by Allen Teal

Created on: November 18, 2007

The sexual standards for men and women have long been unequal. Words like skank, loose, and easy are not ever used in relation to a man who is too promiscuous. These are the milder words that are employed to discuss a woman who is openly sexually aggressive. Like it or not, in the field of sex, the reputation swings in opposite directions for men and women.

When women are considered loose, they are frequently looked down upon by both genders. Men will consider them toys to be used and discarded. Women will consider them undignified and dangerous to their own relationships with men.

Even when it comes to making the first move toward dating, women face uncertainty about how they will be viewed if them make this step. While men may have some fear of rejection, making the first move for them is always considered socially acceptable. In fact, it is often expected. They will be scorned as cowards if they fear approaching the female they desire.

Sexual conquest is considered a strong sign of virile manhood. This standard is so skewed, that even most people who promote abstinence for religious reasons will worry about a young man who is not sexually aggressive. He may very well be chided for not being chaste while being commended for his manhood if he engages in sexual activity.

Women rarely feel it is necessary to marry a virgin. However, while most men do not expect it in this day and time, for some it is still a goal. In some religions, it is expected that a woman will be a virgin on her wedding night or face divorce and ostracism.

Obviously, men do not have to fear pregnancy. This is a real possibility for a woman even if she practices some form of birth control. Single pregnant women have become far more accepted in modern western society, but secretly, many still regard this as a sign of moral weakness or a flaw in her character.

Besides the possibility of child support, many men see impregnating a woman as a sign of their masculinity. Not only did he conquer the woman, but he has spread his DNA in a new direction. For some, more is considered better.

Even in the area of plural marriages, women fall behind. While these are generally not condoned in modern society, almost all plural marriages involve a single man with multiple wives. Spreading his genes to multiple copies of a new generation is apparently more important that spreading hers.

If a man goes into a bar and picks up a woman, he is considered to have needs. She is considered loose. While there are magazines for women to ogle at men, they lag far behind the magazines filled with nude and provocative women sold for male consumption. Mail order brides are still a popular item in some circles. Mail order husbands have never been.

The list of disparity goes on and on. Men, for the most part, get a free ride on the promiscuity wagon. Women are considered bad if they even go near it. In conversation, women probably discuss actual sexual encounters more than men. Men will brag on sex whether it happened or not.

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