Masturbation. We at GLAMOUR have decided it’s about time we talk about it, especially now that the latest government advice on keeping safe during the novel Coronavirus pandemic means we've all got a little more time at home... We asked you, our beloved readers, to share your thoughts on the most intimate form of self love - and this is what we discovered.
First things first, let’s get one thing out of the way. We all do it. Or, to be more accurate, according to our survey, an overwhelming 91% of you do. Plus, 36% of you do it 2-5 times a week; which is a fairly regular date with your favourite vibrator; which 67% of you say you use.
The vast majority of you - that’s 82% - use your hand for masturbation, but 47% of you say you would love to see more sex toys on the market- which most of you appear to be using with your imagination, as 32% of you say you would never watch porn.
Masturbation is also going some way to fix the deficit left by the orgasm gap - (men are depressingly 27% more likely to orgasm than women) as our survey shows 67% of you orgasm every time you masturbate, whereas 24% of you say you ‘rarely’ reach climax with a partner. Maybe putting yourself in control of your climax is the key to success… although clearly, a lot more work has to be done to ensure orgasms are not only a solo venture…
Where’s Gillian Anderson when you need her, eh?
Some of you are masturbating because you are single- with 55% of you saying this is the reason you are not having regular sex. Yet, what emerges from our survey is that masturbation is not merely a replacement for sex, but that it is, instead, another vital component of your overall sexual existence, with 41% of you saying you like it just as much as sex.
Your reasons are many- from the simple ‘I’m horny’ (73%) to the 54% of you who see it as a stress reliever. There are, interestingly, more profound reasons you told us that you masturbate. An awe-inspiring 79% of you told us you consider masturbation self care, with a further 77% of you labelling masturbation as your primary form of sexual self care. Perhaps more interesting still- are the 23% of you who say masturbating helps with your mental health.
Clearly, a majority of you view masturbating - not a sordid sexual secret - but as a vital part of your mental and physical well being. Why then, do 53% of you feel uncomfortable discussing it?
Our survey showed that there is still a pronounced lack of transparency when it comes to talking about masturbation, with 83% of you agreeing that there is still a stigma around female desire and 87% of you saying you wish society would embrace female sexual desire more.
So, whilst most of you still feel icky talking about it, it seems most of you want this to change; and that society’s general reluctance to talk about female pleasure is an issue. After all- our survey shows that masturbation is not a dirty word but, for so many of you, a hugely important part of your self care.
And shouldn’t we be proud to talk about that?
Read the full report in GLAMOUR's bi-annual SS20 print issue, out now.
