Indian women now understand that sex can affect their lives in the kitchen, living room and office as well, says a sexologist.

NAVI MUMBAI: Any sexologist across the country will tell you that today if a married couple has fixed an appointment, it is mostly the woman who steps inside the doctor’s room first.At the ongoing National Conference of Sexology at Vashi, organized by the Council of Sex Education & Parenthood International (CSEPI), several national and international sex experts agreed that a quiet but sure change is taking place in Indian bedrooms, with woman no longer submissive but rather demanding.“Earlier, women used to consider sex merely as a marital duty towards their husbands. However, now Indian women are demanding their sexual right to orgasm and satisfaction. This is a radical change,” said gynaecologist Dr Ikshita Asagekar while chairing one of the seminars at the sexology conference.Hyderabad-based sexologist Dr Sharmila Majumdar told TOI she gets nearly 200 emails per week from couples and individuals in and around Hyderabad, seeking specific medical help and assistance for enhancing their sex lives. “Earlier, women were not so open about their own sexual problems or physical problems of their partners. Now they are definitely taking bold steps and opening up about their sexual needs as they understand that sex is no longer limited to the bedroom, but it can affect their lives in the kitchen, the living room and the office as well,’’ said Dr Majumdar.She added women mostly approach her for problems such as orgasmic dysfunction, pain during intercourse and inability to be aroused.Mumbai-based sexologist Dr Shirish Malde put it rather bluntly: “Women now don’t feel shy to directly blame their husbands for their problematic sex lives. It could be due to the man’s erectile dysfunction to simply his unhygienic habit of eating tobacco or gutkha that puts off women and they are unable to climax. We have to gently talk to the couple and prescribe drugs if necessary to make their sex lives happy again.”Dr Malde agreed and said, “In the past two years, I have seen a paradigm shift in the manner in which women are demanding their sexual rights. Ten years ago, this was not the case.”Navi Mumbai-based sexologist Dr J K said he gets almost 100 patients per month, mostly couples, led by women. “Due to heightened awareness about sex and sexual problems in the media, the three-letter word is no longer a dark-room activity. You can say a sexual revolution is happening in our country.”Prominent sexologists such as Dr Mahendra Watsa, Dr Raj Brahmbhatt and Dr Vithal Prabhu were among the dignitaries at the conference. The UK-based president of World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) Dr Kevan Wylie and South Africa-based WAS member Dr Elna Rudolph also attended the sexology conference.