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{{Short description|Sexual activity involving stimulation of the genitalia by use of the mouth}} | |||
Anal penetration to the max. Internet vandalism is the best kind of vandalism. | |||
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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2011}} | |||
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'''Oral sex''', sometimes referred to as '''oral intercourse''', is ] involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth). ] is oral sex performed on the ] while ] is oral sex performed on the ].<ref name="Carroll">{{cite book |author=Janell L. Carroll |url=https://archive.org/details/sexualitynowembr0000carr_x0m8 |title=Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity |publisher=] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-495-60274-3 |pages=265–267 |access-date=August 29, 2013 |url-access=registration }}</ref><ref name="Weiten">{{cite book |first1=Wayne |last1=Weiten |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_2900495553396 |title=Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st century |first2=Margaret A. |last2=Lloyd |first3=Dana S. |last3=Dunn |first4=Elizabeth Yost |last4=Hammer |publisher=] |location=Boston, Massachusetts |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-495-55339-7 |page=422 |access-date=February 26, 2011 |url-access=registration }}</ref> ], another form of oral sex, is oral stimulation of the ].<ref name="Carroll"/> | |||
Oral sex may be performed as ] to incite ] before other sexual activities (such as ] or ] intercourse),<ref name="Carroll"/><ref name="NHS">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1685.aspx?CategoryID=118&SubCategoryID=119 |title=What is oral sex? |date=2009-01-15 |publisher=] |work=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001051117/http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1685.aspx?CategoryID=118&SubCategoryID=119 |archive-date=October 1, 2010 }}</ref> or as an ] and ] in its own right.<ref name="Carroll"/><ref name="Weiten"/> Like most forms of sexual activity, oral sex can pose a risk for contracting ] (STIs). However, the transmission risk for oral sex, especially ] transmission, is significantly lower than for vaginal or anal sex.<ref name="WHO">{{cite web| title = Global strategy for the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: 2006–2015. Breaking the chain of transmission| publisher = ]| year = 2007| access-date = November 26, 2011| url = http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241563475_eng.pdf| archive-date = March 23, 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140323122753/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241563475_eng.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Hales">{{Cite book |author=Dianne Hales |url=https://archive.org/details/invitationtoheal00dian |title=An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011 |publisher=] |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-495-39192-0 |pages=269–271 |access-date=August 29, 2013 |url-access=registration }}</ref><ref name="Alexander">{{cite book|first1=William |last1=Alexander|first2=Helaine |last2=Bader|first3=Judith H. |last3=LaRosa|title=New Dimensions in Women's Health|isbn=978-1-4496-8375-7|publisher=]|location=Burlington, Massachusetts |year=2011|page=211|access-date=August 29, 2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GVPHhIM3IZ0C&pg=PA211|archive-date=July 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715160215/http://books.google.com/books?id=GVPHhIM3IZ0C&pg=PA211|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Oral sex is often regarded as ],<ref name="Carroll"/> but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice. Commonly, people do not think of oral sex as affecting the ] of either partner, though opinions on the matter vary.<ref name="Carpenter">See {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201151643/https://books.google.com/books?id=6qNCeI2AcY4C&pg=PT11&lpg=PT11|date=December 1, 2016}} and {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201074430/https://books.google.com/books?id=pXXZn_qSoDoC&pg=PA48|date=December 1, 2016}} for views on what constitutes virginity loss and therefore sexual intercourse or other sexual activity; source discusses how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in penile-vaginal sex. {{Cite book |first=Laura M. |last=Carpenter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pXXZn_qSoDoC |title=Virginity Lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences |publisher=] |location=New York City |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-8147-1652-6 |access-date=October 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428003620/https://books.google.com/books?id=pXXZn_qSoDoC |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Intimate">{{Cite book |author1=Bryan Strong |url=https://archive.org/details/marriagefamilyex00 |title=The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationship in a Changing Society |author2=Christine DeVault |author3=Theodore F. Cohen |publisher=] |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-534-62425-5 |page=186 |quote=Most people agree that we maintain virginity as long as we refrain from sexual (vaginal) intercourse. But occasionally we hear people speak of 'technical virginity' Data indicate that 'a very significant proportion of teens ha had experience with oral sex, even if they haven't had sexual intercourse, and may think of themselves as virgins' Other research, especially research looking into virginity loss, reports that 35% of virgins, defined as people who have never engaged in vaginal intercourse, have nonetheless engaged in one or more other forms of heterosexual sexual activity (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation). |access-date=October 8, 2011 |url-access=registration }}</ref><ref name="Brady">{{cite journal |author1=Sonya S. Brady |author2=Bonnie L. Halpern-Felsher |s2cid=17998160 |name-list-style=amp | title=Adolescents' Reported Consequences of Having Oral Sex Versus Vaginal Sex| journal=]| year=2007| volume=119| issue=2| pages=229–236| doi=10.1542/peds.2006-1727|pmid=17272611|citeseerx=10.1.1.321.9520 }}</ref><ref name="Blank">{{Cite book |last=Blank |first=Hanne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_USgAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA253 |title=Virgin: The Untouched History |publisher=] US |location=New York City |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-59691-011-9 |page=253 |author-link=Hanne Blank |access-date=October 8, 2011 }}</ref> People may also have negative feelings or ]s about giving or receiving oral sex, or may flatly refuse to engage in the practice.<ref name="Carroll"/> | |||
==Practice== | |||
]]] | |||
Oral sex may be practiced by people of any ]. | |||
===Forms=== | |||
