgasm
Orgasm
Orgasm is the peak of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, characterized by an intense sensation of pleasure...
, and the effects of recreational drugs on sexual functioning. He has stated that the prevalence of sadomasochism is around 10% of the population. The specific paraphilias he has questioned as mental illnesses include pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
, hebephilia
Hebephilia
Hebephilia refers to the sexual preference for individuals in the early years of puberty . Girls typically begin the process of puberty at age 10 or 11; boys at age 11 or 12...
, sadism, autogynephilia, and zoophilia
Zoophilia
Zoophilia, from the Greek ζῷον and φιλία is the practice of sex between humans and non-human animals , or a preference or fixation on such practice...
. Moser's views have been criticized by conservatives.
He and Peggy Kleinplatz
Peggy Kleinplatz
Peggy J. Kleinplatz is a Canadian clinical professor, psychologist, and sexologist whose work often concerns optimal sexuality, opposition to the medicalization of human sexuality, and outreach to marginalized groups.- Life and career :...
have criticized aspects of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders...
, arguing for the removal of paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
s and dyspareunia
Dyspareunia
Dyspareunia is painful sexual intercourse, due to medical or psychological causes. The symptom is reported almost exclusively by women, although the problem can also occur in men. The causes are often reversible, even when long-standing, but self-perpetuating pain is a factor after the original...
from the manual. They wrote, "The equating of unusual sexual interests with psychiatric diagnoses has been used to justify the oppression of sexual minorities and to serve political agendas. A review of this area is not only a scientific issue, but also a human rights issue."
External links
- Charles Moser faculty profile via Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality
- Charles Moser website