Sociologist, alumna Schwartz to deliver Sex Week lecture

By Barbara Rea

University alumna Pepper Schwartz, a leading specialist in subjects related to sexuality, health and relationships, will give an Assembly Series talk at 11 a.m. Feb. 13 in Graham Chapel.

The title of Schwartz's talk is "Sex and Intimate Relationships" and will serve as the keynote address for the student-sponsored activities known as Sex Week.

Pepper Schwartz

A professor of sociology at the University of Washington, Schwartz specializes in the research and education of sex, love, women's health and relationships. She has written 12 books, some of which are the published results of her research.

For the 1983 book American Couples, Schwartz and the late Phillip Blumstein evaluated 12,000 surveys and interviewed several hundred couples. Her most recent book is a follow-up to Couples, titled Love Among Equals: How Peer Marriage Really Works.

Many of her most popular books are advice-oriented and geared for the general public, such as Ten Talks Parents Must Have With Their Children About Sex and Character, co-written with Dominic Cappello; Everything You Know About Love And Sex Is Wrong; and Twenty-five Relationship Myths Redefined to Achieve Happiness And Fulfillment in Your Intimate Life.

In addition, Schwartz writes a monthly column for American Baby magazine and contributes to a number of Web sites, including webMD.com and Lifetime.com. She also offers relationship advice for a Seattle television show.

Assembly Series Who: Sociologist and WU Alumna Pepper Schwartz What: Sex Week lecture Where: Graham Chapel When: 11 a.m. Feb. 13

Schwartz is a past president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Professional recognition of her work includes the Matrix Award for Achievement in Education and the International Women's Forum Award in Career Achievement.

She earned bachelor's and master's degrees, both in sociology, at Washington University and was a Woodrow Wilson fellow. She earned a doctorate in sociology from Yale University.

All Assembly Series talks are free and open to the public. For more information on this and other Assembly Series lectures, call 935-5285 or visit the Assembly Series Web site, wupa.wustl.edu/assembly.