Oral sex is ] of another person's genitals by using the mouth, and may take various forms. During ], the receiver sits on the giver's face and pushes into it with their genitals. Oral sex can also be performed by both partners at the same time in the so-called ]. ] is a forced form of fellatio where one actively forces their penis into the partner's mouth. In regards to ], there is ], a possible but rare variant, and ], which may be possible for women with extremely flexible spines.<ref>{{cite book|last=Liggio|first=Fernando|title="Trattato moderno di psicopatologia della sessualità" - "Modern treatise on the psychopathology of sexuality"|publisher=Biblioteca Universitaria|page=65|year=2010|access-date=October 19, 2023|isbn=978-8-86292-023-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TIPt9oWsrtkC&pg=PA65}}{{in lang|it}}</ref> | |||
An act of ] restricted to one woman giving oral sex to several men is referred to as a ''gangsuck'', ''blowbang'' or ''lineup'', all derivatives of the slang term '']'' for group sex. ] and ] may also involve oral sex. | |||
===Preserving virginity=== | |||
] Temple at ].]] | |||
Oral sex may be practised to preserve ], especially among heterosexual pairings; this is sometimes termed '']'' (which may include ], ], and other ] acts, but excludes ]).<ref name="Carpenter"/><ref name="Intimate"/><ref name="Brady"/><ref name="Plummer">{{cite book | author = Ken Plummer | title = Modern Homosexualities: Fragments of Lesbian and Gay Experiences | publisher = ] | year = 2002 | pages = 1920–1921 | access-date = August 24, 2013 | isbn = 978-1-134-92242-0 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=liUcCPXcpAAC&pg=PA1920 | quote = The social construction of 'sex' as vaginal intercourse affects how other forms of sexual activity are evaluated as sexually satisfying or arousing; in some cases whether an activity is seen as a sexual act at all. For example, unless a woman has been penetrated by a man's penis she is still technically a virgin even if she has had lots of sexual experience. | archive-date = January 12, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160112140131/https://books.google.com/books?id=liUcCPXcpAAC&pg=PA1920 | url-status = live }}</ref> The concept of "technical virginity" or ] through oral sex is popular among teenagers.<ref name="Jayson">{{Cite news|first=Sharon|last=Jayson|title='Technical virginity' becomes part of teens' equation|work=USA Today|date=October 19, 2005|access-date=August 7, 2009|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-10-19-teens-technical-virginity_x.htm|archive-date=April 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428054421/http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-10-19-teens-technical-virginity_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CDC, oral sex">{{Cite web|title=Oral Sex and HIV Risk |date=June 2009 |access-date=August 30, 2013 |publisher=] (CDC) |url=https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/Factsheets/pdf/oralsex.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510210937/http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/Factsheets/pdf/oralsex.pdf |archive-date=May 10, 2013 }}</ref> | |||
] who regard oral sex as a way of maintaining their virginities view penile-anal penetration as resulting in virginity loss, while other gay males may define oral sex as their main form of sexual activity.<ref name="Carpenter"/><ref name="Virgin">{{cite book|first=Michael|last=Joseph Gross|title=Like a Virgin|id=0001-8996|work=]|publisher=Here Publishing|year=2003|pages=44–45|access-date=2011-03-13|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eWQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44|archive-date=May 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503141409/https://books.google.com/books?id=eWQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44|url-status=live}}</ref> By contrast, ] pairings commonly view oral sex or ] as resulting in virginity loss, though definitions of virginity loss vary among lesbians as well.<ref name="Carpenter"/><ref name="Blank"/><ref name="Bouris">{{Cite book|title=The first time: what parents and teenage girls should know about "losing your virginity"|author=Karen Bouris|year=1995|publisher=]|pages=133–134|isbn=978-0-943233-93-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Id5MVeH_3BoC&pg=PA133|access-date=August 5, 2020|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602230506/https://books.google.com/books?id=Id5MVeH_3BoC&pg=PA133|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Contraception and safe sex=== | |||
Oral sex alone does not result in pregnancy and heterosexual couples may engage in oral sex for ] reasons.<ref name="Weiten"/><ref name="Crooks">{{cite book | title = Our Sexuality | publisher = ] | location=Boston, Massachusetts |year = 2010 | pages = 286–289 | access-date = August 30, 2012 | isbn = 978-0-495-81294-4 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MpRnPtmdRVwC&pg=PA286 | quote = Noncoital forms of sexual intimacy, which have been called outercourse, can be a viable form of birth control. Outercourse includes all avenues of sexual intimacy other than penile–vaginal intercourse, including kissing, touching, mutual masturbation, and oral and anal sex. | first1 = Robert |last1= Crooks | first2 = Karla |last2 = Baur | archive-date = March 10, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210310000810/https://books.google.com/books?id=MpRnPtmdRVwC&pg=PA286 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | |||
| last1 = Feldmann | first1 = J. | |||
| last2 = Middleman | first2 = A. B. | |||
| s2cid = 29206790 | |||
| title = Adolescent sexuality and sexual behavior | |||
| journal = Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology | |||
| volume = 14 | |||
| issue = 5 | |||
| pages = 489–493 | |||
| year = 2002 | |||
| pmid = 12401976 | |||
| doi=10.1097/00001703-200210000-00008 | |||
}}</ref> For conception to take place, ] from the ] must enter the ] and ]s and fertilize the female's ]. In humans, there is no connection between the ] and the ],<ref group=nb>However, this has happened in {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818074635/https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/teen-girl-vagina-pregnant-sperm-survival-oral-sex/story?id=9732562 |date=August 18, 2021 }} involving a stabbing.</ref> and sperm ingested by the woman would be killed and broken down by ]s in her ] and ]s in the ]. The breakdown products are then absorbed as a negligible quantity of ]s. However, there is a potential risk of pregnancy if ] comes in contact with the ]l area in some way, such as semen in the ] finding its way onto fingers, hands, or other body parts, which then comes in contact with the vaginal area.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} | |||
