I was having lunch with a friend who is involved in public health, and I decided to get her input on safe sex.
Her response was that the only ways to not get pregnant are abstinence or total monogamy with one person paired with birth control.
I suggested, "Well, what about masturbation?"
To my surprise, she replied, "You know, I never thought about that before."
Of course, some haven't considered this because of the layers of shame and taboo involved.
Sure, we laugh and joke, but few are apt to talk about masturbation as an alternative form of safe sexual pleasure.
The fact that masturbation has been proven to release endorphins, relieve menstrual cramps and increase well-being and happiness also makes the case for masturbation as a safe-sex practice.
It can induce a sense of relaxation or even give a boost of newfound energy.
What science won't tell you is that if you've never had an orgasm before, it's a wonderful way to figure out how.
Make time to explore yourself if you have this problem. It's not dirty. It's not wrong. You won't go blind, and you're definitely not a social anomaly if you masturbate.
Don't get me wrong: If you're absolutely against masturbation for whatever reason, then don't do it.
However, for the rest of us, consider this extreme example. In "The Mass Psychology of Fascism," Wilhelm Reich said, "Without the suppression of sexuality and the imposition of anti-sexual morality, you could not have an authoritarian government because people would be free from shame and would trust their own sense of right and wrong."
With abstinence-only education being pushed and sex toys being outlawed, perhaps Mr. Reich was onto something.
