A nuanced look at rimming

It’s probably too much to call an article about analingus hard-hitting journalism, but Amanda Hess did a great job in her piece for Playboy called “Tongue in Cheek: The Men Who Want This Sex Act Aren’t Kidding.”

While other sex acts (such as anal sex) have become more commonly accepted as the years have gone by, male anal play still lags behind. Yet when Esquire asked 500 men what they wanted more of during foreplay, 12% named rim jobs — two times the number who desired “a little rough play.”

Charlie Glickman, author of The Ultimate Guide to Prostate Pleasure, explains that the taboo surrounding male anal play has a lot to do with shame — and a perceived loss of masculinity. Rimming is much more prevalent among gay men, which probably explains the (untrue) myth that male anal play is solely a gay activity.

Michael reasons that rim jobs might be more common among gays because they are “a logical precursor to anal sex.” But they also just feel good. Psychological roadblocks to butt play mean that men who opt out are missing out, pure and simple. The anus has “got all of this exquisite sensitivity—it’s similar to the nerves in your lips,” Glickman says. When licked, “It kind of tickles,” Michael adds. “But it also stimulates other erogenous zones, like my penis and my nipples. It’s the whole body package.”

There is also a choice quote from Tristan Taormino: “The asshole is the most democratic of all orifices — we all have one!” It’s true: aside from the physical pleasure it brings, rimming can also empower partners and open up the lines of communication.

Read the whole article on Playboy.

Interested in learning more and perhaps trying out analingus? We suggest Tristan Taormino’s Expert Guide to Anal Pleasure for Men, Charlie Glickman’s The Ultimate Guide to Prostate Pleasure, and dental dams always come in handy too!