A History of Anal Sex

Posted by Dave Lee on

Anal sex has been around a lot longer than most people realize, and even though it has been associated only with homosexual sex throughout most of history, the truth is that anal play is now enjoyed by people of all genders and sexual orientations.

In modern society, anal intercourse is often considered the last taboo, which is one of the reasons for its popularity. In fact, this sex act is more popular than many people realize, and its history is an interesting one.

How Long Has It Been Around?

Between 100 CE and 800 CE in Peru, archaeologists found over 10,000 pieces of pottery, most of them jars or pots. What made these items so unique?

Many of them portrayed anal sex acts between all types of partners, which means that anal sex has been around for quite a while.

At first, there were non-sexual explanations attributed to the pottery, but it wasn't long before people started to realize and accept the fact that they were, in fact, demonstrating anal sex.

It is clear that a very long time ago, anal sex was not considered anything unusual or rare. This is partly because, at one time, there was little to no birth control available, and people realized that a woman could not get pregnant through anal sex.

In the days when birth control was either non-existent or considered a no-no, anal sex offered couples a great way to enjoy sex without the fear of pregnancy. Hence, it became safer and less worrisome than having vaginal sex, which constantly worried women about getting pregnant.

The pottery that was discovered also made people realize that many years ago, anal sex was not just for gay men as heterosexual couples enjoyed the practice as well.

These days, many couples enjoy anal sex when they've decided to "save" themselves for marriage, although, for all practical purposes, anal sex is still sex.

Different cultures throughout history have exhibited a tendency to enjoy anal sex. This includes ancient Rome, where free men often took on young male slaves and had sex with them.

Japanese erotic art proved that both heterosexual and homosexual men had anal sex in ancient times. It wasn't until the Victorian Age that sexual repression became the norm, and sex was looked upon as a way to reproduce and nothing else.

In the 20th century, things began to change, and sexual activity was looked upon as a way to pleasure one another, not just as a way to make babies.

Unfortunately, anal sex was still considered unnatural or unclean, and that attitude remained until recently.

Still, even today, butt sex is looked upon by a lot of people as something dirty, which is why so many people who enjoy the activity are reluctant to admit to it.

What Caused Its Popularity to Rise?

No one knows why or when anal sex became so popular, but one of the reasons attributed to its popularity is the fact that nowadays, the female butt is constantly getting the attention that it may or may not deserve. In short, butts have become sexualized, and therefore,  was the next logical step.

When you couple this with the rise of pornography that shows anything and everything, it is little wonder why anal sex is so popular these days. Anal sex is usually considered the last taboo for many people, which is why they give it a try to experience it.

The popularity of anal sex varies from country to country and from culture to culture. Still, many people are surprised to learn that in more conservative or repressed cultures, having anal orgasm is widely popular.

One of the reasons for this is that, historically, when people are repressed, they tend to gravitate towards behaviors that society forbids them to do.

When repressed and conservative cultures participate in anal sex, it might have been because the activity was looked down upon and considered something wrong, which no one should be doing. When it comes to sex, there are a lot of taboos; fortunately, society is stripping away those taboos one at a time.

Another reason for its rise in popularity is because older generations, whose sexual habits were quite "vanilla" and basic, often were repulsed by the thought of having anal sex.

They passed this attitude down to their teenagers, who usually seek to do whatever their parents want them to stay away from.

There is little doubt that at one time, teenagers began having anal sex to go against their parents' teachings, and from there, the activity became even more popular.

The Definition of Virginity Is Changing

Again, some couples decide to remain virgins until their wedding night; unfortunately, that decision doesn't stop their sexual urges from becoming very strong. Nowadays, a lot of young couples don't consider anal and oral sex to be "real" sex, and they feel that participating in anal and oral sex allows them to remain virgins until marriage.

However, as mentioned earlier, as any sex expert will tell you that sex is sex, whether it's vaginal, anal, or oral.

Many young people also assume that anal sex is just as safe as oral sex, but the truth is that although these types of sex cannot get a woman pregnant, they can still cause STIs and infections, including HPV and even HIV.

For this reason and more, it is highly recommended that if you are interested in anal or oral sex, you should always use protection.

Different Cultures Have Different Attitudes About Anal Sex

Typically, the periods of history dominated by religion involved more repressed behaviors, including sexual activities focused on the anus. Many world religions consider sexual activity outside of the normal male-female type of vaginal sex to be unnatural and even sinful.

