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Cunnilingus
Cunnilingus
is a form of oral sex involving mouth contact with the vagina.
The term cunnilingus comes from an alternative Latin word for vulva
(external female genitals), cunnus, and from the Latin word for licking,
lingere. In cunnilingus, the labia, the clitoris and/or the vaginal area
are licked, kissed or gently sucked. The feeling of the mouth and tongue
on the genitals can be very pleasurable for some people. Cunnilingus can
be a part of couples' foreplay, meant to heighten sexual arousal, or it
can be the sole activity. Some women also experience orgasm by means of
cunnilingus. Though cunnilingus is common among heterosexual and
homosexual couples, not everyone engages in it. Some people, men and
women, simply do not feel comfortable with it. Most reservations tend to
center around three issues: first, that cunnilingus in unhygienic;
second, that it is taboo;
third, that cunnlingus is not a true expression of femininity or
masculinity.
HYGIENE.
Women sometimes worry that their genitals will have an unpleasant odor
or that there may be germs on their genitals which would be passed on to
their partners. Genital odor can be taken care of by routine washing and
many people find natural genital scents stimulating. As far as
transmission of germs or disease, cunnilingus between healthy,
disease-free people is entirely safe and clean. No disease is passed by
cunnilingus that wouldn't be transmitted by any other kind of sexual
contact.
TABOO.
Historically and currently, oral sex, including cunnilingus, has been
frowned upon in some cultures and by some religions. It is prohibited in
some cultures and even illegal. Underlying the social disapproval and
legal strictures are powerful age-old religious prohibitions against
oral-genital contact. Centuries of religious scholars have believed and
preached that oral sex is unnatural and against divine law. Whether
because genital-mouth contact was not a procreative act or because it
was erroneously believed to be strictly a lesbian activity, cunnilingus
was officially prohibited. In our culture the non-procreative aspect is
the most pertinent in that it is the procreative potential of sex that
has traditionally transformed it from bad to good in the eyes of many
religions. The weight of religious teachings throughout history has had
a strong influence on legal and social rules. Many states in the United
States still have laws about what are termed "unnatural acts"
which include prohibitions on mouth-genital contact. Technically these
laws still remain on the books in some states, but are rarely enforced.
As the influences of religion on government have diminished, society's
experiences with sexual practices have shown that these prohibitions
were unnecessary and that cunnilingus is a safe and natural sexual
practice between consenting adults.
FEMININITY AND
MASCULINITY. Some heterosexual people believe
that the only real and proper way to express their sexuality is by
having intercourse with the penis in the vagina. Others feel threatened
by the age-old myth associating oral sex and homosexuality and fear
participation in mouth-genital contact may be a sign of their
deep-seated homosexuality. There is, of course, no evidence that those
who practice oral sexual acts are inclined toward homosexuality.
If couples feel
comfortable in incorporating cunnilingus into their sexual relationship,
communication about their concerns and preferences and experimentation
with different positions and techniques can help them learn what is
pleasing to both partners.
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Sex
