Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual. Transgender. Queer. Asexual. And more.

The rainbow of human sexuality is almost endless. It is extensive and complicated and even confusing for some. In addition to the rainbow, general human sexuality entails things like pregnancy, contraception, sexual dysfunction and even gender roles.

Dr. Tanya Whipple teaches PSY 307, Human Sexuality, which includes all of the above and then some.

“I think some of the people have a mistake about what it really is about,” Whipple said. “It’s not just how to have sex, that’s actually a very small part. It’s more of who we are residing within our bodies.”

Whipple graduated from MSU, then known as Southwest Missouri State, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. She went on to earn her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and Doctorate of Psychology from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology.

Outside of her job at MSU, Whipple works as a clinical psychologist, working mostly with couples. She is also currently working on her certification to become a sex therapist.

Whipple has been teaching psychology courses at Missouri State University for 16 years and has enjoyed every minute of it.

She currently teaches an assortment of psychology classes like introductory psychology, psychology of childhood, history and systems and psychology of men in addition to human sexuality.

“I like the idea of working with people,” Whipple said. “The fact that there’s never the same thing, there’s always something new.”

Areas concerning human sexuality are also constantly changing in the community. In Springfield, it is legal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation. MSU has non-discrimination policies in place.

“Sometimes in this part of the country sometimes students come in and they’re a little worried,” Whipple said. “Or they’re a little hesitant.”

According to Whipple, the human sexuality class provides students with a sense of ownership as they build their knowledge base and comfort level with human sexuality.

“I think it’s so much a part of who we are,” Whipple said. “Human sexuality is not just about sex. It is about relationships, it’s about interaction.”

The human sexuality class is a popular choice with students. Whipple said it fills up every semester, so usually only seniors are able to get in it. However, the class gets incredibly positive feedback. Many students, she says, say the class should be required.

Whipple believes a human sexuality class should be required at the high school level.

“Our sex education system in the U.S. is, and not everywhere, is lacking,” Whipple said. “I think that sex education is about sex education. It’s about knowledge.”

According to Whipple, having conversations about sex and human sexuality are critically important. Not having those conversations creates difficulties in how people interact with each other, she says.

“We are open to creating knowledge in all other spheres of life, why not in relationships and love and sexual functioning and other things?” Whipple said. “Get conversations going.”