Women experience fewer orgasms than men, especially in heterosexual relationships, a phenomenon known as the orgasm gap. Sometimes scientists and the lay public see this difference as innate or biologically determined, although this is empirically unfounded. Our research focused on the understudied role of social factors—namely entitlement—to better understand gender inequalities in sexual pleasure. Does male entitlement have anything to do with the orgasm gap?
Entitlement refers to a person's belief that they deserve preferential treatment or rewards. Notably, a person's social position plays a crucial role in determining what someone is entitled to. In most societies, men continue to have more power than women, and studies show that men exhibit a higher sense of entitlement than women in several domains. For instance, in laboratory studies, men pay themselves more money than women for performing the identical task (Major, 1994).
But Is Male Entitlement Also A Factor When It Comes To Sexual Pleasure?
In the first of five studies, we assessed participants' perception of the status quo when it comes to gender differences in pleasure distribution. Our study participants indicated that men receive more sexual pleasure from their partners, whereas women provide more pleasure.
We then asked participants in a further study to read a short story. The story described a sexual encounter between the fictive characters “Jasmine” and “Michael” in which neither experienced orgasm. If experiencing orgasm can be understood as a male privilege, the absent orgasm should invoke more feelings of injustice for Michael. And, indeed, participants attributed more negative feelings to Michael. For example, they thought Michael would be more frustrated and unsatisfied after the sexual encounter than Jasmine if he had not experienced orgasm. In addition, participants were more likely to choose Michael when asked directly which of the two had been more entitled to an orgasm.
In a next step, we asked participants to imagine a sexual encounter between a woman and a man. Then we asked: "Imagine that only one of them could have an orgasm: Who should have the orgasm?" Using a forced choice format, participants could choose either the woman or man. The result was quite clear: Almost two-thirds prioritized the male orgasm. Interestingly, female and male participants did not differ in their responses. Both women and men prioritized the male orgasm over the female orgasm.
In another study, participants either read about "Jasmine" or "Michael" who struggles with severe anxiety and depression. According to the story, the best way to improve the symptoms and to feel better is to take a new drug that regulates the neurotransmitter system. Participants then received the information that the physician notes that there is a serious drawback of this drug. About 70% of people who take this drug for the prescribed amount of time lose their ability to orgasm, often for several years and perhaps permanently. After reading the story, participants indicated whether they would advise Jasmine/Michael to take the drug despite the risk of losing the ability to orgasm. Participants were less likely to recommend Michael to take the drug than Jasmine, supporting our assumption that entitlement is crucial in understanding gender inequalities in sexuality.
Interestingly, in none of our studies did we find gender differences. Thus, both female and male participants were more likely to view men as being more entitled to orgasms. This result indicates that both women and men are likely to buy into this dynamic, with women also accepting the idea that they are less deserving of sexual pleasure.
In summary, belief in male entitlement plays an essential role in maintaining the orgasm gap and thus is an obstacle in achieving intimate justice and gender equality in sexuality.
For Further Reading
Klein, V., & Conley, T. D. (2021). The role of gendered entitlement in understanding inequality in the bedroom. Social Psychological and Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211053564
McClelland, S. I. (2010). Intimate justice: A critical analysis of sexual satisfaction. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(9), 663-680. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00293.x
Major, B. (1994). From social inequality to personal entitlement: The role of social comparisons, legitimacy appraisals, and group membership. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 26, 293–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60156-2
Verena Klein is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan. Her major research interests focus on women’s sexuality, entitlement to pleasure, and gender differences in sexuality.
Terri D. Conley is a professor at the University of Michigan. She studies gender differences in sexuality, irrationality surrounding risk, and perceptions of bias and truth.
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