“Physiology courses skipped orgasm and arousal, as though sex were a secret shame and not an everyday biological event.”

Roach notes how scientific institutions have treated sex as embarrassing rather than routine biology. The contrast between “secret shame” and “everyday biological event” highlights the gap between social taboo and bodily reality. The quote sets up one of the book’s main claims: Ignoring sex in physiology distorts our understanding of the human body.

“My point is that if you want to understand human sexual response, then studying animals is probably not the most productive way to go about it.”

Roach gently undercuts the long tradition of animal-based sex research. The casual “probably” adds humor while still allowing a firm critique of outdated methods. The quote marks a pivot in the book from animal models to the messy, necessary work of studying human sexuality directly.

“In direct manipulation of the clitoris there is a narrow margin between stimulation and irritation.”

Masters’s clinical language underscores how sensitive sexual anatomy can be. The close pairing of “stimulation” and “irritation” shows that small changes in pressure or technique can drastically alter experience. Roach uses this observation to emphasize the value of careful, measured research in an area often reduced to oversimplified advice.