From Nicki Minaj getting her salad tossed to Chris Brown posting a photo of him licking a women’s butt on Instagram, rim jobs are finally making their way into the mainstream straight world.
The academic study “Heterosexual Anal Sexuality and Anal Sex Behaviors: A Review” found of straight people who’ve had anal sex, 51 percent of men and 43 percent of women had oral-anal sex. Meanwhile in the gay community, almost every power bottom queen expects some anal play before sex.
So what gives? Why are rim jobs only now coming into the heteronormative world when it’s been prevalent, and pretty much expected, in gay sex for so long?
Part of it has to do with general homophobia. A common argument against gay sex is it isn’t natural. The male body wasn’t designed to take anything — even though the prostate is quite literally in the rectum. Arguments also say gay sex is generally gross or dirty.
People make the same arguments against rim jobs, saying the act is dirty and unnatural. No, what’s unnatural is your resistance to something new just because it might shatter your fragile sense of masculinity.
The same study found 24 percent of those straight men performed analingus, but only 15 percent the received. Guys, people won’t think you’re gay just because you like your starfish kissed every now and then. It’s completely natural.
Your anus is a sensitive area, and your pelvic floor muscles – the muscles that contract during orgasm – are beneath the anal area’s surface. Guys, your prostate makes pretty much anything near your anus feel good. There’s a reason gay men disproportionately like to bottom, just saying.
That being said, “salad tossing” is slowly making its way into the heteronormative world, and for that we can probably thank people’s general tolerance of homosexuality. Homophobia isn’t completely gone by a longshot, but homosexuality is more acceptable than ever in general. Now that straight people accept homosexuality, they have fewer inhibitions against what used to be gay sex acts. They’re more open to anal play.
Before you toss your salad, it’s important to understand the risks involved. People performing rim jobs are still prone to sexually transmitted infections and HIV just like with any other sexual act.
Dennis Fortenberry, a professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, said people can transmit STIs via rim jobs. The anus or rectum might not be infected, but that area is “part of the skin that connects the entire genital area, and some of those organisms may be simply moving around.” Dr. Fortenberry said.
Always use protection unless you want to risk hepatitis A or B, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, herpes, syphilis or HIV. You can use a thing called a dental dam — a latex sheet you cover over the anus to prevent skin-to-skin contact. It’s essentially a condom for your butt.
Now let’s address the elephant in the room: poop. People are scared to kiss the starfish down under because they think it’s gross. A person’s waste comes out of that. It’s just unsanitary. Let’s put that myth to rest now.
Proctologist David Rosenfeld said your partner shouldn’t have to worry about bacteria around or in your anus as long you clean yourself with water and a gentle washcloth. Your body is already literally filled with bacteria; the anus isn’t any different. As long as you don’t have any parasites or illness-causing bacteria, your partner can toss your salad all day long.
Before you engage in any sexual activity, though, you should get tested. Knowing both you and your partner’s status is an important part of being safe.
Cody Sibley is a 19-year old mass communication sophomore from Opelousas, Lousiana. You can reach him on Twitter @CodySibley.