Sex & life

Your body, means your rules. So let’s make sure that female masturbation stops being a major no-fly zone.

Love yourself. Also, “My neighbours have very loud sex. What to do?”

it’s time we lifted the shame from one of society’s greatest taboos. Before modern science, masturbation was considered the root of nearly every inexplicable medical issue, including blindness, epilepsy, fainting spells, memory loss and stunted growth in children. All of these claims were false, of course, but the stigma is hard to shake.

When we asked women in their 20s what they wished their high school selves had understood about self-love, the most common answer we heard was wanting to know that other girls were doing it, too.

With all the mixed messages around about what is and isn’t ‘normal’, this private topic can be confusing to navigate – especially for young women and girls who are often conditioned to believe that any kind of sexuality is unusual or unhealthy.

“On one hand, celebrities like Miley Cyrus feel comfortable talking positively about masturbation, yet it isn’t on the sex education curriculum in some schools,” says sexuality and gender expert Dr Lauren Rosewarne.

According to a recent survey, 74% of boys aged 14-17, and 48% of girls said they had masturbated. The survey found a significant increase by the time we reach our 20s: about 72% of women and 84% of men between the ages of 25-29 said they had tried it themselves at least once in the past year.

And not only is there nothing wrong with self-pleasure, it’s actually good for you. It can help you fall asleep, relieve stress and ease menstrual cramps. Plus, unlike sex with a partner, masturbation puts you at much lower risk for STIS, won’t lead to unintended pregnancy and it’s a safe way to figure out what you are and aren’t comfortable with.

So when it comes to loving your body and yourself, pleasure isn’t just for fun – it’s a form of self-care, and you deserve to treat yourself.