Missionary position
224070
226175028
2008-07-17T04:21:11Z
Wafulz
1091232
unnecessary
{{otheruses4|the sex position|the book by Christopher Hitchens|The Missionary Position (book)}}
[[Image:Missionary style.svg|thumb|right|The missionary position]]
[[Image:Klimt-missionaires-02.jpg|thumb|right|''Les missionnaires'', drawing by [[Gustav Klimt]].]]
The '''missionary position''' is a male-superior (man on top) [[coitus position]] in which the woman lies on her back and the partners face each other.<ref name="Alice">{{cite web | url = http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0891.html | title = Ask Alice: What Exactly is the Missionary Position? | publisher = Columbia University | date = 1996-05-03 | accessdate = 2008-02-03}}</ref> Variations of the position allow different degrees of [[vagina|vaginal tightness]], [[clitoris|clitoral stimulation]], depth of penetration, participation on the part of the woman, and likelihood and speed of [[orgasm]]. These variations may involve the woman resting her feet on the bed, lifting them up high into the air, or wrapping them around her partner; or placing one or more pillows under the woman's hips.
The missionary position was advocated by [[Thomas Aquinas]] and other church figures in [[Middle Ages|medieval Europe]]. It appears in ancient artwork of the [[Roman art|Romans]], [[Peruvian arts|Peruvians]], [[Indian art|Indians]], [[Chinese art|Chinese]] and [[Japanese art|Japanese]]. A common myth states that the term "missionary position" arose in response to [[Christian]] [[missionary|missionaries]], who taught that the position was the only proper way to engage in [[sexual intercourse]]. This explanation probably originated from [[Alfred Kinsey]]'s ''[[Kinsey Reports|Sexual Behavior in the Human Male]]'' through a confluence of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of historical documents.<ref name="Cecil">{{cite web|url=http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050617.html |title=Assuming the missionary position… again|year=[[2005-06-17]] |work=The [[Straight Dope]] |publisher=[[Cecil Adams]]}}</ref><ref>{{citation | last = Priest | first = Robert J. | title = Missionary Positions: Christian, Modernist, and Postmodernist | journal = Current Anthropology | volume = 75 | issue = 1 | pp = 31 | year = 2001 | id = 10.1086/318433 | doi = 10.1086/318433 | pages = 29}}</ref> [[Tuscany|Tuscans]] refer to the position as "The Angelic Position" while some [[Arab]]ic-speaking groups call it "the manner of serpents."<ref>Lister, Larry. ''Human Sexuality, Ethnoculture, and Social Work.'' p. 15.</ref>
The missionary position is often preferred by couples who enjoy its [[romance (love)|romantic qualities]] afforded by copious skin-to-skin contact and opportunities to look into each other's eyes and kiss and caress each other. The position is also believed to be a good position for [[reproduction|procreation]].<ref name="shr"/><ref name="Journal"/> In heterosexual sex, missionary allows the man to take charge of the rhythm and depth of thrusting, and some couples enjoy the feeling of the man "taking" the woman while she relaxes. It is also possible for her to thrust against him by moving her hips or pushing her feet against the bed, or squeeze him closer with her arms or legs. The missionary position is less suitable for late stages of pregnancy, or when it is desired for the woman to play a more dominant role.
==History==
{{seealso|History of sexuality}}
The missionary position has been used for millennia. Robert Francoeur notes that evidence of the missionary position's use appears in ancient pottery and art in the Fertile Crescent as well as in the art of Early Greeks, Romans, Peruvians, Indians, Chinese and Japanese.<ref name="Francoeur">{{cite web|author=Francoeur, Robert|url=http://www.nerve.com/dispatches/francoeur/hwjdi/|title=Dominant Theory|publisher=Nerve|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> The majority of the positions described in the [[Kama Sutra]] involve the woman lying on her back with her legs in a variety of positions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skelbimas.lt/asirtu/archive_en/sexualpositions.htm|title=Sexual Positions|publisher=Sex Encyclopaedia|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> According to Canongate, ancient art shows missionary as being less popular than [[Woman on top (sex position)|woman on top positions]] in Ur, Greece, Rome, Peru, India, China and Japan.<ref name="Canongate">[http://web.archive.org/web/20051013075727/http://www.canongate.net/Lists/SexLoveAndMarriage/6PositionsForSexualIntercour 6 Positions For Sexual Intercourse - In Order Of Popularity]. Canongate. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> But Francoeur states that the ancient Chinese preferred male-on-top because of their belief that males were born face down and women were born face up. Kagaba natives in Colombia preferred missionary because of the stability it offers; they believed that if the woman moved during intercourse, the earth would slip off the shoulders of the four giants who held it up above the waters.<ref name="Francoeur"/> Some [[Kerala]] tribes believe that the male-on-top position is the only way to conceive warriors.<ref name="Francoeur"/>
