Anal sex
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226185801
2008-07-17T06:05:17Z
Skoojal
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rewording - 'male/male' is a silly and awkward expression
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{{dablink|This article is about the human sexual act. For anal sex in non-human animals, see [[Animal sexuality]].}}
[[Image:Indu pordetras.jpg|thumb|Indian art featuring anal sex]][[Image:Tractus intestinalis rectum.svg|thumb|Digestive system with rectum highlighted]]
'''Anal sex''' most often refers to the sex act involving insertion of the [[penis]] into the [[rectum]].<ref>http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=anal%20sex</ref> The term ''anal sex'' can also sometimes include other sexual acts involving the anus, including but not limited to [[Anal-oral sex|anilingus]] and [[fingering (sexual act)#Anal fingering|fingering]].
It is a form of sexual behavior considered to be comparatively high in risk, due to the vulnerability of the tissues and the septic nature of the anus.<ref>"Most of the time, condoms work well. However, condoms are more likely to break during anal sex than during vaginal sex. Thus, even with a condom, anal sex can be risky. A person should use generous amounts of water-based lubricant in addition to the condom to reduce the chances of the condom breaking." [http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa22.htm Center for Disease Control; "Can I get HIV from anal sex?"]</ref> As the [[rectum|rectal]] [[mucosa]] provides little natural lubrication, a [[personal lubricant]] is most often required or preferred when penetrating the anus.
== Heterosexual anal sex ==
[[Image:Anal Intercourse Artwork.jpg|thumb|230px|Print, [[Édouard-Henri Avril|Paul Avril]]]]In modern Western countries anal sex is reported as being a widely practiced, if still minority, form of intercourse between men and women. In some cultures, receptive anal intercourse by heterosexual partners is widely accepted. One reason is that there is very low risk of unwanted [[human pregnancy|pregnancy]] via unprotected anal intercourse (though this is not an absolute guarantee, because semen can leak from the anus, cross the [[perineum]], and enter the [[vagina]]). Also, anal sex is sometimes seen as preserving female [[virginity]] because it leaves the [[hymen]] intact. Another reason is that the anus is considered to yield more tactile pleasure for the penis, being tighter than the vagina. The Renaissance poet [[Pietro Aretino]] advocated the practice in his ''Sonetti Lussuriosi'' (Lust Sonnets).<ref>{{cite journal |last=Daileader |first=Celia R. |title=Back Door Sex: Renaissance Gynosodomy, Aretino, and the Exotic |journal=English Literary History |volume=69 |issue=2 |pages=303–334 |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |date=Summer 2002 |url=http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/elh/v069/69.2daileader.pdf |accessdate=2007-04-30}}</ref>
Alternatively, the man may take the receptive role in heterosexual anal sex, usually aided by sex toys. The practice of [[pegging (sexual practice)|pegging]], in which a woman wearing a [[strap-on dildo]] penetrates her male partner, is gaining acceptance{{Fact|date=November 2007}}. Moreover, due to the proximity of the prostate gland to the rectum, it has been suggested that males may derive greater satisfaction in this manner than females.<ref>[http://www.askmen.com/love/vanessa/23b_love_secrets.html AskMen.com - Male pleasure<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://nymag.com/nightlife/mating/25988/ Anal-sex talk still makes people blush. But it’s also increasingly popular in the hetero world.]</ref>
=== Anal sex and female virginity ===
Though more often applied to first penetration,<ref>{{cite news |last=Jayson |first=Sharon |title='Technical virginity' becomes part of teens' equation |work=USA Today |publisher=Gannett Co. Inc. |date=[[2005-10-19]] |url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-10-19-teens-technical-virginity_x.htm |accessdate=2007-04-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Friedman |first=Mindy |title=Sex on Tuesday: Virginity: A Fluid Issue |work=The Daily Californian |date=[[2005-09-20]] |url=http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=19565 |accessdate=2007-04-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=The 700 Club |title=Hayley DiMarco: The New Promiscuous |publisher=CBN |url=http://www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/Hayley_DiMarco072006.aspx |accessdate=2007-04-29}}</ref> the concept of "technical [[virginity]]" is sometimes conceived as resting solely on vaginal penetration.<ref>{{cite paper |author=Uecker, Jeremy E. et al |title=Going Most of the Way: "Technical Virginity" among Young Americans |url=http://paa2007.princeton.edu/download.aspx?submissionId=70881 |accessdate=2007-04-30}}</ref>
In [[Norman Mailer]]'s novel ''[[Harlot's Ghost]]'', a character states that in Italy, an unmarried woman had to be "a maiden before and a martyr behind", implying that such women were obliged to submit to anal sex and that anal sex was painful.
