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Anal sex or anal intercourse is a form of human sexual behavior. While there are many sexual acts involving the anus, anal cavity, sphincter valve and/or rectum, the specific meaning describes the insertion of the erect penis into the rectum through the anus. The insertion of a sex toy (dildo, butt plug, vibrator) or other object, the finger or the hand (fisting) as well as the tongue (anilingus) counts as anal stimulation and is not considered anal sex. Anal sex may be performed in either a heterosexual or homosexual context.

Overview

Although it is also practiced by heterosexuals and bisexuals, anal sex is often associated with homosexual men. However, like persons of other sexual orientations, some homosexual and bisexual men enjoy sexual activities of this kind while others do not.

Due to the wide range of people who practice anal sex, the reasons that people have for practicing anal sex vary greatly. Some men and women report being able to reach orgasm from receiving anal sex, with or without simultaneous stimulation of their genitals (penis or clitoris). Generally, for women, pleasure is derived through anal intercourse due to the shared nerve endings that are located between the rectal wall and the vagina, and/or from indirect stimulation of the G-spot. The anus itself contains many nerves as well, which can also react in a pleasurable manner when excited.

Anal sex among heterosexuals

Edward O. Laumann's The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States found that about 20% of heterosexuals have engaged in anal sex, and sex researcher Alfred Kinsey found that number to be closer to 40%. More recently, a researcher from the University of British Columbia (quoted in the May 5 2005 issue of The Georgia Straight) puts the number of heterosexuals who regularly practice anal sex at between 30% and 50%.

In several cultures female receptive anal intercourse in a heterosexual context is widely accepted, especially as there is lower risk of unwanted pregnancy via unprotected anal intercourse (though this is not an absolute guarantee, since semen can leak from the anus, across the perineum, and enter the vagina). Anal sex is even sometimes seen as preserving female virginity, because it leaves the hymen intact. Another reason is that the anus is considered to be "tighter" than the vagina (especially right after a delivery), therefore yielding more tactile pleasure for the penis.

The taboo surrounding anal sex may have its roots in supposed psychoses deemed responsible for such "deviation". Some argue that a male heterosexual attraction to the practice has a basis in patriarchal mythologies surrounding a fear of the vagina and suspicion of women's sexual enjoyment and appetites (see succubus). Additionally, they argue that the appeal of anal sex to many male heterosexuals is a fetish of the taboo associated with feces and human waste, as well as of violence and domination, as anal sex practices can result in the bruising and tearing of tissue. Others have argued that the avoidance of the anus is essentially human escapism, a facade whereby man denies his excretory functions, and that, ergo, the practice of the act is merely a form of disillusionment (cf. Ernest Becker's The Denial of Death) Moreover, the social taboo surrounding anal sex could potentially be seen as an example of political and religious dogma affecting modern culture, whereby the taboo itself is materilased through initial observance of religious morals, for example those held by some branches of Christianity or Islam.

From a utilitarian perspective it is also argued by some that the anus is a highly sensitive area with erogenous potential, providing ample opportunity for sexual arousal; that anal sex is a natural permutation of human sexuality, little different from oral sex or other noncoital contact; and that women can derive as much pleasure from the violation of taboos against non-traditional sexual practices as men can. Studies such as that done by Kinsey have suggested that approximately 35-40% of women who have experienced anal sex find it pleasurable, though this figure may vary depending on many factors.

In many cultures, even those where female receptive anal intercourse is considered normative, male receptive anal intercourse, even in a heterosexual context, is seen as taboo, or as less common. In some cultures anal sex is so commonly linked with homosexuality that any male who engages in receptive anal intercourse is considered homosexual, even if he is penetrated by a female partner with a sexual device (see pegging) or other things such as her hand, finger, or fist. In some cultures, only males who are penetrated by other males are considered homosexual, while males who penetrate other males are not.

Anal sex between male participants

In modern times in Western cultures, anal sex is popularly associated with homosexual or bisexual men. Studies (Lauman, for example) claim that about 80% of homosexual men in the United States have engaged in anal sex.

