Conforming to Social Expectations Question

Hi, I enjoyed reading your article. You mention that “very few women mentioned wanting medication in order to feel sexual pleasure, and almost always in the context of partnered activity.” I'm just a little confused what you mean almost always in the context of partnered activity. Do you mean that very few women wanted medication in the context of partnered attention or they always wanted medication in order to provide for “enjoyment”? For that same section, I'm a little confused about how boosting sexual interest is conforming to social expectations and not out of love for the partner. Or are you saying that we socially create the expectation that sex should be enjoyable? Other than that I thought everything was very clear and you did a good job of analyzing medicalization of female sexuality. Nils

Hi Nils,

You made a good point about the partners activity phrase, I hope the change I've made clears that up. Regarding the conforming to social expectations bit, that women were wanting to increase their sexual desire for the sake of their partners rather than to experience pleasure themselves implies that there is a social expectation that women should want sex as often as their partners do, and they feel obligated to meet that expectation. They may wish to meet this expectation out of love for their partner, but that doesn't mean it isn't an imposed expectation. As a thought experiment, why don't men wish they wanted sex less in order to please their female partners? Do you get what I mean?