In other cases, first anal intercourse is conceived of as ending a separate virginity from first vaginal intercourse,<ref>[http://dearsugar.com/119189 Whoa! He Went For Fifth Base! | Dating, Guys, Sex | DearSugar - Love, Sex, Relationship & Advice<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> with varying degrees of seriousness. In a ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' interview, comedian [[Sarah Silverman]] joked: "I didn't lose my virginity until I was twenty-six. Nineteen vaginally, but twenty-six what my boyfriend calls 'the real way.'"<ref>[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/8719206/dirty_rotten_princess Dirty Rotten Princess : Rolling Stone<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
=== Pegging ===
A woman using a [[strap-on dildo]] to anally penetrate a man is referred to as [[pegging (sexual practice)|pegging]].<ref>[http://thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=7730 Savage Love Female-to-Male strap-on sex naming contest], origin of the word Pegging, retrieved [[May 4]][[2007]]</ref> Due to the proximity of the prostate gland to the rectum, it has been suggested that males may achieve greater satisfaction in this manner than females.<ref>[http://www.askmen.com/love/vanessa/23b_love_secrets.html askmen.com]</ref>
=== Prevalence among heterosexual couples===
According to a 2004 report, "Some research suggests that one in four heterosexuals in the US has tried anal sex and for one in 12, it is an occasional or episodic practice. Other surveys suggest that seven times as many women as gay men engage in anal intercourse, a figure reflecting the greater overall heterosexual population."<ref>[[Anne-Christine d'Adesky]], ''Expanding Microbicide Research'' in amfAR Global Link - Treatment Insider; May 2004</ref>
In 2005, a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control determined that the incidence of anal relations in the heterosexual population is on the increase. The survey showed that 40 percent of men and 35 percent of women between 25 and 44 had engaged in heterosexual anal sex; in 1992 a similar survey found that only 25.6 percent of men 18 to 59 and 20.4 percent of women 18 to 59 had.<ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad362.pdf] 2006 survey of sexual behavior from the CDC.</ref>
A 2001 [[France|French]] survey of five hundred female respondents concluded that a total of 29% had practiced anal sex, though only one third of these claimed to have enjoyed the experience.<ref name="French">{{cite web |title=Les pratiques sexuelles des Françaises |publisher=TNS/Sofres |url=http://www.tns-sofres.com/etudes/pol/030701_sexualite_r.htm |accessdate=2007-04-30 |language=French}}Survey carried out by TNS/Sofres in a representative sample of 500 women from 18 to 65 years of age, in April and May, 2002.</ref> In contrast, in a 1999 [[South Korea]]n survey of 586 women, only 3.5% of respondents reported having had anal sex.<ref>{{citation |url=http://kmbase.medric.or.kr/Main.aspx?d=KMBASE&m=VIEW&i=0356419990170030177 |title=한국여성의 성형태에 대한 연구 (Sexual Behavior of Korean Women) |journal=Daehan Namseong Gwahak Hoeji |volume=17 |number=3 |date=1999 |pages=177–185 |last=Yi |first=Ung-hoe |last2=Sin |first2=Jong-seong |last3=Choe |first3=Hyeong-gi}}</ref>
Figures for the prevalence of sexual behavior can fluctuate over time. [[Edward O. Laumann]]'s 1992 survey, reported in ''The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States'' found that about 20% of heterosexuals have engaged in anal sex. [[Sexology|Sex researcher]] [[Alfred Kinsey]], working in the 1940s, had found that number to be closer to 40% at the time. More recently, a researcher from the [[University of British Columbia]] in 2005 put the number of heterosexuals who have practiced anal sex at between 30% and 50%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Healthy sex is all in the talk |publisher=The Georgia Straight |date=[[2005-05-05]] |url=http://www.straight.com/article/healthy-sex-is-all-in-the-talk |accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref>
According to [[Columbia University]]'s health website, [[Go Ask Alice!]]: "Studies indicate that about 25 percent of heterosexual couples have had anal sex at least once, and 10 percent regularly have anal penetration."<ref>[http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0900.html Not all gay men have anal sex] Originally Published: May 10, 1996 ~ Last Updated / Reviewed on: October 14, 2005</ref>
