'Flex Sex': interesting research on women's sexual fluidity

[Chic Freak]

There's an article in this month's Psychologies magazine (bitesize chunks of touchy-feely fluff-psychology for women, in case you haven't heard of it) called 'Flex Sex', which suggests that from a biological standpoint, most, if not all women are bisexual.

Apparently a psychologist called Michael Bailey conducted an experiment in which adults of differing self-defined sexual orientations were shown a selection of porn, and their physical responses were monitored (heart rate etc) as a measure of sexual arousal.

He found that, as you would expect, straight men were most aroused by images of women and gay men by images of men, but he found that all the women, whether they defined themselves as straight, gay or bi, were equally aroused by images of both men and women.

I find this totally fascinating. It just goes to show that sexual attraction isn't purely a reflection of biological drives, otherwise the straight women would only have been aroused by men and the lesbians, only by women. It also suggests that being gay might genuinely be 'natural' for some men, if that's who their bodies involuntarily respond too.

However, I should put in a little disclaimer here, to say that I haven't read Bailey's report itself. It might be total crap.

Assuming it has some validity, what does everyone think?

[Neil]

There's an article in this month's Psychologies magazine (bitesize chunks of touchy-feely fluff-psychology for women, in case you haven't heard of it) called 'Flex Sex', which suggests that from a biological standpoint, most, if not all women are bisexual.

Apparently a psychologist called Michael Bailey conducted an experiment in which adults of differing self-defined sexual orientations were shown a selection of porn, and their physical responses were monitored (heart rate etc) as a measure of sexual arousal.

He found that, as you would expect, straight men were most aroused by images of women and gay men by images of men, but he found that all the women, whether they defined themselves as straight, gay or bi, were equally aroused by images of both men and women.

I find this totally fascinating. It just goes to show that sexual attraction isn't purely a reflection of biological drives, otherwise the straight women would only have been aroused by men and the lesbians, only by women. It also suggests that being gay might genuinely be 'natural' for some men, if that's who their bodies involuntarily respond too.

However, I should put in a little disclaimer here, to say that I haven't read Bailey's report itself. It might be total crap.

Assuming it has some validity, what does everyone think?

Oh dear God! Here she goes again trying to corrupt us!

Any minute she'll be talking about rooms full of nuns and whipped cream I tell you :stunned:

[Danny]

^ the safety word is "delaware".

[Chic Freak]

Oh dear God! Here she goes again trying to corrupt us!

Any minute she'll be talking about rooms full of nuns and whipped cream I tell you :stunned:

Ew nuns and ew whipped cream :dead:

Doesn't sound like I need to corrupt you Neil, you've got an imagination already! :lol:

[Mike70]

i knew the name michael bailey was familiar and now i know why.

he is a disgraced professor. he used to be the chair of the psych dept. at northwestern universtiy (chicago) and he was forced to resign his position and might have even lost his tenure over professional misconduct that included among other things, having sex with his research subjects.

he is also viewed with hostility by the gay community (particularly transgender folks) because of some of his work.

here is link with more info on michael bailey and his bad behavior.

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/LynnsReviewOfBaileysBook.html

note: this doesn't mean that there isn't any veracity to the article you are talking about merely that this guy has a shady past.

[kortick]

He is pretty well known and hated
by people diagnosed with "gender disphoria"
which is the US medical diagnosis you need
to get from a doctor in order to get government
assistance in sexual re-assignment surgery.

You have to be diagnosed with gender disphoria
in order to get SSI and get an enrocinologist to prescribe
you hormones in order for you to be classified pre-op.

Either way his views on bisexuality have been claimed
to be more his sexual fantasies than any real science.

He has been compared to the sex therpaist who
masturbates during your session while you tell
your problems.....

Actually Fritz Klein MDs, book "The Bi-Sexual Option"
is much more reputable and respected.

See, sleeping with everything that walks, crawls. or slithers,
teaches you a few things.....

[mista_mo]

^ the safety word is "delaware".



