Latest news with #CUNYGraduateCenter
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This Study On Orgasms Should Be Required Reading For Men
Researchers have long known that straight women statistically have fewer orgasms than their male partners. One particularly depressing 2018 study found that 87% of husbands compared to 49% of wives reported consistently experiencing an orgasm. While you might assume the chasm would close as women aged and became more sexually experienced and assertive in bed, the gap lingers through a woman's lifetime. But no such orgasm gap exists when women are masturbating, or are having sex with other women ― suggesting the problem lies somewhere in a tilted sexual script shared by men and women. A new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships gives that cultural conditioning a name: the 'orgasm pursuit gap.' In plain English, lead researcher Carly Wolfer says the orgasm goal pursuit 'refers to how much someone wants an orgasm to happen ― whether it's their own or their partner's ― and how much effort they put into making it happen.' To figure out how men and women's effort differs, Wolfer, a doctoral candidate in social psychology at CUNY Graduate Center, studied the 21-day online 'sex diaries' of 127 heterosexual adults in monogamous relationships (ages 18-40). She found that men's orgasms were disproportionately prioritized during sex by both parties: Straight men tend to focus on their own orgasm and feel supported by their partner in that pursuit. Conveniently enough, straight women's focus in bed lies in getting their male partner to climax, too. Men reported experiencing orgasms in 90% of their sexual encounters, while women reported orgasms in only 54% of their encounters, the researchers found. Men also reported significantly higher levels of overall sexual satisfaction and satisfaction with their orgasms compared to women. 'In our sample, men had 15 times higher odds of orgasming than women in any given sex act,' Wolfer told HuffPost. 'Not because it's 'just naturally harder' for women to orgasm ― a common myth ― but because we put less effort into the sexual practices that support women's pleasure, like clitoral stimulation.' Part of the problem lies in how we treat penetration as the be-all-end-all goal of sex. That's the most reliable way for a man to climax, but the majority of women reach orgasm through clitorial stimulation. Too often, playing with the clit is treated as 'foreplay,' if it's played with at all. (Speaking of which, guys, now might be a good time to read this article about how to go down on a woman, according to queer women. Or this one about a twist on missionary that emphasizes clit stimulation.) Vanessa Marin, sex therapist and creator of Finishing School, an online orgasm course for women, wasn't surprised by the findings of the study, which she is unaffiliated with. In Marin's work, she's 'definitely seen that men often feel more entitled to orgasm or view it as a given part of sex.' This isn't because men are inherently selfish ― it's more about cultural conditioning: We tend to think of men's orgasms as the natural conclusion of sex and during sex, so that's what we're working toward. Women lose out when penetrative sex is treated as the 'main event,' but men do, too. 'When we focus solely on orgasm, we miss out on the richness of the entire experience — like the intimacy, connection and pleasure that come from simply being present with each other,' she said. 'Orgasm is wonderful, but it's not the only measure of a satisfying sexual encounter.' For Wolfer, delving into this research was important because of how one-sided the current advice is on closing the orgasm gap. 'So much advice around the orgasm gap focuses on trying to 'fix' women,' she said. 'It's like, 'Get out of your head, speak up, masturbate more.' We see headlines like, 'What women can do about the orgasm gap.' No one was asking: 'What can men do about it? How can men help?'' Women are enculturated to put their pleasure second then subtly chastised for not bringing themselves to orgasm during sex. But this isn't a 'women's issue,' it's a shared couples' issue, Wolfer said. That's where interdependence theory comes in ― a framework from relationship science that emphasizes how, in close relationships, your outcomes are linked to your partner's. The goal of mutual orgasm could use a little of that understanding. 'When partners work together to support each other's goals — including sexual ones — both people benefit,' Wolfer said. Interestingly, in Wolfer's study, perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit appeared to be an even stronger predictor of orgasm and sexual satisfaction than personal orgasm goal pursuit alone. In other words, when you feel your partner is deeply invested in you orgasming, you're more likely to get there (or at least walk away without disappointment or in dire need of a vibrator). Ultimately, closing the orgasm gap requires men's support, buy-in and collaboration. In fact, her data show that the benefits of pursuing an orgasm for yourself disappear when you feel like your partner isn't supportive. 