Is sex more important for men?

Sheryll (No)

Women want sex far more than we are led to believe. While men often seem to be the ones with higher sex drives, this perception is arguably an illusion that we've come to accept as normal due to the centuries-old societal dictations that have distorted the way we understand gender. 

It is not that women do not want sex as much as men do. It is that it has never been socially acceptable for women to act on their sexual desires in the same manner as men. Despite societies becoming more progressive over the years, women still tend to be looked down upon for having more sexual partners, while men are celebrated for doing the same. On the other hand, men who do have lower sex drives are often made to feel unmasculine. With such pervasive double standards, it is no surprise that the relationship men and women have with sex correlates so highly with social norms.

Some studies also report that sex may actually be more important for women. A survey by Dazed Digital found that more women than men believed sex was essential. The survey also found that gay and bisexual women were significantly more likely to consider sex as 'very important' when compared to their male counterparts. 

Experts also theorize that sex is more important to women because it is part of a deeper and more intimate connection with their partners. Therefore, though women's desires may not be in the exact same form as men's, it in no way implies that they are any less important to them. 

Bre (Yes)

Time after time, research has shown men to possess stronger and more straightforward sex drives than women. Not only is sex consistently ranked as a higher priority for males, but this predisposition is clearly fueled biologically, where gender differences in testosterone levels are undeniable.

The majority of the time, men want sex more often than women do. The frequency of masturbation is much greater among males, who are proven to think about sex more. This comes as no surprise, given that men display a wider range of sexual interests, are most likely to be the ones to initiate sex, and tend to develop sexually at an earlier age. If sex weren't more important for men, why would such a marked discrepancy be consistently present in the statistics of violent sex crime assailants and victims? Meanwhile, prostitution—often referred to as the world's oldest profession—is almost solely driven by male desire for women, not vice-versa.

Beyond sex's increased presence in men's minds, its presence in their lives is more necessary than for women, who can at times naturally lack sexual interest and generally have a much easier time going without sex for extended lengths. Fittingly, chastity is easier to sustain in nuns than in priests, who haven't only demonstrated higher admissions of sexual activity but averaged more partners as well.

While there will always be some variance among all large populations, on a general level, it's markedly clear that sex's overall importance ranks significantly higher for men than it does for women.