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May is Masturbation Month, and if simply seeing that word masturbation still makes you a little uncomfortable, you may be just who this holiday is for. For some reason, while talking about sex with another person has become rather normalized, talking about self-pleasure can still make people a little uneasy. It’s almost as if we’re okay with the idea that we should make others feel good through sex, but we’re not okay with the idea that we, ourselves, may want to feel good alone. All on our own, and not having anything to do with pleasing another person or maintaining intimacy in a relationship. But we do! The statistics are in, and one survey found that 80 percent of American adults view masturbation as a form of self-care, and that’s quite the opposite of fulfilling someone else’s needs. The same survey found that many Americans use masturbation to relieve stress. By the way, those numbers are up tremendously since just five years ago.
Not only is it perfectly okay to want to orgasm without another person present, but it might be an important part of our health. And since many Americans who are single are content to be that way, sex with a partner simply isn’t something they’re always looking for. So masturbation plays an important role in the lives of many demographics. In celebration of Masturbation Month, we wanted to get some tips from the experts on how to get the most out of self-pleasure, as well as how to reframe your thinking around it. So we spoke with the pros over at Velvet Co about the topic. They created one of our top-listed adult toys, the Thruster, and are running a site-wide 20 percent off sale using code MAYDAY20 all this month. Here’s what they had to say, plus some other fun facts.
It’s not just for solo play
The experts at Velvet Co remind us that masturbation doesn’t have to only be for solo play. Masturbation can become a form of foreplay – which 21 percent of Americans think should be much more important in their relationships, and 29 percent wish was at least a little more prioritized. But let’s be honest: sometimes your partner just doesn’t know how to touch you correctly. You can only give so much direction before you feel like you’re helping someone land a plane. Stepping back and handling it yourself, to get yourself ready for intercourse, can not only make sure it’s done just how you like it, but can also be very visually arousing for your partner.
