Sexual Double Standards Research Assignment Paper (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name
Instructor
Subject
Date
The Sexual Double Standard
The belief that men and women are held to different standards of sexual conduct is prevalent in the modern society. Sexual double standards praise and reward men and boys for heterosexual contacts, whereas women and girls are stigmatized for such behaviors. Although widely held by many people, studies on sexual double standards remain equivocal, with early attitudinal surveys and qualitative studies finding evidence of double standard failing to find similar results. The sexual double standard is a moral code that permits promiscuity and sexual freedom for men but not for women. The double standard has for long been related with the conventional subservience of women. It is a well-organized cultural phenomenon undergoing significant changes and increasing in complexity. Some women, especially those considered as unfit for the conservative ideal, are forced to societal censure that inhibits premarital sexual demeanors as it makes it too costly. Conversely, sexual derogation is lessening of value, dignity, reputation and authority among women whereas masculine forms remain neutral. Sexual derogation is heightened by men’s prejudice and fear of women’s natural superiority and ‘natural’ power. Ultimately, the fear of male-biased sexual exception rests on the fact that men consider women as inferior and define them by their sexual attributes.
The sexual double standard is experienced when women are portrayed in a sexualized manner. The double standards are problematic to young women because the pressure from the imposed standards might negatively affect their relationships, sexuality, mental health and overall well-being. The rigid and stereotyped gender roles that women experience are detrimental to their sexuality development. Further, double standards influence the struggle to create a healthy sexual identity that sends mixed messages and creates exploitation and fear. It has been held that long-term effects might have detrimental effects on marriage and that it promotes different problems, including familial, psychological, sexual and relational. Moreover, sexual double standards present women with conflicting views about their sexuality, which leads to negative emotions. Lastly, women and girls experience a range of issues and negative behaviors from the pressure or stress experienced by the sexual double standard.
PMS as a Culture Bound Syndrome
Culture-bond syndrome includes a cluster of symptoms which are different in different cultures. People with menstrual cycles have a premenstrual phase; hence premenstrual experiences. Some people cannot identify any difference between the premenstrual phase experiences from any other period in their cycle. Conversely, others experience a cluster of problems connected with that period. The main challenge about the way PMS is embedded in our culture rests on the way it is conditioned as a universal negative. The only component of PMS experience that requires a precise analysis is anything that affects normal functioning.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is surely a culture-bound syndrome. Many women claim that they have suffered from this disorder but studies do not show any relationship between shifting monthly hormones levels and moods. The notion behind PMS persists because it offers women an excuse to express their irritation and anger in a culture that expects them to be pleasant and cheerful. A majority of women are highly resistant to the evidence that their expectations and beliefs about premenstrual syndrome might be impacting their symptoms, even after been confronted with evidence that menstruation does not affect mood. Culture-bound syndromes vary wildly, and some are unusual to outsiders. The distress to the sufferer is indeed real with premenstrual syndrome, although empirical evidence does not give any vital source of the suffering. According to Stange, Carol and Jane (67), women who self-identify as suffering from premenstrual syndrome and who make some efforts to manage stress, avoid unnecessary conflict and keep some time for themselves start feeling better.
PMDD and Menstrual Suppression
Women’s reproductive systems have attracted many debates among researchers, medics, and academicians. Some physicians recommend menstrual suppression arguing that it is detrimental to women’s lifestyles and their health. Critics consider menstrual suppression as unhealthy and can harm women psychologically, physically and emotionally, as they deem menstruation as the fundamental aspect of being female. Studies on menstrual suppression include psychological investigations and clinical research of women’s openness and knowledge on the subject. Women’s perceptions and experiences of menstrual suppression are rather intricate and bound up with issues of socialization, sexuality, body image and femininity.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a deadly form of premenstrual syndrome that affects less than 80 % of menstruating women, and it is thought to be a chronic form of melancholy (Stange, Carol and Jane 45). The United States Food and Drug Administration supports PMDD diagnosis; however, it is condemned by the International Classification of Diseases. Many critics allege that labeling women with PMDD and PMS individualize the apprehensions as purely psychological. Indeed, these labels conceal the external sources o...