“Power can be taken, but not given. The process of the taking is empowerment in itself.” — Gloria Steinem

Helen MirrenPrior to all the fuss about Helen Mirren’s performance in The Queen, she played Elizabeth I in a movie on HBO that portrayed her as an aging queen who falls for a much younger man. Newsweek thought that the 61-year-old Mirren made for a sexy monarch. “Power is sexy,” Mirren said. “And if a woman is extremely powerful and extremely wealthy, she becomes sexy. It’s just that women don’t often have that position.”

At The Wall Street Journal Online, Robert Frank wrote about The Rich Libido and cited a survey about the sexual behavior of very wealthy men and women. He writes, “As for the women, the researchers said the findings show that money brings a welcome sense of control and power.”

He interviewed Hannah Grove, a private wealth consultant that collaborated on the survey with Prince & Associates. “Women find wealth to be extremely empowering,” says Ms. Grove. “They have let their confidence and sense of purpose in other areas feed their sex life. They are getting what they want.”

He also interviewed Ian Kerner, a New York-based sex therapist who said, “We’re not talking about the woman who’s home with two kids and who’s dependent on her husband. Those women are more likely to worry about the consequences of having other relationships.”

“He added that especially for women, sex is closely linked to self-esteem. And since wealth usually brings greater self-esteem, it can improve a woman’s sex life. For the minute percentage of women who are that wealthy, this wealth can be a big ego booster and allow them to feel very comfortable and relaxed about sex. They have a strong sense of identity and they know they don’t have to be inhibited about communicating their needs. It’s about the confidence and power and opportunity that comes with having a lot of wealth.”

Geez… where do we sign up for that life? Well, for one, most women aren’t empowered. What’s holding women back? MP Dunleavey in her series, Women in Red, found that women across the country:

1. Are worried about money.
2. Don’t feel in control of their finances.
3. Wish they knew more about saving and investing, but “don’t know where to start.”

She concludes, “And a significant number either rely on someone else to manage their money or are waiting, hoping or praying for that to happen.” That doesn’t sound very empowered.

Or course we all heard this week that Suze Orman is out (no pun intended) to change that. She writes in an excerpt from her new book, Women & Money:

“The challenge is to finally learn–and accept–that to be truly powerful in your life requires making money moves that work for you. Now I am not suggesting you replace nurturer with narcissist. I do not want you to discard your generosity or shed your supportive and kind nature. This book is not about becoming more by becoming more selfish. Far from it. I simply want you to give to yourself as much as you give of yourself. By taking care of yourself financially, you will truly be able to take care of those you love.”

“Becoming truly powerful in a lasting, beneficial way is never done at the expense of others; it is done for the good of all. Women are the bedrock of their families, of their communities — so many are dependent on us. If we stand strong and know who we are and what we can create, we will easily be able to hold up those we love and those who need a helping hand.”

And according to The Wall Street Journal, power + wealth = good sex. Isn’t that an incentive to be empowered!