So there goes my life
Passing by with every exit sign
And it's been so long, sometimes I wonder, how I will stay strong
No sleep tonight
I'll keep on driving these dark highway lines
And as the moon fades, one more night gone, only twenty more days

But I will see you again,
I will see you again,
A long time from now

There goes my life
Passing by with every departing flight
And it's been so hard, so much time, so far apart
As she walks the night, how many hearts will die tonight?
Will things have changed?
I guess I'll find out in seventeen days

But I will see you again,
I will see you again
A long time from now

My body aches, and it hurts to sing, and no one is moving
And I wish tht I weren't here tonight, but this is my life

But I will see you again
I will see you again
A long time from now

But I will see you again
I will see you again
A long time from now


****, i guess the song actually doesn't say Delaware, but it's called hello, i'm in delaware. so does it still count?
And Chic, I refer you towards your own signature in regards to your corruption of Neil. Heretical materials can damage the mind of a viscious sexually rampant Male.

[Chic Freak]

here is link with more info on michael bailey and his bad behavior.

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/LynnsReviewOfBaileysBook.html

note: this doesn't mean that there isn't any veracity to the article you are talking about merely that this guy has a shady past.

Holy christ :eek:

"Containing no specific references to other scientific work, the The Man Who Would Be Queen simply pronounced as scientific fact that transsexual women are either (i) effeminate gay men who undergo "sex changes" in order to have sex with lots of men, or, if not that, then they are (ii) sexual paraphilic males who "change sex" for bizarre autosexual reasons. The book dismissed as irrelevant the current scientific understandings that humans develop gendered identities that can in some cases be in conflict with their physical sex, but provided no scientific explanation whatsoever for making such dismissive counter-pronouncements."

Pfft. I'd say this does throw the bisexual study I mentioned into question, as it almost certainly wasn't conducted properly. Thanks for the link!


Chic, I refer you towards your own signature in regards to your corruption of Neil. Heretical materials can damage the mind of a viscious sexually rampant Male.

You think Neil is a viscious sexually rampant Male?

[SymphonicX]

Interesting study but something I've always thought personally - I think the same about men but just believe that they're less apt to admit it due to social contraints...a girl friend of mine said recently "attraction is genderless" and I'd have to agree there...I could probably have 5 people in the room and one of them would've knocked one off to p0rn solely featuring the same sex as themselves and still define themselves to be straight - just getting them to admit it is tough...

Gotta love the variety on this beautiful Earth.

[Marie]

Tried it, didn't like it. I'm either in the minority according to Bailey or haven't met the right woman:D

I think trying to define sexuality is like the parable of the blind men and the elephant. All you really can depend on is your own experence.

M_

[Chic Freak]

Aye, it's interesting what we define ourselves as.

I don't think attraction is genderless for everyone, but it certainly is for some.

[Neil]

Interesting study but something I've always thought personally - I think the same about men but just believe that they're less apt to admit it due to social contraints...a girl friend of mine said recently "attraction is genderless" and I'd have to agree there...I could probably have 5 people in the room and one of them would've knocked one off to p0rn solely featuring the same sex as themselves and still define themselves to be straight - just getting them to admit it is tough...

Gotta love the variety on this beautiful Earth.

The thing is, surely same-sex sex for a women is far less 'invasive' as that for men. Given that, and the more forgiving (fluffy) take on lesbians than homosexuals within society, it's not surprising women are more likely to go to visit planet lesbos, then men visit planet homo!

[MinionZombie]

While I can understand homosexuality - it's just heterosexuality, but with no baby danger, by which I mean...

To me - being a hetero - a lass feels right ... both literally and figuratively. :sneaky:

So to a gay person, their home team feels right.

Attraction is an odd thing. There's just wanting to get your rocks off, and then there's the something deep, which is completely different.

From personal experience attraction was first grounded in personality, the physical part took longer to come further forward, but still remaining in second place...

So aye - a common sense middle ground makes sense. For some attraction is genderless - basically bi-sexual I guess - while for others it's one gender or the other and that's that.

Now, another thing ... people who stick to one gender, but find attraction in the other, but do nothing about it ... from there, there's more ways of thinking:

A) Suppressing their homosexuality completely, or their bi-sexuality
B) They appreciate hotness, no matter the gender (kinda like The Todd, off of Scrubs, minus the rampantly arrogant sexuality ... for some :D)
C) Other

*taps chin*

Oh Chic, you and your saucy, Neil-corrupting threads...:p

[capncnut]

Oh Chic, you and your saucy, Neil-corrupting threads...:p
Let's face it, it doesn't take much to corrupt Neil. All you have to do is mention bare flesh, forum problems and planetary dynamics. :p

[Chic Freak]

The thing is, surely same-sex sex for a women is far less 'invasive' as that for men. Given that, and the more forgiving (fluffy) take on lesbians than homosexuals within society, it's not surprising women are more likely to go to visit planet lesbos, then men visit planet homo!

