What we think and what’s true, based on information from UCSB professor John Baldwin, sexuality specialist, and http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo, the website created by Baldwin and his wife as a comprehensive source of sex education.

1. Penis size matters

Interestingly, if given the choice, most women would actually pick a smaller penis. Women are considerably more likely to experience painful intercourse. And essentially, the first two inches are what matters … that’s the most sensitive part of the vagina.

2. “Pulling out” works

The “pull-out method” is not a good form of birth control. There is a high risk of pregnancy, since a man may unknowingly release sperm inside the vagina before his orgasm. Sperm can also find their way into the vagina from outside the opening if the male is slow to pull out and starts to ejaculate before he has completely removed his penis from the vaginal area. However, recent studies show that this actually works better than perceived. If you absolutely NEED to have sex, it’s better than nothing.

3. Women want multiple orgasms

A lot of women just want ONE orgasm. Multiple orgasms don’t usually occur in the 20-24 age group. It takes time to understand a woman’s body and what it wants on both partners’ account.

4. Gay guys only have anal sex

Actually, the most common type of sex homosexual males have is oral. But as for anal sex, they are considerably more cautious about the dangers of the behavior than heterosexuals: They are more likely to use condoms for STD protection, whereas heterosexuals generally only think of condoms as birth control for penile-vaginal sex.

5. I should hide my “bad” body parts

That should be the last thing you worry about. It’s a shame to handicap yourself by refusing to go on top because you think your stomach bulges. This country places so much emphasis on body image, but personality should be more important than looks. The hottest person in the party might be your ideal, but if they open their mouth and they’re an idiot or a jerk, why would you want to sleep with them anyway? You should ENJOY the experience, not just look good doing it.

6. The Morning After Pill is the only contraceptive I need

Emergency contraceptives are not nearly as good as using birth control all the time. That being said, it is a good thing to have in your medicine chest — it takes anxiety, stress and fear out of your mind. What if you get into a situation where you do need an emergency contraceptive? Condom breaks? Miss a pill? It is a good thing to turn to right away. The FDA recently approved a new emergency contraceptive: ella. It has full effectiveness over the course of five days (in which sperm inhabit women’s bodies) but is only available by prescription. Visit ella-kwikmed.com for an online medical consultation and prescription.

7. I can’t get pregnant if I have sex on my period

It IS possible to get pregnant while on your period. You are most likely to become pregnant during ovulation, which generally occurs 14 days after the start of your last period — but this time is variable. Sperm can live in a woman’s body for five days; if it is still present during ovulation, you CAN get pregnant.

8. My sexual fantasies reflect my sexual orientation

Homosexuals have heterosexual fantasies and heterosexuals have homosexual fantasies. Don’t take these too seriously; they don’t reveal anything about your sexual orientation. Likewise, these fantasies aren’t usually the most common — your dreams and fantasies are based on crazy associations and random thoughts — they bounce all over the place.

9. The tighter the condom, the better

When it comes to condoms, knowledge and skill are more important than anything else. You should always properly put on a condom and take precautions to hold onto it while pulling it out. Females, you should learn how to put it on him in a way that excites him — he won’t be able to say no. If he’s not going to do it the way you want, you can always say no.

10. I can learn everything about sex from porn

Soc152A is made up of 2/3 women and 1/3 men. Some guys think they don’t need to know anything other than what they’ve seen in porn. However, it offers an unrealistic presentation of sex. Girls can actually tell when a guy has only learned from porn … and it’s usually not a good thing. There is actually a large repertoire of skills men can acquire that would significantly increase sexual pleasure.

 

Amanda Hill is the Daily Nexus Managing Editor

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