Not all, however, regularly engage in anal sex or find it pleasurable. According to the Lauman study a significant minority (the remaining 20%) never engage in it at all. The Corroborative studies in the urban men's health study (also known as Gay Urban Men's Study, P.I. Stall, UCSF) and the Young Men's Study (YMS, PI Osmond/Catania, UCSF) claim that only 50% of men surveyed engage in anal sex. Furthermore, the numbers in sexual surveys tend to reflect whether those surveyed have ever had anal sex or have had anal sex in the last year, not distinguishing between men who've simply tried it and men who regularly engage in it. Since data on homosexual and bisexual sexual behavior tend to arouse such controversy, it is difficult to draw reliable conclusions in this area.

While some male couples comprise an "active" partner and a "receptive" or "passive" partner (a top and a bottom) this is not true of all gay/bi couples who practice anal sex: many gay or bisexual men have anal sex as both "top" and "bottom" at different times, also known as "versatile" or "switch."

Several gay slang terms, such as the ones described are generally reserved only for anal sex between two males.

In certain contexts male-male anal intercourse among males who otherwise identify as heterosexual is seen as a temporary behaviour to which they resort when confined in single-sex environments. Currently, such a situation is likely to be found only in prisons (see: Situational sexual behavior and Prison sex), but there is notable occurrence in boarding schools , and in the armed forces . Some men have sex with men without categorising themselves as homosexual or bisexual.

Anal sex between female participants

This section needs expansion. You can help by making an edit requestadding to it .

Two women may have anal sex by using a strap-on dildo. Many females have replaced the strap-on with such objects as their fingers, fists, tongues, and many other various sexual toys.

Cultural issues

Eastern cultures

Historically, several cultures, such as medieval Japan and others are known to have been normative practitioners of male-male anal intercourse, often in the context of a mentor-student relationship between an adolescent male and an adult man (see pederasty). Some claim that the males who participated in such relationships cannot properly be called homosexual, arguing that in classical cultures such distinctions did not exist, and participation in these male-male relationships did not preclude sex with women.

Ancient cultures

The practice is thought to have been so common in Ancient Greece that the term "Greek love" was used to refer to the practice, and in modern times, "Doing it the Greek way" is sometimes used as slang for anal sex. However, the view that homosexual anal sex was a commonly accepted practice in Ancient Greece is widely debated. Pederasty was an important part of society in Ancient Greece, as the bond between a young man and an older man was seen to help in his maturation. These relationships often included sex but not always. There are certainly many works of pottery and other art that display anal sex between older men and boys, as well as some depicting only adult men. Some literature has argued that the important social transgression was lowering oneself socially, that is, a high status person was not supposed to be penetrated by a lower status person, and thus passive anal intercourse by such men would have been frowned upon and considered a serious moral transgression. Much evidence exists that shows great tolerance for homosexual relationships, but it was generally expected that these relationships would not preclude heterosexual relationships, due to the need for procreation. How acceptable anal sex was may have varied depending on the time-period, as Ancient Greece spanned a long time. Male passive anal intercourse was (traditionally) frowned-upon in Rome, while playing the active role with a slave was acceptable. In fact the Romans thought of anal sex as something particularly "Greek". Others have argued that in Greece, rather than anal sex, male-male couples actually engaged in non-penetrative interfemoral intercourse. However, this view has been disputed. The historian K.J. Dover discusses these matters thoroughly in his classic work Greek Homosexuality. Also disputed is the assertion that Greek courtesans, or hetaerae, frequently practiced heterosexual anal intercourse as a means of preventing pregnancy.

In several cultures, notably Japan, records (including detailed shunga) leave no question that male-male couples did engage in penetrative anal intercourse.

Evidence suggestive of widespread heterosexual anal intercourse in a pre-modern culture can be found in the erotic vases, or stirrup-spout pots, made by the Moche people of Peru; in a survey of a collection of these pots, it was found that 31 percent of them depicted heterosexual anal intercourse, more by far than any other sex act.