'So pleasure is fundamentally a shared process. It's about collaboration and mutual care, effort and responsiveness,' she said. The key takeaway from Wolfer's study 'isn't to count orgasms or make sex feel tit-for-tat,' she said. The goal isn't so much orgasm equality ― where both partners orgasm equally ― but what Wolfer likes to call 'sexual pleasure equity.' 'True pleasure equity means both partners feel supported, seen, and have the opportunity to experience safe and fulfilling sexual experiences, whether that includes orgasm or not.' How to get closer to 'sexual pleasure equity' in your own relationship. For women wanting to get their partner more involved, it starts with feeling worthy of pleasure, Marin said. (Spending some time learning how you personally get off during masturbation might be a good goal, too, so you can communicate to your partner what you need.) 'For many women, this means unlearning years of societal conditioning that taught us to prioritize others over ourselves,' Marin said. 'It's about giving yourself permission to see your pleasure as valuable — not just for your partner's ego or the relationship, but for you.' Be specific about what you need with your partner — whether it's more clitoral stimulation, slower pacing, or just feeling like your pleasure is a priority. Men need to ask their partner what feels good for her, and really listen. Use open, nonjudgmental communication to bring it up with your partner, Marin said. 'You could say something like, 'I love being intimate with you, and I'd love for us to explore ways to make it even more enjoyable for both of us. Can we talk about what feels good for each of us and how we can support each other's pleasure?'' Be curious and open to trying new things, like focusing on clitoral stimulation or experimenting with different techniques, she said. 'Communicate during and after sex. Check in with her, not just about what feels good physically, but about how she's feeling emotionally.' For men, the most important step is to shift the mindset of 'getting' to one of 'giving and sharing,' Marin said. Ultimately, this approach will pay off for both of you and at least get you two one step closer to closing that pesky orgasm gap. This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Buzz Feed
18-05-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
Men Need To Read This Eye-Opening Orgasm Study
Researchers have long known that straight women statistically have fewer orgasms than their male partners. One particularly depressing 2018 study found that 87% of husbands compared to 49% of wives reported consistently experiencing an orgasm. While you might assume the chasm would close as women aged and became more sexually experienced and assertive in bed, the gap lingers through a woman's lifetime. But no such orgasm gap exists when women are masturbating, or are having sex with other women ― suggesting the problem lies somewhere in a tilted sexual script shared by men and women. A new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships gives that cultural conditioning a name: the 'orgasm pursuit gap.' In plain English, lead researcher Carly Wolfer says the orgasm goal pursuit 'refers to how much someone wants an orgasm to happen ― whether it's their own or their partner's ― and how much effort they put into making it happen.' To figure out how men and women's effort differs, Wolfer, a doctoral candidate in social psychology at CUNY Graduate Center, studied the 21-day online 'sex diaries' of 127 heterosexual adults in monogamous relationships (ages 18-40). She found that men's orgasms were disproportionately prioritized during sex by both parties: Straight men tend to focus on their own orgasm and feel supported by their partner in that pursuit. Conveniently enough, straight women's focus in bed lies in getting their male partner to climax, too. Men reported experiencing orgasms in 90% of their sexual encounters, while women reported orgasms in only 54% of their encounters, the researchers found. Men also reported significantly higher levels of overall sexual satisfaction and satisfaction with their orgasms compared to women. 'In our sample, men had 15 times higher odds of orgasming than women in any given sex act,' Wolfer told HuffPost. 