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Summary

The website content provides a historical and cultural perspective on masturbation, debunking myths, and highlighting its potential benefits for mental and physical wellbeing, while also discussing the prevalence of sex toy usage during masturbation.

Abstract

The article titled "Love Yourself: Let’s get Masturbating!" offers a brief exploration into the history and societal attitudes towards masturbation, from the open sexuality of early Romans to the moral condemnation in the 17th and 18th centuries. It challenges the historical stigma associated with masturbation by presenting research suggesting its role in preventing various health issues. The piece also notes the widespread use of sex toys in America, as evidenced by studies published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Additionally, it touches on the specific cultural terms for masturbation in Japan and concludes with a humorous note on the safety and control one has over the act of self-pleasure.

Opinions

  • The author implies a positive view of masturbation, suggesting it is a natural and healthy part of sexuality.
  • There is a critical opinion towards past societal views that labeled masturbation as a "heinous sin" and linked it to mental and physical illnesses.
  • The author seems to appreciate the Roman's openness about sexuality and masturbation, as well as the descriptive nature of Japanese terms for masturbation.
  • The author expresses skepticism about the size of the survey group used in the study about sex toy usage, indicating it might not be fully representative.
  • The author endorses the idea that masturbation can contribute to better health, citing research on how it may help prevent certain illnesses.
  • There is a humorous undertone in the author's notes, particularly when commenting on the Romans' road-building abilities and the safety of masturbation compared to social interactions.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Sexuality

Love Yourself: Let’s get Masturbating!

Three minutes of self-pleasure trivia

I have always thought sex and masturbation helped my immunity system.

Nowadays, many view masturbation as a part of their self-care routine, but that has not always been the case — let’s delve into some trivia about the one sexual act most adults do, or have tried. Yeah, and we like to repeat often — just to see if it still works as well as it did the last time…

Here are a handful of fun facts about that thing we just don't like to talk about at dinner parties — Masturbation.

1. Loving Masturbation

The early Romans were many things. Including being open about their sexuality! Well before Jesus came along, they had clay figurines — showing a woman touching herself, and obviously enjoying it.

Author Note: They could build pretty good roads too :-)

2. Onania — Masturbation will result in disease

In the early 1700s an anonymous pamphlet titled Onania was published and put an end to any masturbation fun. Instead of pleasure, it was called “heinous sin” of “self-pollution.” This idea continued through the 16th and 17th centuries, and over 60 percent of mental and physical illnesses were blamed on masturbation.

Author Note: Well, I know who I think are the crazy ones!

3. Statistics reveal that 50% of Americans use sex toys while masturbating

Funded by Church and Dwight Co. Inc. the studies surveyed more than 2k women and 1k men (ages 18 to 60) on their use of vibrators. The results were published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2009 and revealed that more than 50% of women and 45% of men used vibrators during masturbation, and sexual intercourse. The numbers are sure to be incrementally increased over time!

Author note — that is not really a vast survey group.

4. Masturbation may help mental and physical wellbeing

The University of Sydney’s Anthony Santella and Spring Chenoa Cooper explain in their article, that masturbation can keep several illnesses from cystitis, and diabetes to prostate cancer at bay.

“For women, masturbation can help prevent cervical infections and urinary tract infections through the process of “tenting,” or the opening of the cervix that occurs as part of the arousal process. Tenting stretches the cervix, and thus the cervical mucous. This enables fluid circulation, allowing cervical fluids full of bacteria to be flushed out.”

Author Note: I have always thought sex and masturbation helped my immunity system.

5. The Japanese

The Japanese word for male masturbation is senzuri, which translates to ‘a thousand rubs.’ While the word for female masturbation is, shiko shiko manzuri which means ‘ten thousand rubs’.

Author Note: I love it when just a single word can describe something so well. Don't you?

Masturbation is always very safe. You not only control the person you’re with, but you can leave when you want to.

Dudley Moore

More from Juniper:

Sexuality
Self Care
Pleasure
Sexual Health
Advice and Opinion
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