Pity sex happens when people have sex with
other people because they feel sorry for them.
Is it worth the effort? Do people on both sides
feel good during such sex? How they feel
afterward? And what is the difference between
pity sex and "charity sex"?
One thing seems certain: Sex is usually more
than a simple physical activity; it is often a
highly emotional interaction.
Pity (or mercy) sex
is an experience in
which a woman (or
a man) is not
particularly
attracted to
someone who is in
love with her (or
him) and wishes to
have sex with her.
She sleeps with him because she feels sorry for
him. Many people have sex because they think
they "should" rather than because they actually
want to. This can be a kind of guilt-induced
sex.
Consider the following description, again by a
woman, of her pity-sex experience: "I've been
friends with this guy for five years. He is the
sweetest guy and I know he would treat me
like gold, but I'm just not physically attracted
to him. He's not attractive at ALL....After
confessing his love to me...I had sex with
him...pity sex. I just wanted him to be happy
and I do really care about him...
"I WISH I NEVER SLEPT WITH HIM."
A similar description of a pity sex experience
was provided by another woman: "I would say
my sex drive is about 0 right now. Last night
we had sex. I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Even kissing made me nauseous."
We should distinguish here between pity sex
and charity sex . Like a one-night stand, pity
sex is an isolated occurrence; but unlike a one-
night stand, pity sex has an altruistic element
intended to give pleasure to the other person
but not necessarily the one who pities—after
all, pity is not a pleasant emotion. In charity
sex, you love your partner, and while you don't
feel like having sex at that moment, you do it
anyway. Charity sex is a very common part of
an ongoing relationship that has lasted several
years, and is in fact intended to enhance the
relationship. Charity sex can be seen as a kind
of investment in the relationship. Like other
investments, you might not see the benefits at
the moment, but you increase the prospects of
reaping these benefits later on. Charity sex may
not be enjoyable, but it typically does not
involve suffering. It occurs during an ongoing
intimate relationship and is a superficial,
isolated activity that, as in pity sex, may be at
odds with the current relationship between the
two partners. It seems that while in pity sex it
is better to receive than to give (the pitter is in
the worse situation), in charity sex it is better
to give than to receive (the one who gives is in
a better situation).
In both scenarios, sex is intended to meet the
needs of another person, but in charity sex it
takes place in a more profound and enduring
relationship. In pity sex, the pitying partner
does not want to have sex with the one she
(or he) pities, as she (or he) is not physically
attracted to him (or her). In charity sex, you do
find your partner attractive and generally enjoy
having sex with him or her, but at this specific
time you do not feel like having sex; you
consent because you believe your partner
wishes it or will benefit from it because, for
instance, he is feeling somewhat low and the
moment and sex will boost his mood. It seems
that as time goes by, people (mainly women,
seemingly) become less willing to have charity
sex on a permanent basis.
Faking an orgasm—that is, pretending to derive
pleasure to make your partner feel good—is
somewhat similar to pity sex. However, faking
an orgasm is more limited in scope, as it
involves merely one aspect of the sexual act,
while the rest of the experience can be
enjoyable. In pity sex, the lack of enjoyment is
more pronounced, and involves the entire
activity—consequently, unlike faking an orgasm,
pity sex can be entirely unpleasant for the
pitying partner.
Other Scenarios
Drunken sex is another type of sex that
in normal circumstances would not be
desirable, but the difference here is that
whereas in pity sex the pitying person
does not enjoy the sexual activity, in
drunken sex he or she might. The
conflict in pity sex is between what you
do not want and what the other person
does want; in drunken sex, the conflict
is between what you would not want in
normal circumstances and what you
want when you are intoxicated .
In the case of expedient sex , people
may have sex with someone, not out of
love or pity, but in order to derive some
material benefit, such as money or
status. The classic scenario would be an
attractive young woman and a much
older, wealthier man. In this case, the
altruistic element is replaced by the
element of greed.
In the case of sexual friendship (or
"friends with benefits"), where the
connection between the two partners is
based on sex and perhaps casual
friendship, mutual pleasure can be
derived. But since such a relationship
does not involve love, it is more
superficial and less meaningful.
Sometimes, however, people greatly
enjoy superficial experiences, particularly
when they do not impose much
obligation on either side.
In analyzing the attitudes in the above
scenarios, we should discern the attitudes
before, during, and after sex. In the optimal
circumstances prevailing in genuine love, the
three attitudes are very positive: the person is
pleasantly excited before sex, is joyful during
sex, and has a positive, calm mood after it. In
drunken sex, a one-night stand, and sometimes
extramarital sex, people might enjoy
themselves before and during sex, but not feel
good about it afterward. This is the "morning-
after effect." Others might feel bad both before
and after illicit sex, but enjoy the sex itself.
In pity sex, however, the bad feeling often
prevails throughout—before, during, and after
sex.
It is obvious that the best situation in which to
have sex is that of partners feeling genuine
love in which a pleasurable mood predominates
before, during, and after sex. But not everyone
has the privilege to enjoy such love. Does this
mean that those who don't should not have
sex?
It certainly does not—not having everything
does not mean that you are not entitled to
have something .
Pity sex seems to be the worst situation, as
the pitying people do not enjoy themselves
before, during, or after sex. However, from a
moral viewpoint, pity sex has some value in
providing sexual enjoyment to the person
deprived of it. The problem in this respect is
that at the end of the day, the pitying partner
is likely to feel miserable about his or her
altruistic, but ultimately fake sexual pleasure.
To sum up: In all these cases, various degrees
of enjoyment are derived before, during, and
after the sexual activity. There are only a few
circumstances—genuine love being the most
prevalent—when there is profound satisfaction
all along, and other circumstances when there
is profound dissatisfaction all along (as for the
pitier in pity sex). Psychological dilemmas are
scarcely present in these two circumstances;
such dilemmas typically arise when satisfaction
and suffering are mixed. In any case, sex is
very rarely a simple physical act. It is typically
loaded with many emotional attitudes that
involve issues beyond the present moment. In
such circumstances, pity sex, charity sex,
expedient sex, and faked orgasms become
more common.
The above considerations can be encapsulated
in the following statement that a lover might
express:
"Darling, I desire you so much that
I am ready to have sex with you,
even if you might consider it pity
sex, charity sex, drunken sex, or
merely a one-night stand.
Nevertheless, I would much prefer
to have dinner with you at a fine
restaurant, while we hold hands
and rub our legs together."
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