'Not because it's 'just naturally harder' for women to orgasm ― a common myth ― but because we put less effort into the sexual practices that support women's pleasure, like clitoral stimulation.' Part of the problem lies in how we treat penetration as the be-all-end-all goal of sex. That's the most reliable way for a man to climax, but the majority of women reach orgasm through clitorial stimulation. Too often, playing with the clit is treated as 'foreplay,' if it's played with at all. (Speaking of which, guys, now might be a good time to read this article about how to go down on a woman, according to queer women. Or this one about a twist on missionary that emphasizes clit stimulation.) Vanessa Marin, sex therapist and creator of Finishing School, an online orgasm course for women, wasn't surprised by the findings of the study, which she is unaffiliated with. In Marin's work, she's 'definitely seen that men often feel more entitled to orgasm or view it as a given part of sex.' This isn't because men are inherently selfish ― it's more about cultural conditioning: We tend to think of men's orgasms as the natural conclusion of sex and during sex, so that's what we're working toward. Women lose out when penetrative sex is treated as the 'main event,' but men do, too. 'When we focus solely on orgasm, we miss out on the richness of the entire experience — like the intimacy, connection and pleasure that come from simply being present with each other,' she said. 'Orgasm is wonderful, but it's not the only measure of a satisfying sexual encounter.' For Wolfer, delving into this research was important because of how one-sided the current advice is on closing the orgasm gap. 'So much advice around the orgasm gap focuses on trying to 'fix' women,' she said. 'It's like, 'Get out of your head, speak up, masturbate more.' We see headlines like, 'What women can do about the orgasm gap.' No one was asking: 'What can men do about it? How can men help?'' Women are enculturated to put their pleasure second then subtly chastised for not bringing themselves to orgasm during sex. But this isn't a 'women's issue,' it's a shared couples ' issue, Wolfer said. That's where interdependence theory comes in ― a framework from relationship science that emphasizes how, in close relationships, your outcomes are linked to your partner's. The goal of mutual orgasm could use a little of that understanding. 'When partners work together to support each other's goals — including sexual ones — both people benefit,' Wolfer said. Interestingly, in Wolfer's study, perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit appeared to be an even stronger predictor of orgasm and sexual satisfaction than personal orgasm goal pursuit alone. In other words, when you feel your partner is deeply invested in you orgasming, you're more likely to get there (or at least walk away without disappointment or in dire need of a vibrator). Ultimately, closing the orgasm gap requires men's support, buy-in and collaboration. In fact, her data show that the benefits of pursuing an orgasm for yourself disappear when you feel like your partner isn't supportive. 'So pleasure is fundamentally a shared process. It's about collaboration and mutual care, effort and responsiveness,' she said. The key takeaway from Wolfer's study 'isn't to count orgasms or make sex feel tit-for-tat,' she said. The goal isn't so much orgasm equality ― where both partners orgasm equally ― but what Wolfer likes to call 'sexual pleasure equity.' 'True pleasure equity means both partners feel supported, seen, and have the opportunity to experience safe and fulfilling sexual experiences, whether that includes orgasm or not.' How to get closer to 'sexual pleasure equity' in your own relationship. For women wanting to get their partner more involved, it starts with feeling worthy of pleasure, Marin said. (Spending some time learning how you personally get off during masturbation might be a good goal, too, so you can communicate to your partner what you need.) 'For many women, this means unlearning years of societal conditioning that taught us to prioritize others over ourselves,' Marin said. 'It's about giving yourself permission to see your pleasure as valuable — not just for your partner's ego or the relationship, but for you.' Be specific about what you need with your partner — whether it's more clitoral stimulation, slower pacing, or just feeling like your pleasure is a priority. Men need to ask their partner what feels good for her, and really listen. Use open, nonjudgmental communication to bring it up with your partner, Marin said. 'You could say something like, 'I love being intimate with you, and I'd love for us to explore ways to make it even more enjoyable for both of us. Can we talk about what feels good for each of us and how we can support each other's pleasure?'' Be curious and open to trying new things, like focusing on clitoral stimulation or experimenting with different techniques, she said. 'Communicate during and after sex. Check in with her, not just about what feels good physically, but about how she's feeling emotionally.' For men, the most important step is to shift the mindset of 'getting' to one of 'giving and sharing,' Marin said. Ultimately, this approach will pay off for both of you and at least get you two one step closer to closing that pesky orgasm gap. HuffPost.
