Jack Morin, PhD, a San Francisco sex therapist and researcher, is the author of Anal Pleasure and Health.

Anal Eroticism is surrounded b a po!erful taboo. "et millions of men and !omen # strai$ht, $a and bisexual # are experimentin$ !ith anal sex. %he anus, richl endo!ed !ith ner&e endin$s and interconnected !ith the main pel&ic muscles, is the closest ero$enous nei$hbor of the $enitals and contracts rh thmicall durin$ or$asm. %hirt #fi&e ears a$o, 'inse stated that the anal re$ion had erotic si$nificance for about half of the population. (n a sur&e of )**,*** Pla bo readers, +, percent of the men and -) percent of the !omen admitted to ha&in$ tried anal intercourse. "et the anal taboo inhibits most people from thinkin$, talkin$ and learnin$ about the sexual use of the anus. .isted here are the ten thin$s most men and !omen still do not kno! about anal sex. ). Anal intercourse is the least practiced form of anal sex. %here are man !a s to en/o the anus eroticall . %he most common techni0ues include touchin$ the anal openin$ !hile masturbatin$ or stimulatin$ a partner1s anus durin$ intercourse or oral sex. Some people en/o the sensation of a fin$er # their o!n or a lo&er1s # insinuated into their anal openin$ and $entl rotated. 2thers ma prefer the insertion of a dildo or &ibrator be ond the anal openin$ and short anal canal into the lar$er rectum. Man men, includin$ heterosexuals, prefer this form of penetration. 2ral#anal lo&emakin$ is popularl kno!n as rimmin$. %he &er idea dis$usts some people. 2thers en/o performin$ it or allo!in$ themsel&es to be probed in this special !a . 3. Anal stimulation, includin$ intercourse, is not painful if done properl . %he belief that anal stimulation, especiall intercourse, has to hurt is a persistent and dan$erous m th. Just as pain an !here in the bod indicates that somethin$ is !ron$, so is the same true of the anal area. 4ith its hi$h concentration of ner&e endin$s, the anus can produce extreme a$on !hen it is mistreated. "et it can be a source of $reat pleasure. 4hen a fin$er, ob/ect or penis is introduced into the anus, the anal muscles $o into spasm, as if fi$htin$ off an in&asion.

Pain !ill result if the partners do not !ait for these muscles to relax. 5nder sufficient stress the !ill e&entuall collapse and the pain subside, unless further dama$e is done. 6ut, an 1pleasure1 afforded from this kind of acti&it deri&es mostl from the absence of discomfort. Maximum anal pleasure re0uires the elimination of all pain or ph sical trauma from the anal experience. Self#protection on the part of the passi&e partner in&ol&es bein$ read to sa 7no7 until he or she is read to proceed. 8eadiness is a combination of ph sical relaxation, usuall helped alon$ b plent of leisurel anal touchin$, and desire. 2ccasionall the anal muscles are relaxes, but the passi&e partner is still not in the mood. Stimulation should mount onl in proportion to the de$ree of recepti&it . 9. Anal sex can be en/o ed e&en if it has been consistentl uncomfortable in the past. Sufficient desire alone does not necessaril $uarantee pleasurable anal sex. :or is an uncomfortable pre&ious experience al!a s the reason for a lack of interest in or desire for anal sex. ;hronic anal tension is the most common cause of anal discomfort durin$ sex. Hemorrhoids and constipation are usuall a si$n of this condition. %ension can be relie&ed b touchin$ the anus and becomin$ more familiar !ith it. An ideal time to explore the anal openin$ is !hile takin$ a sho!er or bath. Deep breathin$ also affects the anal muscles. %ensin$ the anus and the lettin$ $o in another !a of learnin$ to relax it. An one !ho en/o s masturbation mi$ht !ant to experiment !ith some form of anal stimulation, thou$h he or she should stop if an discomfort occurs. For man people the turnin$ point in anal sex is !hen the allo! a partner to massa$e the anus !ith the understandin$ that intercourse !ill not be attempted. %hen the recipient of anal caresses can concentrate solel on the pleasure that this ero$enous <one is capable of $eneratin$. +. %!o muscle rin$s called sphincters surround the anal openin$. Each functions independentl . (f ou insert a fin$er about one half#inch into our anus and press our fin$ertip a$ainst the side, ou can clearl feel the

