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Grant Stoddard: Men Have It Worse
The author of Working Stiff: The Misadventures of an Accidental Sexpert says men suffer more from the classic sexual double-standard more than women. Plus, read Susannah Breslin's rebuttal.
A new Canadian study portends that men have societal constraints placed on their sexual repertoire whilst women are enjoying an era of growing acceptance of almost any theatricality between, on top of, or, increasingly, completely divorced from the sheets. It’s taken the participation of 104 undergrads in a University of Saskatchewan study to determine something I’ve known for quite some time: While I’m supposed to honor requests to slap, restrain, throttle, and enable any Sapphic whim a woman may wish to actualize, a libidinous digression from me means putting an already tattered reputation on the line. Technically speaking, I’m a man, and as such, I’m obligated to keep it simple.
What was playful, de rigueur fun for a woman becomes a rather more complex proposition when suggested by a man—one that could see him at odds with his peers and ostracized from the dating pool.
From 2001 to 2004 I wrote an immersive, pseudo-anthropological column about fringe sexuality for Nerve.com. In the years since, a lot of the activities I wrote about have been brought out of the shadows into the sexual lexicon, enjoyed by people who don’t belong to a sexual subculture or have made a deliberate lifestyle choice. Furthermore, this trend doesn’t seem to be driven by men. The ubiquity of pornography, celebrity sex tapes, a decrease in the collective attention span— I can only guess what the causes are, but over the past decade girls have been, in my experience, getting freakier, particularly in more casual hook-ups.
Though I personally find some of these behaviors, amusing, icky, or occasionally mildly upsetting, I applaud and am inspired by the explorative and uninhibited attitude women are embodying in their sexual conduct. I don’t try to psychoanalyze or pass judgment; I dutifully do what I’m told to the best of my abilities and within the confines of federal law. But what would happen if I asked for what remains of my hair to be pulled, my ass slapped, or to be called a string of nasty names that refer to my undiscerning promiscuity? What if I suggested we invite another gentleman into a sexual act with a female partner? What was playful, de rigueur fun for a woman becomes a rather more complex proposition when suggested by a man—one that could see him at odds with his peers and ostracized from the dating pool.
So women seem to have carte blanche to express every hue of their sexuality. This is in addition to being able to pick and choose male sexual partners at will. Paradoxically, it’s resolutely acceptable for a woman to be uninterested in having sex at a moment’s notice. On several occasions I’ve been invited back to girls’ apartments in the early hours of the morning, ostensibly for intercourse. On a few of those occasions, upon arriving at their respective stoops, I’ve had second thoughts and declined their kind offer. Their befuddled expressions implored me to explain myself. When I didn’t, they verbalized their need for an explanation: “I’m allergic to cat dander,” I say. Or: “I have to pick up my parents from the airport.” “I have to cram for a real-estate exam.” In truth, I simply wasn’t wasn’t feeling like having sex with them or anybody else, and for no reason in particular.
Each of these incidents incited the miffed woman to disseminate mild hearsay about my sexual orientation or general oddness. On the many, many occasions when a woman has declined sex with me, no explanation was necessary. I just ran off into the night. I didn’t immediately cite their closeted homosexuality or some sort of sex-related trauma. I respected their good judgment and thought about getting some lifts in my shoes or doing more push-ups. And that’s the tragedy.
At 21, ungainly wallflower Grant Stoddard came to the United States from England in pursuit of true love. After eighteen months of couch-surfing and heartbreak, he stumbled into a job at Nerve.com as New York's most intrepid sex columnist, despite having little experience in either sex or writing. His memoir, Working Stiff: The Misadventures of an Accidental Sexpert (Harper Perennial) has been optioned by Paramount Vantage. He currently resides in British Columbia, Canada.








okeedokey
Did the person who wrote the tagline for this posting even read it?? Stoddard makes a perfectly good argument, but it has absolutely nothing to do with "men who can't get laid." If anything, he is saying men are victim to the assumption every man is constantly wanting to get laid, which is presumed in the tagline. DailyBeast, I know "Sluts vs. Losers" makes for a catchy headline, but read your own material first.
Concordian
Men need to be wooed too. The idea that every man will hop into bed with any woman who invites him is absurd. Men would never make that assumption about women. As Frank Sinatra sang, "Nice 'n' easy does it, every time."
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texastiger64
I don't know if any of the commentators on this article are women, but I know one thing for sure. Most women today are not at all careful about who they sleep with!
I know this because my girlfriends, my co-workers, relatives and nearly every woman I have had any close acquaintance with has and does have sex with just about anybody they find attractive, humorous, etc.
Also, Mr.Stoddard makes a very good argument concerning how a man is treated if he does not perform up to a woman's standard or if he is just not interested in having sex at any particular time. I have heard many a woman emasculate a man to her friends because he was not freaky enough, could not last, not physcially endowed enough, etc. The list goes on and on.
