Later this morning, The Takeaway will speak with sociologist Amy Schalet about her new book, "Not Under My Roof: Parents, Teens, and the Culture of Sex." Schalet compares American and Dutch families, and their attitudes about teenage sex. Beth Brotz, a parent in California, was thrilled to learn about Schalet's work. She talks about how she and her husband handled her teenage daughter's confession that she was sexually active with her boyfriend, and how their openness made them closer as a family.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) admitted Monday to sending lewd photos of himself to women he met online. The revelation came after Weiner denied sending photos of himself, saying that his Twitter account was hacked. In a lengthy and teary press conference, Rep. Weiner apologized to his wife, his family and the media for his behavior. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has called for an investigation of Weiner. Can the congressman survive the scandal?

In recent decades, the public has been inundated with headlines of political sex scandals from former senator Larry Craig’s bathroom antics to president Bill Clinton’s numerous liaisons. While we’re encouraged to believe that sex scandals in politics are the exception, not the rule, a new book says that, in fact, great leadership and great promiscuity regularly go hand-in-hand.

Kim Cattrall is perhaps most famous for her role as Samantha Jones on “Sex and the City.” But the accomplished stage and film actress has made memorable appearances everywhere from “The Simpsons” to London’s West End. Her newest project showcases even more of her range, though the subject may be similar to her most famous role. “Meet Monica Velour,” which opens today in a limited release, follows the relationship between an aging 1970s porn star, played by Cattrall, and the teenage boy who’s obsessed with her.

 

We often hear debates about whether porn exploits women in the industry or plants seeds of immorality in the children who so easily access it online. But Cindy Gallop is more concerned with another question: What does porn do to both men and women – in terms of how they think about intimacy? Cindy is the creator of the website “Make Love Not Porn" and the author of “Make Love, Not Porn: Technology's Hardcore Impact on Human Behavior.”

This year's best selling Halloween costumes for the ladies have a common theme. Whether it's Lady Gaga or Jersey Shore's Snooki, popular costumes involve young, provocative women.

Last night, David Letterman had a startling admission to his audience: that he had had sexual relationships with female staff members and was being extorted for it. Authories have arrested a suspect for the alleged extortion scheme but haven't released a name, though the AP reports that the suspect is Robert Halderman, a producer on CBS's show "48 Hours." We talk with our friend Delaina Dixon, TV blogger at DelainaDixon.com.

Watch his admission for yourself:

Taking a phone call during a date is one thing. But is it okay to write a text message? What about emailing, or tweeting? Kate Dailey, writer of Newsweek's Human Condition Blog, thinks it's okay. But her friend Steve Calachman hates it.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's admissions about his private life have raised as many questions as they have eyebrows. If nothing else, the governor has sparked a conversation about sex in America. The Takeaway talks to Audacia Ray, a professor of sexuality at Rutgers University and author of Naked on the Internet: Hookups, Downloads, and Cashing in on Internet Sexploration . We're also joined by Debby Herbenick a research scientist at the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University. Debby is the author of the forthcoming book, “Because Its Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction.”

Sexuality is a key component of the human experience. And many people who are intellectually or physically disabled may find it difficult to express their sexuality in satisfying and appropriate ways. Otto Baxter, a 21-year old man with Down's Syndrome, wants to have the same sexual experiences that his peers are experiencing and his mother, Lucy Baxter, is doing her part to make this a reality. But at what point does the search for a meaningful sexual experience become a universal one? A quest that proves to be no harder or easier whether you are disabled or not? Joining us to sort this through is Otto Baxter, and his mother Lucy Baxter as well as Karen Avery. She is the Associate Director of Independence First. Independence First is an independent living center dedicated to giving power and independence to people with disabilities.

Lucy's mission has garnered a lot of media attention. Here is one appearance:

The relationship between Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his top aide Christine Beatty may be over and done, their text messages live on. On Monday, 682 text messages were released for public consumption and on Tuesday a million-dollar lawsuit was filed by the former mayor's attorney. Some of the texts show Kilpatrick exchanging sexual innuendo with other women. On The Takeaway this morning, Oneita Jackson, who writes the O Street Blog and is a copy editor for the Detroit Free Press talks about this electronic paper trail and it's implications.

It's what women of the world have always suspected and what men of the world have always known. Watching romantic comedies may lead to unrealistic expectations in relationships. Now, psychologist Bjarne Holmes joins us in a discussion about the media, archetypes, and if soul-mates really do exist.

The news yesterday morning of McCain’s VP pick Sara Palin’s daughter was not a complete surprise; blogs had been tossing rumors around all last week. But how did Gov. Palin’s home state of Alaska respond to the news of her 17-year-old daughter’s pregnancy?