Sexual orientation remains a controversial and emotionally charged issue for some women and men in the United States, as well as in other countries around the world. In part this is fueled by misunderstandings about sexual orientation and people who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. In addition, a person’s sexual orientation and how it develops and unfolds throughout life remain a bit mysterious to researchers - we have many questions still left to answer in our quest to understand how people come to feel sexually attracted to or interested in people of their same sex, another sex, or not interested sexually in anyone at all.

Recently a listener asked us this question at Kinsey Confidential:

I’m attracted to both men and women, but slightly more to men. I masturbate to both, but more recently mostly to men. I’ve only had sex with one woman. Does it sound to you like I’m gay?

You can listen to our response here:

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Some researchers might say no - well, at least within reason (it may be "too much" if you are masturbating to the point of hurting your genitals, or if it is getting in the way of work/school/relationships and causing you distress). But other than that, get out the lube! We’ve known for some time now that frequent ejaculation when one is young (whether from partner sex or solo masturbation) was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer as one ages… but this study specifically looked at the masturbation aspect and found a markedly reduced risk of prostate cancer among frequent masturbators. Read more here.

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Someone sent me a link to this vaginal pump (pictured above) listed on Amazon. While penis pumps and clitoral pumps are fairly commonplace, vaginal pumps are not. Penis pumps have sometimes been used to assist with erections and other times are just used for play. In 2000, a very specific brand of clitoral pump, the Eros Clitoral Therapy Device, was cleared by the FDA as a treatment for female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD).

But a vaginal pump? Well, personally, any time I think of air being forcibly suctioned one way or the other in relation to the vagina, I have to wonder about safety. In most cases, their use is likely safe and maybe a little fun. If air were being blown into the vagina, however, it could be problematic or dangerous in rare cases. As such, I would recommend that women check in with their healthcare provider before using one and ask for his or her assessment of their safety. Or women might consider the clitoral pump, if arousal was an issue. At least with vaginal intercourse, the vacuum effect that comes with heavy thrusting goes both ways (and yes, in some positions or with enough force, may even result in queefing/varts/vaginal farts).

Finally, I am not entirely certain what the point of a vaginal pump would be. Would one really want to try to increase blood flow all over, without targeting it in the area around the clitoris (which is one of the main powerhouses of sensation)? It may be that some want to focus on the vestibular bulbs - the bundles of blood vessels around the entrance to the vagina (and some up near the clitoris), though there are other ways to stimulate these through touch and such. Why not spend more in foreplay, or more time sharing with one’s partner what is desired, as a means of increasing blood flow to the genitals? To learn more about improving your sexual experience with your partner, read For Each Other: Sharing Sexual Intimacy by Dr. Lonnie Barbach.

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(Check out previous TWYD installments here.)

Debby: Check out this article about a guy who was caught having vaccuum cleaner sex.

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