Statistically speaking, a lot of people masturbate.
According to an analysis of Indiana University's National Survey Of Sexual Health And Behavior (NSSHB) by FiveThirtyEight, 71.5% of women and 81.5% of men from age 25-29 in the United States masturbate at least once a year.
Despite the clear pervasiveness of masturbation, the topic is often shrouded in shame and stigma, making it difficult for many people — especially people with vaginas — to discuss it openly. Because of this, there are likely a number of people who have a number of questions about masturbating that they don't feel comfortable asking and, therefore, never receive answers.
And that's no way to live.
Below are some questions you may have been wondering about masturbation, answered by gynecologists.
SEE ALSO: 7 condom myths everyone needs to stop believing, according to a doctor
FOLLOW US: INSIDER is on Facebook
1. Do women masturbate?
"Women of all ages masturbate," Dr. Deborah Wilson, a gynecologist who works with the sex toy cleaner UVee, told INSIDER.
Statistically, this checks out. According to the NSSHB survey, some women masturbate more than four times a week.
This doesn't mean that every single person who identifies as a woman masturbates. But it does mean that if you happen to identify as a woman and you happen to enjoy masturbating, that's 100% normal.
2. Does masturbating count as cheating?
Masturbation is defined by Merriam-Webster as "erotic stimulation especially of one's own genital." This quite literally means that a person does it alone. All the same, some people might feel a little uncertain about masturbating — possibly to the point in which they think it constitutes cheating.
"Masturbating is not cheating," Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine told INSIDER. "Most women do require direct clitoral stimulation for orgasmic responses."
If you're a woman, it's possible that your partner doesn't give you the direct clitoral stimulation that you need to orgasm. Even if they do, the orgasms you give yourself might just feel different — or better — than ones you get from your partner. Either way, masturbating shouldn't make you feel guilty.
3. Is there something wrong with me if I don't have an orgasm when I masturbate?
Not reaching orgasm doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with you. If anything, it just means that whatever you're doing isn't quite working for you.
There is no "correct" way to masturbate, of course, but some people may not be masturbating in a way that is right for them. Minkin suggested getting to know your body better, experimenting with vibrators, and looking into websites that explore ways to enhance women's pleasure (like MedAmour), all of which might be able to lead to a "better sexual response," according to Minkin.
See the rest of the story at INSIDER
0 Comments