For a long time, sex before marriage has been socially rejected. In an effort to contain this activity, a series of myths have been created around sexual relations, myths that sought to frighten and thus cause people not to think about trying it.
Currently, the conversation about sex has opened up more and more, so it is now possible to question these statements and to seek reliable information that allows us to make well-informed decisions about our sexual life.
But in case of any doubts, here we present seven lies that you have been told about sex and that, unfortunately, you have believed.
- Men feel more sexual desire than women. There is no basis to affirm that one sex feels more desire than the other. This stereotype that men have an irrepressible sexuality is due to the fact that, socially, it is more accepted that they express their desire, compared to women, from whom modesty and discretion are expected. But just because they show it more doesn’t mean they feel it more.
- Masturbation is bad and has multiple consequences. Infertility, mental disorders (“madness”) or inability to enjoy with a partner are just some of the dire repercussions that have been invented around the masturbation of men and women. In case you still had doubts, none of these consequences is real, on the contrary, masturbation allows self-knowledge and erotic enjoyment.
- The morning after pill is a method of family planning. The first mistake is to call it “the morning after”, when in fact it is an emergency pill. This name reminds us that it should only be used in extreme cases, since its effectiveness is less than that of other contraceptive methods and that its frequent use causes alterations in the menstrual cycle.
- Sex is better when you’re drunk. It is not true, although most of your friends assure you that it is so. Alcohol only seems to increase sexual desire, but this is because it lowers inhibitions. Also, the most serious consequence that can arise from drunken sex is not taking the necessary precautions (i.e. not using a condom) to avoid sexually transmitted infections.
- Vasectomy causes impotence. Vasectomy is one of the very few contraceptive methods available to men, and many of them reject it not because it is permanent, but because they believe it will affect their sexual performance. This procedure does not interfere with erections, since it is simply a question of cutting the duct that transports sperm from the testicles to the urethra, but it leaves intact all the other structures that intervene in male sexual functioning.
- With the amount of information and contraceptive methods that exist today, whoever gets pregnant does so because they want to. This is a very painful lie, as well as deeply simplistic. In the first place, no contraceptive method is 100% safe, so even if it is used correctly, an unplanned pregnancy can occur. On the other hand, there is a big problem in access to methods, especially among adolescents, since there are not always friendly services for them or their privacy is not guaranteed. And finally, a factor that definitely hinders contraception is the violence suffered by women and girls, not only sexual violence, but also manipulation and threats from their partners, who often prohibit them from using these methods.
- The condom reduces pleasure. We have been hearing this lie for years as an excuse not to use a condom. While it is true that the sensation of sex changes when using a condom, it is also true that it does not necessarily change in a negative way. For example, for those men who suffer from premature ejaculation, the condom helps them to delay ejaculation. In addition, there are many condom options on the market that allow you to see it more as an accessory to enrich encounters, such as those that have textures, flavors or lubricants that modify temperature. The condom is, today, the best ally to protect yourself from sexual infections and to avoid unwanted pregnancies, which, on the contrary, will increase the pleasure of your sexual relations.
After having denied these claims, you have a little more information to make the best decisions for your intimate life. One of those good decisions is to get an HIV test, and at AHF Latin America and the Caribbean we do it for free. Come to our offices in your country or write to us by Whatsapp and make your appointment today.
