| Revision as of 20:29, 3 February 2011 view sourceFlyer22 Frozen (talk | contribs)365,630 edits →Behaviors: Sources. Tweaks. Removed redundancy.← Previous edit | Revision as of 20:32, 3 February 2011 view source Flyer22 Frozen (talk | contribs)365,630 edits →Research: Other information from Masters and Johnson.Next edit → | ||
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| In 1953, ]'s '']'' noted that, over the previous five years of sexual activity, 78% of women had ]s in 60% to 100% of ] with other women, compared with 55% for heterosexual sex.<ref>]; ]; ], & ] ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Female'', Philadelphia: Saunders (1953), ISBN 978-0253334114.</ref> | In 1953, ]'s '']'' noted that, over the previous five years of sexual activity, 78% of women had ]s in 60% to 100% of ] with other women, compared with 55% for heterosexual sex.<ref>]; ]; ], & ] ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Female'', Philadelphia: Saunders (1953), ISBN 978-0253334114.</ref> | ||
| Studies by other scholars including ] and ] |
Studies by other scholars including ] and ] have concluded that lesbian sexual behaviors more often have qualities associated with sexual satisfaction than their heterosexual counterparts. These can include aspects such as more full-body sexual contact, rather than genital-focused contact, less preoccupation or anxiety about achieving orgasm, more sexual assertiveness and communication about sexual needs, ] and greater satisfaction with the overall quality of one's sexual life.<ref name="Iasenza">Iasenza, S. , ] newsletter (November 9, 2001). Retrieved on June 14, 2009.</ref> Masters and Johnson's 1979 study on lesbian sexual practices concluded that vaginal penetration with dildos is rare, and that lesbians tend to do more overall genital stimulation than direct clitoral stimulation, which is also often the case for heterosexual relationships.<ref name="BOoks.google.com">{{cite book|authors = Jerrold S. Greenberg, Clint E. Bruess, Sarah C. Conklin|title =Exploring the dimensions of human sexuality|id = ISBN 0763741485, 9780763741488|publisher=Jones & Bartlett Learning|year=2007|pages=884|accessdate=2010-12-19|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ZdYh_iFZvbkC&pg=PA429&dq=&hl=en&ei=XFsMTbacF8T48AbC56STDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Lesbians%20and%20tribadism&f=false}}</ref> | ||
| ==Health risks== | ==Health risks== | ||
Revision as of 20:32, 3 February 2011
Lesbian sexual practices are sexual activities where the participants are women. The participants can be lesbian or bisexual women, though some prefer to refer to themselves as women who have sex with women and dispensing with sexual identification. As with most interpersonal relationships, any physical expression of intimacy between women depends on the context of the relationship along with social, cultural and other influences.
Behaviors
Lesbian sexual activities may be of a penetrative or non-penetrative nature. These behaviors include fingering (digital penetration; which may or may not be penetrative), non-penetrative sex, oral sex (which may or may not be penetrative), stimulation of nipples or other erogenous zone, tribadism (sometimes known as scissoring), and there are various sex positions. More rarely used is anal-oral sex. For penetrative sex regarding internal stimulation of the vagina, fingers, the tongue, a strap-on dildo, dildo or other artificial device can be used; for variety, sex toys are sometimes used and BDSM activities may be enjoyed.
Sex educator and feminist Shere Hite's research (while subject to methodological limitations) showed "sex as we define it is a cultural institution, not a biological one," that most women need clitoral or exterior stimulation for orgasm which can be "easy and strong, given the right stimulation" and most women reach orgasm more easily by masturbation. Hite noted one of her female research subjects had written, "Sex with a woman includes: touching, kissing, smiling, looking serious, embracing, talking, digital intercourse, caressing, looking, cunnilingus, undressing, remembering later, making sounds, sometimes gently biting, sometimes crying, and breathing and sighing together."
Research
In 1953, Alfred Kinsey's Sexual Behavior in the Human Female noted that, over the previous five years of sexual activity, 78% of women had orgasms in 60% to 100% of sexual encounters with other women, compared with 55% for heterosexual sex.
Studies by other scholars including Masters and Johnson and Marilyn Frye have concluded that lesbian sexual behaviors more often have qualities associated with sexual satisfaction than their heterosexual counterparts. These can include aspects such as more full-body sexual contact, rather than genital-focused contact, less preoccupation or anxiety about achieving orgasm, more sexual assertiveness and communication about sexual needs, longer lasting sexual encounters and greater satisfaction with the overall quality of one's sexual life. Masters and Johnson's 1979 study on lesbian sexual practices concluded that vaginal penetration with dildos is rare, and that lesbians tend to do more overall genital stimulation than direct clitoral stimulation, which is also often the case for heterosexual relationships.
