Who Is More Sexually Active: Males or Females?

When it comes to the age-old battle of the sexes, debates over who’s more sexually active might top the list of things people love to argue about. If Googling “who is more sexually active male or female” landed you here, we’ll help clear the air.

Is it the testosterone-fueled escapades of men or the mysterious allure of women’s desires that dominate the playing field? After all, men are often seen as the pursuers of sex in a relationship, whereas women are poised as the ones in charge of allowing it — or not.

Science, culture, and ego all seem to have their say, but this isn’t a simple gender game. Sex drive (libido) is complicated, and sexual activity has many influences.

So who wants more sex, males or females? We’re exploring the factors involved in people’s sex lives and breaking down what the research says about who’s likely to be more active in the bedroom.

When it comes to sexual activity, a lot more goes into the mix than just physical attraction to the person you’re with — or the heat of the moment that hijacks your brain.

From the hormonal rollercoaster behind your libido to the subtle (and not-so-subtle) pressures of society, several factors shape how, when, and why men and women engage in intimacy.

Do women want sex more than men? Assuming men have a higher sex drive, it could be guys who want sex more, but the answer isn’t black-and-white. For one thing, libido can go up or down with age for men and women.

Biology, psychology, and culture all play a part — here’s how.

Biological Influences on Sexual Activity

When it comes to biology, men might think they’ve got the ultimate trump card: testosterone, the hormone often associated with masculine sexual desire. And it’s true — testosterone plays a starring role in driving libido and sexual behavior.

See our guide on low testosterone levels (aka “low T”) to understand what might cause it and its possible symptoms.

From adolescence, when your hormones are raging, to adulthood, when there’s (hopefully) a bit more self-control, biology keeps the gears turning. But it doesn’t give men the monopoly on sex drive.

Women experience their own complex hormonal dance — and when estrogen and testosterone hit their sweet spot, well, let the games begin.

However, men often experience fewer fluctuations in libido compared to women. Female sex drive can ebb and flow with menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, the use of birth control, or when they simply aren’t feeling it (which is perfectly acceptable, by the way).

Evolutionary theory is also at play here. It suggests that men’s sexual activity might have roots in an ancient drive to spread their genes far and wide — sort of like the importance many men feel of passing their surname down to another generation.

But while biology helps set the stage for sex drive and how frequently someone has sex with a partner, it isn’t the full story.

Psychological and Behavioral Factors Affecting Sexual Activity

Despite what poorly scripted sitcoms may have us believe, men’s brains are just as responsible for what happens in the bedroom as their bodies.

A good portion of sexual activity starts between the ears (that is, psychologically), with factors like self-confidence, personality traits, and even how stressful or successful one’s day was.

For instance, men on a winning streak at work might be more likely to initiate intimacy. Meanwhile, those prone to anxiety or struggling with sexual function concerns like erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) might hesitate.

Psychological factors like self-perception and confidence are big — and often key — determinants in whether you make a move.

As you might expect, some research suggests men think about sex more often and are more likely than women to separate emotional connections from sex.

This also means they might report higher levels of sexual activity (or at least wanting to have sex) simply because they don’t always “attach strings“ to it.

How Men vs. Women Think About Sex

There’s also the spaghetti-versus-waffle brain example that can help further explain sex differences in how men and women think about sex. Let us expand.

A woman’s cognitive process is like a pile of spaghetti in that every thought and emotion is connected to another.

For instance, when she’s thinking about sex, she may also be thinking about what time the kids need to get to their choir concert tomorrow, when she would need to leave the office to meet the rest of the family there, what’s in the freezer that one of you can throw together for a quick dinner, and when she can schedule a haircut. A natural multitasker (whether she likes it or not).

A man, on the other hand, has a waffle brain — thinking is a little more straightforward and compartmentalized. This isn’t meant to be an insult — although it’s arguably a major source of frustration between the sexes.

Men are more inclined to separate thoughts and tasks in a way that they rarely crossover. In other words, when he’s thinking about sexual intercourse, that’s the entire focus.

Psychological factors are complex filters through which men and women interpret their desires and act on them. A little introspection (and communication) can go a long way.

