The influence of social expectations on female sexuality

Even though the fourth wave of feminism promotes sexual positivity, the road to emancipation is still long. Women still have to deal with society's many expectations of their bodies, social behavior and sexuality. Such is the impact that, according to a recent survey conducted by sex toy brand Womaniser (consisting of 22,315 people from 15 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan and China), 20 percent of respondents learned about sex from watching porn films, a source often dominated by the male gaze that contributes to an unrealistic image of women's bodies, roles, behaviors and reactions in a sexual context. The result? "Half of all women globally don't think that what they see on TV shows, in movies or in magazines is painting a realistic picture of sex, sexual desires or sexuality," but they are still influenced by it.

«The media constantly bombards us with a very idealized and limited idea of sexuality, which does not reflect the variety of sexual experiences that are actually possible. This makes many women feel dissatisfied with their sexuality and they get frustrated trying to achieve a pleasure that does not exist or forcing themselves to enjoy practices that, in reality, are not satisfactory for them».

Elisabeth Neumann, Head of User Research at Womaniser, points out that recognizing that most portrayals of sexuality in the media are unrealistic, however, is not enough to free women from the pressure and shame that inevitably transfers to the bedroom. For example, while more than half (58 percent) of study participants surveyed by Womaniser said they regularly have sexual fantasies, 27 percent of women do not even share them with their partner because they do not know how to start the conversation (18 percent) and out of shame (17 percent).

For Elisabeth Neumann, the survey results «show how important it is to educate about the anatomies of pleasure, sexuality and desire». According to Womaniser, a first step in lowering or at least reducing social pressure, boosting sexual self-esteem and understanding that sexuality is diverse and highly individual can be the use of ethical porn sites designed for female pleasure and sex toys, which the brand considers "can be great allies when it comes to exploring a woman's body and sexuality." Neumann explains again that «Cis women face a wide variety of expectations about sex. Whether it’s having the perfect body, reaching orgasm with penetrative sex alone, or being submissive in the bedroom. Every woman should feel encouraged to break free from these societal expectations. And a good and loving relationship with one’s own body is the beginning».