In 1998, Viagra was first introduced to the world, and it is
fair to say that the world has not been the same since. The
impact of this medication has been enormous, not just in the
narrow area of treating erectile dysfunction (ED) for which it
was approved, but also in the way we think of sex and sexuality,
and even in the realm of relationships between men and women.
Millions of men in the United States have tried Pfizer's wonder
drug, sildenafil, better known as Viagra, and there are thus
millions of women who have also seen its effects on their
husbands, boyfriends, and lovers. Many other millions of men and
women wonder about whether Viagra can offer a solution for their
own sexual and emotional problems or for the problems of their
partners. We human beings are sexual animals, after all. And
unfortunately, our sex lives are not always the way we want them
to be.So it's no surprise that when sex goes sour, relationships
suffer in other ways as well.
Everyone wants to know about Viagra, and many are interested in
trying it, whether or not they think they have an erection
problem. There are always a good number of Viagra questions,
such as, "What happens when a young, healthy man with normal
sexual function takes Viagra?" Or "Can a woman tell during sex
that her partner has taken Viagra?" Or "Is it true that Viagra
increases a man's sex drive?"
Viagra quickly tapped into a set of wishful fantasies that
mirrored our culture's hunger for certainty and the quick fix.
Supported by stories that described elderly men restored to such
sexual vitality by Viagra that they abandoned their wives in
favor of younger women, a conventional wisdom arose that Viagra
was a fountain of youth, a sure cure, the real deal. Baby
boomers could now look forward to fabulous sex well into their
nineties. Men shared Viagra stories with each other at cocktail
parties or around the office water cooler.
"All we can say is 'Wow!'" says one man, and other men listening
in wonder how their lives might be different if they also took
the magic blue pill. Women too have been targeted to confirm
Viagra's ability to create satisfaction and serenity within a
relationship where frustration and friction had once been the
rule. One of the most successful early Pfizer ads showed a
series of couples happily dancing together after Viagra
apparently cured the loss of rhythm in their relationship.
Viagra jokes became a staple of comedy acts on late-night
television (Have you heard the one about the man who swallowed
Viagra, but it stuck in his throat? He wound up with a very
stiff neck!), thus ensuring its place in our cultural lexicon.
Viagra tapped into both our fantasies and our embarrassment
about sexuality in a way that no other drug had ever done. When,
for example, was the last time you heard a joke about a new
cholesterol-lowering medication?
Skillful marketing contributed to our perception of Viagra as
the pill that put the "man" in "manly." Star professional
athletes-vigorous men such as baseball's Most Valuable Player
Rafael Palmeiro of the Texas Rangers and NASCAR driver Mark
Martin-endorse the medication in widely seen advertisements.
Other kinds of athletes use Viagra as well. Hugh Hefner, the
aging head of the Playboy empire who is known for his bevy of
beautiful blondes, gives Viagra credit for maintaining his
pleasure quotient. Rumor has it that he provides bowls of Viagra
tablets at his famous parties.
Yes, the drug is enormously powerful, and it can be a lifesaver
for many men, but it has also turned a bright spotlight on
previously hidden areas of sexuality and relationships. In
particular, it forces couples to decide what is real in their
relationships and what is not. I have come to see Viagra as
providing a window into the psyche of men, and perhaps
indirectly into the psyche of women as well, since women are not
immune from unduly high expectations regarding the benefits of
Viagra and its potential to provide sexual healing.
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