Men Are Lines, Women Are Circles | Dr. Beverly Whipple | Big Think

TL;DR

Women were excluded from drug testing and sexual research in the past, leading to a misunderstanding of their unique sexual responses.

Transcript

well it's really interesting in terms of how are why are women being included now in research about sexuality where they weren't in the past and I see three reasons one is the FDA banned the testing of women of childbearing Ages in drugs so from 1977 until 1993 no new drugs that would develop were tested in women so they tested them in men and the ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👳‍♀️ The FDA ban on testing women of childbearing ages in drugs caused a lack of understanding in how women react to medications.
• 👩‍🔬 Most sexual research has been conducted on men by male researchers, leading to a limited understanding of women's sexual responses.
• 📁 Women have a variety of sexual responses, and their experiences can be pleasure-directed rather than solely goal-directed.
• 🧔‍♀️ Men often equate orgasm with ejaculation, while women can have different experiences and may find pleasure without reaching orgasm.
• 🧔‍♀️ Understanding sexual differences between men and women can help improve communication and satisfaction in relationships.
• 👩‍🏭 Using drugs tested on men without considering women's unique responses and factors can lead to ineffective and potentially harmful treatments.
• 🧔‍♀️ Recognizing and acknowledging the stereotypes of men being goal-directed and women being pleasure-directed is important, but individual experiences can vary.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why were women excluded from drug testing and sexual research in the past?

Women were banned from drug testing due to concerns about potential harm to fetuses. As for sexual research, it was primarily conducted on men by male researchers with a focus on male sexual responses.

Q: How do women's sexual responses differ from men's?

Women can have a variety of sexual responses, and they are not solely focused on goal-directed experiences leading to orgasm. Many women find pleasure in various sexual activities, and their responses can be more circular rather than linear.

Q: How does understanding these differences impact relationships?

Understanding the differences in sexual responses between men and women can help couples communicate and fulfill each other's needs. Recognizing if one partner is goal-directed and the other is pleasure-directed can improve sexual satisfaction and fulfillment within the relationship.

Q: What are the potential implications of using drugs tested only on men for women?

Using drugs tested exclusively on men for women can lead to inaccurate results and potential risks. Women's hormone levels, menstrual cycles, and other medications can interact differently with drugs, making it crucial to study their specific reactions.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Due to the FDA ban on testing women of childbearing ages in drugs from 1977 to 1993, drugs were only tested in men, leading to assumptions about women's reactions.

• Most sexual research focused on men due to their easier anatomical study and the male-dominated research field, resulting in findings extrapolated to women.

• Women have different sexual responses than men, with a variety of responses and the possibility of pleasure-directed experiences rather than goal-directed ones.