In Greece, the missionary position was originally an unpopular position. Beds existed but were not as we know them today, and men would marry rather young girls (14 or 15 years of age) which created a height differential. These factors made the rear entry standing position more convenient.<ref>{{cite book|author=Tarkovsky, Sacha|title=Sex In Ancient Greece Views Towards Sex Positions}}</ref> However, circa the second century, Artemidos popularized the missionary position among Greco-Roman Stoics, declaring it "the only proper and natural" position because it affirmed the domination of men over women.<ref name="Francoeur"/>
Although the Bible did not mention sexual positions, from the 6th to 16th centuries, church authorities taught that intercourse should be face-to-face, man-on-top, primarily because they believed that semen would flow with gravity, leading to conception.<ref>{{citation | last = Priest | first = Robert J. | title = Missionary Positions: Christian, Modernist, and Postmodernist | journal = Current Anthropology | volume = 42 | issue = 1 | pp = 38 | year = 2001 | id = ISSN 0011-3204 | doi = 10.1086/318433 | pages = 29}}</ref> Exceptions were made for couples dealing with illness, obesity, or pregnancy. The medieval Catholic Church observed that animals copulated in the ventro-dorsal ("doggy style") position, and concluded that it was unnatural to humans. According to John Bancroft's ''Human Sexuality and Its Problems'', [[Thomas Aquinas]] believed that crimes against nature included intercourse in unnatural positions, with the missionary position being considered the only natural one.<ref>Bancroft, John. ''Human Sexuality and Its Problems.'' p. 306.</ref> Benjamin Shepard wrote: "for Aquinas, any sexual act other than missionary position intercourse – man on top of woman – was assumed to be a sin of irrational gratification, of lust."<ref>{{citation | last = Shepard | first = Benjamin | title = Masturbating Madness | journal = Sexualities | volume = 7 | issue = 3 | pp = 365 | year = 2004 | id = ISSN 1363-4607 | doi = 10.1177/1363460704044806 | pages = 363}}</ref> Protestants did not communicate proper sex positions, and the Catholic Church eventually abandoned its discourse on the topic.<ref>Priest, 38.</ref> Simon Hardy wrote that the missionary position was used to distinguish "beastial and civilized sex."<ref>{{citation | last = Hardy | first = Simon | title = The Greeks, Eroticism and Ourselves | journal = Sexualities | volume = 7 | issue = 2 | pp = 215 | year = 2004 | id = ISSN 1363-4607 | doi = 10.1177/1363460704042164 | pages = 201}}</ref>
Others who held that missionary was the only permitted position included [[Alexander of Hales]] and the author of ''De secretis mulierum''{{Clarifyme|date=March 2008}}, who suggested that nonstandard positions might result in birth defects.<ref>Brundage, James A. ''Law, sex, and Christian society in medieval Europe''.</ref> Ruth Mazo Karras states that [[William Peraldus]]' treatise ''Summa de virtutibus et vitiis'' distinguished between sins against nature that were "according to the substance" (intercourse other than vaginal) and "according to the manner, as when a woman mounts."<ref>Karras, Ruth Mazo. ''Sexuality In Medieval Europe: Doing Unto Others''. p. 83.</ref> Nicholas Venette's 1770s-era sex manual praised the missionary position as the "common posture...which is most allowable and most voluptuous."<ref>Trumbach, Randolph. ''Sex and the Gender Revolution''. p. 107.</ref> Numerous sources have reported that in the [[United States]], some states have outlawed positions other than missionary between husband and wife, or will grant a divorce to a woman whose husband makes love to her in another position. While many states outlaw [[oral sex]], [[anal sex]], [[buggery]], or other "unnatural" acts, no US law has banned ventro-dorsal heterosexual sex, or specified which partner needed to be on top.<ref>Priest, 39.</ref>
===Etymology===
Prior to the release of Alfred Kinsey's work, the missionary position was known by several names, including "the matrimonial", "the Mama-Papa position", "the English-American position", and
"the male superior position".<ref>Priest, 31.</ref> In 1948, Kinsey published the male volume of the [[Kinsey Reports]], ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Male''. He described the American preference for the position and called it "the English-American position." Discussing Malinowski's ''The Sexual Life of Savages in North-Wester Melanesia'', Kinsey wrote, "It will be recalled that Malinowski (1929) records the nearly universal use of a totally different position among the Trobrianders ... [and] ... that caricatures of the English-American position are performed around ... campfires, to the great amusement of the natives who refer to the position as the 'missionary position.'"<ref>Priest, 31.</ref> To date, lexicographers and sexologists have not found use of the term "missionary position" prior to Kinsey.<ref>Priest, 30.</ref>
