Sunday, March 9, 2008

Ooh la la! "Sexually predatory" French women more assertive in bed than in 1970














The tag line "Sexual Predator" drew me to this article, but alas, I was fooled;) This is only a article about the changing French sexual landscape since 1970.

Are women just like men?" asked Le Nouvel Observateur yesterday, which released extracts of the Study on Sexuality in France, a 600-page tome that brings together 12,000 in-depth interviews with people of all ages conducted during 2005-06.

One of the biggest changes in recent years, according to the report, was that male and female sexual behaviour had become increasingly similar.

The proportion of monogamous French women dropped from 68% in 1970 to 34% in 2006, with the average number of sexual partners for women rising from 2 in 1970 to 5 in 2006.

French women's first experience of sex is now almost as early as that of the opposite sex: in 1950 there was a two-year difference, but the gap has narrowed to four months, to around 17 and a half. Meanwhile, more women remain sexually active for longer than previously: nine-out-of-10 women over 50 are sexually active today, compared to just 50 per cent of that age group in 1970.

"The good old dichotomy (male predators, females patiently awaiting the warrior's return in front of the cave entrance) is in big trouble", said Le Nouvel Observateur.

Female sexual emancipation has been a hot topic in France ever since President Nicolas Sarkozy met Carla Bruni, the Italian model and singer. The couple married last month.
Ms Bruni recently declared monogamy "terribly boring" and spoke in relaxed fashion about her numerous past conquests, including Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton.


"I am a tamer [of men], a cat, an Italian", she told Le Figaro last year.

"I am faithful... to myself. I am monogamous from time to time but I prefer polygamy and polyandry [its female equivalent]."

At the same time, she reinforced old stereotypes that link status and virility, by reportedly declaring: "I want a man with nuclear power."

Despite the changes in female behaviour observed in the study, some things have not altered in 40 years. Men found it easier than women to disassociate sex from love, but the research suggested this was due to nurture rather than nature. The study said: "Young women are still educated to consider their entrance into sexuality as a sentimental-relationship experience."

The abstinence rate for men under 35 is twice as high as for women, and for men under 24, is 20%. The researchers also state that French people are more comfortable with sexual expression, rather than lovemaking.

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