New York Post
10-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
NYC students scores far below state, national SAT averages
New York City students scored far below the rest of the state and country on the SAT — producing the lowest average scores in at least seven years, troubling new data show. Public school students in the Big Apple scored an average 473 on the math portion of last year's standardized test, which is widely used for college admissions in the US. It was a whopping 71 points below the average for the rest of New York, and 32 points below that of the rest of the country. Reading and writing scores remained flat, with NYC students averaging 482, the same as 2023 — but the rest of the state and country again far outperformed the city, with average scores of 553 and 519, respectively. 6 NYC public school students scored an average 473 on the standardized test, 71 points below the average for the rest of New York, and 32 points below that of the rest of the country. nyced The math and reading and writing portions of the test are each scored out of 800, making the highest possible score a 1600. 'It's another wake up call for New York City Public Schools to concentrate on improved instruction in core subjects,' remarked David Bloomfield, an educator professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center. The Big Apple's SAT flop continued a steady decline that began in 2022 and marked the lowest average cores in at least seven years, according to data released by the city Department of Education Friday. 6 NYC students' participation in the exam dropped from 71.5% of graduating students taking the exam in 2023 to 70.9% last year. nyced The tests are typically administered from August through June. A school-by-school or borough breakdown was not immediately available. Bloomfield was shocked by an especially wide gap between Asian and white test takers compared to Black and Hispanics. Performance among each demographic on the math portion dropped in NYC compared to 2023. Asian students scored an average 582, down four points from the year before, and white students averaged a 536, down eight points from the year prior. 6 Nationally, SAT math scores dropped by three points, and statewide, they ticked down one point. panitan – But Hispanic students scored an average of 430 on the math section — more than 100 points less than their white counterparts and five points less than they did the year before. Black students scored an average of 426, down two points from 2023, and 118 points lower than the rest of the state's average. Nationally, math scores dropped by three points, and statewide, they ticked down one point. Asian kids in NYC did better in reading and writing compared to last year, however, while white students dropped from on average of 555 to 549. Black students' reading and writing average went up slightly, from 446 to 449, while Hispanic kids' average dropped 1 point to 445. 6 Celine Bach, a 10th grader at the Trinity School, attends test prep at Kweller. Courtesy of Frances Kweller Across the country, the reading and writing average dropped one point, while the rest of New York, not including the city, increased by one point. 'These results are a reminder that we need to keep expanding access to academic support — especially for students who haven't traditionally had it,' said Frances Kweller, director of the Manhattan- and Queens-based tutoring company Kweller Prep. 'The population of students in New York City compared to the rest of the state, compared to the rest of the country, is poorer and has more kids of color, more special ed kids and more immigrants who whose native language is other than English,' said Eric Nadelstern, who was the deputy chancellor for instruction at the DOE under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, told The Post. 6 Leo Niyazov, an 11th-grader at Brooklyn Technical High School, attending an SAT prep course. Courtesy of Frances Kweller 'Those are the factors that I think account for the disparity in SAT scores,' he added, noting also that students who took the test last year were starting high school when COVID-19 lockdowns hit. NYC students' participation in the exam dropped from 71.5% of graduating students taking the exam in 2023 to 70.9% last year. The only demographic whose participation increased were Asians. The College Board, which administers the SAT, transitioned the test to a fully digital format in the spring of 2024. 6 The College Board transitioned the SAT to a fully digital format in the spring of 2024. Christopher Sadowski Many colleges stopped requiring SAT and ACT scores during the pandemic, but have recently reversed course. 'Colleges are moving back to 'test required' precisely because they have seen a direct correlation between SAT and ACT performance and college readiness and success,' said Linda Quarles, a Brooklyn Tech parent and vice president of the Citywide Council on High Schools. The DOE did not respond to an inquiry from The Post.
