Sexual Beings Quote by Peggy Orenstein
““They too struggle with the expectation to look sexy but not to feel sexual, to provoke desire in others without experience it themselves. Our daughters may not be faced with the decision of whether to strip for maxim, but they will have to figure out how to become sexual beings without being objectified or stigmatized.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape, 2015
Women face pressure to appear attractive while suppressing sexual agency, leading to objectification and stigma.
In simple terms: Balancing appearance expectations with personal sexuality is challenging.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate authentic sexual self‑expression.
Themes
gender
identity
media influence
Mood
critical
empathetic
Type
social
feminist
When to use this quote
- media consumption
- personal relationships
- education
- activism
Key Concepts
objectification
sexual agency
social norms
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “sexual being” mean to you?
- How can you resist objectifying norms?
A Different Perspective
Cultural expectations vary, making universal solutions difficult.
![“His response to them [women] as sexual beings was one of frenzied worship and idolatry. They were lovely, satisfying, maddening manifestations of the miraculous, instruments of pleasure too powerful to be measured, too keen to be endured, and too exquisite to be intended for employment by base…” quote by Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/392/joseph-heller-601_idolatry_his-response-to-them-women-as-sexual-bei_591961.jpg)
![“Saying "yes" [to sexual activity] is a pretty low baseline for sexual experience and I wanted to write about what was happening to girls after "yes."” quote by Peggy Orenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac7/peggy-orenstein-11585_activity_saying-yes-to-sexual-activity-is-a-prett_369759.jpg)