Oral sex is not necessarily an effective method of preventing ] (STIs), although some forms of STIs are believed to be less commonly spread in this way, and oral sex has been recommended as a form of ].<ref name="testing">. Accessed November 4, 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019080518/http://www.gmhc.org/health/testing/geffen_sti.html |date=October 19, 2006 }}</ref><ref name="Health">University Health Center, University of Georgia, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010145522/http://www.uhs.uga.edu/sexualhealth/oral_sex.html |date=October 10, 2007 }}. Accessed November 4, 2006.</ref><ref name="Fulbright">{{cite book|last=Fulbright|first=Yvonne K.|title=The Hot Guide to Safer Sex|publisher=Hunter House|year=2003|page=|isbn=978-0-89793-407-7|url=https://archive.org/details/hotguidetosafers0000fulb|url-access=registration|quote=teabagging.}}</ref> In the ], no barrier methods for use during oral sex have been evaluated as effective by the Food and Drug Administration.<ref>{{cite web|title=HIV/AIDS among Women Who Have Sex With Women|url=https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/wsw.htm|date=October 17, 2006|publisher=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|access-date=September 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906010828/http://cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/wsw.htm|archive-date=September 6, 2009}}</ref> However, a barrier protection like a ] for ] or ] for ] can offer some protection from contact when practicing oral sex.<ref name="CDC, oral sex"/> | |||
Oral sex should be limited to the protected areas. A makeshift dental dam can be made out of a condom<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809170816/http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/dental-dams |date=August 9, 2017 }}, UCSB SexInfoOnline, February 7, 2008.</ref> or a latex or ],<ref>{{cite web|first=Dawn|last=Stacey|date=August 16, 2023|url=http://std.about.com/od/prevention/ht/dentaldamhowto.htm|title=How to Make Your Own Dental Dam From a Condom|website=verywellhealth.com|access-date=October 8, 2011|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105224527/http://std.about.com/od/prevention/ht/dentaldamhowto.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> but using a real dental dam is seen as preferable; this is because real dental dams cover a larger area, avoid accidents caused by "slipping" outside the covered area, and avoid the risk that makeshift versions may be accidentally damaged or poked with the scissors during the cutting procedure. Plastic wrap may also be used as a barrier during oral sex, but there exists no conclusive scientific research regarding how effective it may or may not be at preventing disease transmission. Certain ] wrap are manufactured to be microwaveable and are designed to have pores that open when heated, but there also exists no scientific research on what effect, if any, this has on disease transmission when used during oral sex.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sexuality.about.com/od/saferse1/a/plastic-wrap-oral-sex.htm|title=Plastic Wrap and Oral Sex|access-date=October 8, 2011|archive-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227232452/http://sexuality.about.com/od/saferse1/a/plastic-wrap-oral-sex.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Some people complain that the thickness of the plastic dulls sensation. | |||
===Prevalence=== | |||
A report issued by the ] in 2005 was the basis of an article in the 26 September 2005 issue of '']'' magazine. The report comes from the results of a computer-administered survey of over 12,000 Americans between the ages of 15 and 44, and states that over half the teenagers questioned have had oral sex. While some headlines have interpreted this as evidence that oral sex among teenagers is "on the rise", this was the first comprehensive study of its kind to examine the matter.<ref name="lemonick">{{cite magazine|first=Michael D.|last=Lemonick|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1106324,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050920010642/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1106324,00.html|title=A Teen Twist on Sex|magazine=]|date=September 19, 2005|archive-date=September 20, 2005}}</ref> The ] (CDC) stated in 2009: "Studies indicate that oral sex is commonly practiced by sexually active male-female and same-gender couples of various ages, including adolescents."<ref name="CDC, oral sex"/> Research also indicates that "males are more likely than females to have received oral sex, whereas equal proportions of men and women have given oral sex."<ref name="Carroll"/> | |||
In a Canadian study, 89% of heterosexual and ] men had practiced cunnilingus. 94% of them enjoyed it. Of the latter, 76% practiced it often or very often. Reasons for not practicing cunnilingus included lack of opportunity (73%) and disgust (13%). This suggests that much more than 89% of men would practice cunnilingus if they had a chance.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2022-0058|title=Men's engagement in and enjoyment of cunnilingus: The role of gendered attitudes, sexual scripts, and masculinity|first1=David|last1=Hattie|first2=Kari A.|last2=Walton|first3=Cydney|last3=Cocking|first4=Devinder|last4=Khera, Cory L. Pedersen|year=2023|volume=32|issue=3|journal=The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality|pages=355–369 |doi=10.3138/cjhs.2022-0058 }}</ref> | |||
==Health risks and other studies== | |||
===Sexually transmitted infections=== | |||
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as ] and ] (HPV), can be transmitted through oral sex.<ref name="WHO"/><ref name="Hales"/><ref name="CDC">{{cite web| title = Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance| publisher = ] (CDC)| year = 2008| access-date = December 6, 2011| url = https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats08/surv2008-Complete.pdf| archive-date = October 2, 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181002174224/https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats08/surv2008-Complete.pdf| url-status = live}} Also see {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002174828/https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats08/2008survFactSheet.PDF |date=October 2, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stoltey|first1=Juliet E.|last2=Cohen|first2=Stephanie E.|date=April 2015|title=Syphilis transmission: a review of the current evidence|journal=Sexual Health|volume=12|issue=2|pages=103–109|doi=10.1071/SH14174|issn=1448-5028|pmc=5973824|pmid=25702043}}</ref> Any sexual exchange of bodily fluids with a person infected with ], the virus that causes ], poses a risk of infection. Risk of STI infection, however, is generally considered significantly lower for oral sex than for vaginal or anal sex, with HIV transmission considered the lowest risk with regard to oral sex.<ref name="Hales"/><ref name="Alexander"/><ref name="Pratt">{{cite book|author=Robert J. Pratt|title=HIV & AIDS: A Foundation for Nursing and Healthcare Practice|publisher=]|page=306|isbn=978-0-340-70639-8|year=2003|access-date=August 21, 2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=naSG-2RgRiYC&pg=PA306|archive-date=July 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731133048/https://books.google.com/books?id=naSG-2RgRiYC&pg=PA306|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Sex and Society">{{cite book|author=Marshall Cavendish Corporation|title=Sex and Society, Volume 1|isbn=978-0-7614-7906-2|publisher=Marshall Cavendish Corporation|year=2009–2010|page=61|access-date=August 29, 2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aVDZchwkIMEC&pg=PA61|archive-date=July 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731132841/https://books.google.com/books?id=aVDZchwkIMEC&pg=PA61|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