When this happens, it doesn't mean that anal sex doesn't happen; it just means that no one is admitting to it. Indeed, it may have happened even more frequently in repressed societies simply because it is such a taboo.

The discovery of artifacts, poetry, books, and even sex toys from ancient peoples proved the existence of anal sex many centuries ago. In fact, it appears that, except for Victorian times, anal penetration as a form of sexual pleasure has been around almost since the beginning of time. Even in Victorian times, it is possible that people enjoyed anal orgasm, but they weren't admitting to it.

In some periods of history — even recently in the United States — anal sex or sodomy, has been outlawed, which meant that people having anal sex could be arrested if they were caught.

Most of these laws were specifically directed at the gay community, but that is fortunately changing. The laws are being dropped in most places because of their unconstitutionality and because the gay lifestyle is more accepted than ever before.

These days, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions have rules about anal sex, but some have changed in recent years to be more accepting of the practice.

In fact, you'd be hard-pressed nowadays to find a religion that specifically forbids the act. Even religions that forbid it often look the other way when they know it is being practiced in their community.

Another interesting note about anal sex is that scientists have found that with most members of the animal kingdom, a certain percentage of them have been known to practice both anal and oral sex.

This includes not only humans but also animals of all kinds. Many experts estimate that roughly 10% of the species engage in anal and oral sex, so these sex practices are not just limited to humans.

Interesting Facts About Anal Sex

Because more and more couples find anal sex game to be exciting — both straight and gay — all the time, it is good to learn a little about this activity. Here are some interesting tidbits about anal sex that many people don't know:

  • It should never hurt. If you've never tried it before, take your time, use plenty of lube, and make sure that you don't do anal sex just to make your partner happy.
  • A man’s prostate is similar to a woman’s G-spot. Most men are surprised by how good it feels when the prostate gland is massaged, not to mention how great their orgasms are afterwards.
  • The anus has nerve endings in it. Many people don't know this, but these nerve endings can cause a lot of great sensations and some mind-blowing orgasms. What does anal sex feel like? Click here to find out!
  • It's possible a man's penis can hurt his partner's intestines during anal sex, although this only occurs if his penis is too long and he inserts it very deeply into the anal area.
  • Women, in particular, may feel like they will have a bowel movement during anal sex. Fortunately, the feeling goes away quickly at some point during sex. Do women enjoy anal sex? Of course!
  • Although very rare, one can get pregnant through anal penetration without a condom as the semen gets too close to the vagina.
  • For many men, receiving anal sex is better than giving it. This doesn't just apply to gay men as many cisgender males have admitted to enjoying being a bottom.
  • Some women, and even some men, can orgasm from anal sex. This is especially true when your genitals are stimulated at the same time as anal sex is occurring.
  • Because the anus isn't self-lubricating as the vagina is, you must use a lot of lube every time you have anal sex. There is no way around this fact.
  • In most cases, the receiver doesn't have to worry about poop coming out while having anal sex, although it is possible if you have a gastrointestinal illness or you're intoxicated.
  • Using a condom can make anal sex safe as it serves as your protection against UTIs and STIs.
  • Your butthole won’t keep stretching and stretching. It stretches to a certain point, making anal sex more comfortable, but it stops eventually and won't stretch out anymore. And don't worry; everything will return to normal after a few hours.

With more and more people getting fond of butt play than ever before, it is good to know that there are ways to make it safe and pleasurable.

Anal Sex in Modern Times

One of the most surprising findings regarding anal sex is that it is enjoyed by men and women, even if they are straight. Anal sex was once thought of as a gay-only sexual activity, but people of all genders and sexual orientations are proving this wrong.

In fact, even though they may not admit it, some straight men and women find that once they get used to anal sex, they start to prefer it over regular vaginal sex. When you consider the fact that it is possible for both men and women to experience orgasms while having anal sex, there is little wonder why it is so popular.

Another reason anal sex is becoming less taboo is that society's attitudes toward the LGBT community are changing. Since anal sex was once thought of as being enjoyed only by gays and because there are so many groups that are against homosexuality, anti-sodomy laws were the norm at one time.

Fortunately, this is changing. Nowadays, more and more people are accepting of the gay lifestyle, and this is but one of the many reasons why anti-sodomy laws are being struck down in most countries.

Anal sex is nothing new, and it is gaining popularity. As long as you practice safe sex and you willingly give your consent, anal sex can be very pleasurable, particularly if you and your partner are in a committed relationship.

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