You don't necessarily have to take it up the arse to visit Planet Homo, Neil ;) If you think about it, getting a blow job or even just kissing another bloke would be a homosexual act, despite not being anything you wouldn't necessarily do with a girl.

It's definitely more acceptable to be a gay girl than a gay guy atm :( Which probably puts more guys off experimenting, as socially speaking, they have more to lose!


Attraction is an odd thing. There's just wanting to get your rocks off, and then there's the something deep, which is completely different.

Very true, e.g. people who think they are straight all their lives until they fall flat-out in love with someone of the same sex and want to spend the rest of their life with them, or vice-versa. Bless you MZ, there is a heart in there after all ;)


For some attraction is genderless - basically bi-sexual I guess - while for others it's one gender or the other and that's that.

I would be picky here and say that there are broadly two 'types' of bisexual person: people who, as you say, simply don't care about gender and can thus end up fancying people of either gender- they "appreciate hotness, regardless of gender", just like the Todd in Scrubs ;)

And then people like me, who do see a difference in genders, who do believe in the existence of two distinct genders, and who are simply attracted to both masculinity and femininity. I don't appreciate hotness regardless of gender, I just appreciate hot members of both genders, if that makes sense!! Lol.

[MinionZombie]

Bless you MZ, there is a heart in there after all :)

I'm a well of deepness and emotion and you know, stuff ... so I am.

Although if I could time-travel I'd kick my own ass when I was 17 and say "chill the f*ck out, geez!" ... now I'm a black-eyed loner walking the cold landscape alone amidst lots of rain and wind and you know...adjectives loosely hung around feelings ... and sh*t. :D

...

Seriously though, I burnt myself out at 17/18 ... so while still only attracted to the fairer sex (to bring this back around the topic at hand), I've not been attracted to anyone for a good while.

So I guess that's yet another layer of attraction (ah, still on topic :p) ... those who, temporarily, aren't attracted to anyone in their zone of choice.

...

Or maybe I'm just a heartless bastard. :D

[clanglee]

It's also worth noting that there is a difference in sex, gender, and sexual preference. A man (sex) could be very effeminate, with a secret love of dressing up like a woman (gender) but could only be attracted to women (sexual preference). It's a weird wide world.:p

[kortick]

what a great term, sexual fluidity.

wonderful ahhh

isnt sex about exchanging fluids as well
when you think of it.

and i dont know if i agree in female/female sex
being less invasive, a dildo can be a pretty
intruding object.

the majority of people are bi sexual
doesnt mean they have sex with members
of the same gender, but they can look at someone
of the same sex and mentally acknowledge that person
is attractive.

Its all harmless.

Do what thy will shall be the whole of the law.

quoting Crowley may seem inappropriate but he
was very much into sex magick.

[Neil]

You don't necessarily have to take it up the arse to visit Planet Homo, Neil ;) If you think about it, getting a blow job or even just kissing another bloke would be a homosexual act, despite not being anything you wouldn't necessarily do with a girl.

It's definitely more acceptable to be a gay girl than a gay guy atm :( Which probably puts more guys off experimenting, as socially speaking, they have more to lose!

No, but when a male has sex it tends to be more 'invasive'. If you consider many elements of sex, they involve penetration (oral, vaginal, anal), and if you consider being penetrated as somewhat of a sign of submission, then sexual actions/roles could be considered dominant or submissive.

As many 'regular' men would not particuraly like/accept the submission role, I suggest it is therefore more of a step for most 'regular' guys to make that leap into same-sex sex.

Women, whose sexual role could generally be considered more submissive, it could be considered as less of a leap - certainly with less 'invasive' sex involved - to venture into same-sex sex.

[Khardis]

Its natural for humans in general to find the female form arousing, I am sure even some gay men do. The female body has been a source of artistic inspiration, a source for great drive and ambition for man kind for our entire history. The 1st thing we see in nature are our mothers breasts which provide us with nourishment. Are we so surprised that all humans might find female bodies beautiful? This of course though doesn't mean we all want to have sex with women, or that women are bisexual by nature. Thats just an absurd conclusion. Finding a female body beautiful doesn't mean women in general want to chow down on the muffin. In fact most would find it disgusting.

