Gender roles have been a significant factor that shapes expectations of marital sexual satisfaction since time immemorial. These stereotypes can be defined as socially constructed norms, which influence how people behave and act towards each other based on their gender identity.
Men are typically expected to display masculinity while women are presumed to demonstrate femininity. Both genders are expected to portray certain characteristics such as assertiveness, dominance, and confidence for men and submission, coyness, and sensuality for women.
These expectations have been challenged over time due to changing social perceptions of what is considered acceptable behavior between spouses. This essay seeks to explore how gender roles shape expectations of marital sexual satisfaction from various perspectives including the cultural perspective, the religious perspective, and the psychological perspective.
Cultural Perspective
The culture plays an essential role in shaping expectations of marital sexual satisfaction. Different cultures worldwide hold different beliefs regarding sexual relations between partners. In some cultures, sex within marriage is encouraged, whereas in others, it's forbidden or discouraged. Some couples believe that sex should be limited to procreation purposes only, while others view it as a means to express love, affection, and intimacy.
Some cultures consider pre-marital sex as taboo while others encourage it. The cultural environment also dictates the level of openness of discussing issues relating to sexual matters between spouses. A study conducted by researchers found out that married individuals who live in countries where they can discuss sexual matters freely reported higher levels of satisfaction than those living in societies where discussions about sex were prohibited (Mohammad & Saeed, 2019).
Religious Perspective
Sexual satisfaction is also influenced by religion. Religions define what is morally right or wrong with regard to sexual relations.
Most religions condemn extramarital affairs or adultery since this disregards monogamy, which is a key pillar of marriage.
Some religions such as Islam condone polygamy while Christianity advocates for fidelity. Therefore, the expectation of marital sexual satisfaction differs among these two religions. It is worth noting that religious views on sexual matters differ from one person to another depending on their interpretation of scriptures or personal beliefs.
Some Christians may abstain from sex before marriage because of its association with sinful behavior, while Muslims believe that having multiple wives enhances sexual fulfillment within marriage. Moreover, some people use religion to suppress their sexual needs, which leads to frustration and low sexual satisfaction.
Psychological Perspective
People's psychology has an impact on how they perceive gender roles when it comes to marital satisfaction. People with positive attitudes towards themselves are more likely to accept their partners' sexual demands compared to those who have negative self-esteem.
Self-confidence plays a crucial role in shaping expectations of marital sexual satisfaction. Partners who have high self-esteem view their spouse positively and see them as worthy of being loved and appreciated. In contrast, individuals with low self-esteem tend to be critical of their partner, leading to dissatisfaction in the bedroom. Psychologically, married couples with unmet needs can experience difficulties achieving satisfaction during intimate moments (Kochen, 2018). The level of openness between partners also determines whether they will achieve sexual satisfaction. Open communication allows both spouses to express what makes them happy and unhappy concerning sexual relations and explore new ideas that improve their love life. Conversely, closed communication promotes secrecy, leading to frustrations and mistrust, which affects sexual satisfaction negatively.
How do gender roles shape expectations of marital sexual satisfaction?
Gender roles are social constructs that define what is expected from individuals based on their sex assigned at birth. These roles can be influenced by various factors such as culture, religion, family upbringing, education, peer pressure, and media. In some cultures, women are expected to be submissive and obedient while men are supposed to be dominant and authoritative.