Do Women Want Sex as Much as Men?

The United States Declaration of Independence says that all men (people) are created equal. Everyone knows that on the most basic level that this just is not true no matter how great it sounds. Men are different from one another and certainly, women are different from men. However, there is an area that we all have in common: sex. Without it, the human race would just go away in less than a century. We depend on sex to keep our labor force intact. It pays our taxes. It provides for our health care and retirement. Sex is hard wired into every human being. It just is not viewed the same way by both sexes. The question then becomes: Do women want sex as much as men? The answer has to be yes. But, a simple yes is not sufficient to explain the frustrations experienced by both genders in this arena. So, this question requires more thought and examination.

Obviously, women need to want sex at least once per month biologically. Research has demonstrated that near the time of ovulation, a fertile woman's sex drive moves up several levels on the scale. Her body prepares itself for sexual activity with the hope of reproducing. Even if the woman herself has little interest in a baby, every month her body says that it is ready to be impregnated and prompts her to want a partner to accomplish the goal.

Other things going on in her life will also help determine whether she is prepared to allow her hormones to control her interest in sex with a given partner or at a given time. Like men, women find physical attraction in various shapes and forms. If the man in front of her is one that she does not find physically appealing, she will not be likely to be aroused to sexual interest. This does not mean that she does not want sex, however. It may just be that anger, depression, uncertainty, or any of several other possibilities may be overriding her willingness to act.

Despite the press to the contrary, men do not want sex non-stop. For one thing, they are not capable of it. Thinking about sex is not the same as wanting to have it now. Men do not always want sex. When men are watching a football game, unless some overpowering stimulus is put in front of them, they will prefer the game to sex. If a man's sexual needs are being met somewhat regularly, he will not want sex very often unless it meets his time, place, and person criteria. This is why, by and large, monogamy works. So, there is a distinct difference between thinking of sex and wanting it now.

With this in mind, it is difficult to determine how often women think about sex. If their body is functioning properly and their life is running fairly smoothly, most women probably want sex as often as their male counterparts. In fact, from listening to many women talk during the last decade or two, it is safe to say that single women think about sex as often as men. They discuss it just as openly although not always in front of men. They have preferences in body shape and appendage sizes that stimulate them to go beyond thinking about sex to wanting it.

Perhaps, after menopause when for many women sex is more about relationship than hormones, some women may lose their interest in sex. With all of the talk of erectile dysfunction these days, this may be a good thing for men. Unlike most men, women almost always want sex within a relationship rather than as a fulfillment of a physical need.