In 2001, Robert Priest examined the origins of the term and concluded that Kinsey had confused several factors in accidentally coining the term.<ref>Priest, 31.</ref> First, according to Malinowski, Trobrianders played and sang mocking songs under the full moon, and not around a campfire. In ''Sexual Behaviors'', Kinsey wrote that the Trobrianders mocked face-to-face man-on-top woman-below intercourse, but does not give context. He mentioned the position was learned from "white traders, planters, or officials", but does not discuss missionaries. Kinsey also recalled that the medieval Catholic Church taught the position, and upon seeing the natives mocking it, assumed that missionaries had taught it to them. Finally, Malinowski wrote that he saw an engaged Trobriand couple holding hands and leaning against each other, which the natives described as ''misinari si bubunela'' — the "missionary fashion." Upon accidentally combining these similar facts, Kinsey invented a new phrase despite believing that he was reporting an old one.<ref>Priest, 31.</ref>
From then on, the story of the name's "origin" was retold until it became largely accepted, and its connection to Kinsey and Malinowski faded. Writers began using the expression for intercourse in the late 1960s, and as [[Alex Comfort]]'s bestseller ''[[The Joy of Sex]]'' (1972) and the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' (1976) spread the term "missionary position", it gradually replaced older names.<ref>Priest, 30-31</ref> By the 1990s, it had spread to other languages: ''Missionarsstellung'' ([[German language|German]]), ''postura del misionero'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]), ''missionarishouding'' ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]) and ''position du missionaire'' ([[French language|French]]).<ref>Priest, 31</ref>
== Basic position ==
During intercourse in the missionary position, the woman lies on her back, with her legs either spread flat, drawn up toward the chest, or wrapped around the penetrating partner. The woman can wrap one or both of her legs around the man at various heights: at the back of his legs, at the buttocks or back, or over his shoulders. Generally, the higher the woman lifts her legs, the deeper the penetration. The man lies on his belly on top of the woman, with his legs between the receiving partner's legs, and his penis at the same level as the woman's vagina to facilitate [[sexual penetration|penetration]]. While missionary is predominantly thought of as a heterosexual position, [[lesbian]]s may use their fingers, [[sex toy]]s, or other objects in the position, and [[gay]] men may use it for [[anal sex]].<ref name="Alice"/>
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Wedge sex pillow.jpg|thumb|right|A wedge shaped sex pillow]] -->[[sex pillow|Pillow]]s (especially firm ones) are commonly used in the missionary position.<ref>{{cite book | last = Hutcherson | first = Hilda: What Your Mother Never Told You about Sex | publisher = Perigee Trade | yeare = 2003 | isbn = 0399528539 | pages = 144}}</ref> A wedge- or ramp-shaped pillow can relieve pressure on the top person's hands and arms,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blowfish.com/catalog/toys/cushions.html|title=Blowfish Sex Cushions|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> and strategic placement can manipulate the depth and angle of penetration. Placing a pillow under the woman's buttocks can lift her pelvis — a ''[[Playboy]]'' article suggested placing it under her hips to increase pressure on the [[clitoris]],<ref name="MissionaryRevival">{{cite web|author=Jones, Kelly|url=http://www.playboy.com/sex/featuresLL/missionary/missionary.html|title=The Missionary Revival|publisher=Playboy|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> and ''[[Men's Health (magazine)|Men's Health]]'' recommended placing it under the small of her back;<ref>{{cite web|Kramer, Anna|url=http://www.menshealthsa.co.za/index.php?cat=1197&art_id=400|title=5 myths exploded|publisher=MensHealth|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> each of these methods grants deeper penetration. Raising the clitoris generally allows easier access to it in this position. Using a pillow can also help the woman arch her back and avoid backache.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.have-better-sex.com/Sex-Positions-1|title=Variations On A Theme - Him On Top Sex Positions|publisher=Better Sex|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
Some couples take advantage of the position's plentiful of skin-to-skin contact to achieve a "slip and slide effect" by smearing a small amount of lubricant on one of the partner's stomach and chest. Lubricant can also be used on the [[penis]] to reduce friction and stimulation, slowing the man's orgasm. Women are less likely to be affected by lubrication as their orgasm is caused mostly by indirect stimulation.<ref name="Synch">{{cite web|author=Veilleux, Zachary|url=http://www.menshealthsa.co.za/index.php?cat=1186&art_id=908|title=Sychronized Schwinging|publisher=Men's Health|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
== Variants ==
=== Legs up ===
[[Image:Deckchair sex position.jpg|thumb|right|This type of legs up missionary, called "the anvil," allows the deepest possible penetration.]]