The 19th century anthropologist Richard Francis Burton has theorized that there is a geographical Sotadic zone wherein male/male penetrative intercourse is particularly prevalent and accepted; moreover he was one of the first writers to advance the premise that such an orientation is biologically determined.

Western cultures

In many Western countries, anal sex has generally been thought taboo since Middle Ages when heretical movements were sometimes slandered by rumours that their members practiced anal sex among themselves. At that time the mainstream Christian clergy was not celibate, but the highest orders of some heretical sects were, leading to rumours that their celibacy was a sign of their attraction to members of the same sex. The term buggery originated in medieval Europe as an insult used to describe the rumoured same-sex sexual practices of the heretics from the Buggre sect. This sect originated in medieval Bulgaria, where its followers were called bogomils, but when they spread out of the country they were called buggres (from the ethnonym Bulgars).

Some medieval European woodcuts portray persons kissing the anus of a goat-like figure, sometimes referred to as Baphomet, representing the Christian Devil.

As recently as 2003, several jurisdictions in the United States had laws making anal sex and other forms of sodomy a crime. Many of these statutes purported to prohibit anal sex by same-sex partners. In 2003, John Lawrence and Tyron Garner brought a landmark suit that challenged as unconstitutional Texas's anti-sodomy law before the United States Supreme Court. Lawrence and Garner had previously been apprehended in Lawrence's home in the act of anal sex, after a neighbour had made a false noise complaint to the local police. The Supreme Court struck down the Texas law by a 6–3 vote. Five of the justices joined the deciding opinion, which overturned the Court's previous ruling on sodomy in Bowers v. Hardwick. The Court reached the conclusion that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibited the state from regulating private behaviours between adults without furthering a legitimate state interest. The governmental interest behind the law, "moral" objection to homosexuality, was held to not be a legitimate interest. (See Lawrence v. Texas.)

In Islam, Christianity, and Judaism

Anal sex is officially banned by most Islamic sects. Homosexuality between men is considered abnormal in many Islamic cultures. There are parts of the Qu'ran which talk about smiting on Sodom and Gomorrah, and this is usually considered to be banning homosexual male sex, and so there are hadith and Islamic laws which prohibit it. There are no Islamic sects which consider it normal. Although most Christian denominations disapprove of anal sex, some believe it to be an acceptable part of human sexuality. Virtually all Christians confirm the importance of accepting and welcoming homosexuals into their communities and protecting their civil rights. But with regard to homosexual orientation and behavior from a religious point of view, some Christians condemn homosexual acts as sinful while others regard it as a natural, acceptable alternative. Orthodox Judaism teaches that homosexual anal sex is a sin, and toevah, based on the Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. However Judaism permits heterosexual anal sex, and the conservative, reform and reconstructionist branches of Judaism are more accepting of homosexuality.

Risks, safer sex and HIV

There is a high incidence of transmission of Sexually Transmissible Infections through unprotected sex. Unprotected anal sex carries greater risks. The high concentration of white blood cells around the rectum, together with the risk of cuts to the rectum and that one of the functions of the rectum is to absorb fluid, increases the risk of HIV transmission because the HIV retrovirus reproduces within the immune system's T-cells/CD4 cells. Use of prophylactics and other precautions are a medically recommended way to lessen risk of infection.

Condoms are alleged to be less effective and more prone to burst or slip during anal sex than vaginal sex. However, while one study estimates that condoms fail anywhere from 10% - 32% of the time during anal sex, SIECUS indicates a much lower failure rate of 0.5 to 12% .

Some manufacturers offer "extra strong" condoms designed specifically for anal intercourse. These condoms, while stronger, are usually not coated with spermicide and so offer less protection against pregnancy should semen enter a woman's vagina. However, since spermicide is an irritant to both the vagina and the anus, it can make contracting STDs easier for either partner, and can cause complications such as irritation, vaginal E. coli infection, and urinary tract infection. It can also damage the lining of the colon over time and should be avoided in condoms and lubrication.

During heterosexual anal intercourse, a penis that was in the anus should never be put into the vagina without either washing off the penis or changing the condom, as this might lead to vaginal infections.