My girlfriend loves breasts, she is fixated on them (so am I for that matter). But she is sick to the thought of making love to another woman, even if she thinks she's beautiful.

[Neil]

Its natural for humans in general to find the female form arousing, I am sure even some gay men do. The female body has been a source of artistic inspiration, a source for great drive and ambition for man kind for our entire history. The 1st thing we see in nature are our mothers breasts which provide us with nourishment. Are we so surprised that all humans might find female bodies beautiful? This of course though doesn't mean we all want to have sex with women, or that women are bisexual by nature. Thats just an absurd conclusion. Finding a female body beautiful doesn't mean women in general want to chow down on the muffin. In fact most would find it disgusting.

My girlfriend loves breasts, she is fixated on them (so am I for that matter). But she is sick to the thought of making love to another woman, even if she thinks she's beautiful.

I don't really get this the female form is more attractive than the male... Obviously to me it is, but if you attempt to be non-bias, a well toned male body is surely just as interesting and 'artistic' as a female body?

[Khardis]

I don't really get this the female form is more attractive than the male... Obviously to me it is, but if you attempt to be non-bias, a well toned male body is surely just as interesting and 'artistic' as a female body?

I don't quite agree, I think the male body is by definition hard, utilitarian, and linear. No real curves or soft delicate touch to it. If we had to describe shapes that describe human bodies (fit bodies mind you) when you think of woman form you think of circles, when you think of the male form its straight lines.

Not to mention men and women evolved differently throughout the ages, women evolved to have beautiful soft, delicate looking bodies while men left that behind and evolved to have strong powerful bodies useful for war, hunting and construction.

Women have symmetrical looking bodies with graceful lines and rounded edges because thats what we as a species are drawn to, men have linear looking utility type bodies, good for getting things done, but nothing really to look at.

I am not trying to be biased either, even GAY men love women's bodies, its why the majority of fashion designers and makeup artists, Victoria Secret designers are gay men.

[Neil]

I don't quite agree, I think the male body is by definition hard, utilitarian, and linear. No real curves or soft delicate touch to it. If we had to describe shapes that describe human bodies (fit bodies mind you) when you think of woman form you think of circles, when you think of the male form its straight lines.

Not to mention men and women evolved differently throughout the ages, women evolved to have beautiful soft, delicate looking bodies while men left that behind and evolved to have strong powerful bodies useful for war, hunting and construction.

Women have symmetrical looking bodies with graceful lines and rounded edges because thats what we as a species are drawn to, men have linear looking utility type bodies, good for getting things done, but nothing really to look at.

I am not trying to be biased either, even GAY men love women's bodies, its why the majority of fashion designers and makeup artists, Victoria Secret designers are gay men.

I can see exactly what your saying, and agree with some of it...

But none-the-less, the one sided nature of the argument bugs me and I would continue to argue a well toned male body is far more dynamic and just as interesting to look at as a female body. It's difficult to be subjective on the matter especially when Demi Moore keeps popping into my head :sneaky:

[MinionZombie]

I can see exactly what your saying, and agree with some of it...

But none-the-less, the one sided nature of the argument bugs me and I would continue to argue a well toned male body is far more dynamic and just as interesting to look at as a female body. It's difficult to be subjective on the matter especially when Demi Moore keeps popping into my head :sneaky:
The most famous of them all...

http://www.wga.hu/art/m/michelan/1sculptu/david/david.jpg

Beauty is subjective, but it doesn't have to just mean a curvy lady.

If anything, symmetry is a more over-riding factor in beauty objectively speaking...or so I've heard people saying in the past.

Then of course there's the 'default' key beauty stylings of each gender. In females it's curves, in men it's strength ... then there's a whole bunch of other things...

Oh and proportions - another thing that adds to beauty.

...

Then there's the whole mental side of beauty - where the subjective aspect of it really takes over and becomes very personal.

[clanglee]

Actually the Greeks and the Romans were very much inspired by the male form. Even more so than the female form. Even during the Renaisance we see a return to this ideal. The male form was considered to be the epitome of perfection. The idealization of the female form is actually a rather recent phenomenon, as far as human history is concerned.

