A discussion on who masturbates
Masturbation month reached its climax on May 28, which was international masturbation day.
Masturbation levels have remained stable over the last couple decades. Results in the 1990s are similar to results from a nationally representative study of the United States conducted in 2008. The researchers from Indiana University found that 46 per cent of males masturbate more than once a week, while 19 per cent of females masturbate one or more times a week.
When looking specifically at the 20-24 age group, 83 per cent of males and 64 per cent of females had masturbated alone in the previous year.
Sexual orientation also played a role, with lesbian and bisexual women masturbating more during the previous month than heterosexual women. Interestingly, research has found that people with higher education masturbate more.While masturbation is commonly thought of as a solo act for those that are single, masturbation also happens in relationships. In the previous year, 44 per cent of males and 36 per cent of females aged 20-24 had masturbated with their partner.
Solo masturbation is done less by those in a relationship than those that are single. While masturbation still happens in a relationship, partners do not tend to discuss masturbation with each other. This is influenced by the idea that if someone is masturbating in a relationship they are not sexually satisfied, but this is not necessarily the case as there are many reasons people masturbate.
A study out of the University of Texas found that relationship and sexual satisfaction are increased when the perception of their partner’s masturbation routine is accurate. If partners are open about their masturbation practice they are more likely to have an accurate perception.
This means that talking to your partner about masturbating can be a good and healthy thing.
Masturbation can be used to learn about your body and what you find pleasurable which helps you know what you like or do not like during partnered sex.Part of what may assist with these discoveries is the fantasizing and watching of sexually explicit material that often goes along with masturbating.
Canadian research has found that 90 per cent of university students fantasize during masturbation. Watching sexually explicit material while masturbating is done by 74 per cent of males and 18 per cent of females.
Regardless of your sex, sexual orientation, age or relationship status, if you want some sexy alone time, go right ahead, and if not, that is cool too.
If you’d like a certain sex ed topic discussed, send your requests to tashafalconer@trentu.ca
Photo by Tasha Falconer