Sexual desire Quote by Christopher Ryan
““Before the war on drugs, the war on terror, or the war on cancer, there was the war on female sexual desire. It’s a war that has been raging far longer than any other, and its victims number well into the billions by now. Like the others, it’s a war that can never be won, as the declared enemy is a force of nature. We may as well declare war on the cycles of the moon.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá, 2010
The quote argues that society has historically suppressed female sexual desire, framing it as a battle that cannot be fully won because it targets a natural force.
In simple terms: Female desire has been suppressed for ages, seen as an unwinnable war.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and respect natural sexual drives.
Themes
gender
sexuality
power
culture
history
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- relationship counseling
- sex education
- media representation
- policy making
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
patriarchy
biological determinism
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How does cultural narrative shape our view of female desire?
- What changes could reduce this “war” in society?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex social and biological factors.
![“[Man] has imagined a heaven, and has left entirely out of it the supremest of all his delights, the one ecstasy that stands first and foremost in the heart of every individual of his race…sexual intercourse! It is as if a lost and perishing person in a roasting desert should be told by a rescuer…” quote by Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/939/christopher-ryan-4309_joy_man-has-imagined-a-heaven-and-has-left-e_187069.jpg)
![“[A]ll gastronomic pleasure [is] a co-opted form of sexual desire. We interrupt the organic process of a plant or animal in order to eat it and we exhaust our own voluptuousness, our own perverted sexual desire, in the pleasure of eating.” quote by Luis Fernando Veríssimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/139/luis-fernando-verissimo-44133_desire_a-ll-gastronomic-pleasure-is-a-co-opted_267212.jpg)
![“I occasionally feel contempt for that attitude [degree of sexual desire towards me] when I perceive it, but maybe that's not fair. By our culture we've been taught who is most valued and who is not.” quote by Cris Mazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b3c/cris-mazza-31701_attitude_i-occasionally-feel-contempt-for-that-at_489276.jpg)