== Men who have sex with men (MSM) ==
[[Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (18).jpg|thumb|230px|19th-century erotic interpretation of [[Hadrian]] and [[Antinous]], by [[Édouard-Henri Avril|Paul Avril]]]]In recent decades, particularly in [[Western culture]]s, anal sex has been popularly associated with male [[homosexuality]] and [[Men who have sex with men|men who have sex with men (MSM)]]. Among [[men who have sex with men|MSM]] who have anal sex, the insertive partner is referred to as the ''top'' or ''active'' partner. The man being penetrated is referred to as the ''bottom'' or ''passive'' partner. Preference for either is referred to as ''versatile''. Not all MSM engage in anal sex, and some groups such as [[frot]]<ref>http://man2manalliance.org/crw/frot/not.html</ref> advocacy groups actively denounce anal sex as degrading toward the receptive partner and an unncessary health risk. This viewpoint cites the increased [[HIV]] risk and [[physiological]] differences of the anus from the [[vagina]].
=== Prostate stimulation ===
[[Image:Penis.svg|thumb|right|Diagram showing location of prostate]]
In the receiving partner, being penetrated can produce a pleasurable sensation due to the inserted penis rubbing or brushing against the [[prostate]] through the anal wall. Penetration can be painful if the bottom partner's anus is not properly lubricated.
The [[prostate]] gland (also known as the "[[male G-spot]]" or "A-spot") can be stimulated during anal intercourse.<ref>[http://www.talksexwithsue.com/Aspot.html The A-Spot], Talk Sex with Sue Johansen, 2005, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref>
Stimulation of the [[prostate gland]] can result in pleasurable sensations and can lead to a distinct type of [[Orgasm#Achieving_orgasm|orgasm]] in some cases. The prostate is located next to the rectum and is the larger, more developed<ref>
The G Spot: And Other Discoveries About Human Sexuality by Alice Kahn Ladas, Beverly Whipple, and John D. Perry, pg 57.</ref> male [[homology (biology)|homologue]] to the [[Skene's glands]], also known as the "G-spot"<ref>
[http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992495 Bigger is better when it comes to the G spot], Nicola Jones, NewScientist.com, July 2002, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]
</ref> or "female prostate",<ref>{{cite journal |author=Zaviacic M, Jakubovská V, Belosovic M, Breza J |title=Ultrastructure of the normal adult human female prostate gland (Skene's gland). |journal=Anat Embryol (Berl) |volume=201 |issue=1 |pages=51–61 |year=2000 |pmid=10603093}}</ref> which are located around the urethra and can be felt through the wall of the vagina.
=== Prevalence among MSM ===
While at the present time it is reported more frequently among [[homosexuality|same-sex couples]], according to Dr. John Dean and Dr. David Delvin, "in absolute numbers, it is hypothesized that more heterosexual couples have anal sex than homosexual couples".<ref>" There is a common misconception that anal sex is practised almost exclusively by gay men. This is certainly not the case. It is thought that an estimated one third of gay couples do not include anal intercourse in their lovemaking. About one third of heterosexual couples try it from time to time. It is thought that about 10 per cent of heterosexual couples have anal intercourse as a regular feature of their lovemaking. In absolute numbers, it is hypothesized that more heterosexual couples have anal sex than homosexual couples.[http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/healthfitness/health_advice/netdoctor/archive/000594.html]</ref>
In the 1950s in the United Kingdom, it was thought that about fifteen percent of male homosexuals practiced the method.<ref>H. Montgomery Hyde, The Love That Dared not Speak its Name; pp.6-7 </ref> The Gay Urban Men's Study (P.I. Stall, UCSF) and the Young Men's Study (YMS, PI Osmond/Catania, UCSF), indicate that 50% of men surveyed engage in anal sex. The [[Laumann study]] claims that 80% of gay men practice it, while the remaining 20% never engage in it at all.