"Legs up" variants involve the woman raising her legs. These were exceptionally popular in Ancient Greece and were commonly depicted on Attic pottery of the Classical Period.<!--Need a page for this citation--><ref>{{cite book | last = Johns | first = Catherine Johns |title = Sex or Symbol?: Erotic Images of Greece and Rome | publisher = Routledge | year = 1999 | isbn = 0415925673}}</ref> The conspiring women in [[Aristophanes]]' ''[[Lysistrata]]'' likely refer to it when they take an oath "not to lift high their Persian slippers" (ου προσ τον οροφον ανατενό τό Περσικα).<ref>{{cite web | Aristophanes | url = http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0035;query=card%3D%236;layout=;loc=254 | title = Lysistrata | accessdate = 2008-02-02}}</ref>
In one variant, the woman may lift and slightly bend her legs, resting her feet flat on the mattress. This shortens the distance between the vagina and [[cervix]], and it can place more friction on the [[G-spot]].<!--This citation needs a page number--><ref name="Thomsen">{{cite book | last = Thomsen | first = James | title = Reviving Your Sex Life Through Orgasm Mastership | publisher = Booksurge | year = 2007 | isbn = 0974407429}}</ref> The woman may find this more comfortable than the standard position,<ref name="AddSpice">{{cite web|author=Strovny, David|url=http://www.askmen.com/love/love_tip/47_love_tip.html|title=Add Spice To The Missionary Position|publisher=AskMen|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> and it can allow her to push against the man's thrust, giving her some control over the rhythm.<ref>{{cite book|author=Wright, Susan|title=Driving Your Woman Wild in Bed: A Man's Guide to Satisfying Women}}</ref>
Putting the woman's legs on or over the mans shoulders provides the deepest possible penetration. This variant is sometimes called "the anvil".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.loversguide.com/sex_articles.0.html?&cHash=8a2278&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=136&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=52 | title = Man-on-top sex positions: enhancing the missionary position | publisher = The Lovers' Guide | accessdate = 2008-02-09}}</ref> This position aims the head of the penis at the [[vaginal fornix|posterior fornix]]. When the legs are held mid-level in this way, the penis can achieve great depth while stimulating the G-spot and achieving more friction on the top of its shaft.<!--This citation needs a page number--><ref name="Thomsen"/> Former [[call girl]] and madam [[Xaviera Hollander]] believes one disadvantage to legs high positions such as the anvil is that there is minimal clitoral contact; moreover, a woman may have trouble reaching orgasm in these positions because she feels ridiculous.<ref name="Hollander"/> The penetration may also cause the penis to hit the [[cervix]], which can cause discomfort if too much pressure is applied,<ref name="Phillips">{{cite web|author=Phillips, Rod|url=http://www.articledepot.co.uk/article-152236.htm|title=The Best Sex Positions – and The Top Mistakes Men Make During Sex|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> or pleasure if the penis grazes the cervix.<ref>{{cite book | author=Link, Al and Copeland, Pala | title=Tantra and Kama Sutra Sex Positions | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=MfXBC2TPF2wC&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&ots=nOhQh0lPU_&sig=_oEdvdCZAM7fZo_z66F1X9Sn_28 | publisher = Universal Publishers | year=2003 | isbn = 1581124961 | pages = 16}}</ref>
===The Plough===
[[Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (13).jpg|thumb|right|This variant of legs up missionary, "the plough," in which the woman's legs completely encircle the man and pull him deeper into her, requires flexibility on the part of the woman.]]
