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Sick Of Sexual Shame?

One may wonder, why does our American society condemn female sexuality and female sexual empowerment? Many people may question what the abstract idea of “female sexual empowerment” means and how it affects a person. This is a very broad issue that affects women, myself included. For the purpose of this conversation, I will spotlight two entangling themes: that of body acceptance and the acceptance of herself as a sexual being. Some may question the relationship between these themes but the fact is that how a woman thinks of her body can directly impact her sex life. There is an endless cycle between a woman hating her body and her becoming so self-conscious that she does not feel like she could be a sexual individual.

As the media pumps out various ways that women “need” to improve themselves, more and more women are becoming unhappy with their bodies. In fact, according to a recent study in the Journal of Women and Aging, only 12% of women reported being happy with their bodies. How does this affect a woman’s sex life, you may ask? According to other research, a phenomenon called the “Orgasm Gap” is taking place. This means that 85% of men report having orgasms with their partners while only 64% of women say similarly. Why does this matter and how does this all relate? The initial benefit of an orgasm may be obvious but there have been multiple studies proving that the release of oxytocin and endorphins may help relieve various pains and ailments. Her happiness is also directly related, whether it be with her self image or with her relationship with her partner. The cycle raised between the subject of body image and seeing oneself as a sexual being may be defined as when women do not feel good about their bodies, and, as a result, they do not feel comfortable within their sex lives and miss out on a very important aspect of sex and relationships.

There is however, some debate over what it means for a woman to be sexually empowered and proud of her body and being objectified in the media and in everyday life. This is a shame because the information we gather from the media and our mediocre sex education system makes women first feel bad about their bodies and horrible about seeing themselves as sexual beings that want sex. Indeed, it is taboo for women to love their bodies and embrace their sexuality. Sometimes they are called “sluts” or “whores”, but no matter what word, many people see sexually empowered women as a negative thing. It is very important for all people to understand that this is a huge problem in society; its negative grasp reaches into so many aspects of our lives, not excluding systematic laws against abortion as an example. It is of the utmost importance that we as a society come together with a better sexual education plan so as to change for the better the dialogue around female sexual positivity.

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