Via Alan Boyle, here's an interesting article at the Gray Lady about sexual desire. This part rang true to me:

The results suggest that having a good set of sexual brakes not only dampens the willingness to commit rape or sexual abuse, but the desire as well, giving the lie to notions that “all men are the same” and would be likely to rape their way through the local maiden population if they thought they could get away with it.

That's me. I'm physically incapable of raping a woman (which isn't to say that I don't want to have sex with many of them). If she has no desire, mine generally evaporates, almost instantly.

Oh, and you'll be as shocked as I was to learn that men and women are different (and not always in the ways that you might expect).

That's me. I'm physically incapable of raping a woman (which isn't to say that I don't want to have sex with many of them). If she has no desire, mine generally evaporates, almost instantly.

Cooperation, not control. Sounds libertarian.

That's me. I'm physically incapable of raping a woman (which isn't to say that I don't want to have sex with many of them). If she has no desire, mine generally evaporates, almost instantly.

Cooperation, not control. Sounds libertarian.

Sorry for the double.

You *do* realise that women find that very attractive in a man, don't you?
And no, we know that's not why you said it. That's what we find so attractive.

I'm confused as to why they even refer to RAPE as SEX. Rape isn't about sex, it's about power, subjugation, intimidation, force and humiliation.

Further, why is it that anyone thinks all men are alike? If al men were alike, Algore and GWB would have agreed to share the Presidency in 2000, right? If all men are alike, then why are some men gay? Or then, why aren't all men heterosexual?

Steve asked: Further, why is it that anyone thinks all men are alike?

That's an easy one. Our society dictates that we MUST group people together to 'pigeon-hole" them. Once your groups are defined, then you can try to explain those existing outside your definitions. i.e. Squidward's "all conservatives"

Seriously, its a societal thing though. When we talk about others, we tend to group them for a number of reasons. Its easier to group all men together, because, well, we're men. This exists outside the whole gay/straight argument. Men get lumped together, because biologically, we're male. Therefore, the larger lumping you can make, the more importance your argument has....at least that's what normally happens.

From what I understand a large part of what makes rape so psychologically damaging for a women is that her anatomy automatically kicks in and starts producing lubrication to try and limit the tearing and injury. This normally occurs when the women is aroused (hopefully, one day, I'll find out if this is true) but in the case of rape where she is obviously revolted by the incident she becomes confused as to why there was wetness. So, essentially she can feel like she must have been aroused, since this is what the wetness is normally associated to. When in fact it is just a physiological response the body indicates as a self protective measure.