Cunnilingus

Cunnilingus is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a vulva by using the tongue and lips.^[1]^[2] The clitoris is the most sexually sensitive part of the vulva, and its stimulation may result in a woman becoming sexually aroused or achieving orgasm.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Cunnilingus can be sexually arousing for participants and may be performed by a sexual partner as foreplay to incite sexual arousal before other sexual activities (such as vaginal or anal intercourse)^[6]^[7] or as an erotic and physically intimate act on its own.^[6]^[2] Cunnilingus can be a risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but the transmission risk from oral sex, especially of HIV, is significantly lower than for vaginal or anal sex.^[8]^[9]

Oral sex is often regarded as taboo,^[6] but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice. Commonly, heterosexual couples do not regard cunnilingus as affecting the virginity of either partner, while lesbian couples commonly do regard it as a form of virginity loss.^[10]^[11]^[12] People may also have negative feelings or sexual inhibitions about giving or receiving cunnilingus or may refuse to engage in it.^[6]

^ Krychman, Michael (2009). 100 Questions & Answers About Women's Sexual Wellness and Vitality: A Practical Guide for the Woman Seeking Sexual Fulfillment. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-76375-448-8. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b Wayne Weiten; Margaret A. Lloyd; Dana S. Dunn; Elizabeth Yost Hammer (2008). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st century. Cengage Learning. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-495-55339-7. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
^ Rodgers, Joann Ellison (2003). Sex: A Natural History. Macmillan. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-0805072815. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
^ Greenberg, Jerrold S.; Bruess, Clint E.; Conklin, Sarah C (2010). Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality. Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-0-7637-7660-2. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
^ Carroll, Janell L. (2012). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 110–111. ISBN 978-1-111-83581-1. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Janell L. Carroll (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 265–267. ISBN 978-0-495-60274-3. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
^ "What is oral sex?". NHS Choices. NHS. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010.
^ Dianne Hales (2008). An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011. Cengage Learning. pp. 269–271. ISBN 978-0495391920. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
^ William Alexander; Helaine Bader; Judith H. LaRosa (2011). New Dimensions in Women's Health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 211. ISBN 978-1449683757. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
^ See pages 11 Archived 14 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine and 47-49 Archived 1 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine for male virginity, how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and for how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in vaginal sex. Laura M. Carpenter (2005). Virginity lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences. NYU Press. pp. 295 pages. ISBN 978-0-8147-1652-6. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
^ Bryan Strong; Christine DeVault; Theodore F. Cohen (2010). The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationship in a Changing Society. Cengage Learning. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-534-62425-5. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2011. Most people agree that we maintain virginity as long as we refrain from sexual (vaginal) intercourse. But occasionally we hear people speak of 'technical virginity' [...] Data indicate that 'a very significant proportion of teens ha[ve] had experience with oral sex, even if they haven't had sexual intercourse, and may think of themselves as virgins' [...] Other research, especially research looking into virginity loss, reports that 35% of virgins, defined as people who have never engaged in vaginal intercourse, have nonetheless engaged in one or more other forms of heterosexual sexual activity (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation).
^ Blank, Hanne (2008). Virgin: The Untouched History. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 253. ISBN 978-1-59691-011-9. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2011.

[1] Krychman, Michael (2009). 100 Questions & Answers About Women's Sexual Wellness and Vitality: A Practical Guide for the Woman Seeking Sexual Fulfillment. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-76375-448-8. Retrieved 30 September 2023.

[Weiten-2] Wayne Weiten; Margaret A. Lloyd; Dana S. Dunn; Elizabeth Yost Hammer (2008). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st century. Cengage Learning. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-495-55339-7. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2011.

[Ellison-3] Rodgers, Joann Ellison (2003). Sex: A Natural History. Macmillan. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-0805072815. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2014.

[=Greenberg-4] Greenberg, Jerrold S.; Bruess, Clint E.; Conklin, Sarah C (2010). Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality. Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-0-7637-7660-2. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2012.

[Carroll2-5] Carroll, Janell L. (2012). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 110–111. ISBN 978-1-111-83581-1. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2012.

[Carroll-6] Janell L. Carroll (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 265–267. ISBN 978-0-495-60274-3. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.

[NHS-7] "What is oral sex?". NHS Choices. NHS. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010.

[Hales-8] Dianne Hales (2008). An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011. Cengage Learning. pp. 269–271. ISBN 978-0495391920. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2013.

[Alexander-9] William Alexander; Helaine Bader; Judith H. LaRosa (2011). New Dimensions in Women's Health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 211. ISBN 978-1449683757. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2013.

[Carpenter-10] See pages 11 Archived 14 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine and 47-49 Archived 1 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine for male virginity, how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and for how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in vaginal sex. Laura M. Carpenter (2005). Virginity lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences. NYU Press. pp. 295 pages. ISBN 978-0-8147-1652-6. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2011.

[Intimate-11] Bryan Strong; Christine DeVault; Theodore F. Cohen (2010). The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationship in a Changing Society. Cengage Learning. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-534-62425-5. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2011. Most people agree that we maintain virginity as long as we refrain from sexual (vaginal) intercourse. But occasionally we hear people speak of 'technical virginity' [...] Data indicate that 'a very significant proportion of teens ha[ve] had experience with oral sex, even if they haven't had sexual intercourse, and may think of themselves as virgins' [...] Other research, especially research looking into virginity loss, reports that 35% of virgins, defined as people who have never engaged in vaginal intercourse, have nonetheless engaged in one or more other forms of heterosexual sexual activity (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation).

[Blank-12] Blank, Hanne (2008). Virgin: The Untouched History. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 253. ISBN 978-1-59691-011-9. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2011.

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