[Mike70]

Actually the Greeks and the Romans were very much inspired by the male form. Even more so than the female form. Even during the Renaisance we see a return to this ideal. The male form was considered to be the epitome of perfection. The idealization of the female form is actually a rather recent phenomenon, as far as human history is concerned.

garsh dammit. you and MZ have beat me to this. i was prepared to wax all poetic about the greek and roman sculptors but no you've ruined all my fun.:p:D

there are lots of cultural reasons for the way the male form was treated in greek and roman art - especially in greek art. i could go on forever about said reasons but won't.

suffice to say that the greeks had a very low opinion of women in general (except for the spartans but they are the exception that proves most of the other rules about greek society) and the male form, as clang has said, was considered to be the perfect form.

[Danny]

I don't really get this the female form is more attractive than the male... Obviously to me it is, but if you attempt to be non-bias, a well toned male body is surely just as interesting and 'artistic' as a female body?

id like to throw my two cents in here, im a straight dude, wich needless to say means i dig the ladies and i honestly cannot fathom what any straight woman or gay man finds attractive about a naked human male...seriously, what is there to dig?
but the thing is thats just me, and every human is unique, were not pack animals so much anymore ,were very solitary creatures at heart, intrinsically i mean, and no two people live the same lives so every bit of stimuli from the day they were is going to affect there view on, well, everythng to put it bluntly.

[kortick]

Ha

Homophobia is so ingrained

and it is a phobia, a fear
not a hate.

some men are so afraid to acknowledge
the obvious truth that there is beauty
in both the male form and the female form
as they are both considered the greatest
works of art ever created.

As far as having sex with someone thats
a whole other issue

many. but not all are bisexual
some are born that way
others are sucked into it (sorry).

[Marie]

id like to throw my two cents in here, im a straight dude, wich needless to say means i dig the ladies and i honestly cannot fathom what any straight woman or gay man finds attractive about a naked human male...seriously, what is there to dig?

You're kidding right? There's those cute little furry butts for for thing, and flat abs, those cute little beebites on their chests, and soft hair.... and their eyes even....GUYS ARE ATTRACTIVE trust me.

M_

[Terran]

Now....

Theres a sexy beast....

http://home.comcast.net/~duncanblack/cm.jpg



*grins*



Or I suppose this is acceptable...
http://startrekpics.tripod.com/Borg/borg-queen2.jpg


But then again...this is probally better.....at least its more accessable to those afraid of it....cause on the outside it looks the same...

http://www.best-horror-movies.com/images/Aliens-half-synthetic.jpg


This is good too

http://mechahuggermr.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/davidanjoe.jpg

Personally Id want to be Teddy

[kortick]

What terran?

no pics of any Borgs?

gotta admit that queen borg was
a kinky one.

always appreciate a lady with electronic toys.


anyways this whole thing is amusing

basing who you should sleep with by looks or gender
to me is an emetic notion.

Such shallow perspectives.

I gave up on vanilla long long ago.
Back when I was into multiple partners and S&M.

i date a bisexual stripper now.
and of the two if us she is the sane one.
its amusing to take your girl to the prison
to pick up one of her friends who are getting out
so she can have sex with her.
to me thats normal. Oh well...

and Marie, i have much darker depths than
the "norm", but i find it amusing you like hairy asses
on men.
and what the hell are bee stings?
i think I know what you mean but...

[Terran]

There was borg.....but those are the pictures that didnt show up....

[Marie]

and what the hell are bee stings?
i think I know what you mean but...

Bee bites are a slang term for men's nipples...:D

M_

[Neil]

Bee bites are a slang term for men's nipples...:D

M_

That reminds me of a joke...


A little girl runs into the kitchen and asks her mother for a big glass of cider.

"Why do you want that?" the mother asks.

"I've just been stung by a bee!" declares the little girl.

"Oh dear! But why do you want the cider?" the mother asks.

"Well, my sister says, when ever she gets a prick in here hand she always puts it in cider!"

:rolleyes:

[Mike70]

i think that there are pleasing aspects to both the female and male form.

a hot female body causes a sexual response in me - especially a really nice butt, which i find extremely attractive.

a toned male body on the other hand causes more of an admiration response in me. a kind of acknowledgement of the work that went into getting and keeping a toned form.

if that makes any sense at all.




and of the two if us she is the sane one.

nuh-uh. i never would've believed that if you hadn't of told us:D:p

[Marie]

i think that there are pleasing aspects to both the female and male form.

if that makes any sense at all.