In The Plough, the woman wraps her legs around the man's waist or buttocks, so that the partners can thrust against each other in rhythm. This position requires great flexibility.<ref name="AddSpice"/> This position allows the man to grind against the woman with his [[pubis (bone)|pubic bone]].<ref name="LoversGuide"/> Couples with strong [[pubococcygeus muscle]]s can use this position to best advantage.<ref name="Crain">{{cite book| last = Crain | first = Susan Crain | | title = Sexational Secrets: The Ultimate Guide for Erotic Know-How | publisher = St. Martin's Paperbacks | year = 1998 | isbn = 0312963416 | pages=196-7}}</ref>
===The Grip===
In The Grip, the man inserts his penis and puts his legs outside of the woman's so that both her vagina and legs cause friction against his penis as he thrusts in and out, and then he slides forward slightly.<ref name="MissionaryRevival"/> This position can be more comfortable for women with larger thighs.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.menshealthsa.co.za/index.php?cat=1186&art_id=1700 | title = Room to Move | publisher = ''Men's Health'' | accessdate = 2008-02-02}}</ref> The man may squeeze the woman's legs tighter for further friction; this position can create clitoral stimulation and orgasm, particularly if the man shifts his pelvis forward.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://health.discovery.com/centers/sex/articles/sextips.html | title=How to Achieve Orgasm During Intercourse | publisher = Discovery Health | accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> This position squeezes the vagina more tightly around the penis, enhancing stimulation for the man.<ref name="BestLove">{{cite web|url=http://www.best-love-making-positions-techniques.com/missionary-position.html|title=The Missionary Sex Position|publisher=Best Love Making Positions and Techniques|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> A potential downside to this position is that it reduces penetration and can even squeeze the penis out, especially if it is short.<ref name="HowToVary">{{cite web | url = http://www.mymalesexuality.com/technique/VaryTheMissionaryChapter2.htm | title = How to Vary the Missionary | publisher = My Male Sexuality | accessdate = 2008-02-02}}</ref> ''Savvy Magazine'' notes that in this position, which it calls the "peace sign", the penis cannot reach the G-spot.<ref>{{citation | publisher=Savvy | date=2007-02-15 | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070621072023/http://www.magnamags.com/magna_savvy/node/376 | title = Vanilla Sex... But With A Difference | accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
===Riding high===
{{seealso|Coital alignment technique}}
In the riding high missionary variant, the man enters the woman in the normal fashion but then shifts his body up and forward toward her head. He then rocks back and forth, stimulating her clitoris with his pubic bone, or base of his penis. This results in more consistent clitoral stimulation at the cost of deep thrusting; accordingly, some couples prefer to use it during only part of sex.<ref>{{cite web | last = Moore | first = Kira | url = http://www.savvymiss.com/love-advice/sex-advice/sex-sex-sex-archive/article/rethink-the-missionary-position-three-ways-to-spice-up-a-classic-4383/page-browse/1/sspn//8ac9f9dfdf.html |title=Rethink the Missionary Position: Three Ways to Spice up a Classic|publisher=Savvy Miss|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
==Perceived advantages and disadvantages==
===Psychological===
There are many appealing psychological aspects of the missionary position. It is often regarded as a romantic position because the man and woman face each other and may maintain eye contact; there is potentially a greater amount of skin-to-skin contact than in any other position; and the couple can hold each other in their arms, which can easily segue into cuddling when sex is over.<ref name="BedroomSports">{{cite web |last=Peters |first=Lynn |date=1999 |url=http://www.beavercleaver.net/bedroom_sports.htm |title=Bedroom Sports |accessdate=2008-02-02 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070621163321/http://www.beavercleaver.net/bedroom_sports.htm |archivedate=2007-06-21 }}</ref> Partners may engage in other intimate contact, such as kissing, or guiding each other's hips with their hands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sextherapyinphiladelphia.com/sexual_positions.htm|title=Sexual Positions|publisher=Sex Therapy in Philadelphia|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref><ref name="BestLove"/><ref>{{cite web|author=Strovny, David|url=http://www.askmen.com/love/love_tip/59_love_tip.html|title=Sexual Positions Women Enjoy|publisher=AskMen|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> The position also allows partners to engage all of their senses at once.<ref name="Hollander">{{cite web|author=Hollander, Xaviera|url=http://www.xavierahollander.com/hhchap03.htm|title=Xaviera's Supersex|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
Some women enjoy the feeling of submission or being trapped;<ref name="Colombia">{{cite web|url=http://www.colombialink.com/01_INDEX/index_sexualidad/sexuality/sexual_positions/21_missionary_position.html|title=The Missionary Position|publisher=Sexual Health Center|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> women who enjoy being passive and carrying the man's weight may find the missionary position the most rewarding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/ATLAS_EN/html/genital_intercourse.html|title=Genital Intercourse|publisher=Magnus Hirschfield Archive for Sexuality|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> Some women find it appealing knowing that the man has control of the rhythm and depth of his thrusts. They may find it easier to reach orgasm because they do not have to focus on what they are doing.<ref name="BedroomSports"/> The missionary position may also be ideal for women who want to be "taken" by the man and want to feel overpowered.<ref name="LoversGuide">[http://www.loversguide.com/sex_articles.0.html?&cHash=8a2278&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=136&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=52 Man-on-top sex positions: enhancing the missionary position], Lovers Guide. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> In contrast, feminist [[Germaine Greer]] writes that any sex act where a heavier partner makes the lighter one take on their weight is "sadistic."<ref>{{cite book|author=Greer, Germaine|title=The Madwoman's Underclothes: Essays and Occasional Writings|pages=40}}</ref>
