Growing up, the sex education lessons that I received in school were exclusive of LGBTQ people and solely focused on intercourse between a cisgender straight man and woman. I found that sex included consent, trust, kissing, masturbation, oral intercourse, and more. It was only until I had had enough of butt jokes from cisgender straight friends that I realized that they thought of relationships cisgender gay men only have penetrative anal sex. I was only able to do so much to expand their views about gay sex, especially in a climate where the lives and experiences of LGBTQ people are still stigmatized and where six states have laws that expressly forbid teachers from discussing LGBTQ issues. Fortunately, recent research proves what I was trying to illustrate so long ago — that penetrative anal sex only occurs in about a third of sexual encounters between cisgender gay men. Well, the truth is, each individual, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has different sexual preferences, behaviors, and experiences.

My kids, pets and my days of the week. Why am I calling it the Barbie House? Probably because when I was young I desperately wanted one. She had an RV, sports car, pool, ski slope, amazing wardrobe and minimal competition for men. In addition, she never gained weight. Now I snap back into reality.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. While many opt for a thorough shower and hope for the best, some prefer anal douching.

The mere mention of anal sex is enough to make some people clench and squirm. The first step in exploring anal play is examining any attitudes or preconceived notions you may have towards it. Or have fears that someone may think your anus is unclean? Are there messages of slut shaming that get brought up when you think of anal sex? These are all valid, but may not be necessary to carry with you anymore.