A survey conducted from 1994 to 1997 in San Francisco by the Stop AIDS Project indicated that over the course of the study, among [[men who have sex with men]], the proportion engaging in anal sex increased from 57.6% to 61.2%.<ref name = "cdc.gov-Rectal">Center for Disease Control, ''Increases in Unsafe Sex and Rectal Gonorrhea Among Men Who Have Sex With Men -- San Francisco, California, 1994-1997''[http://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/preview/mmwrhtml/00056314.htm], retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref>
== Health risks ==
[[Image:Gray1082.png|thumb|Mucous membranes of the rectum]]
Anal sex exposes participants to two principal dangers: infections, due to the high number of infectious [[microorganisms]] not found elsewhere on the body, and physical damage to the anus and the rectum due to their vulnerability.
Recent reports have documented that risky behavior is on the rise among men who have sex with men.<ref name = "cdc.gov-Rectal"/> Likewise, among men who have sex with women, a 1992 study of socially and sexually active Puerto Rican men indicated that of the more than 40% who reported having anal sex with women, very few had used condoms.<ref>Crandon JE. Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24; 8: D527 (abstract no. PoD 5830) Hertford College, Oxford University, U.K.; "A study concerning HIV related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in a sample of Puerto Rican men and its relevance to AIDS education, prevention and outreach in San Juan, Puerto Rico."[http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/102201007.html] Accessed 9/27/2007</ref> Among gay men, anal sex without the use of a condom is referred to as [[barebacking]].
=== HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases ===
Among the diseases with which anal sex is associated are HIV,<ref>
[http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/?article=faq&refid=125 What are the Dangers of Anal Sex?], SexInfo, University of California at Santa Barbara, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]
</ref> [[human papilloma virus|human papilloma virus (HPV)]] (which can increase risk for [[anal cancer]])<ref>[http://www.lgbthealthchannel.com/msmcancer/ Anal Cancer in Gay & Bisexual Men], LGBTHealthChannel, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref> typhoid fever<ref>
[http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/resolve?doi=10.1086/375590&erFrom=-3765596048411440117Guest Sexual Transmission of Typhoid Fever: A Multistate Outbreak among Men Who Have Sex with Men], Reller, Megan E. et al, Clinical Infectious Diseases, volume 37 (2003), pages 141 – 144, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref> and various diseases associated with the infectious nature of [[Feces|fecal matter]] or sexual intercourse in general. Among these are: [[Amoebiasis]]; [[Chlamydia infection|Chlamydia]]; [[Cryptosporidiosis]]; [[Escherichia coli|E. coli infections]]; [[Giardiasis]]; [[Gonorrhea]]; [[Hepatitis A]]; [[Hepatitis B]]; [[Hepatitis C]]; [[Herpes simplex]]; [[Human papillomavirus]]; [[Lymphogranuloma venereum]]; [[Pubic lice]]; [[Salmonellosis]]; [[Shigella]]; [[Syphilis]]; [[Tuberculosis]].<ref name="AnalHealth">
[http://www.sexualhealthchannel.com/analhealth/ Anal Health], Sexual Health Channel, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref><ref>[http://health.ivillage.com/sexualhealth/sxsafe/0,,6d85,00.html Diseases From Anal Sex] Harold Oster, MD, iVillage, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref><ref>[http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tuberculosis/DS00372/DSECTION=3 Tuberculosis], The Mayo Clinic, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref>
