"Female Top, Male Bottom": Gendered Power Dynamics in Sexual and Romantic Relationships within "Fourth Love" Community in China.

Abstract

In China, "fourth love" is a term to describe a particular form of intimacy. In a narrow sense, it describes a sexual act in which a woman uses a strap-on dildo to penetrate a man's anus, an act known as pegging. The purpose of this study was to examine whether power dynamics exist not only in sexual relationships but also in romantic relationships within the fourth love community. The research sample comprised 529 individuals in the fourth love group (197 males and 332 females) and 337 individuals in the non-fourth love group (150 males and 187 females). The study revealed that the core elements of perceived fourth love criteria - including pegging, romantic relationship, female dominance, and heterosexual identity - were strongly supported by the fourth love group. Notably, the aspect of romantic relationships received the highest level of agreement. Fourth love relationships exhibited a female-dominated model of sexual and romantic interactions. Specifically, women reported a substantial increase in power perception (d = 1.94, p < .001), whereas men tended to attribute greater power to their partners during sexual behaviors (d = 2.56, p < .001). Women significantly assumed more dominant and controlling roles (d = 0.57, p < .001), while men demonstrated greater dependence within romantic relationships (d = 1.72, p < .001). This study reveals fourth love as a unique pattern of intimacy, with women assuming a dominant role in both sexual and romantic interactions. This pattern challenges traditional gender roles and offers new perspectives on understanding gender, power, and intimacy.