Identifying Women’s “Sexual Agency” in their Reports of First Sexual Encounters: A Qualitative Study Rachel Pittard and Rachel Robertson Hanover College

1 Sexual Agency Little research on the relatively new concept of sexual agency We hope to elaborate and expand on previous research examining the construct Sexual agency defined: –“the possession of control over one’s body and sexual choices” (Phillips, 2000) –“the ability to act according to one’s will in a sexual realm” (Crown & Roberts, 2007)

2 Why is Sexual Agency Important? Our results may help improve sex education programs and therapies by –Encouraging women’s sexual health, well-being, and satisfaction –Empowering women to be confident and in control during sexual encounters

3 Positive Psychology Advocates for the study of normative subjective experience (Seligman, Steen, & Parks, 2005) Addresses positive impacts that sex can have on those who are experiencing it Examines what goes right in sexual situations

4 Feminism Equality among genders Sexism in culture leads to power inequities in the bedroom (Strong, Yarber, Sayad, & DeVault, 2008) Sexual scripts influence women to be sexually passive Women often experience sex as “something [they] went along with” (Dunn, 1998) “Traditional femininity constitutes an unsafe sexual identity and…conventionally feminine behavior is putting young women at risk” (Holland, Ramazanoglu, Sharpe, & Thomson, 2000)

5 Research Question How do women portray themselves as agents in their reflections on their first sexual encounter?

6 Online Survey Design Recruited by Study description page Informed consent signed electronically Demographics Four open-ended survey questions Debriefing screen

7 Participants (N = 21) Small mid-western College Women years (M = 20.1 yrs.) Definition of “first sexual encounter”: –Participants told: "However you define it" –Additional guideline: “May have involved genital contact, loss of virginity, or other sexually intimate acts (beyond just kissing or non-intimate touching)” Heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual

8 Questionnaire Elicited in-depth narratives regarding their emotional experiences of the first sexual encounter Not looking for details, but feelings about the experience Four questions, each building upon the other

9 Initial Question 1.“Immediately following your first sexual encounter, what were your initial thoughts and feelings about, or reactions to, the experience?”

10 Follow-up Questions 2. “Looking back on that experience, what are your current thoughts and feelings about your first sexual encounter?” 3. “How do you currently evaluate your choice to engage in your first sexual encounter?” 4. “Do you have any additional thoughts and feelings about that experience now? Is there anything else about your reactions that we have not asked about which you feel is important?”

1 st Coding Scheme: Agency Dimensions Connection Disconnection Interaction Isolation Activity Passivity

12 1 st Coding Scheme: Agency CONNECTION: attachment or bond with the experience » Joni: “I felt intrigued and somewhat mesmerized by the whole experience.” DISCONNECTION: disengagement from the experience » Judy: “It was a very uncomfortable and forced experience.”

1 st Coding Scheme: Agency INTERACTION: reciprocal action and equality between the sexual partners » Marie: “It made me feel close to the person as though we had some type of connection between the two of us.” ISOLATION: feeling separated from the sexual partner » Cathy: “I felt bad guilty. My boyfriend said we should not have done it. He wanted to try it in the first place. I was very confused.” 13

1 st Coding Scheme: Agency ACTIVITY: making and asserting decisions and participating by one’s own will » Carly: “I only had sexual experiences that I was OK with.” PASSIVITY: being submissive and receiving others’ actions » Brandy: “It was something I went along with.”

15 2 nd Coding Scheme: Affective Content Positive Affect: favorable feelings about the experience and/or self –Experience » Katie: “It was ultimately a comfortable, happy experience with a loving partner.” –Self (esteem) » Deb: “It was my own decision and if I were to do it again, it would have probably happened in much the same way.”

2 nd Coding Scheme: Affective Content Negative Affect: unfavorable feelings about the experience and/or self –Experience » Jenna: “Horror, shame, disappointment, fear. I have come to accept it as just a mistake.” –Self (esteem) » Cathy: “I cannot get over the idea that I am a bad person when I do that stuff. ”

Interpretive Analysis Patterns of how agency is portrayed Variations of sexual agency described within the three dimensions Patterns of affective content were compared to agency portrayals on the three dimensions

Fully Agentic Connection, interaction, and activity No nonagentic codes Described encounters positively » Katie: “I don’t regret it and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I’m happy with the choice I made knowing it was with the right person and at the right time.”

Partially Agentic Less than 3 agentic codes 3 or less agentic codes and 1 or more nonagentic codes Ambivalence: described encounters both positively and negatively » Cathy: “I thought I was ready, but looking back I wish I had been more emotionally mature. I am still getting over the guilt, but it has made me a stronger person.”

Fully Nonagentic Disconnection, isolation, and passivity No agentic codes Described encounters negatively » Jenna: “In my particular instance I was very disappointed and horrified by my own lack of self-control. My biggest fears following the encounter were that sex would always be like that and that my friends would find out about it (they still haven’t).”

Sexual Agency Research Homogenous population Normative views Benefits of elaborating the concept of sexual agency –Improve sex education programs –Empower women to be active sexual agents