Pepper Schwartz

Pepper Schwartz, PhD, is a sociologist and sexologist teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA. She is the author of many books including "Peer Marriage" and "Ten Talks Parents Must Have With Their Children About Sex and Character" ISBN 0-7868-8548-3 (with Dominic Cappello); and well known for her contributions to journals, newspapers and magazines. She is notable for her groundbreaking work in the 1970's and early 1980's culminating in the book American Couples: Money, Work and Sex (with Philip Blumstein) ISBN 0-688-03772-0 which surveyed lesbian couples, gay male couples and heterosexual couples.

It should be noted that Schwartz' and other sex researchers surveying of lesbian sexuality has generated debates because the surveys indicate, to some, that lesbian couples have less "sex" than their heterosexual or gay male counterparts. Key in this ongoing debate about the frequency of sex between women is the definition of "sex" used in surveys, as well as such factors as mutual satisfaction and the emotional aspects of sexuality.

Dr. Schwartz was the 2005 president of the Pacific Sociological Association and one of the relationship experts behind the PerfectMatch.com pair matching website. Her latest book is Prime: Advice and Adventures on Sex, Love and the Sensuous Years.

She obtained a PhD in Sociology from Yale University in 1974 and while a graduate student there co-authored Women at Yale (1971) with Janet Lever, documenting the first year of co-education at Yale.