Nothing to hide Masturbation, from the most natural act to sin by Elena Mullor

As women, we have been educated to be formal, to smile and to always act properly. In the past, many women were forced to show restraint in any situation, to endure any obscene behaviour of which they were the victims, to not show their feelings while always be presentable. It’s a fact that women were always forced to be strong and good, but lately this behaviour is disappearing and becoming a woman’s claim.

Many topics of conversation have not been allowed to women for years. We’ve been forbidden to talk about sport, economy, politics and business. Even today, some people consider our opinion invalid on certain issues. For some years now, this situation has been changing. Thanks to feminism, women can be free and can express themselves. Our position in society has changed incredibly, we can now talk about any topic that we like. Obviously, feminism means much more than just this; feminism means equality between men and women. We can describe a ‘taboo’ as a topic not usually discussed at a gathering of friends. Like many other topics of conversation, female masturbation has been hidden for a long time.

Women were subjected to the norms of society that men have created

Source: Elena Mullor

Masturbation The definition of masturbation is the stimulation of one’s genital organs in order to obtain sexual pleasure. Sigmund Freud is credited with discovering that masturbation is common in childhood. However, it was Havelock Ellis who provided us with more knowledge about it, as he noted that masturbation is a common practice in both sexes, and is carried out throughout most of one’s life. The act of masturbation was considered something normal in most societies; it was a common act, personal and private but never demeaning or forbidden. While the Spartans condemned this practice, other followers of the Ancient Greek religion considered it a gift from the gods, since the god Hermes taught his son Pan (better known as Faun) how to masturbate in order to endure the disdain of the nymph Echo. Faun learned the lesson, overcame his pain and transmitted the teaching to the first shepherds of the Greek arcadia. The philosopher Diogenes, the famous doctor Galen as well as several playwrights and craftsmen represented the act in their works. Masturbation fell out of favour in Europe with the beginning of Christianity, even if the Bible makes no mention of it. The Church taught that masturbation and other forms of non-penetrative relations were worse sins than sex, rape, incest or adultery. For Christians, the ‘non-reproductive’

sins, like masturbation, were ‘unnatural’ because they acted as contraceptives. Since rape, incest and adultery could lead to pregnancy, they were ‘natural’ and therefore much less serious than the firsts ones. Thus, since then, masturbation was considered a graver sin than rape or incest. Fortunately, this taboo is currently disappearing, and more and more people understand that the act of masturbation is something natural that shouldn’t be looked at as something negative. Furthermore, different studies have concluded that the act of pleasuring oneself is beneficial to one’s health, and, in the case of women, may even reduce menstrual pain. Nowadays, it’s easier to meet people who talk freely about sexuality, maintaining their privacy but not feeling ashamed or afraid; women included.

Female masturbation The taboo shows itself when we talk about women practicing masturbation. But why is it different to talk about male and female masturbation? From childhood, men are educated to speak freely on any subject, while women are restricted. It’s common for boys to talk with their friends about how much they masturbate; meanwhile, among women, even in the most liberal countries, it’s still not a recurrent topic, even when we are adults. The fact is that for a boy it is ‘a necessity’ to touch his genitals, but any girl who does it is judged. Some studies indicate that women masturbate less, or at least that we find it harder to admit. Still, specialists recognize that the status of male and female masturbation is different in any society. Women worldwide have always had masturbation as a pending subject, and it’s because we are judged or criticized for admitting that we perform one of the most natural acts we can do as human beings. To the point where we are branded as ‘hustlers’ and even as “nymphomaniacs” in an incorrect usage of the term.

The roles set by the church, and patriarchy, put enormous pressure on women; these cultural and religious norms don’t allow women to fully enjoy their sexuality. As a consequence, our sex education is inferior to the one men can. Even in a conversation with their parents, the boy will be welcomed into the world of sexuality, while the girl will be rebuked and required to behave like a ‘lady’. It’s an aspect of our lives that affects our happiness and our behaviour as women. These days, thankfully, women have found a way of revolution: feminism. There are many voices calling for the normalization of the issue, citing the mental health and physical benefits of this practice. But the most important argument has to do with empowerment, something that feminism has been fighting for decades. The subject is overcoming the taboo because women are increasingly able to talk freely about masturbation, as well as other topics such as menstruation. For women, it’s a time of liberation. For using everything that feminism has to offer us and to get to be ourselves. To regain the right that we had, have, and will have to speak or do what we want. No barriers, no fear, nothing to hide.

Female masturbation

Source: Elena Mullor