Hi Pepe, I appreciate your explanation of your viewpoints. I wrote of being “female in a Christian society” because these were joint influences — sometimes-overlapping, sometimes-not — on me. In saying this, I wasn’t saying that Christianity only suppresses women’s sexuality, but now that you mention it and I reflect further on the overlap, I guess I’d still have to say that the sexual socialization for men and women in Christianity is not the same in measure or in kind. After all, from as early as Genesis on, it’s women (and only women) who are painted as temptresses: guilty not just on account of their own explorations (e.g., eating the forbidden fruit), but also for men’s eventual missteps. So it does still seem to me that there are gendered differences in Christian socialization surrounding sex/purity/sin/morals, although you’re welcome to disagree…. and it also depends on the particular church who is driving those messages home. ;)

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!