The high concentration of [[white blood cell]]s around the rectum, together with the risk of cuts to the rectum and that one of the functions of the rectum is to absorb fluid, increases the risk of HIV transmission because the HIV retrovirus reproduces within the immune system's [[T-cells]]/CD4 cells. Use of [[condom]]s and other precautions are a medically recommended way to lessen risk of infections. Unprotected receptive anal sex is the most risky sexual behavior in terms of HIV transmission.<ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5338a1.htm High-Risk Sexual Behavior by HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men --- 16 Sites, United States, 2000--2002], MMWR Weekly, [[October 1]], [[2004]] / 53(38);891-894, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref><ref>[http://aids.about.com/od/hivaidsstats/f/infectionrisk.htm "Am I at Risk for HIV Infection?"] Mark Cichocki, About:HIV/AIDS, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref><ref>[http://www.planetout.com/health/hiv/?sernum=1900 The truth about barebacking] Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, PlanetOut, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref>
=== Increased risk of anal cancer due to HPV ===
Most cases of anal cancer are related to infection with the [[human papilloma virus]]. The incidence of the disease has jumped 160% in men and 78% in women in the last thirty years, according to a 2004 American study. The increase is attributed to changing trends in sexual behavior and [[tobacco]] use. Current use of tobacco increased the incidence of anal cancer four-fold, while a history of multiple sex partners (fifteen or more) or receptive anal sex increased the incidence seven-fold.<ref>Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, ''Changing Trends in Sexual Behavior May Explain Rising Incidence of Anal Cancer Among American Men and Women''[http://www.fhcrc.org/about/ne/news/2004/07/06/analcancer.html], retrieved [[2007-09-23]]</ref>
=== Physical damage ===
Physical damage to the rectum and anus can manifest as generalized ano-rectal trauma, [[hemorrhoid]]s, [[anal fissure]]s,<ref name="AnalHealth">[http://www.sexualhealthchannel.com/analhealth/ Anal Health], Sexual Health Channel, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref> and [[rectal prolapse]]. An insufficient amount of lubricant can make it especially painful or injurious.<ref>[http://www.student.com/sexguide_a.php?id=45 Importance of Foreplay] dudeman41465, The Sexuality Guide [[November 3]], [[2005]], retrieved [[2007-04-29]]
</ref> Damage is more likely if intercourse is forcible or aggressive, if alcohol or other drugs have dulled sensitivity, if communication is poor, or if technique is clumsy.
=== Anal incontinence ===
A 1997 study published in the ''American Journal of Gastroenterology'' found no difference in levels of incontinence between homosexual men who engaged in anal sex and heterosexual men who did not, and severely criticised an earlier 1993 study published in the ''Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine'' which had found that fourteen out of a sample of forty men receiving anal intercourse experienced episodes of frequent anal incontinence for its inclusion of [[flatus]] in its definition of incontinence.<ref>Chun AB, Rose S, Mitrani C, Silvestre AJ, Wald A: Anal sphincter structure and function in homosexual males engaging in anal receptive intercourse. Amer J of Gastroenterology 92:465-468, 1997</ref><ref>[http://www.jrsm.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/3/144 Effect of anoreceptive intercourse on anorectal function]
AJ Miles, TG Allen-Mersh and C Wastell, Department of Surgery, Westminster Hospital, London; in ''Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine'' Vol 86, Issue 3 144-147; 1993, retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref>
Dr. Jack Morin recommended [[kegel exercises]] to prevent loss of muscle tone from anal fisting or insertion of large objects in a presentation of clinical aspects of anal sexuality, delivered at the 1998 joint conference of the [[Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality]] and the [[American Association of Sex Educators]]. He added, however, that he had never personally observed "loosening" in any of his patients<ref>[http://sexuality.org/morin98.html Jack Morin Transcript<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
== Cultural issues ==
[[Image:Suzuki Harunobu Shunga.jpg|thumb|A [[shunga]] print depicting a man and a youth]]
Historically, a number of cultures have recorded the practice of anal intercourse between men. The males who participated in such relationships often did not do so exclusively, as participation in these relationships between men did not preclude sex with women. Such relations have also been documented as taking place in houses of prostitution, which provided youths or young men.
