Vaginal flatulence, popularly known as “queefing,” is the phenomenon that occurs when excess air is pushed out through the vagina; it’s like a fart but without the expulsion of odorous gases. Queefing normally occurs during intercourse, as arousal causes a vagina to expand and the entrance of the penis causes air to be pushed inside. After sex, the vagina contracts as the penis is removed, and the air is released. Any noise associated with the queef is caused by the vibration of air against vaginal muscles.

Queefing can be controlled during sex only by slow insertion and removal of the penis, or by familiarizing yourself with which sex positions cause one’s body to be prone to queefing—and then avoiding them. For example, queefing is thought to be most common during doggy style intercourse, or “the congress of the cow,” when the man enters the woman’s vagina from behind. The downward angle of the woman’s body coupled with the upward insertion of the penis may cause a more rapid release of trapped air and thus, a queef.

Some women, however, can queef anytime, using the control of their abs, breath and the PC muscles in their vagina. This so-called “queefing on command” has been illustrated in the recent “South Park” recent episode “Eat, Pray, Queef,” in which queefing is likened to the youthful male obsession with farts. Women assume the upper hand with queefing—queefing at the dinner table and queefing in guy’s faces, much to male disgust.

But “queefing on command” has also been taken to the erotic level by celebrities like Amber Rose. Rose, known most recently as Kanye West’s love object, made much of her headway as “Amber the Lesbian Queefer” in films in 2002 and 2003. Queef porn has grown to a type of fetish likened to lactation porn, which has a decent level of Internet popularity but has stayed relatively below the radar.

Whether on “South Park,” in porn or in your bed, queefing remains a controversial subject. Although “Talk Sex” TV show host Sue Johanson calls them “wonderful fun” and advocates that women should laugh about them, there’s no denying that the sound of a fart erupting during sex breaks the mood. Unplanned and often louder than expected, queefs can be a point of embarrassment, especially when you are with someone you just became intimate with.

While one anonymous sophomore male calls queefs “something you just don’t talk about,” an anonymous junior male refers to queefing as “a huge turn-off.” With these kinds of reactions, it’s hard to follow Sue and just laugh it off. Whether you are into “queefing on command” or no queefing at all, being aware and being close with your partner are important ways to make any sort of bodily function just what it is—another bodily function, akin to orgasming, burping or crying.