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The Long, Unsatisfying Quest to Fix Female Libido
How pharma weaseled its way into the bedroom and left us wanting
Female sexual desire has always been suspended on a tricky societal tightrope. In the past, it was something to be repressed and undiscussed. Violate these norms — or just appear to — and the consequences were grim. Today, for many women, the pendulum has swung in the other direction: Wanting and having a lot of sex is frequently portrayed as an integral part of leading a healthy, balanced, modern life.
Despite these complex expectations, female sexuality remains under-researched and little-understood. This extends to common sexual issues, including a drop-off or complete disappearance of sexual desire, which most women experience at some point in their lives, says Anne Katz, PhD, a sexuality counselor and the author of Breaking the Silence on Cancer and Sexuality. Pinning down a singular cause can be difficult, because there are so many potential factors, everything from daily stressors, to major life changes like giving birth or grieving, to work or parenting stress, to health conditions like insomnia, depression, anxiety, to side effects from a long list of drugs, including birth control and allergy medications. Ageing, and the shifts in hormone levels that come with it, can play a significant role too, as can relationship…
