That’s a very interesting question. Like the nature/nurture controversy there is no easy answer. I actually think men learn a great deal from their fathers or other male role models how to treat women. Wife beating is certainly not an inherited trait but sons of abusive males often turn out to be abusers as well. One hopes that a man’s mother teaches him manners and respect for women, but that’s not always the case. As a man matures he learns about men/women stuff everywhere – school, peers, the media, his first love, his failures and his successes. So my one word answer to where does a man learn how to treat women would be “everywhere”.

* Does Viagra have any effect on women? I’ve heard both yes and no.

So have I. The makers of Viagra and other erection drugs would like nothing better than to double their customer base . You can be sure that if there were any evidence at all of positive effects on women you would hear about it in their advertising. Nonetheless, I have heard anecdotal “evidence” that it does increase orgasmic ability in some women. I don’t recommend experimenting with any drug that has not been specifically prescribed for you. There’s always a great danger of adverse reactions with anything else you might be taking. If you are a woman who wants to try it, talk it over with your doctor first.

*What is the appropriate age to discuss sexual matters with a young person?

At whatever age the child brings up what you consider a sexual matter. My 5 year old grandchild already knows the names of all body parts, where babies come from and how they are made. She knows that a family can consist of adults and their children, whatever the sex of the adults, and that people have a choice about having a child. As she lives in the world she’ll have other questions and can rely on her parents to answer them honestly or, if they don’t know, to find the answers for her. If your child does not bring up sexual matters it’s up to you to let him or her know how you feel about moral and ethical issues and where the young person can go for accurate information. Any TV news broadcast, newspaper, or piece of school gossip can present a teaching opportunity to make your views known. A few excellent online sites for sex education for young people are www.positive.org, www.birdsandbees.org, www.teenwire.com, and www.iwaanaknow.org.

* My only daughter uses a wheelchair because of a muscle wasting disease from birth. Does that mean she will never have normal sexual relations? I would hate to think that I will never be a grandmother.