t!o sphincter muscles. %here is less than a 0uarter#inch bet!een them. %he external sphincter is controlled b the central ner&ous s stem # /ust like the muscles of the hand, for example. "ou can readil tense and relax this sphincter !hene&er ou !ant. %he internal sphincter is 0uite different. %his muscle is controlled b the in&oluntar or autonomic part of the ner&ous s stem, !hich $o&erns such functions as heartbeat and stress response. %he internal sphincter reflects and responds to fear and anxiet durin$ anal sex. (t !ill cause the anus to tense up automaticall e&en if the passi&e partner is tr in$ to relax. %hus, precautions about safet and comfort are essential here. E&en if a person does feel comfortable durin$ anal sex, he or she ma still need to learn &oluntar control o&er his or her internal sphincter in order to relax it at !ill. Doin$ so re0uires re$ularl insertin$ a fin$er, perhaps in the sho!er each da , and feelin$ the internal sphincter. %he muscle chan$es spontaneousl and in response to beha&ior. (n this instance, simpl pa in$ attention is more important than tr in$ to relax. An one can $raduall learn to control the internal sphincter at !ill. =. Anal stimulation pro&ides man kinds of pleasure %he hi$hest concentration of ner&e endin$s is around the anal openin$ itself. A fin$er can focus on them especiall effecti&el . 4hen an ob/ect or penis is inserted be ond the anal openin$ into the rectum, other pleasures are in&ol&ed. %he outer portion of the rectum, like the &a$ina, has se&eral ner&e endin$s. %he inner portion responds mostl to pressure. Some people en/o the feelin$s of pressure and fullness once the understand that these sensations do not presa$e an impendin$ bo!el mo&ement. 8ectal pressure is especiall important to enthusiasts of 7fistin$,7 a form of anal sex in !hich se&eral fin$ers or e&en the entire hand and forearm are inserted into the rectum and sometimes into the lo!er colon. (n men, the prostate # !hich is /ust be ond the rectal !all, a fe! inches in, to!ards the front of the bod # can be a

source of pleasure !hen massa$ed b a fin$er, an ob/ect, or a penis. Also, the lo!er end of the penis, or 7bulb,7 is near the anal openin$ openin$. (t is stimulated indirectl b most t pes of anal sex. Anal pleasure can be ps cholo$ical as !ell as ph sical. %he anal taboo adds to the thrill of the forbidden. %he most common anti#anal messa$e >it1s dirt ?@ sometimes returns as a source of raunch , slea< excitement. 8immin$ enthusiasts ma en/o the feelin$ that the are bein$ dis$ustin$l # and deli$htfull # per&erse. 2ther people re$ard the anus as a secret, special place. Sharin$ it !ith a partner is an act of openness and $i&in$. -. Anal stimulation can lead to or$asm A minorit of men and !omen can respond or$asmicall to anal sex !ithout direct $enital stimulation. 4omen probabl do so throu$h pel&ic muscle contractions # and a small minorit e&en thou$h the sheer excitement of bein$ anall penetrated. 4hen men experience an or$asm from anal stimulation, the tend to focus on the prostate. :o doubt the are also respondin$ to indirect stimulation of the penile bulb. 2r$asms from anal stimulation are most likel to occur !hen the participants become thorou$hl absorbed in their sensations and fantasies. An almost certain !a to pre&ent such an or$asm is to be become determined to ha&e one. Seekin$ an anal or$asm !ill create ne! pressures and disrupt the pleasure. (t must be remembered that most people re0uire direct $enital stimulation in order to climax. 2n the other hand, a fe! people ha&e or$asms onl !ith anal stimulation. ,. Diet contributes to the en/o ment of anal sex 8e$ular bo!el mo&ements are the ma/or function of the anus and rectum. %here must be sufficient fiber in a person1s diet to make his or her feces soft, bulk and !ell formed. %his allo!s a bo!el mo&ement to be produced !ithout force or effort. Forced e&acuations irritate anal tissues, causin$ discomfort and addin$ to muscular tensions. Fresh fruits, &e$etables, !hole $rains or unprocessed bran are important sources of fiber. A. Different rules of h $iene appl to the &a$ina and rectum Since intercourse can be &a$inal or rectal, man people assume the the same rules appl for the penetration of the

