Sexy Sunday – Androgynous men

Sexy Sunday – Androgynous men

Research done all over the world can’t lie: the number of psychologically androgynous people is growing.  In the west, it was traditionally believed that men and women are fundamentally different . Each of the sexes was associated (and still is, though less rigorously) with a set of psychological features, which correspond to sex roles. It doesn’t have anything to do with sexual orientation or identification; its about fitting sex stereotypes of the western culture.  For example, regardless of someone’s personal ambitions, they might either strive for individual success (masculine trait) or consider the needs of others before one’s own (feminine trait). In the modern world, more and more people are crossing the borders of sex roles and in fact, those who play out the stereotypical roles are now becoming a minority, at least according to psychological research. No wonder, androgynous individuals are equally effective at the use of “feminine” and “masculine” strategies, which makes them adaptable and successful.

Obviously, sex roles have an impact on sex life: masculinity is associated with adventurousness, femininity with tenderness. Masculine individuals, whether male or female tend to accept a wider range of sexual activities than feminine individuals. Androgyny in women also correlates with a broader sexual spectrum, but in men, it brings out a more tender side of sexuality. Androgynous men are equally adventurous and “kinky” as masculine men, but they tend to value the chaste expressions of erotic interest (such as kisses, hugs, etc) more than masculine men.
Obviously, this is why women feel comfortable with androgynous men and why the vast majority of popular characters in M/M romance (at least the ones written by women) display androgynous characteristics. They are masculine, yet affectionate and less rigid  in their behaviour than the stereotypical male protagonist.

By Agnes Merikan