Research Can Be Sexy!

We at Hello Cool World like to put theory into practice. But let's face it - we kind of get off on theory, which is why we are so pleased to team up with folks we consider cutting edge researchers.

CINDY MASARO, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE FOR HELLO COOL WORLD

The launch of That's So Sexy coincides with our association with Cindy Masaro, a PhD student whose work is titled: Exploring Women's Dating Experiences: How do new ways of communicating affect intimacy and sexual practices in the digital era?

We're pleased to be working with her!

Cindy's been a participant in our Hello Cool World theory salons, where we've been talking about what pleasure could mean to a marketing approach promoting safer sex.

We know that the media loves to paint a dire picture and feeds on risk, and while understanding risks are important, re-thinking gender scripts may prove more useful when it comes to having a positive impact on women's lives and health.

Masaro's research (in summary) points out, "few behavior models or prevention efforts have focused on how gender influences sexual risk taking." She adds, "For example, limited consideration has been given to the fact that some women lack the power to negotiate condom use, that some may refrain from using condoms in an effort to develop intimacy, or that some may find that condoms hamper their sexual pleasure or enjoyment. The question that arises is whether or not the limited attention given to these factors has undermined, rather than promoted safer sexual behaviors, and whether the emphasis on scare tactics and adverse consequences of sex has reinforced gendered sexual scripts and negatively affected women's sexual health." (Excerpt from her research summary.)

Watch for the launch of her survey website, DatingConfidential.ca, as we collaborate to create a social media conversation around her PhD research. We hope to also do a positive campaign that will help make women safer in the dating world (and maybe get a bit more satisfaction too!).