Society is the invisible hand that shapes people’s perceptions of how successful and attractive they are. It also has some influence on how you act in the bedroom, especially given the constant barrage of sexually-inspired media on the brain.

For men, social norms can paint a picture of the tireless Casanova who’s always ready, always eager. This expectation can create a self-fulfilling prophecy: If men think they should be more sexually active, they might report behaviors that align with this belief, even if reality begs to differ.

And don’t get us started on the added pressure to perform in the bedroom that dating apps, social media, and hookup culture have placed on both men and women. Add in the locker-room effect, where bragging rights might skew what men share (or exaggerate).

We’re seeing broader cultural shifts toward prioritizing gender equality and emotional intelligence. This may help erode toxic masculinity so men feel more open to exploring sexuality on their own terms.

At the end of the day, society has created a lot of (often overreaching) rules. But it’s up to the individual to decide whether to align with or throw out the rulebook.

If you asked 19 men whether they want sex more than women, you’d probably get 19 different answers. The best way to get real insight into this question is to examine the data, but there aren’t a ton of conclusive studies on the topic.

Research looking at sexual desire in dyadic (heterosexual) relationships has mostly found no significant difference between whether men or women want sex more often.

One older study from 1999 found that, among 72 hetero couples, around half self-reported a similar sexual desire. And among those reporting different levels of desire, about half said it was the man with lower libido.

The authors concluded that discrepancies in sexual desire are strongly associated with both sexual and relationship satisfaction — more so than gender differences.

Other research has found similar results in that men are just as likely as women to want sex less often.

The debate over who’s hornier often overlooks the role of emotional and situational triggers that uniquely influence women’s sexual desire — like the quality of communication a woman has with her partner.

For instance, a 2023 study found that the quality of dyadic sexual communication is a major factor in getting both genders on the same sexual desire playing field, mostly by improving sexual satisfaction.

So, better communication with your partner about needs and even sexual fantasies could mean you’re less likely to have mismatched sexual desires.

Another study from 2023 concluded that the assumption of a woman’s desire for sex being more variable than a man’s is context-dependent.

Over years-long periods, women do show greater fluctuation in sexual arousal and desire than men. However, no significant differences between the genders were observed during shorter periods.

Interestingly, the sexual desire of both men and women was influenced by emotional factors. But a woman’s libido was more negatively affected by feelings like anger or being tired.

In other words, it’s not necessarily a gender thing, folks.

Take the biological, psychological, and social influences everyone juggles above, paired with the weight carried by open communication (or lack thereof), and you can see there are many moving parts when it comes to sexual activity and desire for sex.

Do men need sex more than women? It depends on who you ask, internal and external influences, sexual orientation, and probably how satisfied a person is in their relationship.

Who is more sexually active, male or female? When asking this question, it’s crucial to take these factors into account:

• It’s not a simple battle of the sexes. While there’s often a perception of men being more sexually driven, you also need to consider the biological influence of testosterone, the culturally reinforced narrative of men as primary pursuers of sex, and a waffle-shaped way of thinking. Men can have low sex drive (aka low libido) too.

• Women can also have a high sex drive. However, the average sex drive of a woman tends to be more context-driven (influenced by emotional connection, mental health, relationship satisfaction, and life circumstances). Women often have a broader list of what triggers female sexual desire, making their “need“ for sex more nuanced than men.

• Communication is key. While studies on gender differences in sex drive have highlighted various things, one thing seems clear: A person (man or woman) is more likely to initiate sexual activity when they feel equally desired by their partner, which comes down to open communication about wants and needs. Communication and sexual health go hand in hand when improving sexual experiences with a romantic partner.

So, are men hornier than women? Not necessarily — it’s just that their wiring and social conditioning often make it feel that way.

Ultimately, sexual needs are deeply personal. Like many things, perceptions of differences in sexual expression between men and women are often stereotyped.

If you have questions or concerns about your sexual interest or well-being, explore our sexual health resources, including our guide on medication to increase sex drive.

If you’re facing sexual dysfunction issues, think about consulting a licensed healthcare professional specializing in sexual medicine. Get started on our telehealth platform.