Health risks
are generally agreed upon by
public health officials for
women who have sex with women
to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs):
Avoid contact with a partner’s menstrual blood and with any visible genital lesions. Cover sex toys that penetrate more than one person’s vagina or anus with a new condom for each person; consider using different toys for each person. Use a barrier (e.g., latex sheet, dental dam, cut-open condom, plastic wrap) during oral sex. Use latex or vinyl gloves and lubricant for any manual sex that might cause bleeding.
When lesbian sexual activity is of a non-penetrative nature, the risk of exchange of bodily fluids is generally lower than other forms of sexual intercourse, the incidence of transmission of a sexually transmitted disease or HIV is relatively low, though not eliminated.
Sexually tramsmitted diseases
Like most sexual activity, lesbian sexual activities can carry risks of sexually transmitted and other pathogenic diseases. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported there is little data available regarding the risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases between women. However CDC notes that pathogens such as metronidazole-resistant trichomoniasis, genotype-concordant HIV, human papilloma virus (HPV, which has been linked to nearly all cases of cervical cancer) and syphilis can be spread through sexual contact between women. While the rates of these pathologies is unknown, one study showed 30% of lesbians and bisexual women had medical histories with sexually transmitted diseases. This does not mean sexually active lesbians are exposed to higher health risks than the general population. Health Canada noted "the prevalence of all types of HPV (cancer and non-cancer-causing) in different groups of Canadian women ranges from 20%–33%" and an American university study found 60% of sexually active females were infected with HPV at some time within a three year period.
HIV
The CDC did not recognize female-to-female transmission as a possible method of HIV infection until 1995. It is possible, though less likely, for transmission to occur in female-to-female sexual activity. Though the risk is not as high as for male-to-male and male-to-female transmission, the risk is still present. HIV can be spread through body fluids, such as blood (including menstrual blood), vaginal fluid and breast milk. Transmission can also take place through oral sex if a woman has cuts or sores in her mouth, or poor oral hygiene, especially if her partner is menstruating. HIV can also be spread through the sharing of penetrative sex toys if their use results in broken skin within the vagina or anus.
See also
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References
- ^ Hite Research, The Hite Reports: What do they say?, retrieved 27 Nov 2007
- ^ and tribadism&f=false Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender aging: research and clinical perspectives. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2006. p. 303. ISBN 0231136188, 9780231136181. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
{{cite book}}: Check|url=value (help); Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. 2009. p. 629. ISBN 0495602744, 9780495602743. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - Diamant AL, Lever J, Schuster M (2000). "Lesbians' Sexual Activities and Efforts to Reduce Risks for Sexually Transmitted Diseases". J Gay Lesbian Med Assoc. 4 (2): 41–8. doi:10.1023/A:1009513623365.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Stark, P. Statistics Tools for Internet and Classroom Instruction, University of California, Berkeley, retrieved 27 Nov 2007
- Hite, S. Lesbianism: Women's Sexual Expression Together, Hite Research, retrieved 27 Nov 2007
- Kinsey, A.; Pomeroy, W.; Martin, C., & Gebhard, P. Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, Philadelphia: Saunders (1953), ISBN 978-0253334114.
- Iasenza, S. The Big Lie: Lesbian Bed Death, Fridae newsletter (November 9, 2001). Retrieved on June 14, 2009.
- Exploring the dimensions of human sexuality. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2007. p. 884. ISBN 0763741485, 9780763741488. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - Mravack, Sally A. (July 2006)."Primary Care for Lesbians and Bisexual Women", American Family Physician 74 (2) p. 279–286.
- LesbianSTD.com, retrieved 27 November 2007
- ^ Centers for Disease Control, "Women Who Have Sex with Women (WSW)"., retrieved 27 November 2007
- Lee R (2000). "Health care problems of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients". West J Med. 172 (6): 403–8. doi:10.1136/ewjm.172.6.403. PMC 1070935. PMID 10854396.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Stephen J. Genuis, Managing the sexually transmitted disease pandemic: A time for reevaluation, Teach2Wait, retrieved 27 November 2007
- Osborn B (2003). "Rare Case of Lesbian HIV Transmission Reported". Lesbian News. 28 (8): 15.
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