===Physical===
According to Hollander, thrusting alone is typically insufficient to bring a woman to orgasm; "What does bring her to climax is having a nice stiff penis in there, plus weight, pressure, and friction on her entire genital area (especially that lively little she-devil, the clitoris), as well as on her thighs and stomach. It’s the way a man presses down on her, puts his weight on her, and rubs her with his body that makes her have an orgasm."<ref name="Hollander"/>
The missionary position is commonly chosen for the first time a couple has sex. Thomas Stuttaford notes that it may be more comfortable to do so: "The discomfort of early penetrative sex, if there is any, is usually related to tension in the pelvic or thigh muscles and/or anxiety that has prevented the usual vaginal lubrication. Muscles of the pelvic floor are more relaxed if, initially, the missionary position is chosen and a couple of pillows are arranged under the woman’s bottom so her hips are tilted upwards."<ref name="Times">Stuttaford, Thomas ([[October 6]], [[2007]]). [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/our_experts/article2595671.ece Taking the First Steps]. Times Online. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> The simplicity of the position makes it well-suited to the inexperienced.<ref>[http://www.educativ.info/teen/virginity.html Losing Virginity], Educativ. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> The Lovers Guide states that missionary lends itself well to sex with a new partner as it is "a romantic yet fairly unadventurous sex position" that is "non-threatening and loving" and "lays neither partner open to strangeness, anxiety and unfamiliarity."<ref name="LoversGuide"/>
On the other hand, Sacha Tarkovsky warns against using women using the missionary position when giving a man her virginity, as "You are not in control, and it will be more painful and you cannot do anything but lay there and take it. "She recommends positions such as [[woman on top]] that allow the woman to control the speed and pressure at which she loses her hymen.<ref>Tarkovsky, Sascha. Losing Your Virginity – A Girl's Guide To The First Time. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> However, it may not be necessary to completely forgo missionary the first time; Alphonso Sirtle suggests starting with woman on top until the hymen is torn, and then possibly switching to missionary or whatever other position is preferred.<ref>Sirtle, Alphonso. Losing Your Virginity – What A Girl Should Know About Her First Time.</ref>
The missionary position allows easy entry into the vagina. The man can use force and gravity to help himself in,<ref>[http://byedr.com/Mens-Health/1271-mens-health.html Questions from a virgin]. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> and the position allows the woman to relax her vaginal muscles and help her partner guide his penis gently in with her hand.<ref>[http://www.autumn-rose.co.uk/make-love-the-first-time.html Making love the very first time]. Autumn Rose. Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> Suzi Godson notes, "In an observational study carried out in The Netherlands, magnetic resonance imaging was used to study the male and female genitals during coitus. The images illustrate the very natural fit of the male and female genitals in [the missionary] position. The penis has the shape of a boomerang – one third of its length consists of the root of the penis – and the vaginal walls wrap snugly around it."<ref name="Times"/><ref>{{cite journal|first=W. W. |last=Schultz|coauthors= P. van Andel, I. Sabelis, E. Mooyaart|url=http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/319/7225/1596 |title=Magnetic resonance imaging of male and female genitals during coitus and female sexual arousal|journal=BMJ|year= 1999|volume=319|pages=1596–1600 |date=18 December|pmid=10600954 }}</ref>
According to Sexual Health Resource, "The man-on-top sex positions are very good for couples who are trying to have a baby, because penetration can be very deep. If the woman holds on to her legs behind her knees and draws her thighs right back, sperm can be deposited deep in the vagina – at the neck of the womb. This provided the best chance of conception occurring."<ref name="shr">{{cite web|url=http://www.sexual-health-resource.org/sex_positions/missionary_position.html|title=Sex Position – Missionary / The Man-On-Top Position|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> Journal-a-Day notes, "This position permits the penis to lock securely within the vagina and hence there is no waste matter of ejaculate. For adult males with short members and low sperm cell counts, this is very beneficial."<ref name="Journal">{{cite web|url=http://www.journal-a-day.com/News_And_Society/392383-sexual-positions-that-really-works.html|title=Sexual Positions That Really Works|publisher=Journal-a-Day|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> ''Getting Pregnant Tips'' notes the importance of not using too large a sex pillow though, as it can cause the sperm to pool behind the cervix.<ref>{{web cite|url=http://www.getting-pregnant-tips.com/best-position-to-get-pregnant.html|title=What is the best position to get pregnant?