The Female Sexual Response Revisited

Abstract

indicators of healthy sexual desire in women and men have traditionally been the presence of sexual thoughts and sexual fantasies, and an urge from within the person to self stimulate or be sexually active with a partner. This has led to an apparent prevalence of low sexual desire in some 33% of women in community samples. The need for a different understanding of women’s sexual desire is evident. Similarly, a widespread but rather limited view of women’s sexual arousal as being equivalent to vaginal lubrication has precluded effective understanding and management of women’s arousal difficulties. The major focus on genital reflexes in our definitions of dysfunction has stemmed from viewing the human sexual response cycle (with a range of orgasmic release possible for women) depicted by Masters and Johnson and later expanded by Kaplan as the only sex response cycle. Alternative cycles likely exist, and one more relevant to women, especially those in long-term relationships, is presented.