Interesting fact about the Shakers.
Enforcing celibacy in mixed communities would seem to be an impossible task, but the Shakers set up a strict hierarchy of Elders and Eldresses and deacons and deaconesses to enforce the sexual prohibition. Shakers who spent time outside the community were interrogated upon their return. Outside visitors were held to strict rules, and much of the community was off-limits to them. On occasion, when young local men attempted to elope with Shaker girls, the “sisters” were known to have attacked and beaten them with mop and broom handles. Typical boys’ play, such as wrestling and playing ball, was prohibited, and close male friendship strongly discouraged, presumably to suppress masculinization. Eldresses employed spies to keep track of the whereabouts and activities of the young and lusty.
One thing to consider: a law or community custom applied equally is an impossibility if you believe that men and women have different tendencies, because the law or custom is “received” differently.
A rule of no talking might be harder on girls since they tend towards verbalization more than boys. A rule against physical activity—no running, no horseplay—might affect boys more harshly*. Take note that these are both rules enforced in some degree or another in schools.
In the case of the Shakers, would enforced vows of celibacy be harder on men than women?**
* I know these tendencies are true heuristically/intuitively. Sure, go Google a study to prove it wrong. I’ll go and do the same and we’ll get nowhere.
** I can only know how celibacy would affect women by induction and implication. I know how hard celibacy would be for a normal man, being one myself, because I know how “automatic” sexual desire is for men, as opposed to a more generative (?) basis it is for women. I couldn’t imagine it being any more difficult than I imagine celibacy would be for a man, but I don’t think that imagination, even if it is accurate, would qualify as true knowledge.