Studies Ask: What's So Upsetting About Women Having Casual Sex?

Why is it that society becomes so up in arms when women have sex?  To varying degrees, most places see the idea of women having casual sex as immoral and something to be avoided.  A new paper published in Archives of Sexual Behavior suggests that based on the idea that women must rely on men, particularly financially, the consequences of sleeping around are too much for a woman to handle on her own.

In two studies, researchers at Brunnel University had U.S. residents rate statements regarding the promiscuity of women and their reliance on men based on a 7-point scale ranging from "disagrees strongly" to "agrees strongly." Some of the statements include: "Most women I know depend heavily on the money of a male partner or probably will," "Promiscuous women are not worthy of that much respect," and "A woman should never have sex with a man she is not in love with."  The researchers controlled for variables like religiosity and political conservation to assure their findings were based primarily on financial reliance.

The researchers explain:

"Results of both studies were consistent with the theory that opposition to promiscuity arises in circumstances where paternity certainty is particularly important and suggest that such opposition will more likely emerge in environments in which women are more dependent economically on a male mate."

In other words, the more someone believed women to be economically dependent on men, the more likely they were to believe that female promiscuity is immoral. The researchers found that this belief varied by state, as you can see in these helpful cartograms.

This is a clear example of how certain aspects of human culture in the United States have yet to be reimagined for a more modern time.  A more conservative idea of morality was formed during a time when it was more common for women to be homemakers while their husbands solely provided for them and their family. This was also a time when contraception was not as reliable or readily available, making the risk of casual sex greater.

Cartograms of state mean scores for a perceived female economic dependence and b wrongness of promiscuity, showing quartile ranges, with state areas scaled to represent the number of participants (N) for each state.

The world we live in today features very different roles for women.  More companies are headed by women and fewer look down at the idea of hiring them.  Many single mothers successfully provide for themselves and their children. We must rethink the societal norms of "immorality" when it comes to casual sex for women.

Meet Taylor Solomon! Taylor studied psychology and creative arts therapy at Georgia College and State University. She is a fan of reading Wonder Woman comics (as well as some more stimulating reads), watching Wes Anderson movies, and exploring her home of Athens, Georgia. You can follow Taylor on Twitter and Instagram.

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