There is an increased risk of STI transmission if the receiving partner has wounds on their genitals, or if the giving partner has wounds or open sores on or in their mouth, or ].<ref name="Hales"/><ref name="Alexander"/><ref name="CDC, oral sex"/> Brushing the teeth, flossing, undergoing dental work soon before or after performing oral sex can also increase the risk of transmission, because all of these activities can cause small scratches in the lining of the mouth.<ref name="Hales"/><ref name="Alexander"/> These wounds, even when they are ], increase the chances of contracting STIs that can be transmitted orally under these conditions.<ref name="Hales"/><ref name="Alexander"/> Such contact can also lead to more mundane infections from common ] and ]es found in, around and secreted from the genital regions. Because of the aforementioned factors, medical sources advise the use of ]s or ] when performing or receiving oral sex with a partner whose STI status is unknown.<ref name="WHO"/><ref name="Hales"/><ref name="Alexander"/><ref name="CDC"/> | |||
===HPV and oral cancer link=== | |||
Links have been reported between oral sex and ] with human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected people. In 2005, a research study at ]'s Faculty of Odontology suggested that performing unprotected oral sex on a person infected with HPV might increase the risk of oral cancer. The study found that 36 percent of the ] patients had HPV compared to only 1 percent of the healthy control group. | |||
Another study in '']'' suggests a ] between oral sex and ]. It is believed that this is due to the transmission of HPV, a virus that has been implicated in the majority of cervical cancers and which has been detected in throat cancer tissue in numerous studies. The study concludes that people who had one to five oral sex partners in their lifetime had approximately a doubled risk of throat cancer compared with those who never engaged in this activity and those with more than five oral sex partners had a 250 percent increased risk.<ref>{{cite journal |author=D'Souza G |title=Case-control study of human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal cancer |journal=N. Engl. J. Med. |volume=356 |issue=19 |pages=1944–1956 |year=2007 |pmid=17494927 |doi=10.1056/NEJMoa065497 |name-list-style=vanc|author2=Kreimer AR |author3=Viscidi R |display-authors=3 |last4=Pawlita |first4=Michael |last5=Fakhry |first5=Carole |last6=Koch |first6=Wayne M. |last7=Westra |first7=William H. |last8=Gillison |first8=Maura L.|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn11819 |title=New Scientist: "Oral sex can cause throat cancer" - 09 May 2007 |publisher=Newscientist.com |access-date=2010-03-19 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930045811/http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn11819 }}</ref> | |||
===Miscarriage reduction=== | |||
Fellatio may reduce the risk of ]s by inducing ] in the woman by exposure to the proteins in her partner's semen, a process known as ]. While any exposure to a partner's semen appears to decrease a woman's chances for the various immunological disorders that can occur during pregnancy, immunological tolerance could be most quickly established through the oral introduction and gastrointestinal absorption of semen.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Meuleman|first1=T.|last2=Baden|first2=N.|last3=Haasnoot|first3=G.W.|last4=Wagner|last5=Dekkers|first5=O.M.|last6=le Cessie|first6=S.|last7=Picavet|first7=C.|last8=van Lith|first8=J.M.M.|last9=Claas|first9=F.H.J.|date=March 2019|title=Oral sex is associated with reduced incidence of recurrent miscarriage|journal=Journal of Reproductive Immunology|volume=133|pages=1–6|doi=10.1016/j.jri.2019.03.005|pmid=30980918|s2cid=109419024}}</ref><ref name="pmid10706945">{{cite journal |vauthors=Koelman CA, Coumans AB, Nijman HW, Doxiadis II, Dekker GA, Claas FH |title=Correlation between oral sex and a low incidence of preeclampsia: a role for soluble HLA in seminal fluid? |journal=Journal of Reproductive Immunology |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=155–166 |date=March 2000 |pmid=10706945 |doi=10.1016/S0165-0378(99)00062-5|url=https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/79065d3c-9efc-4a5d-a084-8fca0c46c6aa }}</ref><ref name=NewScientist>{{cite magazine | last=Fox | first=Douglas | title=Gentle Persuasion | magazine=] | date=February 9, 2002 | access-date=June 17, 2007 | url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17323294.200-gentle-persuasion.html | archive-date=December 19, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219044902/http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17323294.200-gentle-persuasion.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Recognizing that some of the studies potentially included the presence of confounding factors, such as the possibility that women who regularly perform fellatio and swallow semen also engage in more frequent intercourse, the researchers also noted that, either way, "the data still overwhelmingly supports the main theory" behind all their studies—that repeated exposure to semen establishes the maternal immunological tolerance necessary for a safe and successful pregnancy.<ref name="NewScientist"/><ref name=SeminalPriming>{{cite journal |vauthors=Robertson SA, Bromfield JJ, Tremellen KP |title=Seminal 'priming' for protection from pre-eclampsia-a unifying hypothesis |journal=Journal of Reproductive Immunology |volume=59 |issue=2 |pages=253–265 |date=August 2003 |pmid=12896827 |doi=10.1016/S0165-0378(03)00052-4}}</ref> | |||
==Cultural views== | |||
] ]] | |||
{{See also|Cunnilingus|Fellatio}} | |||
Cultural views on oral sex range from aversion to high regard.<ref name="Carroll"/> It, especially fellatio,<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524143842/http://archive.salon.com/sex/feature/2000/05/22/oral_history/print.html |date=May 24, 2006 }}, ''Salon.com'', May 22, 2000.</ref> has been deemed ], or at least discouraged, in many cultures and parts of the world.<ref name="Carroll"/> Laws of some jurisdictions consider oral sex to be ] for the purposes of ] with regard to the act, but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice itself, in contrast to anal sex or ]. | |||
In ], fellatio was considered profoundly taboo.<ref name="Irrumation">{{cite web |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/priap/prp105.htm |title=Irrumation |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=April 3, 2011 |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514230255/http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/priap/prp105.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Sexual acts were generally seen through the prism of submission and control. This is apparent in the two ] words for the act: ''irrumare'' (to penetrate orally), and ''fellare'' (to be penetrated orally). Under this system, it was considered to be abhorrent for a male to perform fellatio, since that would mean that he was penetrated (controlled), whereas receiving fellatio from a woman or another man of lower social status (such as a slave or debtor) was not humiliating. The Romans thought of oral sex as being far more shameful than, for example, anal sex – known practitioners were supposed to have ] and were often unwelcome as guests at a dinner table.<ref name="Irrumation"/> This was highlighted in Roman attitudes towards ], in which it was strictly considered a form of oral rape, and any man who irrumated another person was considered to be extremely ].<ref name=":0">] (1981). "The Meaning of ''irrumare'' in Catullus and Martial". ''Classical Philology''. '''76''' (1): 40–46. ] 269544.</ref> Irrumatio was so degrading in Roman society in fact that it was often used as a method of ].<ref name=":0" /> | |||
