Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Back when my husband and I were going through pre-marital counseling with our pastor, he said something about how men helping out around the house can be an aphrodisiac. And this is true, of course.
Mark and I laugh about how excited I get when he takes out the trash or changes the lightbulbs.
Anyway, science backs up what all of us who divide labor along traditional roles know: we have more sex. Oh wait, I didn't know that, but I am not surprised:
AFP -The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say: the more housework married men do, the less sex they have, according to a new study published Wednesday.
Husbands who spend more time doing traditionally female chores -- such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping -- reported having less sex than those who do more masculine tasks, said the study in the American Sociological Review.
"Our findings suggest the importance of socialized gender roles for sexual frequency in heterosexual marriage," said lead author Sabino Kornrich, of the Center for Advanced Studies at the Juan March Institute in Madrid.
"Couples in which men participate more in housework typically done by women report having sex less frequently. Similarly, couples in which men participate more in traditionally masculine tasks -- such as yard work, paying bills, and auto maintenance -- report higher sexual frequency."
While I do think traditional roles for men and women make a great deal of sense, I think the key thing to keep in mind here is division of labor. It's efficient, it's easier and ... more sex.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
I suspect there are many women who would characterize that correlation as a win-win.
Edited on January 30, 2013 at 5:32pmRe: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Is it any surprise that women are attracted to men who are manly and men to women who are feminine? Unisex is a synonym for "no sex."
In order to scandalize my students, I often say that the faculty of Hillsdale College have better sex lives than the faculty of any other institution of higher learning in the country, and I offer as proof the size of their families.
Of course, part of the story is that there is nothing else to do in this remarkably isolated town of 8900. The restaurants here tend to close at about 8:30 p.m.
Edited on January 30, 2013 at 5:49pmJan '12
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
The one thing I would be leery of is sample composition; perhaps groups that aspire to traditional gender roles -- muscular manly-men and demure and nurturing women, which would include a gendered division of labor -- are simply more promiscuous in general, in the same way that the states with the most stringent anti-abortion stances tend to have the highest rates of teenage births.
Jul '11
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Hmmm, I dunno - while I will agree that role playing increases sex, why restrict it to traditional gender ones?
I find variety works better. :-D
Mar '11
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
And, as a further point, is it any wonder that men who are virile also exercise that characteristic here, and women who feel feminine do the same?
Jan '11
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Why do I get the feeling that this whole exercise started because a researcher's husband didn't want to fix the car?
Apr '12
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
I wonder, if men are doing double duty if it is resentment or maybe lack of energy that is the cause....
Sep '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
I shudder at the thought of combining this thread with the fellow who contracted out his work to a Chinese subcontractor that Rob Long (one third of the new Trio of Catheter Conservatism) mentioned the other day.
Mar '11
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Although, for all the good we've noted so far, I just wanted to highlight that this sentence irked me:
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
Socialized gender roles are to blame, you see. If only society raised men to be different then we are, we could close the....um....."sex gap" [CoC compliant version]
Nov '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
...more sex. Or more cowbell? I don't know why I said that...it's funny.
George likes his sex spicey.
Mar '11
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Crow's Nest
And, as a further point, is it any wonder that men who are virile also exercise that characteristic here, and women who feel feminine do the same? · 5 minutes ago
We have become a civilization of fools. We have ignored, then denied, and now forgotten basic truths of existence. It's like we're having to learn everything over from scratch. "What? Women are attracted to men that act like... men?". Imagine that.
Jun '12
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Many long term couples are not "muscular manly-men" with "demure women," but end up with a traditional division of labor. When we start our marriage, we toy with more "unisex" roles but find it difficult to share them, as each can have a different style. When a wife stays at home for young children, reality locks in these traditional roles. If the wife continues to work immediately after birth, this could also explain the loss of sex among couples.
Edited on January 30, 2013 at 6:10pmAug '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
I find it amusing that "taking out the garbage" and "changing a lightbulb" have become the new litmus test for rugged manhood.
Our ancestors never would have gone near the Monolith if they'd know how it would all end up.
;-)
May '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Why do women in baseball caps look sexy?
Jul '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Paul A. Rahe: Is it any surprise that women are attracted to men who are manly and men to women who are feminine? Unisex is a synonym for "no sex."
In order to scandalize my students, I often say that the faculty of Hillsdale College have better sex lives than the faculty of any other institution of higher learning in the country, and I offer as proof the size of their families.
Of course, part of the story is that there is nothing else to do in this remarkably isolated town of 8900. The restaurants here tend to close at about 8:30 p.m.
I am thrilled to hear that Hillsdale has adopted my patented solution to federal budget reform: massive reproduction by well educated conservatives.
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Undeniably true (and it's because of baseball being awesome and women who appreciate it being awesome).
Feb '12
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
I'm curious if the study group was large enough to distinguish between A) couples that had assigned traditional roles, B) couples with assigned household tasks that weren't traditional, and C) couples without assigned tasks.
I would think that while the A group might have the most sex, the B group would score similarly to A and significantly higher than the C group. How much of the more sex is caused by men acting like men and women acting like women, and how much is simply caused by a household functioning well?
In a household where every task is shared, there are going to be lots of arguments or hidden resentment over who's turn it is to cook, or vacuum, or scrub the bathroom, etc. One spouse taking over a job and making sure it gets done, even if they're not the traditional spouse who does it -- Dad cooking, Mom paying bills -- reduces stress for everyone.
Mar '11
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Depends on whether they have the pony tail sticking out the hole in the back.
in the back of the HAT, that is.
Jan '12
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
Vectorman
Many long term couples are not "muscular manly-men" with "demure women," but end up with a traditional division of labor. When we start our marriage, we toy with more "unisex" roles but find it difficult to share them, as each can have a different style. When a wife stays at home for young children, reality locks in these traditional roles. If the wife continues to work immediately after birth, this could also explain the loss of sex among couples. · 13 minutes ago
Edited 12 minutes ago
Fair enough. I'll bow to your wisdom in the field of practical experience, never having been married myself. I just hope the study's methodology is accurately sampled and controlled.
Sep '10
Re: Traditional Gender Roles Mean More Sex
As if fixing the garage door isn't enough, now I also have to do what?