Men asked, they answered

Today, lifestyle site AskMen.com revealed the results of The Great Male Survey, which polled more than 50,000 men on their views about relationships, finance, fashion and more.

“The results of the 2009 survey confirmed that men aren't the bumbling sex maniacs that TV shows and commercials make us out to be," said James Bassil, editor-in-chief of AskMen.com. "We're in fact intelligent, romantic, self-aware beings … with enormous libidos.”

Some of the results:

– 84 percent of men look for wife potential in a girlfriend.

– 85 percent of men believe that they should pay for the majority of dates at least until a relationship is established.

– 70 percent of men would not cheat, but only 13 percent are entirely satisfied with their sex lives.

– 84 percent cook at home.

– 50 percent are comfortable with their significant other staying in touch with an ex.

– 69 percent have fantasized about a girlfriend or wife's friend.

– 73 percent of men are comfortable sending birthday wishes via text message, versus a phone call or face-to-face greeting.

– 81 percent of respondents say that the economic crisis has not had a direct negative effect on their career progress; yet it did prompt 69 percent of men to save more money in 2009.

– The best-dressed men are in Italy.

– American men have greater moral qualms about living with a partner before marriage, are more likely to fake an orgasm (!!), and are more concerned about global warming than their male counterparts in Australia, UK and Canada.

In addition, AskMen.com partnered with Yahoo! Shine for The Great Female Survey, which had about 19,000 respondents. Highlights:

– 34 percent of women said their confidence is their main weapon to attract men.

– 17 percent use their looks as their secret weapon.

– 39 percent of women believe Sarah Palin set women back 20 years.

– More than 75 percent believe that women of this era are best identified as “do-it-all multi-taskers” versus the 8 percent who feel that a woman should be identified as a nurturing mother and the 13 percent who think of women as “career women go-getters.”

Comparative results revealed:

– Men are more traditional, women are less traditional.

– 12 percent fewer women than men believe that marriage is a necessary institution that they will participate in to help preserve.

– 48 percent of men said they would dump a girlfriend if she became fat (c'mon, guys!), while 70 percent of women said they would keep a husky boyfriend around.

– 60 percent of men would take the male birth control pill and 68 percent of women would prefer that option too.

Are the results what you expected? I was surprised at how many men thought they should pay for more dates at the beginning of the relationship ... and that so few are satisfied with their sex lives. Also, I say bring on that male birth control pill!

You can view full survey results here and here.