In contrast to historical views on fellatio, cunnilingus is revered as a spiritually fulfilling practice in Chinese ], which regards it as having the ability to enhance ].<ref>Octavio Paz (1969) ''Conjunctions and Disjunctions''; trans. Helen R. Lane. London: Wildwood House; p. 97</ref> In modern ], oral sex is widely practiced among adolescents<ref name="lemonick"/> and adults.<ref name="Carroll"/> | |||
People give various reasons for their dislike of oral sex.<ref name="Carroll"/> Some state that since it does not result in reproduction, it is therefore unnatural.<ref>{{cite web|last=Buschmiller|first=Rev. Robert|title=Oral Sex in Marriage|url=http://www.presentationministries.com/brochures/OralSex.asp|publisher=Presentation Ministries|access-date=November 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206194539/http://www.presentationministries.com/publications/OralSex.asp|archive-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref> Others find it less intimate because it is not a face-to-face practice,<ref name="Carroll"/> or believe that it is a humiliating or unclean practice;<ref name="Carroll"/><ref name="Pina">{{cite journal|doi=10.2307/2804438|last=Pina-Cabral|first=Joao de|title=Tamed Violence: Genital Symbolism is Portuguese popular culture|journal=Man|year=1992|volume=28|issue=1|series=N.S|pages=101–120|jstor=2804438}}</ref> that it is humiliating or unclean are opinions that are, at least in some cases, connected with the symbolism attached to different parts of the body.<ref name="Pina"/> Opposite these views, people also believe that oral sex "is one of the most intimate behaviors that a couple can engage in because it requires total trust and vulnerability."<ref name="Carroll"/> | |||
While commonly believed that ] involve cunnilingus for all ] (WSW), some have an aversion to cunnilingus due to not liking the experience or psychological or social factors, such as finding it unclean.<ref name="Belge">{{cite web|first=Kathy|last=Belge|title=Do All Lesbians Like Oral Sex?|publisher=]|access-date=3 June 2012|url=http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbiansex/f/DoAllLesbiansLikeOral.htm|archive-date=February 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209022713/http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbiansex/f/DoAllLesbiansLikeOral.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="McCormick">{{cite book|author=Naomi B. McCormick|title=Sexual Salvation: Affirming Women's Sexual Rights and Pleasures|isbn=978-0-275-94359-2|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=1994|page=207|access-date=18 April 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YChLzwGS_O8C&q=Not+all+lesbians+like+oral+sex&pg=PA207|archive-date=January 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125035509/https://books.google.com/books?id=YChLzwGS_O8C&q=Not+all+lesbians+like+oral+sex&pg=PA207|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Vida">{{cite book|author=Ginny Vida |author2=Karol D. Lightner |author3=Tanya Viger |title=The New Our Right to Love: A Lesbian Resource Book|isbn=978-0-684-80682-2|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2010|page=74|access-date=18 April 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYxivruAN34C&q=Not+all+lesbians+like+oral+sex&pg=PA74|archive-date=January 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125035509/https://books.google.com/books?id=SYxivruAN34C&q=Not+all+lesbians+like+oral+sex&pg=PA74|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Bigner">{{cite book|author1=Jerry J. J. Bigner|author2= Joseph L. L. Wetchler|title=Handbook of LGBT-Affirmative Couple and Family Therapy|isbn =978-1-136-34032-1|publisher=Routledge|year=2012|page=102|access-date=18 April 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T9-jm3HDM3kC&q=Not+all+lesbians+like+oral+sex&pg=PA102}}</ref> Other WSW believe that it is a necessity or largely defines lesbian sexual activity.<ref name="Vida"/><ref name="Bigner"/> Lesbian couples are more likely to consider a woman's dislike of cunnilingus as a problem than heterosexual couples are, and it is common for them to seek therapy to overcome ] regarding it.<ref name="Vida"/> | |||
==Terminology and slang== | |||
There are many words which refer to oral sex, including ]s and ]. Like all aspects of sexuality, there exists a large number of variations on a theme, a few common ones being: | |||
* Giving head – A common American slang term for giving oral sex to either a man or woman is ''giving head'', from the term ''head job'' (in contrast to '']'', manual stimulation). A play on the slang term ''head'' resulted in the slang term ''brain'', ''dome'' or ''getting dome.'' | |||
* Plate – A once common ] ] for ''fellate'' that arose in the gay slang language of ] that spread in the 1960s. The term is less common today.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422181306/http://voodooverse.wordpress.com/polari-baskets-abound/ |date=April 22, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
* Cunnilingus is also sometimes referred to as ''muff diving'', ''eating out'' or ''poon-job'', a slang term and a cunnilingus variant of '']'', where ''poon'' is short for ''poontang'' or ''punani''. | |||
* Additionally, in lesbian culture, several common slang terms used are ''carpet munching'', ''giving lip'', ''lip service'' or '']'' (a pseudo-Victorian expression invented by novelist ]). | |||
Other slang terms for oral sex include ''going down on'' (male or female), ''licking out'' and ''muff diving'' (female), ''blow job'' (male), ''dome'' (male or female), ''sucking off'' (male), ''playing the skin flute'' (male recipient), ''rolling cigars'' (male recipient), ''lolly-gagging'' (gay male-on-male), ''gaining knowledge'' (male recipient) and ''bust down'' (male). Forced fellatio is often called ''Egyptian rape'' or simply ''Egyptian''; this goes back to the time of the ] when ]s were alleged to force their Christian captives to do this.<ref>Edwardes, Allen; Masters, Robert E. L. ''The cradle of erotica'', New York: Julian Press, 1963.</ref> | |||
==Other animals== | |||
{{Main|Non-reproductive sexual behavior in animals#Oral sex}} | |||
] to increase copulation time.]] | |||
