In light of International Masturbation Month (yes that’s a thing and yes we’re in the midst of it) we’re going to do away with one of the last sexual taboos.
Female masturbation.
In a world where you can get ogre, tentacle and even pterodactyl porn on demand (…or so I’ve heard) apparently it is still off limits to openly and comfortably discuss the fact that women masturbate.
Men on the other hand...Image via Universal Studios.
But we do. And a recent survey released by sex toy manufacturer We-Vibe's, as well as a study by The Journal of Sex Research, outline exactly how we do it.
We like routine.
62% of respondents said that they follow a routine every time they masturbate. This might involve watching pornography, using a sex toy or looking at pictures. When women discover what they like, they stick to it.
In the spirit of full disclosure, here's what our lady gardens look like. Post continues below.
Most of us like sex toys.
Perhaps there is an element of bias here given that a sex toy manufacturer funded the study, but nonetheless 52% of respondents said they thought sex toys were the best way to "spice up" their routine. Unsurprisingly, women are 16 times more likely than men to use a sex toy during masturbation.
Some of us think about celebrities.
Women are far less likely than men to fantasise about celebrities when they masturbate. But when they do, they think about Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood (...really?), Jennifer Lawrence, Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling and Adam Levine. Not all at once. Or maybe they do. Each to their own.
They needed a...study...to determine that women think about Ryan Gosling? Image via Warner Bros.
On average we masturbate once a week.
According to a study in The Journal of Sex Research most women report that they masturbate about once a week.
We have no idea what other women are doing in bed.
The same study revealed that women assume other women are engaging in self-penetrative masturbation with either a sex toy or their fingers. However, this isn't usually the case. In reality, women mostly focus on clitoral stimulation.
Marnie knew what was up. Image via Girls, HBO.
We're all a big bunch of liars.
Women lie about their sex lives all the time. Nearly a quarter of respondents reported that they had "never spoken openly" about their sexual experiences. It is estimated that about 92% of women masturbate, but the statistics are notoriously unreliable given women's reluctance to speak candidly about solo sex.
We wish you a very happy and satisfying International Masturbation Month. May you stick to your favourite routine, while looking at photos of Channing Tatum, armed with a sex toy.
And may we all, for the love of Ryan Gosling, stop lying about it.
