Anal sex or anal intercourse is a commonly practiced form of human sexual behavior. While the term anal sex can be used to describe any sexual act involving the anus and/or rectum, it is more specifically used to describe the insertion of the erect penis into the rectum through the anus. It is practiced by a wide variety of people including both heterosexual and homosexual partners.
Although it is also practiced by heterosexuals and bisexuals, anal sex is often associated with homosexual men. However, like persons of other sexual orientations, some gay and bisexual men enjoy sexual activities of this kind while others do not. Due to the wide range of people that practice anal sex, the reasons that people have for practicing anal sex vary greatly.
Generally, for women, pleasure is derived through anal intercourse due to the shared nerve endings that are located between the rectal wall and the vagina. The anus itself also contains many nerves which can also react in a pleasurable manner when excited. In regular sexual intercourse, the vagina normally produces its own lubrication while the rectum does not do so. That is why personal lubricants (which can generally be bought in drug stores) are recommended by sexologists for use during anal sex.
On the other hand, males who participate in anal sex have different reasons for the pleasure experienced. Men who have anal sex with penetration of a female partner generally cite the tightness of the anus as a primary source of pleasure, while males receiving anal intercourse generally gain pleasure through the prostate gland that is located near the rectal wall. Like women, men do not produce lubrication in the rectal area; that is why men are similarly encouraged to use personal lubricants if they choose to receive anal sex.
Using personal lubricants during anal sex not only increases the pleasure of the people involved, it also decreases the risk of STDs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, unprotected anal sex carries more risk of STD transmission than vaginal or oral sex due to the less lubricated nature of the rectal area. Lack of lubrication makes small tears in the tissue of the receiving partner more likely, allowing transmission of infection that would otherwise be kept out. In addition to lubrication, people who engage in anal sex are encouraged first and foremost to use a latex condom in order to reduce these risks with their sexual partners.
Anal sex among heterosexuals
Edward O. Laumann's The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States found that about 20% of heterosexuals have engaged in anal sex, and sex researcher Alfred Kinsey found that number to be closer to 40%. More recently, a researcher from the University of British Columbia (quoted in the May 5, 2005 issue of The Georgia Straight) puts the number of heterosexuals who regularly practice anal sex at between 30% and 50%.
In several cultures (such as the Mediterranean area, Middle East and Latin America) female receptive anal intercourse in a heterosexual context is widely accepted, especially as there is less risk of unwanted pregnancy via unprotected anal than unprotected vaginal intercourse. Anal sex is even sometimes seen as preserving female virginity (or at least preserving an intact hymen until marriage).
Some have purported that the appeal of anal sex, to heterosexuals, is the concept of degradation: the woman is being used for the man's pleasure, without receiving any on her own. However, this is generally not considered to be the reason most people have anal sex. One of the predominant reasons for it is to prevent pregnancy, but this method is not fool-proof. Another is that the anus is considered to be "tighter" than the vagina, therefore yielding more tactile pleasure for the penis. However, women can enjoy anal sex greatly and even can achieve anal orgasm if performed correctly.
In certain contexts male-male anal intercourse among males who otherwise identify as heterosexual is seen as a temporary behaviour to which they resort when confined in single-sex environments. The only real current such situation can be found in prisons. Some men have sex with men without categorising themselves as homosexual or bisexual.
Anal sex among gay/bisexual men
In modern times in Western cultures, anal sex is popularly associated with gay men, and studies (Lauman, for example) claim that about 80% of gay men in the United States have engaged in anal sex.
Not all gay/bi men, however, regularly engage in anal sex or find it pleasurable. According to the Lauman study a significant minority (the remaining 20 %) never engage in it at all. The Corroborative studies in the urban men's health study (a.k.a Gay Urban Men's Study, P.I. Stall, UCSF) and the Young Men's Study (YMS, PI Osmond/Catania, UCSF) claim that only 50% of gay men engage in anal sex. Furthermore, the numbers in sexual surveys tend to reflect whether a gay man has ever had anal sex or has had anal sex in the last year, not distinguishing between men who've simply tried it and men who regularly engage in it. Since data on gay (or bi) sexual behavior tends to arouse such controversy, it is difficult to make solid claims in this area.
While some gay/bi male couples comprise an "active" partner and a "receptive" or "passive" partner (a top and a bottom) this is not true of all gay/bi couples who practice anal sex: many gay/bi men who have anal sex both "top" and "bottom" at different times, also known as "versatile" or "switch."
Several gay slang terms, such as the ones described are generally reserved only for anal sex between two males.
Health issues
Anal sex, especially without prophylactic (condom) use, can be an effective way of passing on Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs).
Anal penetration carries some risks which vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and "outercourse" do not. The rectum and colon are not self-lubricating like the vagina and colorectal tissue is more delicate, meaning friction or insertion damage may happen more easily. The colorectal passage curves are neither strongly muscled nor padded, so physical injury may also happen more easily. Colorectal function includes absorption of fluid into the blood stream, providing an efficient entry point for STIs and an easy barrier to cross through even small tears in the intestinal lining.
These risks can be reduced by:
- Consistent and correct use of personal lubricant and condoms. Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline can destroy latex condoms, and should be avoided
- Slow, gentle and responsive insertion to avoid pain and tearing
Insertion of objects with edges or points can cause severe injury. Objects can also get lodged in the rectum, requiring medical intervention. For this reason, most modern dildos are made with flared bases. Objects forced more than seven or eight inches (17-20 cm) into the body risk colliding with the sigmoid colon, a bend in the intestine, and in cases of rough handling, trauma can result in internal bleeding with potentially fatal results.
Nothing that has been placed in or at the anus, including fingers, should ever contact the vagina or the mouth, either externally or internally, without being thoroughly washed with soap to avoid infection caused by the transmission of bacteria. Condoms can be placed over sex toys and latex or nitrile gloves can be worn to protect the hands and fingers. Shared sex toys can also transmit disease or infection. Silicone, metal acrylic, and glass dildos may be sterilized via cleaning and boiling instead.
Some couples engage in "felching," where the top sucks out the semen he has deposited in the anus of the bottom as a result of "bareback" anal intercourse. This practice carries similar health risks to rimming.
At least one study has shown that when performed properly, anal intercourse may actually improve anal health. The theory goes that excessive anal tension causes conditions like hemorrhoids and fistulas. Practitioners of anal sex must relax the anal area for it to be possible, and this ability to gain conscious control over the anus allows that person to better control its normal everyday function. In the study, the anal health of approximately 300 "fisting" practitioners was studied, and it was found that lower than average rates of hemorrhoids and fistulas were present. One caveat of the study is the small sample size, however.
Like any form of sex, anal sex can be riskier under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as these may alter judgment, reduce one's ability to assess risky behaviour or create a heightened sense of invulnerability.
Condoms and anal sex
Condoms are known to be less effective and more prone to burst or slip during anal sex than vaginal sex. It has been estimated that condoms fail anywhere from 10% - 32% of the time during anal sex. Due to this, Durex has added a warning to boxes of their condoms saying "for vaginal sex only".
Some manufacturers offer "extra strong" condoms designed specifically for anal intercourse. These condoms, while stronger, are usually not coated with spermicide and so offer less protection against pregnancy should semen enter a woman's vagina. However, since spermicide is not believed to help prevent STDs, the lacking of spermicide is not an issue for homosexual sex. In fact, spermicide can damage the lining of the colon over time and should be avoided in condoms and lubrication.
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