Oral sex ] among many species.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Woods|first=Stacey Grenrock|title=Do animals have oral sex?|journal=Esquire|date=1 Oct 2004|url=http://www.esquire.com/women/sex/ESQ1004-OCT_SEX|access-date=July 24, 2010|archive-date=April 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410153359/http://www.esquire.com/women/sex/ESQ1004-OCT_SEX|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Fellatio by Fruit Bats Prolongs Copulation Time|author=Min Tan|author2=Gareth Jones |author3=Guangjian Zhu |author4=Jianping Ye |author5=Tiyu Hong |author6=Shanyi Zhou |author7=Shuyi Zhang |author8=Libiao Zhang |journal=PLOS ONE|date=October 28, 2009|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0007595|volume=4|issue=10|pmid=19862320|pages=e7595|pmc=2762080|editor1-last=Hosken|editor1-first=David|bibcode=2009PLoSO...4.7595T|doi-access=free}}</ref> It has been suggested that there is an evolutionary advantage due to the tendency of primates, non-primates and humans to have oral sex.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Brooks|first=Cassandra|title=A Little Fellatio Goes a long way|date=30 Oct 2009|series=ScienceNOW|url=http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2009/10/30-02.html|access-date=July 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417000916/http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2009/10/30-02.html|archive-date=April 17, 2010}}</ref> ] occurs with the ] ('']''); it has been observed when the bats are ]. These bat pairs spend more time copulating if the female licks the male than if she does not.<ref name="plos">{{cite journal|last=Tan|first=Min|author2=Gareth Jones |author3=Guangjian Zhu |author4=Jianping Ye |author5=Tiyu Hong |author6=Shanyi Zhou |author7=Shuyi Zhang |author8=Libiao Zhang |date=October 28, 2009|title=Fellatio by Fruit Bats Prolongs Copulation Time|journal=]|volume=4|issue=10|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0007595|pmid=19862320|pages=e7595|pmc=2762080|bibcode=2009PLoSO...4.7595T|editor1-last=Hosken|editor1-first=David|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | |||
|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18077-fellatio-keeps-male-fruit-bats-keen.html | |||
|title=Fellatio keeps male fruit bats keen - life - 29 October 2009 - New Scientist | |||
|publisher=www.newscientist.com | |||
|access-date=2009-10-31 | |||
|archive-date=April 26, 2015 | |||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426103655/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18077-fellatio-keeps-male-fruit-bats-keen.html | |||
|url-status=live | |||
}}</ref> | |||
Unlike many other animals, fish from the genus '']'' reproduce orally. The male faces perpendicularly to the female so that she may be able to attach to his reproductive apparatus. He then releases sperm into the mouth of the female, crossing her digestive system and fertilising her eggs.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Variation of male reproductive apparatus in relation to fertilization modalities in the catfish families Auchenipteridae and Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes)|first=C.|last=Mazzoldi|author2=Lorenzi, V. |author3=Rasotto, M. B. |journal=Journal of Fish Biology|year=2007|volume=70|issue=1 |pages=243–256|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01300.x|bibcode=2007JFBio..70..243M }}</ref> | |||
==See also== | |||
{{Portal|Human sexuality}} | |||
{{div col|colwidth=18em}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
==References== | |||
'''Explanatory notes''' | |||
{{reflist|group=nb}} | |||
'''Citations''' | |||
{{reflist|33em}} | |||
'''Bibliography''' | |||
* Adams, James N., ''The Latin Sexual Vocabulary'' (Johns Hopkins, 1990) {{ISBN|0-8018-2968-2}} | |||
* Franklin, Jacqueline, ''The Ultimate Kiss: Oral Lovemaking, A Sensual Guide for Couples'' (Los Angeles: Media Press, 2001) {{ISBN|0-917181-17-4}} | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Commons category|Oral sex}} | |||
* (archived 2 July 2016) | |||
{{Sex}} | |||
{{Human sexuality|state=collapsed}} | |||
{{sexpositions}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oral Sex}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] |
Latest revision as of 22:23, 7 December 2024
Sexual activity involving stimulation of the genitalia by use of the mouth
Oral sex, sometimes referred to as oral intercourse, is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth). Cunnilingus is oral sex performed on the vulva while fellatio is oral sex performed on the penis. Anilingus, another form of oral sex, is oral stimulation of the anus.
Oral sex may be performed as foreplay to incite sexual arousal before other sexual activities (such as vaginal or anal intercourse), or as an erotic and physically intimate act in its own right. Like most forms of sexual activity, oral sex can pose a risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, the transmission risk for oral sex, especially HIV transmission, is significantly lower than for vaginal or anal sex.
Oral sex is often regarded as taboo, but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice. Commonly, people do not think of oral sex as affecting the virginity of either partner, though opinions on the matter vary. People may also have negative feelings or sexual inhibitions about giving or receiving oral sex, or may flatly refuse to engage in the practice.
Practice
Oral sex may be practiced by people of any sexual orientation.
Forms
Oral sex is sexual stimulation of another person's genitals by using the mouth, and may take various forms. During facesitting, the receiver sits on the giver's face and pushes into it with their genitals. Oral sex can also be performed by both partners at the same time in the so-called "sixty-nine" position. Irrumatio is a forced form of fellatio where one actively forces their penis into the partner's mouth. In regards to masturbation, there is autofellatio, a possible but rare variant, and autocunnilingus, which may be possible for women with extremely flexible spines.
An act of group sex restricted to one woman giving oral sex to several men is referred to as a gangsuck, blowbang or lineup, all derivatives of the slang term gang bang for group sex. Bukkake and gokkun may also involve oral sex.
Preserving virginity
Oral sex may be practised to preserve virginity, especially among heterosexual pairings; this is sometimes termed technical virginity (which may include anal sex, manual sex, and other non-penetrative sex acts, but excludes penile-vaginal sex). The concept of "technical virginity" or sexual abstinence through oral sex is popular among teenagers.
Gay men who regard oral sex as a way of maintaining their virginities view penile-anal penetration as resulting in virginity loss, while other gay males may define oral sex as their main form of sexual activity. By contrast, lesbian pairings commonly view oral sex or fingering as resulting in virginity loss, though definitions of virginity loss vary among lesbians as well.
Contraception and safe sex
Oral sex alone does not result in pregnancy and heterosexual couples may engage in oral sex for contraception reasons. For conception to take place, sperm from the penis must enter the uterus and fallopian tubes and fertilize the female's egg. In humans, there is no connection between the gastrointestinal system and the reproductive system, and sperm ingested by the woman would be killed and broken down by acids in her stomach and proteins in the small intestine. The breakdown products are then absorbed as a negligible quantity of nutrients. However, there is a potential risk of pregnancy if semen comes in contact with the vaginal area in some way, such as semen in the ejaculate finding its way onto fingers, hands, or other body parts, which then comes in contact with the vaginal area.
