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In reply to the discussion: RadFeminists are making it difficult for the Democratic party to fight the GOP's attack on women [View all]seabeyond
(110,159 posts)It is considered an almost forgone conclusion across research disciplines, among pop psychologists of all stripes, and in the general population that men are more visual than women when it comes to the way they get turned on. Men, were told, are visually aroused, whereas women just need a good sense of humor, and possibly a strong jaw, and they're on board.
This misguided, but pervasive belief can be linked to a host of other gender stereotypes which are further complicated by sexual politics and differences in social power. So arguments which should be challenged, such as the fact that men leer more than women do, that they objectify womens bodies more than women do mens bodies, and that they just cant stop watching porn, are explained as somehow being related to a mix of genetics, patriarchy, and simple mindedness.
Challenging these ideas can be a monumental task. Researcher bias being what it is, science rarely offers support for these "counter-intuitive" ideas. What's worse, when research does start to complicate matters, the media, and even smart bloggers who should know better, distort the findings beyond recognition.
Nonetheless, a recent study published in the journal Brain Research is offering the first preliminary but important evidence to dispel the age old myth that visual imagery is more important to men than it is to women. And it's worth considering without hyperbole.
http://sexuality.about.com/b/2006/06/19/new-brain-research-challenges-the-myth-that-men-are-more-visual-than-women.htm
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i like your post... but the last sentence doesnt bare out.