Masturbation
Is it okay to masturbate?
Masturbation
stimulates the erogenous zones of your body and your genitals to give you pleasure or an orgasm. Curious? Step this way!
The frequency
with which someone masturbates is highly personal and varies from one person to another. What about you? Do you masturbate sometimes, often, not at all?
Myth or reality?
Masturbating every day can cause problems
FALSE. It doesn’t create any health problems. On the contrary, masturbation can help relieve sexual tension. And it’s pointless to compare yourself with other people since there’s no “normal frequency.” You can do it or not – it’s your choice. In general, people masturbate most often during adolescence, sometimes more than once a day.
Girls masturbate as much as guys
TRUE. Girls may talk about it less, but just like guys, they’re discovering their bodies and sexual pleasure. So female masturbation does exist and it’s normal! Just like guys, girls have the possibility of exploring their bodies if they want to.
Do I risk becoming obsessed…
FALSE. Having desires, feeling sexual arousal, masturbating, and enjoying stroking and pleasure are natural, for girls as well as boys. But you’re not likely to become obsessed with it. On the contrary, in addition to being enjoyable, masturbation can relieve sexual tension and help you get to know your body – and your reactions!
Masturbation is only done alone
FALSE. Although it’s often discovered alone, masturbation can also be done with a partner, which is sometimes called “mutual masturbation.” It’s often done to increase arousal, explore the other person’s body, or give the partner an orgasm. Mutual masturbation is great since, if the partners only use their hands, they run no risk of catching a BBSTI or getting pregnant.
If I masturbate too much...
FALSE. Don’t worry, your body is well made! Before each ejaculation, alone or with a partner, your body produces new semen. There’s no limit – you’ll have semen all your life! It’s produced when it’s needed and the “tank” is always full.
Masturbation affects menstruation
FALSE. Your body will start menstruating for the first time when it’s ready, at puberty, and that has nothing to do with masturbation. However, at puberty, your body changes and so does your sexual desire. So it’s not uncommon for you to start to discover your body and to masturbate around the same time you get your first period.
If I masturbate, I’ll go blind
FALSE. If that were true, the world would be full of blind people! People invented this false belief a long time ago, when religion was very important to society and masturbation was strongly disapproved of. The authorities wanted to discourage people from masturbating by making them believe it was dangerous. They invented all kinds of myths like that one and some of them are still making the rounds!
If I masturbate too much, I’ll get sterile
FALSE. Masturbation won’t make you sterile! In the old days, people believed that masturbation was dangerous. Nowadays, research has proven that it has no health risks. Not only is it normal, it’s healthy and useful. But it’s a personal choice; everyone can decide whether or not to do it.
Masturbation can change the genitals
FALSE. No matter how often you masturbate, the size or shape of your genitals won’t change! On the other hand, it’s completely normal to see your body change at puberty, since you’re starting the transition to adulthood. These changes will happen no matter what, whether you masturbate or not!
When you’re in a couple, you don’t want to masturb
FALSE. Even if you’re part of a couple or have an active sex life, you can feel like masturbating. It creates a different kind of pleasure than intercourse. Even if you’re sexually satisfied in your relationship, you might want to masturbate because you like it and it feels good. It’s you time and you don’t need to feel guilty about doing it when you’re in a relationship.
Answers to frequently asked questions
Is it wrong to masturbate? That depends on each person’s values and beliefs. Masturbation used to be considered bad and dangerous, and those ideas still exist today. That’s why people sometimes feel guilty about masturbating, without really knowing why.
Today we know that those are false beliefs and that masturbation is normal and healthy. In adolescence, you’re living through major hormonal changes that create desires and make you want to explore your body. And that’s when people generally masturbate the most.
You might also feel guilty because you’re in a relationship or you’re sexually active. But it’s normal to still want to masturbate, since that creates a different kind of pleasure than intercourse.
When it comes to sexuality, not everyone likes the same things. Some girls enjoy female penetration, in other words, putting one or more fingers into their vagina. Others don’t like it much. Luckily, there are many ways to have pleasure! Your clitoris is also very sensitive and can also give you pleasure. In fact, it’s made for that! Remember that sensations change during your lifetime. You may not enjoy female penetration now, but you might gradually come to like it… or not. And that’s fine!