Home » » Women's Issues » Little. Blue. But for women?

Little. Blue. But for women?

© Nancy Coulter

March 27, 1998 - that was the day, almost a year ago, that the US was officially introduced to the wonder drug for impotency. On that day, the FDA approved sildenafil citrate, or what we all know as Viagra. The popular culture hasn't been the same since.

For the most part, the introduction of Viagra has meant benefits for men who suffer from impotency. Women have benefited in an indirect way. If their partner was having impotency problems, Viagra could possibly make a difference in their sex life. It has been the miracle drug for many couples whose sexual relationship was lacking.

Sexual dysfunction isn't something that only men suffer. It is also common in women, though maybe not as commonly spoken about. We're used to watching sitcoms or television dramas tackle the topic of a man's impotency. But you don't often hear about women suffering from the same problem.

This type of double standard probably stems from the long standing tradition that "good girls don't enjoy sex". Women are trained from a very early age that sex isn't about their enjoyment, at least not unless you want a bad reputation. Men are allowed to openly talk about sex and enjoy it. Women are expected to be proper and polite, which means they can't be advocates for their sexual satisfaction.

For a long time, women have been quiet about their sexual happiness. Having an orgasm wasn't supposed to be as important as making sure your husband/boyfriend/lover was happy. It wasn't until recently that women stopped "faking it", and started voicing their opinions about what they wanted when it came to enjoying sex.

With this increase of sexual satisfaction awareness, coupled with the introduction of a drug like Viagra, it isn't surprising that there have been people pushing for the legal use of Viagra for women. Many believe that if Viagra can work for men - it should be able to work for women.

The drug basically works by increasing blood flow to the pelvis. Theoretically, this should work for men or women. The side effects and risks are also thought to be the same for both sexes. These risks mean women on certain heart medications would not be candidates for Viagra because it would put them at risk for cardiac problems.

Since the FDA approval of Viagra for men, there have been many studies started on the drug's affect on women. Some researches say that Viagra is actually more effective for women then men. However, the studies haven't been done on large test groups, so the word is still out on how much of a miracle Viagra can be for women.

The copyright of the article Little. Blue. But for women? in Women's Issues is owned by Nancy Coulter. Permission to republish Little. Blue. But for women? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.