Kinky sex

Kinky sex. Sharing the most intimate details of your sex life is still largely taboo. But if you can’t talk about it with your closest friends, is bringing it up in the bedroom going to be that much easier?

Let’s back up for a moment: What exactly qualifies as kinky?

While the word kink doesn’t have a medical or technical definition, it’s generally any sexual practice that falls out of convention — commonly considered acts such as loving touch, romantic talk, kissing, vaginal penetration, masturbation, and oral sex. “Kink” itself refers to anything that bends away from the “straight and narrow,” though there are a few categories that commonly fall under the kinky sex umbrella:

BDSM. When most people think of kinky sex, they think of BDSM, a four-letter acronym that stands for six different things: Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, and Masochism. BDSM includes an extremely wide range of activities, from light paddle spanking and dominant/submissive role-playing to bondage parties and pain play.

Fantasy and role-playing. One of the most common forms of kinky sex involves creating imagined scenarios. This could be as simple as talking about a fantasy in bed, to as complex as wearing costumes or acting out scenes in front of strangers.

Fetishes. One out of four men and women are interested in fetish play, defined as treating a nonsexual object or body part sexually. Common fetishes include the feet and shoes, leather or rubber, and diaper play (yes).

Voyeurism or exhibitionism. Watching someone undress or watching a couple have sex without their knowledge are common voyeur fantasies, while having sex in a public place is one form of exhibitionism. Both are surprisingly common (and kinky) — 35 percent of adults surveyed were interested in voyeurism.

Group sex. Threesomes, sex parties, orgies, and more — group sex is any act that involves more than two people. Ten percent of womenTrusted Source and 18 percent of men have participated in group sex, while even higher percentages voiced interest in the idea.

Kinky sex can be beneficial in some surprising ways

Hear the science out first: Kinky sex could help you feel better and be more mentally healthy. A study found that both dominant and submissive practitioners of BDSM were:

– less neurotic
– more extroverted
– more open to new experiences
– more conscientious
– less rejection-sensitive

They also had higher subjective well-being compared to the control group. This could mean two things: That people with these traits are attracted to kinky sex, or that kinky sex can help you grow and gain confidence. But the latter is very probable, especially as we research more about the effects of kinky sex.