4D
SEX ON THE HILL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008
Questions you've always wanted to ask
'Sexpert'sheds light on STI's, sexual positions,faking it
BY HALLIE MANN hmann@kansan.com
1. How susceptible are you to getting pregnant while on your period? (Kirsten Hardy, St. Louis junior)
According to Patty Quinlan of Student Health Services, when on a formal form of contraception, it is unlikely. When not taking a formal form of contraception, it is not impossible to become pregnant during the time frame of a period. The end of a period can be a really fertile time frame.
2. Is it true that you can get an STI from a public toilet seat? (Kacey Clements, Lawrence sophomore)
The answer is no. According to Discovery Health, this popular urban legend is not true. STI's can be spread through other public means such as shared needles but not through a toilet seat.
3. How many different positions are there? (Josh Sharp, Mission freshman)
Theoretically there are infinitely many positions for having sex. The Kama Sutra lists 64 different sexual acts. According to Cosmopolitan, there are 77 essential sexual positions to know including missionary style, doggy style, and cowgirl style, multiple types of oral sex and sex with multiple partners. Basically, there are as many positions as you and your partner can think of. So go crazy!
4. What kind of damage can anal sex to your body? (Emily
Foerschler, Lawrence freshman)
While serious injuries from anal sex rarely happen, there can be complications that require medical attention. Go Ask Alice, from Columbia University's Student Health Services, recently looked at this issue and outlined problems that require some attention.
First off, anal sex can cause and/or aggravate hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in the anal area. This can cause minor bleeding. Another complication that can arise from anal sex is an anal fissure. This is a small tear in the anal tissue and can be quite painful because it causes spasms of the opening of the anus. One of the most serious complications from anal sex can be tearing a hole in your colon which requires immediate medical attention. While all of these sound seriously painful, they are not that common and can be avoided by being careful with your partner.
5. What does male circumcision entail? (Jessica Singer, Olathe senior)
According to MedLine Plus, circumcision is the removal of the foreskin, which is the skin that covers the tip of the penis. In the United States, it is often done before a new baby leaves the hospital or early in the child's life. However, certain ethnic and religious groups see circumcision as a rite of passage and reserve this act for later in a male's life. Circumcision is more common in the United States, with 85 percent circumcised at birth, than in European countries with just 10 percent.
6. What is tantric sex?
(Robbie Gordy, Omaha, Neb,
senior)
According to Discovery Health's website, Tantric sex, from the Indian Tantra, is a form of sex and unity that revolves around reaching a higher form of ecstasy by being one with your partner.
"The word Tantra means 'to manifest, to expand, to show and to weave.' In this context, sex is thought to expand consciousness and to weave together the polarities of male (represented by the Hindu god, Shiva), and female (embodied by the Hindu goddess, Shakti) into a harmonious whole." In practice, Tantra teaches people how to extend the peak of their sexual ecstasy so that women and men can experience several orgasms in a single sexual encounter. This is done through practicing meditation, including breathing, communicating and working with your partner to have the ultimate sexual union.
7. How many times a year does a girl fake it? (Curtis Falkner, Gardner senior)
A study done by Danish scientists K. Garde and I. Lunde found that 68 percent of women have faked an orgasm at least once. While most people attribute "faking it" as a women's thing to do, polls have found that both men and women are the culprits. A men's magazine named Lavalife found that 50 percent of men and 82 percent of women have faked an orgasm.
8. Is sex really that big a deal when you come to college? (Janel
Wietharn, St. Mary's freshman)
A recent study done at Rutgers University concluded that two-thirds of college-aged women and half of college-aged men found that sexual pleasure is good and important in and of itself. This does not mean that you have to have sex to enjoy college but it might make it more pleasurable.
9. How long does birth control last or have effects on your body after you stop using it? (Meagan Kirk, Topeka senior)
According Patty Quinlan of Student Health Services, oral contraception is out of the system quickly.
Contraception such as Depo Provera injections take longer. Studies that occurred during the past 40 years show that contraceptives do not harm fertility, have many benefits, including prevention of ovarian and endometrial cancers, and do not increase the risk of breast cancer.
10. What is a healthy frequency of sexual activity? (Nick Renaud, St. Louis freshman)
According to Dr. Mehmet Oz of Columbia-Presbyterian Center of New York and regular on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" people should have sex 200 times a year.
"Sexual activity is a form of physical exercise," according to Dr. Michael Cirigliano of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Regular sexual activity can burn as many calories as running 75 miles each year. Having sex can be beneficial to your health
Photo illustration by Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
by lowering cholesterol, relieving stress, and increasing neces
sary hormones according to Men's Health magazine.
WOULD YOU RATHER...
Would you rather orgasm once every five years or once every five seconds?
"Every five years because it would be embarrassing and it wouldn't be fun anymore if you did it every five seconds."
— Hannah Powell, Wichita junior
—LAUREN CUNNINGHAM
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