“Sexual pleasure on equal terms”: young women’s ideal sexual situations

Elmerstig, Eva; Wijma, Barbro; Sandell, Kerstin; Berterö, Carina

doi:10.3109/0167482x.2012.706342

Cited by 25 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(27 reference statements)

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“…Studies among students in the United States have shown that gender equality and perceived equity in a relationship are both associated with sexual enjoyment ( 12 , 25 ). Similar data were found among Swedish adolescent heterosexual girls who mentioned sexual pleasure on equal terms as a characteristic of their ideal sexual situation ( 26 ).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Special Issue: Gender and Health

Öhman¹,

Eriksson²,

Goicolea³

2015

Global Health Action

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BackgroundTo date, whilst there have been many published studies exploring the links between masculinity and HIV, not much work has been done to explore how an HIV-positive diagnosis impacts men's sense of masculinity and contextualizing the masculinities as fluid and changing.ObjectiveTo explore how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impacts the lives of men and their constructions of masculinity through interviews with 18 men living with HIV.DesignQualitative study involving conveniently and purposively selected black South African adult men who lived with HIV. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 men who resided in Johannesburg and Mthatha, South Africa.ResultsOur analysis suggests that the performance of risky masculinity may influence the acquisition of HIV. Yet, it also reveals that HIV can have a significant effect on men and their masculinities. Men's constructions of harmful notions of hegemonic masculinity pre-HIV diagnosis negatively affected their help-seeking behavior and coping and adjustment to living with HIV, post-diagnosis. The dominant discourse that men are strong and healthy visibly presented challenges for men when faced with an HIV-positive status. They interpreted HIV diagnosis as a loss, a sign of failure as a man, and evidence of an inability to retain control. Being sick undermined their ability to perform roles expected of them, and this led to feelings of powerlessness, worthlessness, and distress.ConclusionsInterventions with men living with HIV need to provide safe spaces for men to critically explore gender and constructions of social identities and the pressures these place on men and implications for their health. With this approach, harmful constructions of masculinities may be challenged and mitigated, and this process may render men amenable to change.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Special Issue: Gender and Health

Öhman¹,

Eriksson²,

Goicolea³

2015

Global Health Action

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“…This can be linked to potency pharmaceuticals, the existence of which makes it easier to talk about erection problems (Elmerstig , Elmerstig et al . ). Unfortunately, one can discern the consequences of stereotypical gender roles and expectations based on the discourse that marginalize the older population and especially older women (Hinchlif & Gott , Dahlborg‐Lyckhage & Pilhammar‐Andersson , Tillman & Mark ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Sexual health in primary health care – a qualitative study of nurses’ experiences

Klaeson

Hovlin²,

Guvå

et al. 2017

Journal of Clinical Nursing

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“…Holland et al [24] point out in their research about young people's sexuality that almost all the male and female youths defined "proper sex" as VIC, with male penetration culminating in male orgasm. In a qualitative study [25] with young women without experience of pain during VIC, it was found that diverse social processes such as social norms and demands had a negative impact on young women's chances of attaining equal sexual pleasure in heterosexual practice. The women described that some men took advantage of women´s subordinated position, and the women felt a societal pressure to undervalue their own pleasure and focus on the partner´s pleasure [25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a qualitative study [25] with young women without experience of pain during VIC, it was found that diverse social processes such as social norms and demands had a negative impact on young women's chances of attaining equal sexual pleasure in heterosexual practice. The women described that some men took advantage of women´s subordinated position, and the women felt a societal pressure to undervalue their own pleasure and focus on the partner´s pleasure [25]. As we hypothesized, among women who continued to have VIC despite pain, a higher percentage felt dissatisfaction with their sex life than among those who did not continue.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It may be presumed that if the women had instead had other pain-free sexual activities, they might have formed a different cognitive schema, experiencing sex as a pleasurable situation. Unfortunately, the findings that women feel inferior to their partners during sex, correspond with the societal pressure in young people's sexual life, where traditional masculinity norms are strong and maintain the women's subordinated position [24,25]. Previous research indicates that young women who internalize norms of conventional femininity have inappropriate sexual health protection behavior to a greater extent [26].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Prioritizing the partner’s enjoyment: a population-based study on young Swedish women with experience of pain during vaginal intercourse

Elmerstig

Wijma

Swahnberg

2013

Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology

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The present study examines the prevalence of women who continue to have vaginal intercourse (VIC) despite pain, avoid telling the partner, and feign enjoyment. It also considers the reasons for this behavior. A sample of 1566 female senior high school students (aged 18-22 years) completed a questionnaire concerning their experiences and attitudes toward their body and sexuality. Forty-seven percent (270/576) of those women who reported pain during VIC continued to have VIC despite the pain. The most common reasons were that they did not want to spoil sex for or hurt the partner by interrupting VIC. Feigning enjoyment and not telling the partner about their pain were reported by 22% and 33% respectively. Continuing to have VIC despite pain was associated with feelings of being inferior to the partner during sex, dissatisfaction with their own sex lives, and feigning enjoyment while having pain. Pain during VIC is reported by every third young Swedish woman, and almost half of those still continue to have VIC. The major reason given is noteworthy ---prioritizing the partner's enjoyment before their own ---and indicates that young women who continue to have VIC despite pain take a subordinate position in sexual interactions. ___________________________________________________________________________

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“Sexual pleasure on equal terms”: young women’s ideal sexual situations

Cited by 25 publications

References 14 publications

Special Issue: Gender and Health

Special Issue: Gender and Health

Sexual health in primary health care – a qualitative study of nurses’ experiences

Prioritizing the partner’s enjoyment: a population-based study on young Swedish women with experience of pain during vaginal intercourse

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