&a$ina and rectum. Althou$h both are lined !ith soft tissue and are capable of expandin$, the are radicall dissimilar. %he rectum is not strai$ht. After the short anal canal !hich connects the anal openin$ to the rectum, the rectum tilts to!ard the front of the bod . A fe! inches in, it cur&es back # sometimes as much as B* de$rees. %hen, after a fe! more inches, it s!oops to!ard the front of the bod once a$ain. A person can learn about the shape of his or her rectum b $entl insertin$ a soft ob/ect, tr in$ different an$les and bod positions and concentratin$ on ho! it feels. Make sure the ob/ect has a flared base so that if ou loose our $rip, it !on1t slip into the rectum and become irretrie&able. %he rectum does not produce lubrication like the &a$ina but onl a small amount of mucus. %herefore, rectal penetration al!a s re0uires a lubricant. ;hemical additi&es should be a&oided. 4ater#based lubricants are latex#compatible. %he main function of the rectum is to act as a passa$e!a for feces. 6ut feces are not normall stored in the rectum except /ust prior to a bo!el mo&ement. "et small amounts ma remain in the rectum, especiall if the feces are not !ell formed. Anal douchin$ before lo&emakin$ !ill help some people especiall concerned !ith cleanliness to relax. For others the idea of dirtiness hei$htens the /o of the forbiddenC for them, douchin$ is anti#erotic. B. Anal intercourse is not necessaril an act of dominance and submission. %he top#bottom ima$er associated !ith anal intercourse is !idespread. :o doubt the belief that anal sex has to hurt contributes to this notion. And in fact some people are intensel excited b top# bottom fantasies about anal sex. %he thou$ht that the are submittin$ to such a de$radin$ act is a terrific thrill. Ho!e&er, actual, not fantasi<ed, anal pain can lead to trouble. For others, the en/o ment of anal sex is inhibited b top#bottom ima$er . %he idea of surrenderin$ control, and perhaps submittin$ to humiliation, causes immediate, protecti&e tensin$ of the anal muscles. %hese indi&iduals are more likel to relax and en/o themsel&es if the can learn to re$ard anal sex as pleasurable rather than as an expression of po!er.

)*. Anal sex can be perfectl safe, e&en beneficial. %he taboo a$ainst anal eroticism is perpetuated b the almost uni&ersal belief amon$ ph sicians that anal sex is ine&itabl dan$erous. :o ph sical in/ur from anal stimulation results if both partners refuse to tolerate pain, ne&er use force and a&oid the use of dru$s. All the other risks center on sexuall transmitted diseases. Each of the common S%Ds # $onorrhea, s philis, herpes # can affect the anus. (ntestinal parasites, bacteria or tin bu$s are usuall passed alon$ !hen fecal matter finds its !a into someone1s mouth or &a$ina, most likel throu$h rimmin$. A(DS has complicated the matter. %he H(D &irus can pass from the semen or blood of an infected person to the bloodstream of a partner throu$h a tin break in the rectal tissue durin$ anal intercourse. %o a&oid this risk, anal intercourse and rimmin$ should not be practiced casuall . %hose !ho do en/o anal intercourse should al!a s use a condom. 8immin$ should al!a s be accomplished b a latex barrier. 2f course, in a mono$amous relationship !ith t!o health people, the risk of disease transmitted anall is reduced. %housands of men and !omen !ith chronic anal medical problems ha&e restored their anal health b challen$in$ their ne$ati&e attitudes. %his approach is indispensable for full erotic en/o ment of the anus.