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Fellatio
Fellatio
is a type of oral sex in which there is mouth contact with the penis.
The term fellatio comes from the Latin word fellare, which means to
suck. In fellatio the head and shaft of the penis are licked, kissed and
sucked. The mucous membrane inside the mouth is similar to the lining of
the vagina. The moist slippery feel of the mouth and tongue on the penis
can be extremely pleasurable. Fellatio can be incorporated as part of a
couple's foreplay, meant to heighten sexual arousal, or it can be the
main activity, meant to bring the man to orgasm.
Fellatio is common among both heterosexual and homosexual couples, yet
not everyone engages in it. Some women, and to a far lesser extent some
men, simply do not feel comfortable with this type of oral sex. The
historic Kinsey
reports published in 1948 provided the first real evidence of how
many people were having fellatio. (Kinsey's report on female oral sex
was published in 1953). Comparing Kinsey's data collected in the 1930's
and 1940's to later (1970's) studies including the Hunt Report,
the Hite Report, the Spada Report, the Redbook Report
and the Bell and Weinberg study entitled Homosexualities, shows
that attitudes toward oral sex have changed over the years, indicating
an increase in the practice of oral sex, fellatio and cunnilingus.
It is difficult to identify precisely which factors have led to a
greater acceptance of oral sex, but some likely contributors include the
following: 1) Scientific and medical evidence has helped dispel the
myths about harmful health effects of oral sex and made it clear that
fellatio between disease-free people does not in and of itself lead to
disease; 2) The major religions have relaxed their historical
prohibitions about fellatio being sinful and unnatural; 3) Modern
hygiene practices have resulted in both men and women bathing far more
often than was true in earlier times, thus reducing offensive body odors
and tastes that may be associated with oral sex; and, 4) Since the 1960s
couples seem to be more willing to experiment and openly explore sexual
practices and issues, just as society as a whole has shown an increasing
acceptance of sexual expression.
Even if a couple includes
fellatio in their sexual relationship, anxieties about performing
fellatio on a man may still exist. The person performing fellatio may
have concerns that the partner's penis may be too large for her or his
mouth or that it may cause gagging. Another common worry is that the man
will urinate during fellatio, or if ejaculation occurs, that the taste
or feel of semen in the mouth will be unpleasant.
Although an erect penis
may be too large to fit entirely in one's mouth, some form of mouth
contact can usually be made on the penis regardless of size. How deep
into the mouth a penis penetrates can be controlled by either the man or
his partner placing their hand around the shaft of the penis. This
technique allows the hand to act as a stopper to control the depth the
penis enters the mouth, thereby reducing the risk of gagging due to deep
penetration. A thick penis that may stretch the lips and mouth can be
licked up and down the shaft and around the glans without trying to take
the penis fully into the mouth.
With regard to the worry
about a man urinating during fellatio, it is extremely unlikely that any
man is going to urinate in his partner's mouth by accident. While it is
the case that most men can urinate until an erection is very firm or
full, they can also control urination, whether erect or not. During
ejaculation there is a reflex action that contracts a muscle in the neck
of the bladder which leads to the penis preventing the flow of urine.
Thus, men cannot ejaculate and urinate at the same time.
If a person giving
fellatio is hesitant to have the man ejaculate
into her or his mouth, the partner can signal when he is about to
ejaculate and his penis can be removed from the mouth. For some, the
slightly salty and chlorine-like taste of semen (which can intermingle
with certain tastes from a partner's recent meal) can create an
unpleasant taste; others may find this unique taste part of the erotic
experience of lovemaking.
If couples feel
comfortable incorporating fellatio into their sexual relationship,
communication about their concerns and preferences, along with
experimentation with different techniques can allow for a pleasurable
experience for both partners. Those who feel uncertain about how to
perform fellatio or wish to learn more about this topic may want to
consult The Joy of Sex and More Joy of Sex books by Alex
Comfort.
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