MCT Campus

In Claire Cavanah and Rachel Venning’s 2010 publication, Moregasm, the founders of the progressive New York City- and Seattle-based sex shop, Babeland, start their “Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex” by examining all the erotic zones of both the male and female bodies. Although I found myself familiar with everything from nipples and areolas to the pubic mound and even the perineum (that’s the space between the anus and the genitals), Cavannah and Venning’s section called “Your Butt” stood out. Okay, yes, to clarify, I do know what a butt is, but what I didn’t know was that “blood flow, nerves, and the PC muscle all connect the V-hole to the A-hole.” Moreover, I was unaware of the butt’s almost mystical power to release tension and stress. As Babeland’s creators say, “The term ‘tight ass’ was coined for a reason.”

The butt is not just for sitting and pooping. Even if you avoid penetration of the anus or rectum, tension-releasing massages of the cheeks, and spanking, can “resonate nicely through all the genitals.” But the topics of anal penetration and anal play—that is, incorporating the actual orifice—cannot be metaphorical stones left unturned.

In Moregasm, the authors hold that anal penetration, when done correctly, exercises the involuntary sphincters in the rectum. This exercise, whether between heterosexual or same-sex partners, can actually improve your intestinal function, making for fewer glasses of Cetaphil later in life. However, the anal-rectal area is one that is not only made up of involuntary muscles, but also contains no self-lubricating mechanism. To properly penetrate the anus with fingers, toys or a penis, the area needs to be prepped (think deep-tissue massage gently probing towards the rectum—which, if you are a woman, may dually stimulate the vagina through the thin wall between them). It must also be properly slicked up—and we’re not talking spit here; lube is necessary!

In reassessing the subject of the pleasure that comes from anal penetration, a gendered approach may provide more useful insight. While talking to several women about the subject, experiences varied from discomfort and pain to (here’s that phrase again!) “mind-blowing” sexual fulfillment. Though the discomfort and pain likely come from improper preparation, the sexual fulfillment can come from stimulation of the clitoris simultaneously with anal penetration, or stimulation of the female prostate. As one sophomore confided, “The best anal is not necessarily anal sex, but the use of butt toys and simultaneous vaginal penetration. However, butt play also becomes a problem of entertainment in that I don’t want my germs in my vagina, mouth, eyes, etcetera, which can interrupt or end an otherwise nice evening.”

On the male side, the dichotomy of discomfort and pleasure was similarly expressed. But discomfort mainly stemmed from an aversion to anal play in general—as one junior noted, “Put her fingers in his butt? That’s an easy way to get dumped.” As for pleasure, when asked whether an orgasm from anal penetration (receiving) felt better than a masturbatory orgasm, one senior offered, “It really depends, but there’s no doubt that prostate stimulation enhances an orgasm. It’s a sensitive area though—it’s a potential pleasure point, with or without the prostate involved.” As with the vagina, anal play and penetration can stimulate the penis or the prostate, making for a more intense—if suitable—orgasmic experience.

The topics surrounding the butt and its erotic functions are endless. What about douching or anal bleaching? What kind of toys one might use to stimulate the area? The sheer mass of these subtopics attests to the almost-mystical power of the butt I spoke of earlier. It is not just a bodily exit. It is Sir Mix-A-Lot’s career. Hey—it’s Sisqo’s career too (who can wear a thong without a butt?) And it’s another erotic zone bringing pleasure around the globe.