A Narrow Definition of Sexuality

As we have seen repeatedly in this textbook, the notion that sex equals penile-vaginal intercourse can contribute to inadequate stimulation for women and place burdensome and anxiety-provoking expectations on intercourse. For example, research indicates that women are more likely to orgasm when they engage in a variety of sexual behaviors and when oral sex or vaginal intercourse is included (Reece et al., 2010). Sex therapist Leonore Tiefer observes that the current emphasis on medical treatments that enhance erection, such as Viagra, reinforces the overemphasis on intercourse. "For every dollar devoted to perfecting the phallus, I would like to insist that a dollar be devoted to assisting women with their complaints about partner impairments in kissing, tenderness, talk, hygiene, and general eroticism. Too many men still can’t dance, write love poems, erotically mas­sage the clitoris, or diaper the baby and let Mom get some rest" (Tiefer, 1995, p. 170).