|publisher=Getting Pregnant Tips|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> Francoeur states that "male-above sex promotes fertility by keeping the opening of the vagina higher than the seminal pool, which, in turn, helps sperm get into the womb and find the egg."<ref name="Francoeur"/> Nonetheless, according to BabyCenter, "There's no evidence that any particular sexual position is more likely to lead to conception."<ref>{{cite web|author=BabyCenter|date=2007-05|url=http://www.babycenter.com/0_sexual-positions-for-baby-making_1812.bc|title=Sexual positions for baby-making|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> [[Donnica Moore]] counters this by stating that while there are no scientific studies regarding the best sexual positions for baby-making, the missionary (man on top) position is typically considered optimal for conception.<ref>{{cite web|author=Mann, Denise|date=2005|url=http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/truth-about-sexual-positions-getting-pregnant|title=The Truth About Sexual Positions and Getting Pregnant|publisher=WebMD|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
Pregnancy Info points out that the missionary position may become increasingly awkward for pregnant women as their belly begins to grow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pregnancy-info.net/sex_positions.html|title=Finding the Right Position|publisher=Pregnancy Info|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> The [[March of Dimes]] notes, "Positions that work before pregnancy and early in pregnancy can be uncomfortable or even unsafe at later stages of the baby’s development. For example, a woman should avoid lying flat on her back after the fourth month of pregnancy, because the weight of the growing uterus puts pressure on major blood vessels."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_516.asp|title=During Your Pregnancy > Sex|publisher=March of Dimes|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> David Port states, "Beginning early in the second trimester, doctors tend to discourage pregnant women from supine exercise. And the missionary position is exactly that kind of exercise, at least if the activity lasts more than a few fleeting moments."<ref>{{cite book|author=Port, David and Ralston, John|title=The Caveman's Pregnancy Companion: A Survival Guide for Expectant Fathers|pages=101}}</ref>
The deep penetration and large hip thrusts of the missionary position can cause the man to reach orgasm quickly compared to other positions, which can be problematic if the couple seeks to reach simultaneous orgasm.<ref name="PregnantStore">{{cite web|url=http://www.pregnantstore.com/SexualPositionsGuide-ManOnTop.html|title=Man on Top Sexual Positions|publisher=Pregnant Store|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> The male reaching orgasm first can be disruptive to sex, as 50% of penile erection is lost immediately after ejaculation,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Handouts/male_function_dysfunction.html|title=Male Sexual Function/Dysfunction|publisher=McKinley Health Center|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> making him more likely to inadvertently slip out of the vagina, especially during the strong pelvic contractions of female orgasm. In addition to the standard [[Premature ejaculation#Treatment|methods for treating premature ejaculation]], Zachary Veilleux notes that this problem can be overcome by workarounds such as changing positions frequently (which studies have shown delays male orgasm by a factor of 2-3), using lubrication to reduce friction (friction stimulates the male but is not as important in female orgasm), or switching to cunnilingus for awhile when close to ejaculation, and then switching back when ejaculation is no longer imminent.<ref name="Synch"/>
The missionary position is sometimes derided as a plain [[vanilla sex]] position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saferinjecting.net/sex-kinky.htm|title=But isn't that kinky?: sex in the animal kingdom|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> Archer notes, "To all the sex gymnasts, this kind of banal preference looks lazy, unimaginative and uninformed," but she rebuts this by pointing out the existence of variations: "Missionary is kind of like tofu: You have to add your own flavor."<ref name="Archer">{{cite web|author=Archer, Rebecca|date=2002|url=http://www.nerve.com/PersonalEssays/Archer/MissionaryPosition/|title=In Praise of the Missionary Position|publisher=Nerve|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> Perhaps due to the ubiquity of this position, its typical role as the first position used by couples, its tendency to put the man in control of speed, tempo and depth, its ability to cause him to quickly reach orgasm, and the fact that it is literally a "male-superior" position with the man on top, missionary is sometimes associated with men who are dominating and uncreative and selfish about sex. According to Gina Ogden, "the cultural missionary position – man on top" is not conducive to romance since "If a relationship is based on authoritarian control, keeping one person on top and the other underneath, it gets old pretty fast – for both partners, really".<ref>{{cite web|author=Peres, Judy|date=2008-11-17|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/saturday/chi-feminism_17nov17,0,3001089,full.story|title=Study: Feminists are better mates|publisher=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> In ''Women Who Love Sex'', Ogden writes, "Think what will happen to the missionary position when women, en masse, opt for pleasures that stir body and soul instead of continuing to do good-girl intercourse by the book."<ref>{{cite book|author=Ogden, Gina|date=September 1999|title=Women Who Love Sex|publisher=Womanspirit Press|isbn=978-0967270500|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> In Chinua Achebe's ''[[Things Fall Apart]]'', the main character ridicules the idea of women making decisions by saying that one might as well say that the woman lies on top of the man when they are making the baby.<ref>{{cite book|author=Achebe, Chinua|title=Things Fall Apart}}</ref>