=== Ancient and non-Western cultures ===
The term "Greek love" has long been used to refer to the practice, and in modern times, "doing it the Greek way" is sometimes used as [[slang]] for anal sex. However, homosexual anal sex was far from a universally accepted practice in [[Ancient Greece]]. It was the target of jokes in surviving comedies; [[Aristophanes]] mockingly alludes to the practice, claiming that "Most citizens are europroktoi (wide-arsed) now."<ref>[http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Eleven-Comediesx46527.html The Eleven Comedies]Aristophanes et al, Part 7 out of 8, retrieved </ref> While [[Pederasty in ancient Greece|pedagogic pederasty]] was an essential element in the education of male youths, these relationships, at least in Athens and Sparta, were expected to steer clear of penetrative sex of any kind. There are very few works of pottery or other art that display anal sex between older men and boys, leave alone with adult men. Most such works depict fondling or [[intercrural sex]], which was not condemned for violating and feminizing the boys. Other sources make it clear that the practice was criticized as shameful,<ref>[[Aesop]], "Zeus and Shame" (Perry 109, Chambry 118, Gibbs 528), in ''Fables''</ref> and seen as a form of [[hubris]].<ref>David Cohen, "Sexuality, Violence, and the Athenian Law of ''Hubris"'' ''Greece and Rome;'' V.38.2 pp171-188</ref>
[[Image:Warren Cup BM GR 1999.4-26.1 n1.jpg|thumb|left|Two [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] males in a lupanar; [[Warren Cup]], British Museum]]
In later [[Greek literature#Roman Age|Roman age Greek poetry]], anal sex became a common topos, represented as taking place with "eligible" youths: those who had attained the proper age but had not yet become adults. Seducing children into the practice was considered very shameful for the adult, and having such relations with a male who was no longer adolescent was considered more shameful for the young male than for the one mounting him. Greek courtesans, or [[hetaera]]e, are said to have frequently practiced heterosexual anal intercourse as a means of preventing pregnancy, a matter in dispute.{{Fact|date=January 2007}} The acceptability of anal sex thus varied with the time-period and the location, as Ancient Greece spanned a long time and stretched over three continents and two major seas.
For a male citizen to take the passive (or receptive) role in anal intercourse was condemned in Rome as an act of ''impudicitia'' (immodesty or unchastity). Free men, however, frequently took the active role with a young slave, known as a ''[[catamite]]'' or ''puer delicatus.'' In fact the Romans thought of anal sex as something specifically "Greek," although Roman men often availed themselves of their own slaves or others in this way.<ref>Quignard, Pascal (1996) ''Le Sexe et l'effroi''</ref>
In Japan, records (including detailed [[shunga]]) show that at least some men in relationships with other men did engage in penetrative anal intercourse.
[[Image:Larcomuseumanalsex.jpg|thumb|Man and woman having anal sex. Ceramic, Moche Culture. 300 A.D.]]
Evidence suggestive of widespread heterosexual anal intercourse in a pre-modern culture can be found in the erotic vases, or stirrup-spout pots, made by the [[Moche]] people of Peru; in a survey<ref>[[Rafael Larco Hoyle]] and Dr. Francisco Guerra, quoted in Tannahill, Reay (1992) ''Sex in History'', p. 297-298</ref> of a collection of these pots, it was found that 31 percent of them depicted heterosexual anal intercourse, more by far than any other sex act. Moche pottery of this type belonged to the world of the dead, which was believed to be a reversal of life. Thus the reverse of common practices was often portrayed. The [[Larco Museum]] houses an [http://www.museolarco.org/iep_er.shtml Erotic Gallery] in which this pottery is showcased.
