Foreplay is a term that is generally used to describe any sexual activity that occurs prior to sexual intercourse.¹ However, foreplay does not always have to lead to sex. Unfortunately, foreplay is something that many either rush through or ignore altogether. In doing so, many individuals are missing out on the opportunity to develop a…
Tag: oral
When to Lose Your Virginity
Defining “Losing Your Virginity” What exactly does “losing your virginity” mean? Virginity can be defined in different ways according to your sexual orientation, beliefs, and culture. Losing your virginity is often described as engaging in penetrative sex, including anal sex, for the first time. The definition can also be expanded to include oral sex and manual stimulation. Oftentimes, when sexual intercourse and virginity…
Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) (Teen Corner)
The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP), more commonly known as Plan B or “the morning-after pill,” can be used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or the failure of a primary birth control method. The name “morning after” is misleading: it can (and should) be taken sooner than the morning after or a few days after intercourse. The…
Barriers During Oral Sex: The Wise Choice
Oral sex includes contact between the mouth and a penis, vagina, or anus. Although oral sex cannot lead to pregnancy, oral sex can and does lead to the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Oral barriers, including condoms and dental dams, prevent direct contact between the partners’ skin and any bodily fluids, significantly reducing the…
Sodomy Laws in the U.S.
The modern definition of sodomy is any “noncoital carnal copulation” or any kind of “non-penile-vaginal intercourse.” 1 This definition is an umbrella term for any sexual activity that is not for procreation such as homosexual behavior, anal sex, bestiality and zoophilia, sex with minors, and many other sexual activities such as oral sex. The antiquated…
Deep Throating During Oral Sex
Deep throating is an intense form of fellatio in which an individual puts an erect penis as deep in their mouth as possible. Deep throating is commonly considered the most challenging fellatio technique to perform. The pharyngeal reflex or “gag reflex” is often triggered during deep throating. This is because the penis is constantly touching the soft…
Oral Sex and STIs
Oral sex is a sexual activity that uses the mouth, lips, or tongue as a way to stimulate a partner.1 There are many reasons why individuals enjoy oral sex, and it is a much more common sexual activity than people are led to believe. In fact, a statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more…
Some Culturally-Based Differences in Sexual Activity
Across the globe, behaviors that can be considered sexual activity lie on a massive spectrum. This spectrum exists as a result of some societies tendencies to promote and incorporate sexuality into their culture while others tend to suppress it. Before exploring different types of sexuality through various cultures, it is critical to be able to…
Abstinence
Abstinence is the decision to refrain from sexual behavior. However, since the term “sexual behavior” is defined differently by various people, societies, cultures, religions, and regions, it is difficult to draw an absolute line distinguishing which acts are considered “sexual behaviors.” What is important to recognize is that there is no “right” way to define abstinence….