Are You a Giver or a Taker in Bed?

BY JANE GREER, PH.D., WITH JUDITH NEWMAN

Who suggests making love in your house? Who comes up with new positions? Who caresses? And who makes the sandwiches afterward?

Discover in this guide-plus-quiz how to achieve sexual balance and why you must!

You know how it goes. You start out your marriage going halfsies. Each of you, you swear, will share equally in the joy and the drudgery of your lives together: You'll cook on Saturday, and come Sunday he'll take a turn. You'll make the bed, he'll plump the pillows.

Then gradually the roles emerge. You don't exactly mind doing laundry, so after a while you're the expert on nonchlorine bleach. His buddies are more sociable than your tight cluster of friends, so he tends to arrange the outings.

In most areas of your life this falling into responsibilities may work just fine. But when sexual roles become so stratified the results aren't quite as palatable.

Who becomes responsible for the sexual relationship? Who creates the romantic ambience? Who makes the first move? The question of sexual responsibility can become a source of friction much more aggravating than who does the dishes or who mows the lawn.



PAGE 1 OF 6 NEXT: The Two Positions
in this article
PAGE 1:
Are You a Giver or a Taker in Bed?
PAGE 2:
The Two Positions
PAGE 3:
A Giver and Taker in Action
PAGE 4:
The Making of Two Sexual Styles
PAGE 5:
How to Give and Take
PAGE 6:
Which Are You? A Quiz
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