By Rachel Khona
With self-love being a topic that women cannot discuss and “slut-shaming” sexually empowered women, there is definitely a double standard when it comes to M word (masturbation: healthy exploration of sexuality available to men).
But there is no parity for women. More often than not, when women in popular culture masturbate, it is often portrayed as a symptom of their deviance. Elizabeth Banks’ masturbating character in the film The 40-Year-OldVirgin is a (to put it mildy) a sex addict; Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) from Sex and the City had an abundance of well documented issues with sex and men; and Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka) in Mad Men receives a palm to her face and a one-way ticket to a psychiatrist after her mother catches with her hands down her pants.
And maybe things are starting to shift for the younger generation. After all, a 2008 Kinsey Institute report shows more than 50 percent of women ages 25-44 have tried vibrators. Despite an expected dose of giggles and euphemisms, sex is something that young adults are talking about more frankly and proactively than ever before. Study: Sex And The City Leads To Frank Discussions About STDs
Twenty-something writer and editor Elizabeth Narins speaks to this in her recent Men’s Health article “Women On Top” about us entering a sexual golden age, with men and women bearing equal power and pleasure in the bedroom:
Whether by Jacuzzi jets or TV, young women are going to discovertheir sexuality. Going forward, hopefully it’s something they tackle with information and empowerment rather than ignorance and shame.
“Why should women masturbate?” The reasons are many, but mostly for female empowerment!
*Enters Media Maven* – and in keeping with this (once tabooed) topic…how many of you divas knew that exercise is linked to orgasmic bliss?
Exercise – is there anything it can’t do? HellaWella shares highlights from a recent study finding that exercise can lead to orgasm among women – Oh? Study Shows Execise-Induced Orgasm is Common Among Women.
[adrotate banner="56"]