Semi-Annual Semi-Feministic post

Seems like it is that time of year again where we start talking about "gender issues." And I watched sorority boys yesterday, so I'm all revved up to talk about it, okay not really.

Today on MSNBC I found an article on a study of the female orgasm, which shows that they can tell the difference between a real and fake orgasm in women based on the parts of the brains that are active.

When women genuinely achieved an orgasm, areas of the brain involved in fear and emotion were deactivated. Those areas stayed alert however when women were faking it.
The researchers also found that the cortex, which is linked with consciousness, is active during a fake orgasm but not during the real thing.

“The deactivation of these very important parts of the brain might be the most important thing necessary to have an orgasm,” said Holstege.

“It means that if you are fearful or at a very high level of anxiety, then it is very difficult to have sex because you really have to let yourself go,” he added.

Now, I have been telling my uptight friends this for years, (I did my own "research") But now there is documented proof by some scientific people, that in order to have an orgasm women have to fucking RELAX. Which, is nearly impossible for some women even when clothed and especially when naked, so this explains why the female orgasm remains so "elusive".

I wonder if the nature of the female orgasm is in any way related to what Echinde of the Snakes has been discussing over at her blog. Her post On Being Easy examined why women who like sex are labled "easy." I wonder if this is because any man with a realistic view of the world knows that women don't always have orgasms during sex, and I think to a man having an orgasm is probably the whole point of sex (having never been a man I cannot state this, I merely theorize, correct me if I'm wrong). And according to this article on MSNBC on how female orgasms are related to genetics.

“Factors influencing the ability to (reach) orgasm vary from woman to woman. What we do know is that psychologically women are more complex sexually,” Sadock said. “For women, being in a relationship where they feel loved and feel secure, is a big factor. Other big factors are how they feel about themselves and about sex and what their first experiences were.”

So it is possible that the perception is that women having casual sex are unable to have an orgasm and are therefore doing it for some reason besides sexual fulfillment. I don't know, I'm making this up really. I just wonder if the difference between how men and women experience sex could begin to explain why it is percieved differently.

Also there seems to be a misconception on the part of some men that women don't like sex as much as men. And while I think part of this is related to the feminine Ideal, that women aren't supposed to like sex as much as men I also wonder if the perception stems from the fact that some women do not always reach orgasm. This, is not true, As the above quoted article points out:

And even if they can’t, that doesn’t mean there’s no joy for them in sex, Berman added. A survey she recently conducted found that among women enjoying satisfying sex lives, orgasm did not rate as a key element for fulfillment.

Also Echidne did some research and discovered plenty of female porn at the library. So I don't think the real issue is the female libido.

I wonder if the issues is the Patriarchal ness of our society. As Ilyka's post on the somewhat homogenous makeup of the "editorial board" of Pajamas Media points out

Because listen, middle-aged white guys, nothing against y'all, but you do realize: Those of us who are NOT middle-aged white guys have been listening to middle-aged white guys in positions of authority for, gosh, all our lives?

So maybe it is their perceptions of sex and sexuality that we are inheriting and not anything based in reality. I tried to get in on the editorial board action at pajamas media (Or maybe even some data analysis) but unsurprisingly they weren't particularly interested. Tragic.

Fortunately Prarie Biker has finally realized that women tell dirtier jokes than men. Period. LOL So at least we're winning somwhere.