Technical.ly
09-04-2025
- General
- Technical.ly
BENJAMIN H. KOHL SOCIAL JUSTICE LECTURE SERIES: DR. MARIANNA PAVLOVSKAYA – SEEING SOLIDARITY CITIES AND WHAT THEY DO FOR URBAN COMMUNITIES
Please join us for the Benjamin H. Kohl Social Justice Lecture Series. This year's speaker will be Dr. Marianna Pavlovskaya (Professor of Geography at Hunter College and the CUNY Graduate Center) "Seeing Solidarity Cities and What They Do for Urban Communities".
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Visual analysis: Palestinians set up thousands of tents amid return to north Gaza
As President Donald Trump proposes the United States "take over" Gaza, and repeatedly says its residents should be relocated, a visual analysis of satellite imagery and video of northern Gaza indicates thousands of people have returned and set up tents atop their destroyed homes in anticipation of rebuilding their lives there. Despite Trump's assertion that Gaza is a "demolition site" where people "can't live," Palestinians returning to the destruction in the north tell ABC News they are determined to rebuild. Samir Awadallah spoke with ABC News on the ground in Gaza City, a tent already set up on the road where he was walking. "You see the people here, who lost their homes, will rebuild their homes. They have the ability and the capacity," he said. For Awadallah, even the suggestion of leaving is insulting, he said. "From this country I will not leave. Even if we die here, we will not leave -- this is our country," he said. 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north Nearly 400,000 people have already returned to the north since the beginning of the ceasefire, according to Gazan authorities, often having no idea what awaits them on the other side of the Netzarim Corridor, a buffer zone that was set up by Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack and that prevented anyone from the south from crossing into the north. In much of the north, all they find is a pile of rubble: 74% of buildings in Gaza City and 69% of buildings in north Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, according to an analysis of satellite data conducted by Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Center and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University. Trump's idea to relocate Palestinians from Gaza could worsen humanitarian crisis: Experts Some areas are more affected than others. Large parts of the Jabalia refugee camp have been completely destroyed by an Israel Defense Forces offensive in the last four months. Tens of thousands of people, according to the United Nations, were forced to leave shelters there by Israeli forces who directed them toward the south. As people now return to the devastated city, thousands have taken to putting up tents over the rubble of their destroyed homes. Satellite imagery from earlier this week shows the white and grey tents now dotting the landscape amid the ruins. The same tent-filled landscape is visible in other areas that are almost completely in ruins, like Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in the north, also targets of the aforementioned IDF operation. Sporadic tents in the street and around debris are also visible in the more destroyed parts of Rafah in the south, the focus of an Israeli military offensive that started last year in May. "I'm content if they just set up a small tent for me with a bathroom, and that's enough," a woman in Jabalia told local journalist Karam Naji, as she sat on the ruins of her home. "They can put it here. Where else will I go, my child? Where can I go? Even if I have to pick it up stone by stone, I'll remain here." UN chief warns about 'any form of ethnic cleansing' after Trump's Gaza proposal Aside from single tents put up by individual families, other living arrangements are also being set up. In Gaza City, larger tent camps have appeared in free spaces like parks, school courtyards and even roundabouts. The largest tent camp, in the Al-Nazla neighborhood, has roughly doubled in size since the start of the ceasefire, satellite imagery shows, as more people return and require shelter, finding their homes unlivable. Trump dials back key part of Gaza takeover idea amid questions, criticism: ANALYSIS Many of these shelters bear the flags of Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Oman, signaling the tents were possibly provided by those countries. Women are involved in the coordination of shelters and camps to welcome the displaced, according to the Gaza Ministry of Social Development. In western Gaza City near the densely populated Al Shati refugee camp, new groups of tents have sprung up since the start of the ceasefire. Satellite imagery shows a few tents appearing in the first days of the ceasefire, followed by a large growth after people were allowed back to northern Gaza from the south. Despite the difficult conditions and the prospect of an uncertain future, the tents that can be seen represent the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians committed to rebuilding their homes and cities in Gaza. ABC News' Diaa Ostaz and Mer Longo contributed to this story Visual analysis: Palestinians set up thousands of tents amid return to north Gaza originally appeared on