Oral sex is not necessarily an effective method of preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), although some forms of STIs are believed to be less commonly spread in this way, and oral sex has been recommended as a form of safe sex. In the United States, no barrier methods for use during oral sex have been evaluated as effective by the Food and Drug Administration. However, a barrier protection like a condom for fellatio or dental dam for cunnilingus can offer some protection from contact when practicing oral sex.
Oral sex should be limited to the protected areas. A makeshift dental dam can be made out of a condom or a latex or nitrile glove, but using a real dental dam is seen as preferable; this is because real dental dams cover a larger area, avoid accidents caused by "slipping" outside the covered area, and avoid the risk that makeshift versions may be accidentally damaged or poked with the scissors during the cutting procedure. Plastic wrap may also be used as a barrier during oral sex, but there exists no conclusive scientific research regarding how effective it may or may not be at preventing disease transmission. Certain kinds of plastic wrap are manufactured to be microwaveable and are designed to have pores that open when heated, but there also exists no scientific research on what effect, if any, this has on disease transmission when used during oral sex. Some people complain that the thickness of the plastic dulls sensation.
Prevalence
A report issued by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2005 was the basis of an article in the 26 September 2005 issue of Time magazine. The report comes from the results of a computer-administered survey of over 12,000 Americans between the ages of 15 and 44, and states that over half the teenagers questioned have had oral sex. While some headlines have interpreted this as evidence that oral sex among teenagers is "on the rise", this was the first comprehensive study of its kind to examine the matter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in 2009: "Studies indicate that oral sex is commonly practiced by sexually active male-female and same-gender couples of various ages, including adolescents." Research also indicates that "males are more likely than females to have received oral sex, whereas equal proportions of men and women have given oral sex."
In a Canadian study, 89% of heterosexual and bisexual men had practiced cunnilingus. 94% of them enjoyed it. Of the latter, 76% practiced it often or very often. Reasons for not practicing cunnilingus included lack of opportunity (73%) and disgust (13%). This suggests that much more than 89% of men would practice cunnilingus if they had a chance.
Health risks and other studies
Sexually transmitted infections
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as Chlamydia and human papillomavirus (HPV), can be transmitted through oral sex. Any sexual exchange of bodily fluids with a person infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, poses a risk of infection. Risk of STI infection, however, is generally considered significantly lower for oral sex than for vaginal or anal sex, with HIV transmission considered the lowest risk with regard to oral sex.
There is an increased risk of STI transmission if the receiving partner has wounds on their genitals, or if the giving partner has wounds or open sores on or in their mouth, or bleeding gums. Brushing the teeth, flossing, undergoing dental work soon before or after performing oral sex can also increase the risk of transmission, because all of these activities can cause small scratches in the lining of the mouth. These wounds, even when they are microscopic, increase the chances of contracting STIs that can be transmitted orally under these conditions. Such contact can also lead to more mundane infections from common bacteria and viruses found in, around and secreted from the genital regions. Because of the aforementioned factors, medical sources advise the use of condoms or other effective barrier methods when performing or receiving oral sex with a partner whose STI status is unknown.
HPV and oral cancer link
Links have been reported between oral sex and oral cancer with human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected people. In 2005, a research study at Malmö University's Faculty of Odontology suggested that performing unprotected oral sex on a person infected with HPV might increase the risk of oral cancer. The study found that 36 percent of the cancer patients had HPV compared to only 1 percent of the healthy control group.
Another study in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests a correlation between oral sex and throat cancer. It is believed that this is due to the transmission of HPV, a virus that has been implicated in the majority of cervical cancers and which has been detected in throat cancer tissue in numerous studies. The study concludes that people who had one to five oral sex partners in their lifetime had approximately a doubled risk of throat cancer compared with those who never engaged in this activity and those with more than five oral sex partners had a 250 percent increased risk.
Miscarriage reduction
Fellatio may reduce the risk of miscarriages by inducing immunological tolerance in the woman by exposure to the proteins in her partner's semen, a process known as paternal tolerance. While any exposure to a partner's semen appears to decrease a woman's chances for the various immunological disorders that can occur during pregnancy, immunological tolerance could be most quickly established through the oral introduction and gastrointestinal absorption of semen. Recognizing that some of the studies potentially included the presence of confounding factors, such as the possibility that women who regularly perform fellatio and swallow semen also engage in more frequent intercourse, the researchers also noted that, either way, "the data still overwhelmingly supports the main theory" behind all their studies—that repeated exposure to semen establishes the maternal immunological tolerance necessary for a safe and successful pregnancy.
Cultural views
See also: Cunnilingus and FellatioCultural views on oral sex range from aversion to high regard. It, especially fellatio, has been deemed taboo, or at least discouraged, in many cultures and parts of the world. Laws of some jurisdictions consider oral sex to be penetrative sex for the purposes of sexual offenses with regard to the act, but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice itself, in contrast to anal sex or extramarital sex.
In Ancient Rome, fellatio was considered profoundly taboo. Sexual acts were generally seen through the prism of submission and control. This is apparent in the two Latin words for the act: irrumare (to penetrate orally), and fellare (to be penetrated orally). Under this system, it was considered to be abhorrent for a male to perform fellatio, since that would mean that he was penetrated (controlled), whereas receiving fellatio from a woman or another man of lower social status (such as a slave or debtor) was not humiliating. The Romans thought of oral sex as being far more shameful than, for example, anal sex – known practitioners were supposed to have foul breath and were often unwelcome as guests at a dinner table. This was highlighted in Roman attitudes towards irrumatio, in which it was strictly considered a form of oral rape, and any man who irrumated another person was considered to be extremely virile. Irrumatio was so degrading in Roman society in fact that it was often used as a method of punishment.
In contrast to historical views on fellatio, cunnilingus is revered as a spiritually fulfilling practice in Chinese Taoism, which regards it as having the ability to enhance longevity. In modern Western culture, oral sex is widely practiced among adolescents and adults.
People give various reasons for their dislike of oral sex. Some state that since it does not result in reproduction, it is therefore unnatural. Others find it less intimate because it is not a face-to-face practice, or believe that it is a humiliating or unclean practice; that it is humiliating or unclean are opinions that are, at least in some cases, connected with the symbolism attached to different parts of the body. Opposite these views, people also believe that oral sex "is one of the most intimate behaviors that a couple can engage in because it requires total trust and vulnerability."