It makes a great deal of sense. Yes, I look at well toned members of my own sex too. Nothing weird here move along.:D

M_

[MinionZombie]

It makes a great deal of sense. Yes, I look at well toned members of my own sex too. Nothing weird here move along.:D

M_
Blokes have to be careful with such appreciation though, you'll most likely get teased. :rolleyes:

Don't use the word "fit", if you absolutely must, use some boring term like "physically healthy within the athletic definition" ... or just keep schtum. :D

[Chic Freak]

I have been keeping up with reading this thread for the last couple of days, but been too busy to type out a response unfortunately! It's got really interesting.


This of course though doesn't mean we all want to have sex with women, or that women are bisexual by nature. Thats just an absurd conclusion. Finding a female body beautiful doesn't mean women in general want to chow down on the muffin.

I actually hadn't even thought of that as a criticism of that study. So much for the degree in psychology. But you're absolutely right, just because you're aroused by watching video footage of a person, it doesn't automatically follow that you'd have sex with them in real life, if you got the chance. Or at least, if you are trying to carry out a scientific experiment, you shouldn't make assumptions like that. The most you could say would be, "all the women we observed were aroused by watching video footage of other women," not "all women are bisexual."


Women have symmetrical looking bodies with graceful lines and rounded edges because thats what we as a species are drawn to, men have linear looking utility type bodies, good for getting things done, but nothing really to look at.

Hee hee, I disagree, the "good for getting things done" thing can be quite hot :D


Beauty is subjective, but it doesn't have to just mean a curvy lady.

Very wise words.


there are lots of cultural reasons for the way the male form was treated in greek and roman art - especially in greek art. i could go on forever about said reasons but won't.

Please do, I'm interested :)


There's those cute little furry butts for for thing

AAARGH furry butts! :lol::lol::lol:That's so funny. I hadn't really thought about it before, but yeah, a fuzzy butt on a man is actually really cute... not so much on a woman though, heh (personally).


i think that there are pleasing aspects to both the female and male form.

a hot female body causes a sexual response in me - especially a really nice butt, which i find extremely attractive.

a toned male body on the other hand causes more of an admiration response in me. a kind of acknowledgement of the work that went into getting and keeping a toned form.

if that makes any sense at all.

It makes perfect sense. You can admire someone's body, especially if it's something that they've obviously worked hard to achieve, without feeling sexually attracted to them. For me, this is especially true of very muscular men, as I don't really find it attractive, but I can appreciate the work that went into it.


Blokes have to be careful with such appreciation though, you'll most likely get teased. :rolleyes:

Don't use the word "fit", if you absolutely must, use some boring term like "physically healthy within the athletic definition" ... or just keep schtum. :D

lmao!

[MinionZombie]

hehe, furry butts ... :lol: ... although mine ain't exactly porcelain... :lol:

Smooth butts are for babies in those nappy wipe adverts, and women in general. :D

[Mike70]

ok Amy, the differences between the portrayal of men and women in greek art. i'll try to be brief. i am not an art historian by training (my deal is the roman republic) but here goes:

the greeks generally portrayed the male form (esp. in sculpture) as nude and highly idealized. one of the main reasons for this was athletics. athletes in the ancient world were just as famous and popular as the are today and all athletic competitions (excluding armor races- where people dressed in full hoplite armor competed in footraces) were done nude. the ripped, muscular forms that we see in greek art of men are attempts by the greeks to hold up an ideal form for young men to aspire to. masculine, strong, fierce in competition and brave.

these were also qualities that young men would need on the battlefield. greek hoplite warfare was very egalitarian. everyone fought. everyone. you would be in the phalanx with your father, brothers, uncles, cousins, close neighbors, etc. so it was felt important by the greeks that depictions of men in art upheld the ideas and masculine qualities that a young man would need to be successful on the battlefield and athletic pursuits.

women, on the other hand, occupied a very low position in greek society. they were basically the property of their husbands or fathers (if unmarried) and were expected to be silent and obedient to their fathers, brothers and ultimately husband. the ideas that the greeks portrayed in their depictions of women therefore dealt more with themes of motherhood, household duties and above all, chastity and faithfulness in marriage. that is why women in greek art are usually depicted clothed (not always but usually) and often are shown engaged in some sort of domestic or religious duty.

[Chic Freak]

That's great, cheers :)

Kind of interesting that women were pictured being functional and men were pictured being 'pretty'... kind of the opposite of today. Although I get what you're saying about them looking ripped for functional purposes, athletics and battle.