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Sex Amma

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Masturbation is the word for the glorious art of self-pleasure and sexual satisfaction. It helps you know what your body desires. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Masturbation is not bad for you physically, sexually, or emotionally unless it is something you do not want to do.

“I jerk off quite a lot”, says the character Andrew Glouberman from Netflix’s teen animated comedy series Big Mouth. It’s totally normal for him to get open about it if we look at it normally. After all, you aren’t a jerk if you jerk off. Whatever gender you associate or don’t associate with, the act of masturbating is a natural impulse.

Did you masturbate today? You did or you might, once you come home after college. If you’re denying it, then my friend, I’m sorry but there’s no point in doing so. Of course, it’s a very intimate act but everyone is doing it and no one wants to talk about it. It’s an act of self-sexual pleasure which is sometimes, so much more satisfactory than regular sex. Heterosexual women might relate to this! Solo sex; it might amuse you, arouse you or make you feel
very content. You touch yourself “down there” until you orgasm, or maybe just until you feel a little aroused.

I don’t exactly remember when I masturbated for the first time, but I do remember feeling ecstatic, joyous and a
little sweaty. I discovered masturbation accidentally, like most kids. Honestly, I was very confused and didn’t know
what to make of it. However, I did feel guilty and was aware that this is something that I shouldn’t talk to my
parents about, even with my friends. Heck, I never even talked about periods, let alone masturbation. It felt very
personal and very private. I thought it was my thing, my own little secret. After that, I did masturbate often. Now,
tell me would you ever deny yourself such small pleasures in this wondrous journey called life?
Female masturbation is a mystery to most of the people out there; many try to hide it or deny it. Women masturbate
too! Accept it. The surprise a lot of people express when they find that I not only masturbate, but also admit it
unabashedly, tells how much of a taboo it is. And yes, women watch porn. We do, trust me. Unfortunately, despite
women’s affinity for adult films, most porn is geared toward heterosexual men, featuring women who are clearly
not enjoying themselves, are put in potentially degrading and dangerous situations, and are highlighted by the
camera as the primary person to be looked at.
Is there a specific way to masturbate? In the privacy of your own space, there’s no right or wrong way to masturbate. Generally, when we talk about masturbation we mean touching, pressing, rubbing, or massaging a person’s genitals, nipples, or other erogenous zones with the fingers or against an object such as a pillow. It can also include inserting
fingers or an object into the vagina or anus; or stimulating the genitals with toys such as an electric vibrator.
It’s okay to use toys or stimulate any part of your body that feels good—there are as many different ways to masturbate as there are people. Masturbation does not cause diseases; unless you’re using unwashed hands or an unsanitary object, masturbation cannot cause diseases. And unlike sex with a partner, masturbation won’t lead to unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STI).
Another myth that needs to be debunked is that one loses their virginity by masturbating. Virginity is just a patriarchal idea forced down through generations to control a woman’s sexuality. Concepts of virginity are sometimes linked with the idea that your vaginal opening is covered by a membrane that is “broken” by vaginal
sex; it’s all a sham, a way to keep women in check and under control.
There are a lot of benefits of masturbation. It can reduce stress, release tension, enhance sleep quality, boost concentration, elevate mood, relieve menstrual cramps, alleviate pain, and improve sexual life. It improves
sexual health by promoting intimacy, exploring self-pleasure and bodily needs, desires, reducing unwanted pregnancies, and preventing STI’s and HIV transmission.

Masturbation only becomes a problem if it begins to interfere with daily life and relationships with friends, family, co-workers, and romantic partners.

It’s okay to masturbate frequently, infrequently or not at all. There’s nothing wrong with not masturbating, if you
don’t want to. Make whatever choices you do around masturbation based on what feels good and right for you, rather
than based on fears of what others may think or myths about what masturbation can do to your body. When it comes to loving yourself and your body, pleasure isn’t just for fun—it’s a form of self-care. Why not treat yourself?

Feature Image Credits: Exberliner

Disha Saxena
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