Missionary position

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For the book by Christopher Hitchens, see The Missionary Position.

The missionary position is a common human sex position also used by certain other species including bonobos and armadillos.^{[citation needed]} In his seminal study Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953), researcher Alfred Kinsey stated that 91 percent of married women surveyed reported using this position most often, whereas nine percent reported using it exclusively. The position essentially involves the partners lying face to face, with the receptive partner underneath.

In heterosexual vaginal intercourse in the the missionary position:

• The woman lies on her back, with her legs spread either flat (horizontally on the same surface as her back), drawn up toward her chest, or wrapped around her partner. She can wrap one or both legs around him at various heights: resting on the back of his upper shins or thighs, around his buttocks or back, or over his shoulders. Generally, the higher she lifts her legs, the deeper the penetration.
• The man lies on his belly on top of the woman, his legs between her legs, and his groin at the same level as hers to facilitate penetration.

Contents 1 Advantages of the missionary position 2 Disadvantages of the missionary position 3 Anal sex 4 Origin of the term 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Advantages of the missionary position

• Both partners can see each other and make eye contact, thereby receiving feedback from their facial expressions and vocalizations.
• Coitus can be combined with erotic kissing on the mouth, including such variants as the "French kiss."
• Penetration is relatively deep.
• The man's groin can directly or indirectly stimulate the clitoris, depending on how the act is performed.
• A relatively quick male orgasm can be achieved if so desired; conversely, the greater control afforded the man enables him to delay his orgasm and thereby prolong the copulatory act.
• The woman may enjoy the sensation of submission to the male and the freedom to caress him as she chooses. In addition, she is able to either hasten or delay both her orgasm and that of her partner through voluntary, rhythmic flexation and relaxation of the pubococcygeus muscles surrounding her vagina.
• Very little suppleness or flexibility is required of either partner. Both are able to remain relatively relaxed and avoid fatigue.
• The intimacy of full-body contact affords a heightened sensual and emotional experience for both the male and female.
• The man can reach under and stimulate his partner using his fingers on her clitoris.

[edit] Disadvantages of the missionary position

• Either the man's weight is placed upon the woman (which may be uncomfortable for her) or he must support his weight upon his arms and knees (which may become tiring for him).
• It can be difficult for partners to manually stimulate the clitoris.
• There is an absence of visual stimulation, as it is difficult to see each other's bodies.
• This position sometimes produces a quick male orgasm (premature ejaculation).
• Some women do not enjoy the possibly submissive sensation of being under their partner.

[edit] Anal sex

The term is also used for a similar position in anal sex, in which the partners likewise lie face-to-face with the receiving partner on the bottom. In order to achieve the correct insertion angle, the receiving partner's legs are usually raised, sometimes onto the penetrating partner's shoulders.

This position has many of the same advantages and disadvantages as the vaginal position. However, some receiving partners find the leg position required uncomfortable, whereas the vaginal missionary position is noted as a comfortable position for the woman.

It is worth noting, however, that not all would agree that such a leg position is required. In fact, it is fully possible and enjoyable to have anal missionary intercourse while maintaining a leg position mostly equivalent to that of the vaginal variation, dependent upon variations in individual anatomy.

[edit] Origin of the term

There is a common belief that the term "missionary position" arose in response to teachings by Christian missionaries that this sex position was the only "proper" way to engage in sexual intercourse. This is in fact a myth. The reality is that the term probably originated some time between 1945 and 1965 through a confluence of (apparently honest) misunderstandings and misinterpretations of historical documents.^[1],^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Assuming the missionary position…again. The Straight Dope. Cecil Adams (2005-06-17).
2. ^ Priest, R.J., Missionary positions, Current Anthropology, 42, 29 (2001)

[edit] External links

• Schultz, W. W., P. van Andel, I. Sabelis, E. Mooyaart (18 December). "Magnetic resonance imaging of male and female genitals during coitus and female sexual arousal". BMJ 319: 1596–1600. PMID 10600954.
• Why is the "missionary position" called that?. The Straight Dope. Cecil Adams (1992-08-21).
• SexInfo101.com A review of the missionary position with transitions into other positions.