Defining Pleasure: A Focus Group Study of Solitary and Partnered Sexual Pleasure in Queer and Heterosexual Women

Solitary and partnered sexuality are typically depicted as fundamentally similar, but empirical evidence suggests they differ in important ways. 

We investigated how women's definitions of sexual pleasure overlapped and diverged when considering solitary versus partnered sexuality. Based on an interdisciplinary literature, we explored whether solitary pleasure would be characterized by eroticism (e.g., genital pleasure, orgasm) and partnered pleasure by nurturance (e.g., closeness). 

Via focus groups with a sexually diverse sample of women aged 18-64 (N = 73), we found that women defined solitary and partnered pleasure in both convergent and divergent ways that supported expectations. Autonomy was central to definitions of solitary pleasure, whereas trust, giving pleasure, and closeness were important elements of partnered pleasure. Both solitary and partnered pleasure involved exploration for self-discovery or for growing a partnered relationship. 

Definitions of pleasure were largely similar across age and sexual identity; however, relative to queer women, heterosexual women (especially younger heterosexual women) expressed greater ambivalence toward solitary masturbation and partnered orgasm. 

Results have implications for women's sexual well-being across multiple sexual identities and ages, and for understanding solitary and partnered sexuality as overlapping but distinct constructs.

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By:  Goldey KL1,2, Posh AR1, Bell SN3, van Anders SM4.

• 1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
• 2Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, St. Edward's University, Austin, TX, USA.
• 3Departments of Psychology and Women's Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
• 4Departments of Psychology and Women's Studies, Programs in Neuroscience and Reproductive Sciences, Science, Technology, and Society Program, Biosocial Methods Collaborative, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. smva@umich.edu. 
• Arch Sex Behav. 2016 Mar 23.

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Beyond Anal Sex: Sexual Practices of Men Who Have Sex with Men and Associations with HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections

INTRODUCTION:

Unprotected anal intercourse is often used as a single indicator of risky behavior in men who have sex with men (MSM), yet MSM engage in a variety of behaviors that have unknown associations with sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV.

AIM:

To assess the prevalence of a wide range of sexual behaviors and their associations with prevalent STI and HIV.

METHODS:

We used a standardized, self-administered survey to collect behavioral data for this cross-sectional study of 235 MSM seeking care in a public clinic for sexually transmitted diseases.

MEAN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Using modified Poisson regression, we generated unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) to characterize associations between recent participation in each behavior and prevalent STI and HIV.

RESULTS:

Participants' median age was 26 years. One third (35%) were positive for STI. STI prevalence was significantly associated with using sex slings, felching, group sex, fisting, anonymous sex, and sex toys. HIV prevalence was 17% and was significantly associated with fisting, felching, enemas, and group sex.

CONCLUSION:

Multiple behaviors were significantly associated with prevalent STI and HIV in adjusted analyses. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of sexual risk in MSM, prospective studies are needed to examine whether these behaviors are causally associated with HIV and STI acquisition.

Purchase full article at:   http://goo.gl/nGtyU8

By:  Rice CE1, Maierhofer C2, Fields KS3, Ervin M3, Lanza ST4, Turner AN2.

• 1Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Methodology Center (https://methodology.psu.edu/), College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. Electronic address: cer5374@psu.edu.
• 2Division of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
• 3Sexual Health Clinic, Columbus Public Health, Columbus, OH, USA.
• 4Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Methodology Center, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. 
• J Sex Med. 2016 Feb 4. pii: S1743-6095(16)00074-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.01.001.

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Sexual Behaviours, Sex Toy & Sexual Safety Methods Reported by Women Who Have Sex with Women & Men

Background: 
Relative to women who engage in sex with exclusively men or women, women who have sex with women and men (WSWM) are more likely to report a history of sexually transmissible infections. Knowledge of the diversity and specificity of the sexual behaviours in which they engage may provide insight into the behavioural modes of infection. The present study sought to document a range of behaviours including concurrent multi-person sexual activity (e.g. orgy, threesome), anal sexual activity and sex toy use. Barrier use methods during specific behaviours were also assessed. 

Methods: Eighty women who reported recent genital contact with at least one man and one woman were recruited via targeted Internet, venue-based and snowball sampling methods. Consenting participants were directed to an online survey. During an in-person timeline follow-back interview (the SEQUENCE© calendar method), a subset of participants (n = 53) provided detailed sexual behaviour data for each sexual partner over the previous 12 months. 

Results: Almost three-quarters of the sample reported at least one concurrent multi-person sexual activity. Nearly two-thirds of participants reported engaging in sexual behaviour that involved their own (66.7%) or their partner's (49.4%) anus in the past year. Barrier use for sexual behaviours other than penile-vaginal intercourse was uncommon. Behaviours and safety strategies were similar with men and women regardless of partner gender. 

Conclusions: The sexual repertoires reported by participants in this study were diverse. Understanding the range of diverse sexual behaviours of the participants may enable the construction of tailored recommendations for sexual health maintenance among WSWM.

Purchase full article at:   http://goo.gl/xpEjLh

By:   Vanessa Schick A E, Brian Dodge B, Barbara Van Der Pol C, Aleta Baldwin B and J. Dennis Fortenberry D 

A University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Division of Management, Policy, and Community Health, School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Rm E-917, Houston, TX 77030, USA. 

B Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, 1025 E.7th Street SPH 116, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. 

C University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Infectious Diseases, 1900 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. 

D Indiana University School of Medicine, Division of Adolescent Medicine, 410 West 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. 

E Corresponding author. Email: Vanessa.Schick@uth.tmc.edu 

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Changes in Perception of Exotic Dance? A Comparison of Exotic Dancers and Female University Students

In the last few years, sex has become more acceptable in mainstream culture. People take pole dancing classes as a form of recreation, the amount of sex shown in movies and on television is rising, and people host passion or sex toy parties quite often. It was hypothesized that this rise in the acceptance of sex and sexuality may have also led to an increase in acceptance of exotic dancing.

This study compared the personality characteristics, attitudes towards sex, self-esteem, and attitudes toward exotic dance and dancers within a group of exotic dancers to a group of female university students. 

Results revealed that, contrary to popular belief, exotic dancers and university students were very similar in levels of self-esteem, personality characteristics, and attitudes towards exotic dance.

Via:  http://ht.ly/UAsdo PDF Poster: http://goo.gl/PWZuXC

By: Brodie Lewis, & Cory L. Pedersen of https://twitter.com/OrgasmRLab

 

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