Addyi - "Female Viagra" (??) a cautionary comment

Since the approval by the FDA in America of Addyi (Flibanserin), there has been a frenzy. It's followed a rather predictable course - first came the tabloid-style shouty headlines, with their excited proclamations about the dawn of the "female Viagra".
Happily in the Twittersphere and elsewhere I've also seen a more balanced view; indeed a more informed view, regarding the use of such a drug in specific patient groups such as women whose menopause has severely affected their levels of desire.

I'm irritated that some people reading the headlines may be misled by the "Female Viagra" angle. Flibanserin is a drug that is entirely different from Viagra. We don't need more of this conflation. A further risk is the double-confusion that arises from the myth (STILL out there) that Viagra increases the male libido.

I also have a concern about the cultural implications of drugs like these, when they bring with them myths and misconceptions that aren't effectively corrected.
One evening at a drug-sponsored presentation, I asked a local urologist if he was at all concerned about the "recreational" use of Viagra; that is, the use of Viagra by men who had no clinical need for it, but chose to use it as a kind of supplement. Did he see any problems with this? No.
I spoke a little about the unhelpful effect this might have on the sexual psyche of 21st Century males (i.e. that 'performance' can only be good enough through enhancement) but it was met with a kindly (somewhat condescending) silence.
I am slightly concerned that with the "female Viagra", there might be a corresponding risk, of reinforcing a set of values around women's desire that is helpful for some but profoundly unhelpful for others. The idea of "normal" libido in women (which is already all-but-inseparable from the cultural demands of men) may slip to a point where enhancement is the only way to get by.

What I'd like, then, is for clear and responsible information to be given about BOTH these drugs. I'd like some cultural arrows pointing back to the acceptance of individual norms, rather than a reliance on "enhancements".
Who's going to offer these safeguards? Not the pharmaceutical companies, that's for sure - a wonderful new organ of revenue is starting to engorge.

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.A couple of things worth reading about the flip-side, for those interested... the Independent article about side effects and risks is short, digestible and responsibly written.

And here is the abstract from a very recent article in The Journal of Sex Research:

"There were numerous missed opportunities at the October 2014 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meeting on female sexual dysfunction (FSD). They included opportunities to hear from a diverse range of patients and to engage in evidence-based discussions of unmet medical needs, diagnostic instruments, trial end points, and inclusion criteria for clinical trials. Contributions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) nomenclature, based on extensive research, were dismissed in favor of language favoring a seemingly clear but scientifically unsupportable distinction between women’s sexual desire and arousal. Numerous participants, including patients recruited by their physicians, acknowledged travel expenses paid for by interested pharmaceutical companies. Conflicts of interest were manifold. The meeting did not advance the FDA’s understanding of women’s sexual distress and represents a setback for our field."

Leonore Tiefer, Ellen Laan & Rosemary Basson (2015) Missed Opportunities in the Patient-Focused Drug Development Public Meeting and Scientific Workshop on Female Sexual Dysfunction Held at the FDA, October 2014, The Journal of Sex Research, 52:6, 601-603, DOI:10.1080/00224499.2014.1003362

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Another blue pill - straight men only??!!??

(I was the subject of a few strange looks when taking this photo in the toilets at Sainsbury's. But I am committed to bringing you updates on the unhelpful perpetuation of these aspects of sexual culture.) 

This one seems to be aimed at those who have a "she" partner. Will it not work otherwise? I was unable to find an explanation for this in my research.

See also "Normal Healthy Men Of The World - Your Penises Still Aren't Good Enough"
and "Men & Sexual Myths - Two Steps Forward, One Step Back"

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Normal, Healthy Men of the World: Your Penises Still Aren't Good Enough

.... see also "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back"

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Men and Sexual Myths - Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

One of the major areas of psychosexual work with men is myth and mystery. As men, we grow up with messages from parents, peers, porn and elsewhere... all of which add to our collective understanding of sex.

Unfortunately, as we know, much of the material taken up during this process is actually unhelpful. Porn, for instance, grew (and continues to sustain) the "two feet long and hard as steel" myth of men's ideal sexuality. It gives a skewed picture of what real sex is like. This can lead to problems later on in sexual relationships.

So, much of my work with men can be about unpicking these unhelpful beliefs and attitudes - getting them back to a much more realistic - and forgiving- position with themselves and their sexual lives. We are often surprised by how refreshing and empowering this can be.... it really can lead to a more fulfilling sexual life. For that reason, I enjoy doing this kind of work with men.

My heart sank when I walked into the toilet of a local supermarket recently, and saw this on the wall:

A number of things disturb me about this. The main one is the choice of company name - "Perform" - although it might feel a bit more acceptable to attach a sub-label "wellbeing", it still smacks of competitive sexuality. Just what we don't need - another covert message saying that to "perform" is the goal of sex....

Looking at the items for sale; it's unsurprising, indeed quite acceptable, to see condoms. The buzz ring is a relatively recent addition to the 'open' market in Britain (quite common now to see these in pharmacies etc), and so that feels realistic, too.

What really gets me seething is the all-too-familiar "blue pills" which contain very little but seem to promise so much. These things appear with tedious inevitability these days, in my email inbox, on Ebay, and elsewhere.

"BLUE ZEUS", they are called here, with barely-veiled references to god-like prowess, no doubt with lightning-like erectile response, thunderous orgasms from dozens of naked writhing bodies, the air filled with screams of abandon and pleasure. One might also envisage the others, the mere mortals, only dreaming to reach the heights of such winged blue prowess if they do not posess this great potency.

Poor Bernie Zilbergeld, who did so much to debunk men's sexual myths, would be chilled to see so much of his work undone in one fell swoop. For starters, how about these, from the "New Male Sexuality" ...

Myth 5 - A Real Man "Performs" in Sex
Well, a condom machine emblazoned by a company called "Perform" is hardly going to advance men's perceptions of sexuality in the 21st century, now is it?

Myth 6 - Sex is Centred on a Hard Penis and What's Done With It
I suppose our friends at "Perform" would make far less money if this machine dispensed advice leaflets on, say, foreplay, sexual communication and mutuality. So, blue pills for hard-ons it is, then.....

Myth 7 - If Your Penis Isn't Up To It, We Have a Pill That Will Take Care of Everything
Since a large proportion of erectile problems are at least partly psychological, the notion that a pill will do the trick is awfully misleading. Medicating men, instead of educating them and enhancing their relationships, is dubious if not potentially damaging. The "recreational" use of drugs and herbal preparations (when not medically indicated) is a costly side-step from the real issues.

So our condom-selling friends at "Perform" are also, sadly, purveyors of these unhelpful myths. Men - particularly young men, whose internal model of sex is still developing, are still being fed this stuff AND paying for it at the same time.
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Postscript.....

Once, when I was feeling incredibly sarcastic and mischievous and angry, I decided that I would collect a large number of blue Smarties and advertise them for sale on Ebay, thus:

"These are SWEETS. They have no ingredients that have been proven to enhance your erections or make you last longer. But who knows, they just might - and they're a lot cheaper than those "Hercules Hugeness" tablets you've been buying from Japan, right? Why not give them a try??"

I decided not to go ahead, but.....Maybe I could have made a few bucks....?