The missionary position has potential for clitoral stimulation in several ways. Christakos points out, "This position can give the woman plenty of clitoral stimulation if the man leans forward thus rubbing his pelvic bone against her clitoris."<ref name="Christakos">Christakos, Caterina. [http://www.eioba.com/a61135/what_is_the_best_position_for_making_love What is the Best Position for Making Love?] Retrieved on [[January 7]], [[2008]].</ref> Emily Queenie Chung notes, "Also, this position is the easiest for a woman to stimulate her clitoris manually."<ref>{{cite web|author=Chung, Emily Queenie|date=2000-08-29|url=http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=3004|title=Sex on Tuesday: Sex in Berkeley|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> Sexual Health Resource notes that also "the man can reach under and stimulate his partner using his fingers on her clitoris" although "the man has limited use of his hands" (presumably this would depend on the variant of the position used and whether the man's hands are occupied holding himself up).<ref name="shr"/>
Sex in the missionary position, as a form of physical exercise, may be slightly more vigorous for the man than in other positions. A study conducted by Bohlen et al found that "man-on-top coitus required more metabolic expenditure than woman-on-top coitus" and that the heart rate during man-on-top sex was higher than in self-stimulation, partner stimulation, or woman-on-top.<ref>{{cite web|author=Rerkpattanapipat, P.|date=2001-02|url=http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/22/3/201.pdf|title=Sex and the heart: what is the role of the cardiologist?|publisher=Oxford Journals|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> But one study showed that there was no difference in heart rate or blood pressure when comparing these two basic positions, while another showed only a minor decrease in oxygen consumption or exertion with the 'man-on-bottom' technique during orgasm.<ref>{{cite web|author=Schwarz, E.R. J Rodriguez, J.|date=2005|url=http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v17/n1s/full/3901422a.html|title=Sex and the heart|publisher=International Journal of Impotence Research|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
==Popularity==
Among humans, the missionary position is the most commonly-used sex position.<ref name="Colombia"/><ref name="Journal"/> In his seminal study ''[[Sexual Behavior in the Human Female]]'' (1953<!--NOT 1959!-->), which focused on American women, researcher [[Alfred Kinsey]] stated that 91 percent of married women surveyed reported using this position most often, whereas nine percent reported using it exclusively.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kinsey, Alfred|date=1953|title=Sexual Behavior in the Human Female}}</ref> A Journal of Sexual Medicine study entitled ''What Kind of Erotic Film Clips Should We Use in Female Sex Research? An Exploratory Study'' selected 18 film clips out of a sample of 90 that were found by the women studied to be particularly mentally appealing and visually arousing. 21% of the original 90 involved the missionary position, but 33% of the final 18 involved missionary.<ref>{{citation | last1 = Woodward | first1 = Terri L. | last2 = Collins | first2 = Karen | last3 = Perez | first3 = Mindy | last4 = Balon | first4 = Richard | last5 = Tancer | first5 = Manuel | last6 = Kruger | first6 = Michael | last7 = Moffat | first7 = Scott | last8 = Diamond | first8 = Michael P. | title = What Kind of Erotic Film Clips Should We Use in Female Sex Research? An Exploratory Study | journal = The Journal of Sexual Medicine | volume = 5 | issue = 1 | pp = 146–154 | doi = 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00641.x | year = 2007 | pages = 071026223100001}}</ref> Fewer than 10% of sexually active persons rarely or never use the missionary position.<ref>Kanner, Bernice. ''Are You Normal About Sex, Love, and Relationships?'' p. 51.</ref> According to Francoeur, the Brazilian Bororo Indians eschew missionary, finding it insulting for either partner to be above the other during sex. [[Bali]]ans shun the man-on-top position in favor of the Oceanic position due to their perception of the former as being impractical and clumsy. The [[Cashinahua]] people use the missionary position to stay stable when they have sex in a forest stream to avoid insect bites.<ref name="Francoeur"/> The [[Inis Baeg]] practice the missionary position exclusively, without foreplay.<ref name="Francoeur"/> In addition to humans, the missionary position is also used by certain other species including [[bonobo]]s<ref>[[Frans de Waal]], "Bonobo Sex and Society", ''Scientific American'' (March 1995): 82-86.</ref>, [[gorillas]]<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23148063/ Caught in the act! Gorillas mate face to face]</ref> and [[armadillo]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/fall99projects/armadillo.htm |title=The Biogeography of the Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) |year=1999 |publisher=Raquel Avila}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==See also==
{{Commonscat|missionary positions}}
{{Sex}}
{{sexpositions}}
[[Category:Sex positions]]
[[zh-min-nan:Thoân-kàu-sū-sek]]
[[cs:Misionářská pozice]]
[[da:Missionærstilling]]
[[de:Missionarsstellung]]
[[eo:Misionara pozicio]]
[[fr:Position du missionnaire]]
[[hr:Misionarski položaj]]
[[is:Trúboðastelling]]
[[ku:Pozîsyona mîsyoneran]]
[[lt:Misionieriaus poza]]
[[mk:Мисионерска поза]]
[[nl:Missionarishouding]]
[[ja:正常位]]
[[pl:Pozycja misjonarska]]
[[ru:Миссионерская позиция]]
[[sv:Missionärsställningen]]
[[zh:男上位]]