Sex! This one word is enough to add a few exclamation marks on the face of some while imparting a mysterious smile on the face of others. Sex is indeed a complicated subject because of unwillingness and hesitation to talk about it openly.
High school education just covers the bare bones of sex, thus, likely to miss a dozen important information pieces. If you are carrying certain queries related to sexual wellness, you are probably not the only one. The subject is quite entangled and finding answers with limited information turns intimidating.
5 Sex Myths and the Truth Behind Them
Let’s break down five common sex myths and offer you some facts instead.
#1: Masturbation is bad for you
There are a lot of stigmas associated with masturbation. But in reality, it can help you become a better lover. This is because it helps you discover what you like; only then can you communicate the same to your partner for happy sex life.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of; it is very natural. Apart from that, you can also derive some general health benefits from it, including sleep promotion, relaxation, stress reduction to name a few. However, you need to maintain optimum hygiene as you masturbate.
#2: You can tell if someone is a virgin by looking at their hymen
You must have heard that you lose your virginity by popping a cherry. Interestingly, virginity is just a concept. The idea of virginity also keeps on shifting as time changes, just like the understanding of hymen.
Pivoting around something that can be lost is just a social construct and nothing more. Also, looking at the vagina and ascertaining the anatomy of a hymen is purely one of the sex myths because indulging in physical activities like horse riding, cycling and athletics can lead to a broken hymen.
#3: You can’t get pregnant if:
You must have encountered a few IFs that tell you, you can’t get pregnant if you do this or that. So, here we are, breaking them right away.
- You have sex in a hot shower
Anytime you have sex, irrespective of the location or the position, you are on the verge of being pregnant or getting an STD. Water, no matter the temperature, surely is not a birth control agent!
- It’s your first time
The fact remains that pregnancy happens when sperm establishes contact with a fertilized egg. Female produces one egg every month, and around 200 million sperms are there in an ejaculation. So, be it your first time or umpteenth time, pregnancy can happen without safe sex!
- You’re having sex on your period
Some women get long period cycles that overlap, leaving them fertile even when they are on the period. Research suggests that pregnancy is possible when having sex on periods, though rare. Your safest bet is using protection!
Related: Period Sex: What, Why and How!
- You stand up after sex or wash it
Unprotected sex is always prone to pregnancy, no matter how much you clean out the vagina afterwards. This is a big sex myth to wash your vagina after making love which is disturbing the healthy environment of the vagina leading to vaginal infections and other long term health issues. Also, standing up after sex causes gravity to pull sperms away from the cervix, but that is not a definite solution to prevent pregnancy. Although chances are still there.
- He pulls out before ejaculation
According to Planned Parenthood, 22 out of 100 women are likely to get pregnant with only the pull-out method in place. It’s a sex myth that pulling out will save you from pregnancy. Yes, the pre-cum does not carry sperm, but enough sperms are already present in the urethra from previous intercourse or ejaculation that can effectively cause a pregnancy.
If you believed in one of these myths and are waiting on your period, you could use the Sirona PeeBuddy PregRX Pregnancy Test Strip Funnels without having to collect pee (shameless plug).
#4: Real-life sex has to be like pornography
What you see on screen is a lot simpler than what you have in reality. Pornography cannot be compared to or convey real-life sex. Watching porn can rob you of the pleasure of having a sexual experience by building up unrealistic expectations.
#5: You can easily know if you or your partner has STI
STIs and STDs normally carry no visible symptoms. Tests need to be conducted to detect the presence of STIs. Also, many individuals shy away from revealing the fact that they are suffering from such infections to their partners.
So, thinking you can ascertain sexual health without any medical examinations is purely a myth.
Conclusion
There are several myths around sex- be it masturbation, hymen, virginity, porn, pregnancy or STIs.
There may be many more sex myths circulating and it’s time to debunk these myths and lead a sexually healthy life. Visit your sexologist to get your doubts cleared for safe and happy sex life.
How do you feel after learning about these sex myths? Did you believe in any of them?
Comment below.
