Society has placed a huge taboo on talking, fantasizing aboutand especially performing anal sex.
Aware of this stigma, I was quite nervous to write an articlediscussing the ins and outs — if you know what I mean —of anal sex.
But 53 percent of women and 55 percent of men have tried it,according to a survey of 2500 Americans in April 2003 conducted bySue Johanson, host of “Sunday Night Sex Show” onOxygen.
Only 26 percent of women say they enjoy anal sex — 50percent of men enjoy it. Surprise, surprise.
Twenty-four percent of women who’ve tried it sayit’s painful.
The anus — although it can be sensitive to sexualstimulation — is not designed for anything to be”inserted” into it. So, in order to turn the pain topleasure you need lots of patience — and lubrication.
For lubrication, use KY-Jelly. You can buy it at any drug orgrocery store. And since anal sex needs to be done slowly andgently, you need to set a lot of time aside for this activity. Inother words, you can’t have a “quickie.”
Before engaging in anal sex you should wash the anus. Take ashower with each other and make it playful.
Although you cannot get pregnant from anal sex, you can acquiresexually transmitted diseases from an infected partner, so use acondom all the time, every time. And always change condoms whenshifting from anal sex to vaginal sex and vice versa.
There are debates on whether or not anal sex is safe. Johansonwarns her viewers on the dangers of anal sex when a”tear” occurs.
“A tear up in the rectum can become infected and graduallyextend down to past the sphincter, outside the body.”Johanson says, “It’s called a ‘fissure’,which means, if you had diarrhea, you would have nocontrol.”
“Or, a small tear can gradually extend out through thewall of the bowel and form a channel across, through and into anearby organ.” Johanson says, “That’s called a”fistula, and it would allow feces to flow from the rectuminto the vagina and out.”
Repairing tears, fissures and fistulas takes delicate surgeryand recovery can be long and painful.
Redbook’s sex expert, Dr. Jane Greer, says anal sex is”perfectly safe. The only exception to this rule is duringthe second and third trimester of pregnancy because there is agreater chance of tender tissues being damaged and a greater riskof infection.”
Greer says finding something that you and your partner enjoy– even anal sex – is a wonderful thing.
So, while this issue is a huge societal taboo, I hope I informedthose who are curious about anal sex with facts that help them makean appropriate decision that’s right for them.