The 19th century anthropologist [[Richard Francis Burton]] has theorized that there is a geographical [[Sotadic zone]] wherein penetrative intercourse between men is particularly prevalent and accepted; moreover he was one of the first writers to advance the premise that such an orientation is biologically determined.<ref name="burton1885">{{cite web |url=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/burton-te.html |first=Sir Richard Francis |last=Burton |work="Terminal Essay", from his translation of The Arabian Nights |title=Section D: Pederasty |year=1885}}</ref>
=== Western cultures ===
In many Western countries, anal sex has generally been [[taboo]] since the [[Middle Ages]] when [[Christian heresy|heretical]] movements were sometimes attacked by accusations that their members practised anal sex among themselves. At that time the mainstream [[Christianity|Christian]] [[clergy]] was not celibate, but the highest orders of some heretical sects were, leading to rumours that their celibacy was a sign of their attraction to members of the same sex. The term ''[[buggery]]'' originated in [[medieval]] [[Europe]] as an insult used to describe the rumoured same-sex sexual practices of the heretics from a sect originating in [[Bulgaria]], where its followers were called ''[[bogomil]]s''; when they spread out of the country they were called ''buggres'' (from the [[ethnonym]] ''Bulgars''). Another term for the practice, more archaic, is "pedicate" from the [[Latin language|Latin]] ''pedicare,'' with the same meaning.<ref>"I have derived the word pedicate from the Latin paedicare or pedicare, meaning "to penetrate anally." in "The Warren Cup: homoerotic love and symposial rhetoric in silver," Note 6;''The Art Bulletin,'' March, 1999 by John Pollini [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0422/is_1_81/ai_54517307/pg_30]</ref>
While men who engaged in homosexual relationships were generally suspected of engaging in anal sex, many such individuals did not. Among these, in recent times, have been [[André Gide]], who for that reason was said to have been the pope of a religion to which he did not belong; [[Oscar Wilde]], who despite being accused of being a "[[Sodomy|somdomite]]" (sic) by [[John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry|the Marquess of Queensberry]] actually did not engage in anal sex {{Fact|date=June 2007}}; and [[Noel Coward]], who had a horror of disease, and asserted when young that "I'd never do anything - well the disgusting thing they do - because I know I could get something wrong with me."<ref>Philip Hoare, ''Noel Coward: A Biography'' p.18</ref>
=== In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam ===
[[Image:Sodoma - Elluin.jpg|thumb|upright|[[François Elluin]], ''Sodomites provoking divine wrath'', from ''Le pot-pourri'' (1781)]]
This prohibition of the [[Abrahamic religion]]s against anal sex has been promulgated under the rubric of "[[sodomy]]," which includes various other transgressions of a sexual nature, whether with men, women or animals. This idea is vividly brought to life in the popular interpretation of the story of Sodom, where the people were prone to sexual immorality, and as a result were destroyed. There are conflicting views as to why Sodom was destroyed.
==== Judaism ====
[[Orthodox Judaism]] teaches that sodomy is homosexual anal sex, and is a sin and toevah (abomination), based on the Bible passages Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13; the injunction "Do not lie with a man the lyings of a woman; it is abhorrent." has led rabbinical scholars to conclude "these verses to prohibit anal sex between men without any exception." This interpretation is contrary to many scholars' belief that the passage is intended to refer only to temple prostitutes.<ref>[http://www.rabbinevins.org/HHH%20Dorff%20Nevins%20Reisner%20Final2.pdf HOMOSEXUALITY, HUMAN DIGNITY & HALAKHAH] a combined responsum for The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards by RABBIS ELLIOT N. DORFF, DANIEL S. NEVINS & AVRAM I. REISNER This responsum was approved by the CJLS on 15 Kislev 5767 / [[December 6]], [[2006]] by a vote of
thirteen in favor and twelve opposed. Retrieved [[2007-04-29]]</ref> The Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist branches of Judaism are accepting of homosexuality, but less so of sodomy.<ref>{{cite web |last=Silver |first=Ian |title=Homosexuality And Judaism| publisher=ReligionFacts |date=1995 |url=http://www.betham.org/kulanu/iansilver.html |accessdate=2006-09-09}}</ref>