Legal issues

The legal status of anal sex varies a lot between jurisdictions. From being completely open and legal, to being illegal for male to male participation, to only being legal in marriage or even totally outlawed. In some areas where anal sex may otherwise be legal and the participants are above the general age of consent there exists a higher age of consent for anal sex.

United States

Until 2003, the status of whether anal sex was a crime varied from state to state. In some states, the practice was illegal, in some, it was only illegal when practiced by unmarried couples, or by persons of the same sex. Several states, including New York , Montana, Kentucky, Pennslvania, and Georgia had their anti-sodomy laws challenged and struck down by state supreme court decisions, but other states, including Texas , upheld their state's laws criminalizing such conduct.

The United States Supreme Court, in 1986, decided the case of Bowers v. Hardwick', 478 U.S. 186, decided there was no constitional right to privacy with respect to acts of anal sex performed in the privacy of one's home, and a Georgia law criminalizing consentual sodomy in the privacy of one's home was constitutional. Ironically, the Georgia Supreme Court, in the case of Powell v. Georgia 270 Ga. 327, 510 S.E. 2d 18 (1998), would later find the very same statute unconstitutional on state constitutional grounds.

In 2003, the Supreme Court revisited Bowers in the case of Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558, and found the Texas law against consentual sodomy to be unconstititional. This invalidated all statutes in the United States making any form of consentual sodomy by adults a crime to be unconstitutional. It has also been held applicable in other cases; the Supreme Court of Virginia decided in Martin v. Ziherl, 607 S.E.2d 367 (Va. 2005), that the generally unenforced law against fornication was unconstitutional based on Lawrence.

References

1. Quignard, Pascal (1996) Le Sexe et l'effroi
2. Rafael Larco Hoyle and Dr. Francisco Guerra, quoted in Tannahill, Reay (1992) Sex in History, p. 297-298
3. Burton, Sir Richard Francis (1885). "Section D: Pederasty". "Terminal Essay", from his translation of The Arabian Nights. Retrieved 2006-04-03.
4. "Homosexuality and Christianity". ReligionFacts. 2005/10/31. Retrieved 2006-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
5. Silver, Ian (1995). "Homosexuality And Judaism". ReligionFacts. Retrieved 2006-09-09. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
6. Silverman, B G (1997). "Use and Effectiveness of Condoms During Anal Intercourse". Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 24 (1): 14. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
7. New York: People v. Onofre, 415 N.E.2d 936 (N.Y. 1980)
8. Montana: Gryczan v. Montana, 942 P.2d 112 (1997)
9. Kentucky: Commonwealth v. Wasson, 842 S.W.2d 487 (1992)
10. Pennslvania: Commonwealth v. Bonadio, 490 Pa. 91, 415 A.2d 47 (Pa. 1980)
11. Georgia: Powell v. Georgia, 270 Ga. 327, 510 S.E. 2d 18 (1998)
12. Texas' appeals court upholds its anti-sodomy statute: Baker v. Wade, 553 F. Supp. 1121 (N.D.Tex. 1982)

External links and references

• Anal Intercourse and Analingus - from alt.sex FAQ
• How to perform anal sex

Further reading

• Bentley, Toni The Surrender: An Erotic Memoir, Regan Books, 2004.
• Houser, Ward Anal Sex. Encyclopedia of Homosexuality. Dynes, Wayne R. (ed.), Garland Publishing, 1990. pp. 48-50.
• Morin, Jack Anal Pleasure & Health: A Guide for Men and Women, Down There Press, 1998.
• Taormino, Tristan Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, Cleis Press, 1997, 2006.

See also

• Anal masturbation
• Anal orgasm
• Ass to mouth, (ATM or A2M)
• Ass to pussy
• Barebacking
• Buggery Act 1533
• Homosexuality laws of the world
• Klismaphilia
• List of anal sex positions
• Pegging (sexual practice)
• Santorum controversy
• Sodomy
• Coprophilia

• Sex positions
• Anal eroticism
• Sexology
• Sexual acts