The New Evangelicals Podcast

21. Rescuing Women from Bad Sex with Sheila Gregoire

Jul 12, 2021

Sheila Gregoire, an author and expert on sexual well-being within Evangelical Christianity, discusses misconceptions surrounding marriage and sexuality. She highlights findings from her groundbreaking survey of Christian women's sexual satisfaction. Sheila debunks myths that prioritize male pleasure and emphasizes women's needs. The conversation touches on unrealistic expectations placed on women, the role of men in fostering intimacy, and the ongoing need for open dialogue about female desires. Her insights call for a revolutionary shift in how sexuality is approached in faith communities.

01:06:02

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Sheila Gregoire

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Quick takeaways

Sheila Gregoire's research reveals alarming trends among Christian women, emphasizing the need for mutual pleasure and intimacy in sexual relationships rather than obligation.

The critique of popular Christian marriage books highlights damaging myths surrounding women's sexuality, which can foster unhealthy dynamics in marriages.

Men are encouraged to actively listen to their wives and create a supportive environment that normalizes open discussions about sexual needs and desires.

Deep dives

The Reality of Sexuality in Christian Culture

Christian culture often treats discussions surrounding sex as taboo, which leaves many individuals, especially women, feeling misunderstood and ashamed of their own sexual needs. Sheila Gregoire argues that the traditional narrative that sex is primarily for men has harmful consequences, making women feel obligated to perform sexual duties without consideration of their own pleasure. By shedding light on these issues, she emphasizes that sexual experiences should be mutual, pleasurable, and based on genuine intimacy, rather than duty. This shift is vital to fostering healthier perspectives on sexuality within Christian communities.

Intro

3min

Exploring the Impact of 'The Great Sex Rescue'

2min

Redefining Intimacy: Challenging Christian Teachings on Sex

18min

Challenging Misconceptions: Women's Roles in Relationships

7min

Navigating Criticism in the Evangelical Community

2min

Revolutionizing Evangelical Views on Sexuality

26min

Encouraging Men's Active Role in Intimacy Improvement

2min

Understanding Sexual Dynamics and Healing in Relationships

2min

Sheila Gregoire, author of The Great Sex Rescue and the Facebook page To Love, Honor and Vacuum, is back to break down the misleading issues in Evangelical literature about marriage and sex. Beginning with her background, Sheila explains how the book The Great Sex Rescue became one of the first comprehensive scientific surveys on Evangelical Christian women’s sexual mental well-being and pleasure. Sheila and Tim explore the myths and harmful influences of these well known marriage books by Evangelical Christian authors.

Show Notes

Sheila, begins by giving background on how her venture into the world of Christian women’s sexuality began. She explains how the book The Great Sex Rescue came about. Her research for the book used the first of its kind scientific survey to gauge women’s sexual satisfaction, women’s marriage health and women’s overall view of sex. Sheila, identifies four problems within the literature of well known Christian authors: The most damaging being sex is primarily for men, women were experiencing pleasure 47% less than the rate of their husbands, physical explanations for lack of pleasure not addressed, and myths about women’s sexuality. Sheila, goes on to explain how those books were not scientifically analyzed but used faulty interpretation of the data of peer reviewed material. Tim and Sheila look at the myths promoted in these well known books such as: Men have no self-control and therefore their wives must satisfy their sexual needs without a consideration of their own, issues of consent in marriage exploited by these authors, the dehumanization of men by portraying them as sex crazed maniacs, and how a woman’s painful intercourse isn’t tied to her need for non-intercourse stimulation.