Debunking Common Myths about Anal Sex

Both men and women enjoy anal sex, but there are a few myths floating around that can stop a tempted party from attempting anal intercourse at all. We believe great sex is informed sex, so today, we're going to discuss the most common myths about anal sex that could be hindering your sexual activity.

It's going to hurt.

Not if you're doing it correctly. You can't go from zero to bang-bang straight away - that's going to hurt or be uncomfortable at the very least. You have to wine and dine your anus, folks. Starting gently and small, especially if you're new to anal sex, and using a lot of lubricants is essential for anal sex to be pleasurable. You don't have to just focus on the anus during sexual activity, but anytime you're near the butt, you need to treat it with respect because you can hurt someone or yourself if you're not conscientious.

Anal sex causes long term damage to your anus.

Not sure where this one came from, but no, safe and comfortable anal intercourse or anal play does not leave your anus damaged, and there is no evidence that it contributes to faecal incontinence. If you experience any minor tears to your anus or rectum during anal sex, they will heal and not leave permanent damage.

You can't be straight and enjoy anal sex.

Another goodie. Of course, you can be straight and still enjoy your anus being stimulated - in fact, a lot of straight men enjoy anal play. In particular, anal play during oral sex. Being heterosexual shouldn't come with any rules about butt play, although we're aware that there are certain damaging stigmas that hang around. If you are engaging in anal intercourse with your female companion, there's nothing un-straight about it. You have a prostate gland that can feel amazing when touched, and it doesn't matter who is stimulating it; you should be able to enjoy every inch that your body has to offer without you ever feeling ashamed of your sexual preference. No rules, baby!

You'll bleed after anal intercourse.

While bleeding from anal sex is possible due to its inability to self-lubricate, like a vagina can, it's not exactly "normal" and you shouldn't accept it as a normal part of anal intercourse. A little tear here or there that happens in both vaginal sex and anal intercourse may produce a little bit of blood (like a burst haemorrhoid might), but they heal fairly quickly and won't leave permanent damage. If you are regularly bleeding after either kind of intercourse, you should talk to your doctor about it to find out what's happening. If you suffer from haemorrhoids, you are more likely to experience rectal bleeding with or without anal sex but should always get it checked by your health professional.

You can't catch sexually transmitted diseases from anal sex.

Love this one. HIV, anyone? Whichever condom-hating person decided this was a myth they wanted to selfishly spread has a lot to answer for. YES. You can catch sexually transmitted diseases from anal intercourse, just as you can catch it from vaginal sex. The risk of STIs and STDS are the same from anal sex as they are from any kind of sex. The health risk of HIV, in particular, is much higher when you engage in anal sex because the chances of a small tear in the anus are higher, and the virus is spread rapidly through contact with infected blood. If you or your partner is HIV positive, that doesn't mean you can't engage in anal sex - it just means that you need to be informed and responsible about your use of protection and the type of HIV that you have. Knowledge is power between HIV positive couples. Believing you can't catch a disease from someone's rectum is hilarious and should be stamped out. Vaginas aren't the ultimate bad guy of passing on sexually transmitted diseases; misinformation is. If in doubt, wear a condom always.

Anal sex is really unhygienic.

Just because you poop out of your anus doesn't mean that you can't clean it, just like any other hole in your body. If you clean properly before anal sex, there's not a lot in the unhygienic department you have to worry about. A shower won't stop bacteria, though, so bear these things in mind. You need to wear a condom during anal sex to protect you from health risks like STIs and the risk of HIV transmission. If you wear a condom for anal sex and want to swap to vaginal sex, you need to change the condom to a fresh one before you enter the next hole and vice versa. Transmission of anal bacteria from the anus to the vagina is 100% not recommended and can cause infections, which can be very painful for women and probably will need antibiotics to sort out.

Anal penetration will get you covered in poop.

The elephant in the room. The anus and rectum is a contentious subject with many people because it behaves as an exit for our least sexy bodily functions. It is a risk, we won't lie, but there are easy steps to take to avoid the risk of a potentially pooey encounter. It is so rare for someone to actually poo themselves during anal intercourse, so you don't need to stress over it.

Before engaging in anal penetration, rinsing out the anal canal is a smart idea. Going to the bathroom and having a bowel movement, and taking a shower before any anus exploration makes the risk a lot lower. If you're really worried about it, you can sort it out with an over the counter enema at least an hour before you dive into anal penetration. Being open with your partner about the risks and respect, especially when in a long term relationship, is an intimate way to show support and discretion while you regularly enjoy anal sex.

Bonus fact: Poop actually doesn't hang out in the area where you get penetrated during sex; if it's already down that low - you should really know about it and be on the toilet. Poop chills much further up in the anal canal than where a penis, finger or dildo can reasonably reach - but don't challenge that, just do the enema, pre-sex poop and shower to be safe.

You should use numbing lubrication for anal sex.

Noooooo! If you numb an area that is as sensitive as the anus and engage in anal sex, you risk hurting the recipient without even knowing the damage until later. Communication is key, and listening to your body's natural responses is the safe way to engage in any kind of sexual activity. The last thing you want is to be numbed up all night, go too far, and wake up in a terrible amount of pain because the damage has been done.

You can't get pregnant from anal sex.

While this is technically true, if you are not careful about where ejaculation is aimed, there is a chance that semen can leak down into the vaginal opening and make its way straight to baby-ville. While this situation is rare, we don't want to lie to you and say that anal sex as a contraceptive method is foolproof. When in doubt, wear a condom, which also protects you from other health risks as well.