However, I do believe Ms.Breslin makes very good arguments. Women as a rule ARE held to a different standard than men. Even by other women. Most women I know (including myself) have called another woman a slut, which in some cases was like the pot calling the kettle black.
cjacques
The reason that women make the assumption that most men will willingly hop into bed with any even moderately attractive woman is that most men will.
I know a lot of single guys who only require the slightest nudge from a woman to do whatever she wants. Hell, I know a lot of guys in relationships who would do the same, depending on their level of sobriety and/or the (physical) distance between them and their significant other.
Please, guys, don't turn the women down. It will only make them more afraid than they already are to pursue men. Do it for your less-fortunate brothers. Take one for the team.
We men are easy, despite what Mr. Stoddard avers.
Mary50
Well, I would sympthize with you a lot more, normally. But the big elephant in the room when it comes to sex is the still epidemic sexual violence against women, which still happens to one in four girls and women in this country alone. I think that is why their behavior is so confusing, sexually. Once this problem is dramatically reduced, I think you'll see a lot less women engaging in confusing sexual behavior and a lot less difference in the sexual behaviors of both genders.
eat5vegetables
The other thing not talked about is that women now have the ability to control the outcome regarding procreation. Until there is a pill designed for men they can be potentially subjected to financial and moral obligations resulting from a pregnancy they don't want. All this is the potential cost of a one night stand because condoms break - regularly. They are a man's only assurance with a woman he doesn't know well . . . and they break regularly. Men should be more careful for their own sakes, and because the tables are clearly turned. The woman controls all aspects of hooking up now and don't often exhibit the discretion regarding "kiss and tell" behaviors that they ask of men. Most of the men I know are very protective of the women they've been with. On the otherhand, I've heard women friends routinely describe the size and shape of a man's penis as if he's a piece of meat.
DoctorB
The best way to counter the stereotypes which generate so many hang-ups about sex is to : stop believing them & stop caring about whether people you know are stupid enough to use them as a basis for character judgments.
AnthonyofKZoo
I have to admit that as a guy I find it very offensive if a woman assumes that I think like "all other guys" in that they may think I can and want to have sex at the drop of a hat, have to be thinking of something in dirty terms, or perhaps that I (or anyone) would be good/bad in bed based entirely on a cursory examination of appearance, physique , and personality. I do think both sexes need to wake up to that idea that just because you are, or are not interested, in someone, or doing something, it doesn't make you a slut or homosexual or impotent. It just makes you human.
GAnderson
Much of the reason why men's attitudes toward sex have changed is because the liabilities they experience related to sex have shifted.
In the future you will see women becoming much more aggressive, partly because their liabilties for aggressive acts have decreased. They are now encouraged to be much more aggressive by society, which accounts for increasing criminal behaviors in young women.
Aggression in young males, on the other hand is decreasing. Young men are increasingly becoming more withdrawn from sexual involvement, delaying marriage or bonding and instead attempting to defer maturity to some far off time and place.
For example, divorce is initiated 80% of the time by women, and women typically gain financially from divorce, whereas men tend to loose substantial amounts of money.
Men also loose custody of children, and in many instances any parental contact, because the state benefits through higher awards from the federal government, by minimizing contact with fathers.
In effect our society has raised a generation of males without fathers as role models, while at the same time encouraging women to act on their aggressive impulses.
Consequently men often experience intimate relationships with women as a liability, whereas women experience relationships with men only on it's entertainment value.
GREGORYABUTLER
Grant, 104 undergrads from the University of Saskatchewan are hardly a balanced sample! 104 young guys from middle class families in Canada's least diverse province do not a cross section of North American manhood make!
Signer
No sex from a man who doesn't want it in the first place is better then uninterested sex. Shouldn't be that big of deal - really.
Signer
Kind of like: "Do you want cream or sugar?" "No coffee for me thanks". I still think there should be a place you can go in during your daily busy chores to get things taken care of.
gozorak
I must say that I have noticed how sexually uninhibited women are becoming. The 4 girls I have dated regularly over the past year...I ended up having sex with on either the first or second meeting. In each case they initiated the first time. I never make the first move because I tend to be both overly respectful with a complete lack of self confidence. Honestly in each case the sex was fantastic and long lasting and thank you Eli Lilly for Cialis because anything longer than a half an hour I need a little pick me up. Anyway. The last girl I dated..we did not have sex...AT ALL. She never made a move or seemed interested and after a week I felt slighted but I guess ive been spoiled...lol
leeway
This also has to do with sex between man and woman.
Why was Mike Tyson convicted of rape on the say-so of a woman who visited him in his hotel room at 3AM?
Real injustice there.
Just because he was a black in the mold of a tough guy?
May be GStoddard here can answer my question.
Anybody here wants to help?
Thank you.
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