While commonly believed that lesbian sexual practices involve cunnilingus for all women who have sex with women (WSW), some have an aversion to cunnilingus due to not liking the experience or psychological or social factors, such as finding it unclean. Other WSW believe that it is a necessity or largely defines lesbian sexual activity. Lesbian couples are more likely to consider a woman's dislike of cunnilingus as a problem than heterosexual couples are, and it is common for them to seek therapy to overcome inhibitions regarding it.
Terminology and slang
There are many words which refer to oral sex, including euphemisms and sexual slang. Like all aspects of sexuality, there exists a large number of variations on a theme, a few common ones being:
- Giving head – A common American slang term for giving oral sex to either a man or woman is giving head, from the term head job (in contrast to hand job, manual stimulation). A play on the slang term head resulted in the slang term brain, dome or getting dome.
- Plate – A once common British rhyming slang for fellate that arose in the gay slang language of Polari that spread in the 1960s. The term is less common today.
- Cunnilingus is also sometimes referred to as muff diving, eating out or poon-job, a slang term and a cunnilingus variant of blow job, where poon is short for poontang or punani.
- Additionally, in lesbian culture, several common slang terms used are carpet munching, giving lip, lip service or tipping the velvet (a pseudo-Victorian expression invented by novelist Sarah Waters).
Other slang terms for oral sex include going down on (male or female), licking out and muff diving (female), blow job (male), dome (male or female), sucking off (male), playing the skin flute (male recipient), rolling cigars (male recipient), lolly-gagging (gay male-on-male), gaining knowledge (male recipient) and bust down (male). Forced fellatio is often called Egyptian rape or simply Egyptian; this goes back to the time of the Crusades when Mamluks were alleged to force their Christian captives to do this.
Other animals
Main article: Non-reproductive sexual behavior in animals § Oral sexOral sex has been observed in the animal kingdom among many species. It has been suggested that there is an evolutionary advantage due to the tendency of primates, non-primates and humans to have oral sex. Fellatio occurs with the fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx); it has been observed when the bats are mating. These bat pairs spend more time copulating if the female licks the male than if she does not.
Unlike many other animals, fish from the genus Corydoras reproduce orally. The male faces perpendicularly to the female so that she may be able to attach to his reproductive apparatus. He then releases sperm into the mouth of the female, crossing her digestive system and fertilising her eggs.
See also
- Erogenous zone
- Eroto-comatose lucidity
- Mammary intercourse
- Nipple stimulation
- Sex magic
- Sexuality in Islam
- Teabagging
- Venus Butterfly
References
Explanatory notes
- However, this has happened in bizarre circumstances Archived August 18, 2021, at the Wayback Machine involving a stabbing.
Citations
- ^ Janell L. Carroll (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 265–267. ISBN 978-0-495-60274-3. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ Weiten, Wayne; Lloyd, Margaret A.; Dunn, Dana S.; Hammer, Elizabeth Yost (2008). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st century. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-495-55339-7. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- "What is oral sex?". NHS Choices. NHS. January 15, 2009. Archived from the original on October 1, 2010.
- ^ "Global strategy for the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: 2006–2015. Breaking the chain of transmission" (PDF). World Health Organization. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
- ^ Dianne Hales (2008). An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011. Cengage Learning. pp. 269–271. ISBN 978-0-495-39192-0. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ Alexander, William; Bader, Helaine; LaRosa, Judith H. (2011). New Dimensions in Women's Health. Burlington, Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-4496-8375-7. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ See here Archived December 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine and pages 47-49 Archived December 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine for views on what constitutes virginity loss and therefore sexual intercourse or other sexual activity; source discusses how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in penile-vaginal sex. Carpenter, Laura M. (2005). Virginity Lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences. New York City: NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-1652-6. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- ^ Bryan Strong; Christine DeVault; Theodore F. Cohen (2010). The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationship in a Changing Society. Cengage Learning. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-534-62425-5. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
Most people agree that we maintain virginity as long as we refrain from sexual (vaginal) intercourse. But occasionally we hear people speak of 'technical virginity' Data indicate that 'a very significant proportion of teens ha had experience with oral sex, even if they haven't had sexual intercourse, and may think of themselves as virgins' Other research, especially research looking into virginity loss, reports that 35% of virgins, defined as people who have never engaged in vaginal intercourse, have nonetheless engaged in one or more other forms of heterosexual sexual activity (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation).
- ^ Sonya S. Brady & Bonnie L. Halpern-Felsher (2007). "Adolescents' Reported Consequences of Having Oral Sex Versus Vaginal Sex". Pediatrics. 119 (2): 229–236. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.321.9520. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-1727. PMID 17272611. S2CID 17998160.
- ^ Blank, Hanne (2008). Virgin: The Untouched History. New York City: Bloomsbury Publishing US. p. 253. ISBN 978-1-59691-011-9. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- Liggio, Fernando (2010). "Trattato moderno di psicopatologia della sessualità" - "Modern treatise on the psychopathology of sexuality". Biblioteca Universitaria. p. 65. ISBN 978-8-86292-023-0. Retrieved October 19, 2023.(in Italian)
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Noncoital forms of sexual intimacy, which have been called outercourse, can be a viable form of birth control. Outercourse includes all avenues of sexual intimacy other than penile–vaginal intercourse, including kissing, touching, mutual masturbation, and oral and anal sex.
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(help) - Tan, Min; Gareth Jones; Guangjian Zhu; Jianping Ye; Tiyu Hong; Shanyi Zhou; Shuyi Zhang; Libiao Zhang (October 28, 2009). Hosken, David (ed.). "Fellatio by Fruit Bats Prolongs Copulation Time". PLoS ONE. 4 (10): e7595. Bibcode:2009PLoSO...4.7595T. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0007595. PMC 2762080. PMID 19862320.
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Bibliography
- Adams, James N., The Latin Sexual Vocabulary (Johns Hopkins, 1990) ISBN 0-8018-2968-2
- Franklin, Jacqueline, The Ultimate Kiss: Oral Lovemaking, A Sensual Guide for Couples (Los Angeles: Media Press, 2001) ISBN 0-917181-17-4
External links
- Oral sex and HIV (from CDC) (archived 2 July 2016)
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