The Weekly Ringer

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

Sexclamations: Girls and Masturbation

3 min read

Sexclamations Returns With a New Writer

By ERIN HILL

Girls masturbate, too. That’s right, girls—I told our dirty little secret. But why keep it a secret when female masturbation is so common? Is it the vulgar word ‘masturbation’ that stops you from sharing or discovering the techniques that pleasure you most- the ones that make your whole body tingle and throb, inside and out?

We share all other heavenly, pleasurable and natural things. But when it comes to sexually pleasing ourselves, we prohibit ourselves from even mentioning the idea, primarily because sex and anything related to it is considered taboo. This is unfortunate, considering humans are naturally sexual beings. As sexual beings, we begin experimenting with sexual pleasure at a young age. In fact, Susan J. Bradley, MD, says in an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that “masturbation is not uncommon in young children.”

Certainly most of us can recall some childhood experience in which we felt turned on or physically pleasured. Maybe a kissing scene in a movie gave you a “feeling” that you could not put your finger on. Perhaps you liked the sensation that was created when you happened to get tangled in your bed covers a certain way. At the time, you did not understand the morality of your actions or the definition of it. All you knew is that it was pleasurable.

Although some people may have abandoned physically pleasuring themselves because of embarrassing childhood experiences, guilt, preoccupations, a lack of knowledge or a sense of fear about masturbation, many people begin to explore and grasp the concept of sexuality during adolescence. I remember sitting on a long school bus ride home across from two boys in the eighth grade. While conversing about random things with them, they asked me if I had ever touched myself, you know, “down there.”

Of course I awkwardly squirmed in my seat and tried to change the subject, wishing my stop would come sooner. With no books to tell me whether it was right or wrong and only questions of whether or not it was a sin, I began the journey of sexual discovery that week. After much uncertainty, I eventually learned that I can give myself euphoric, exhilarating sensations with the touch of my hand. Who needs drugs when you can get nearly the same high for free?

Throughout high school, I learned that I was not alone in my sexual endeavors. In intimate conversations, I found out that other girls masturbated, too. Some girls could “get off” by rubbing their clitoris alone; others experienced greater sensations by utilizing their fingers.
Although no one spoke of it at the time, sex toys could greatly aid in achieving powerful sexual sensations, otherwise known as orgasms. While I knew a few girls who were comfortable enough to experiment with themselves, I knew many that would not speak of such a “sin,” or who had simply never tried it. Some friends received enough pleasure by simply watching a “chick flick.”

Regardless of past sexual experiences, I highly encourage sexual discovery. There is no feeling comparable to giving yourself a riveting, breathtaking orgasm. It’s risk-free, too. I have never heard of someone getting “preggers” because they physically pleasured themselves. Go ahead and find pleasure points and the g-spot. It may be challenging at first, but it will definitely be worth it. If you cannot give yourself an orgasm of a lifetime, certainly nobody else will know how to do it for you.