The second theme and legacy of great significance is a rigid distinction between male and female roles. The gender-role legacy is based on far more than the physiological differences between the sexes. Although physiological differences between males and females create gender characteristics and inclinations in each sex, socialization limits, shapes, and exaggerates our biological tendencies. Rigid gender-role conditioning can limit each person’s potential and can harm his or her sexuality (Petersen & Hyde, 2011). A report from researchers who analyzed data about sexual behavior from 59 countries identified gender inequality as a key factor negatively affecting individual sexual health (Wellings et al., 2006). For example, gender-role expectations of "appropriate" behavior for men and women might contribute to the notion that the man must always initiate sexual activity while the woman must either set limits or comply. These patterns can place tremendous responsibility on a man and severely limit a woman’s likelihood of discovering her own needs (Berman & Berman, 2001).
Across most cultures, women face more restrictions on, and experience greater sanctions against, their sexuality than men. In the United States, for example, the word slut remains predominantly an indictment of females (Abraham, 2011).
A survey found this idea to be prevalent among teens: 90% of boys and 92% of girls stated that girls get bad reputations for having sex (Kaiser Family Foundation,
2003). It appears that when overall gender equality is greater, individuals of both sexes see male and female sexuality more similarly. A recent meta-analysis of research on sexual attitudes and behaviors found that in countries with greater gender equality, men and women’s sexual attitudes and behaviors were more similar than in societies with less gender equality (Petersen &
Hyde, 2010).
To better understand the influence of contemporary social beliefs on sexuality in the Western world, we must examine their historical roots, particularly those that pertain to the legacies of sex for procreation and rigid gender roles. Where did these ideas come from, and how relevant are they to us today?