This week, while I was having some long overdue girl talk, the topic of what men think that women want that we actually don’t want came up. This topic then broadened to sex and relationship myths that honestly aren’t true. I am here to debunk these myths for educational purposes:
Myth: You can’t get pregnant if….you have sex in a hot-tub, you have sex while on your period, you “pull out”, or use the rhythm/calendar method.
Truth: You can get pregnant in any of these situations if you do not use a condom or birth control. The chemicals in hot-tubs do not kill sperm but actually do make sex dangerous for a female (by having chemicals in the water getting pushed up inside you). Sperm can live inside the vagina for up to seven days outlasting a period.
Pulling out while not using any birth control is one of the most common misconceptions (no pun intended); you could still get pregnant from “pre-cum”. Finally using the rhythm or calendar method to mark when you are ovulating and the days you are least fertile does not guarantee that you won’t get pregnant. You can get pregnant at any time. In fact, this method is often used when trying to conceive.
Myth: Men think about sex every seven seconds.
Fact: There is no study that has proved this statistic. If this were true, that would mean that men think about sex 8,000 times in a 16 hour day. A study from Ohio State University for the “Journal of Sex Research” was trying to put this myth to bed. Scientists asked 163 female students and 120 male students to count their sexual thoughts throughout their day. These researchers found that men averaged sexual thoughts about 19 times per day (or every 1.26 hours) whereas women averaged 10 times per day. Much more manageable than 8,000.
Myth: Race and hand size are indicators of the endowment of a man.
Fact: There is absolutely no correlation between the size of a man’s hands/feet/nose in relation to his genitals. As for race, data shows there is a slight difference but it is not enough to be considered “significant.” All in all, there is no difference and there is no way to tell.
Myth: Two condoms are better than one.
Fact: Two condoms are actually worse than one. The friction caused between the two condoms makes them more liable to break, possibly causing pregnancy.
Myth: You need to have sex to sustain a good relationship/good relationships have sex often.
Fact: Research shows that the earlier you introduce sex into a relationship, the more likely it is to fail. Relationship experts insist you wait as long as possible as get to know the person before complicating feelings.
Myth: Oysters are an aphrodisiac.
Fact: There are no known aphrodisiacs. Oysters are believed to be because of their vulvar shape, but there are no qualities that cause arousal.
Myth: Oral sex isn’t sex.
Fact: While Bill Clinton may agree with that, oral sex is in fact sex. Use protection as needed.
Myth: Women don’t masturbate.
Fact: Reportedly 65 percent of the adult female population masturbates.
Myth: Most women orgasm through intercourse.
Fact: Only one third of women orgasm through intercourse. More than half of women report enjoying foreplay more than actual sex.
Myth: Hooking up with a guy will make him want you as his girlfriend.
Fact: Never, ever let yourself think that. If a guy doesn’t explcitly say that, then don’t assume it. No one wants to be the reliable screw.
Myth: Size matters.
Fact: While this is actually true, it is not in the way you may think. Bigger isn’t always better.