"I think equating hardness to sex and satisfaction cheat men out of an enormous amount of sexual and emotional pleasure."

Maybe, but let's not overlook the fact that men with serious erectile dysfunction really can't experience much sexual pleasure.

I have ED, and I take a generic substitute for Viagra so I can masturbate occasionally. That's an embarrassing thing to admit in public, but I'm not alone in this among older men, I think.

I haven't had sex with another person in a while, but sexual pleasure is still important to me from time to time, and missing out on it would be more than just a little sad.

I've often said that orgasm should not be the defining element of what it means to have sex, but I think building up toward it is sure important. I can't do that if I can't become erect or stay erect, which without my little blue pill, I can't. (Okay, it's a generic substitute, so it's not actually blue. LOL)

I'm 60 years old, and this problem didn't become pronounced for me until a couple years ago, though I had long experienced at least some difficulty. When I finally mostly lost the ability to achieve an erection or to maintain one for more than a minute or two, I talked to my doctor and he wrote a prescription.

It's not the be all end all, but it does allow me to enjoy a little sexuality in my life again, after several months of mostly nothing, which was sad. I mean, sexuality isn't necessary for life, but neither is artfully prepared food, fine wine, beautiful music, or flowers.

Of course, not everyone diagnosed with ED experiences the same thing, but for those of us men for whom erection becomes impossible or next to impossible, I would say it's a real dysfunction, and a real loss.

I'm grateful I can take a pill once in awhile and ameliorate that loss.