However, Judaism permits heterosexual anal sex.<ref>A man’s wife is permitted to him. Therefore a man may do whatever he wishes with his wife. He may have intercourse with her at any time he wishes and kiss her on whatever limb of her body he wants. He may have natural or unnatural sex, as long as he does not bring forth seed in vain. However, it is a sign of piety not to show too much levity but to sanctify himself at the time of intercourse… A man should not depart from the way of the world and its custom because its ultimate purpose is procreation. ([[Mishnah Torah]] Issurei Biah 21:9)
See also [[Talmud]] tractate Nedarim 20 b
</ref>
==== Christianity ====
In Christian countries it has often been referred to euphemistically as the ''peccatum contra naturam'' (the sin against nature, after [[Thomas Aquinas]]) or ''Sodomitica luxuria'' (sodomitical lusts, in one of Charlemagne's ordinances), or ''peccatum illud horribile, inter christianos non nominandum'' (that horrible sin that among Christians is not to be named). Although most [[Christian denomination]]s disapprove of anal sex, some believe it to be acceptable. {{Fact|date=June 2008}}
==== Islam ====
{{main|Islamic view of anal sex}}
''Liwat,'' or the sin of Lot's people, is officially prohibited by most Islamic sects. There are parts of the Qur'an which talk about smiting on [[Sodom and Gomorrah]], and this is thought to be a reference to unnatural sex, and so there are [[hadith]] and Islamic laws which prohibit it. Practitioners of anal relations are called ''luti'' and are seen as criminals in the same way that a thief is a criminal, meaning that they are giving in to a universal temptation. Liwat with a woman is known as ''lesser liwat'' and with a man as ''greater liwat.''<ref>Anwar, Ghazala. 2001. "Islam, Homosexuality and Migration". Foundation Conference on Islam in the West and Homosexuality. "Some scholars refer back to the Shari’ah rules ... argue that anal sex between men, as considered equivalent to heterosexual intercourse, is punishable by one hundred whiplashes for an unmarried man and death by stoning for a married man. Other traditional scholars have ruled that “sodomy” between men is always punishable by death for both partners, whether married or not, based on a hadith. The punishment of toppling a wall on two men who practised “sodomy,” which is sometimes reported, particularly in Afghanistan, is based on another hadith."</ref>
== See also ==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* [[Anal-oral contact]]
* [[Anal beads]]
* [[Fingering (sexual act)#Anal fingering|Anal fingering]]
* [[Anal fisting]]
* [[Anal masturbation]]
* [[Orgasm#Anal orgasm|Anal orgasm]]
* [[Ass to mouth]], (''ATM'' or ''A2M'')
{{Col-2}}
{{Portal|Sexuality}}
* [[Butt plug]]
* [[Coprophilia]]
* [[Baseball metaphors for sex|Fifth base]]
* [[Klismaphilia]]
* [[List of sex positions#Anal-specific positions|List of anal sex positions]]
* [[Sodomy law]]
{{Col-end}}
== References ==
{{reflist|3}}
== Further reading ==
* [[Toni Bentley|Bentley, Toni]] ''The Surrender: An Erotic Memoir'', Regan Books, 2004.
* Brent, Bill ''Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men'', Cleis Press, 2002.
* Hite, Shere ''The Hite Report on Male Sexuality''
* Houser, Ward ''Anal Sex.'' [http://williamapercy.com/pub-EncyHom.htm '''Encyclopedia of Homosexuality.'''] Dynes, Wayne R. (ed.), Garland Publishing, 1990. pp. 48-50.
* Manning, Lee ''The Illustrated Book Of Anal Sex'', Erotic Print Society, 2003. ISBN 9781898998594
* Morin, Jack ''Anal Pleasure & Health: A Guide for Men and Women'', Down There Press, 1998. ISBN 9780940208209
* Sanderson, Terry ''The Gay Man's Kama Sutra'', Thomas Dunne Books, 2004.
* Strong, Bill with Lori E. Gammon ''Anal Sex for Couples: A Guaranteed Guide for Painless Pleasure'' Triad Press, Inc.; First edition, 2006. ISBN 9780965071628
* [[Tristan Taormino]] ''[[The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women]]'', Cleis Press, 1997, 2006. ISBN 9781573440288
* Underwood, Steven G. ''Gay Men and Anal Eroticism: Tops, Bottoms, and Versatiles'', Harrington Park Press, 2003
* Webb, Charlotte ''Masterclass: Anal Sex'', Erotic Print Society, 2007.
== External links ==
{{commonscat|Anal sex}}
* [http://www.alt-times.com/altsex.html Advice on Anal Sex]
* [http://www.sexuality.org/l/sex/elffaq.html#analsex Anal Intercourse and Analingus] - from alt.sex FAQ
* [http://sex.manageyourlovelife.com/anal_pleasure.php ManageYourLoveLife.com: Anal Pleasure]
{{Sex}}
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