Masturbation

Lina, do you want to… Oh, Maria comes in while Lina is fondling herself - masturbating. Awkward! Or, hold on. Does it have to be that embarrassing - really? Most people think it’s nice to touch their body.

No. On the genitals, nipples, around the anus, or other places. When people fondle themselves in this way it’s called masturbation. For young people, masturbating is also a way of discovering how they like to be caressed, and what makes them aroused - horny. Here are a vagina and a penis.

Most people masturbate by caressing the glans of their clitoris or their penis. On the glans there are lots of sensitive nerves. When these are touched the result is a pleasant feeling. When you become horny, blood flows to the vagina’s clitoris and labia, and to the penis, so that they swell and get hard. This make it even nicer to fondle these parts.

Many of those with vaginas enjoy pulling this fold - the clitoral hood - up and down over the clitoral glans with their fingers. Though for some this might feel a bit too much, too intense, since this glans is very sensitive. So many prefer to pull the inner labia up and down their clitoris instead, or to rub the clitoral hood over the glans and shaft. Others prefer to massage the shaft of their clitoris. How do those with a penis do it?

Well, many move a hand or their fingers back and forth over the glans and along the shaft. Those with a foreskin often like to pull this up and down over the glans. While those without a foreskin hold the hand a bit further down the shaft, pulling the skin there up and down towards the glans. But there are also many other ways to caress the genitals. Some rub or press themselves against something - like a pillow or soft clothes.

Others insert their fingers or sex toys like vibrators into their vagina or anus. When one caresses oneself it’s often to increase these nice sensations so they become more and more pleasurable until they reach the highest level: the climax. This is called an orgasm. The orgasm consists of a contraction of the muscles around the genitals that feels very pleasant. An orgasm might lead to the glands inside the genitals pushing a liquid out of the urethra - an ejaculation - but an orgasm doesn’t always have to result in this.

Many girls believe that this is a guy thing and don’t realise that they are able to get an ejaculation too. So some believe that they are peeing themselves. But this is not the case. There are a lot of prejudices about masturbation, such as, you might get hair growing in your hands, become blind, or run out of sperm so you can’t have kids. Some also believe that girls don’t masturbate as much as guys.

But there is no truth in any of these. Neither is it damaging in any way. Though of course, you might feel sore or chafe your skin a bit if you do it several times on the same day - then it’s a good idea to use a lubricant. Many also think that feels nicer to use in any case. Most people masturbate, whatever their age.

But how much and how often varies from person to person. Some masturbate once a month, others several times a day, and some not at all. How often one masturbates varies a lot depending on what period of life one is going through. Nothing is strange or less normal than anything else. So you don’t need to think it’s embarrassing Lina.

Easy for you to say.