May 22, 2005
Abstract: Sexual Boredom & Its Discontents
In recent years, the topic of sexual boredom has emerged as a focus of concern for sexuality and sexological researchers and practitioner (Hawkes, 1996). However, the study of sexual boredom has received scant attention outside of medical and sociological genres and the psychological measure of individual ‘performance’. This paper questions the assumption that sexual boredom is primarily a personal reaction or an exhibit of inherent and fixed emotional characteristics. Whilst not denying the physiological and psychological aspects of sexual desire, it is argued that understandings and experiences of sexual boredom are institutionally, socially and culturally mapped. Using approaches(s) from discursive psychology, we examine both the local pragmatics of the interview conversations and the broader patterns of sense making and understanding (Wetherell & Edley,1999).
Interviews with gay and straight men illustrate how experiences of sexual boredom are situated in relation to the required achievements of ‘romantic’ love and (for the heterosexual participants) the protection of women in sexual relationships and the potential limitations of heterosexual long term excitement. Furthermore, discourses of the male sexual drive, reciprocal love, ‘penises with minds of their own’ and fairness of receiving ‘good’ sexual service (Hollway, 1984) were discussed with reference to ‘gay’ access to promiscuity and the freedom of the gay sexual experience. Sexual boredom, therefore, was seen by both gay and straight men as an inevitable feature of long term sexual relationships: the trade off being enduring love and commitment from a partner.
Aneta Joiner and Paula Reavey @ thanks diederik
~Related? Michel Foucault by Steven Shaviro
~"See what I do for you, Sweetheart?" ("See what you make me do?")
Sexual boredom is not as problematic for women? Women have other more pressing sexual concerns? Or it's exactly the same for women but they don't call it 'sexual boredom'?
Otis Reddings' lyrics to the old Aretha Franklin song R-E-S-P-E-C-T are here.
[image via google/ not with above links]
Posted by Cieciel at May 22, 2005 07:55 AM