Non-penetrative sex

Non-penetrative sex or outercourse is sexual activity that usually does not include sexual penetration. It generally excludes the penetrative aspects of vaginal, anal, or oral sex, but includes various forms of sexual and non-sexual activity, such as frottage, manual sex, mutual masturbation, kissing, or cuddling.^[1]^[2]^[3] Some forms of non-penetrative sex, particularly when termed outercourse, include penetrative aspects, such as penetration that may result from forms of fingering or oral sex.^[4]^[5]^[6]

People engage in non-penetrative sex for a variety of reasons, including as a form of foreplay or as a primary or preferred sexual act.^[2]^[7] Heterosexual couples may engage in non-penetrative sex as an alternative to penile-vaginal penetration, to preserve virginity, or as a type of birth control.^[7]^[8] Same-sex couples may also engage in non-penetrative sex to preserve virginity,^[7]^[9]^[10] with gay males using it as an alternative to anal penetration.^[7]^[9]

Although sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as herpes, HPV, and pubic lice can be transmitted through non-penetrative genital-genital or genital-body sexual activity, non-penetrative sex may be used as a form of safer sex because it is less likely that body fluids (the main source of STI transmission) will be exchanged during the activities, especially with regard to aspects that are exclusively non-penetrative.^[11]^[12]^[13]

^ Ross, Michael W.; Channon-Little, Lorna D.; Rosser, B. R. Simon (2000). Sexual Health Concerns: Interviewing and History Taking for Health Practitioners. University of Michigan. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-8036-0668-5.
^ ^a ^b See 272 Archived 2016-05-01 at the Wayback Machine and page 301 Archived 2016-05-07 at the Wayback Machine for two different definitions of outercourse (first of the pages for no-penetration definition; second of the pages for no-penile-penetration definition). Rosenthal, Martha (2012). Human Sexuality: From Cells to Society, 1st ed. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-618-75571-4. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
^ Judith LaRosa; Helaine Bader; Susan Garfield (2009). New Dimensions In Women's Health. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-7637-6592-7. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
^ John H. Harvey; Ann L. Weber (2001). Odyssey of the Heart: Close Relationships in the 21st Century. Psychology Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4106-0405-7. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
^ Ann O'Leary (2002). Beyond Condoms: Alternative Approaches to HIV Prevention. Springer. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-306-46731-8. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
^ Robert Crooks; Karla Baur (2010). Our Sexuality. Cengage Learning. pp. 286–289. ISBN 978-0-495-81294-4. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2012. Noncoital forms of sexual intimacy, which have been called outercourse, can be a viable form of birth control. Outercourse includes all avenues of sexual intimacy other than penile–vaginal intercourse, including kissing, touching, mutual masturbation, and oral and anal sex.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d See here onwards Archived 2016-12-01 at the Wayback Machine and pages 47–49 Archived 2016-12-01 at the Wayback Machine for views on what constitutes virginity loss and therefore sexual intercourse or other sexual activity; source discusses how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in penile-vaginal sex. Laura M. Carpenter (2005). Virginity lost: an intimate portrait of first sexual experiences. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-1652-6. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 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 July 24, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 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).
^ ^a ^b Joseph Gross, Michael (2003). Like a Virgin. The Advocate/Here Publishing. pp. 44–45. 0001-8996. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
^ Karen Bouris (1995). What Parents and Teenage Girls Should Know about "Losing Your Virginity". Conari Press. pp. 133–134. ISBN 978-0-943233-93-2. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
^ Jerry D. Durham; Felissa R. Lashley (2000). The Person With HIV/AIDS: Nursing Perspectives, 3rd Edition. Springer Publishing Company. p. 103. ISBN 978-81-223-0004-8. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
^ "Sexual Risk Factors". AIDS.gov. Archived from the original on December 4, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
^ Dianne Hales (2008). An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011. Cengage Learning. pp. 269–271. ISBN 978-0-495-39192-0. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.

[Ross-1] Ross, Michael W.; Channon-Little, Lorna D.; Rosser, B. R. Simon (2000). Sexual Health Concerns: Interviewing and History Taking for Health Practitioners. University of Michigan. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-8036-0668-5.

[Rosenthal-2] See 272 Archived 2016-05-01 at the Wayback Machine and page 301 Archived 2016-05-07 at the Wayback Machine for two different definitions of outercourse (first of the pages for no-penetration definition; second of the pages for no-penile-penetration definition). Rosenthal, Martha (2012). Human Sexuality: From Cells to Society, 1st ed. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-618-75571-4. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2012.

[LaRosa-3] Judith LaRosa; Helaine Bader; Susan Garfield (2009). New Dimensions In Women's Health. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-7637-6592-7. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2013.

[Harvey-4] John H. Harvey; Ann L. Weber (2001). Odyssey of the Heart: Close Relationships in the 21st Century. Psychology Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4106-0405-7. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2013.

[O'Leamry-5] Ann O'Leary (2002). Beyond Condoms: Alternative Approaches to HIV Prevention. Springer. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-306-46731-8. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.

[Crooks-6] Robert Crooks; Karla Baur (2010). Our Sexuality. Cengage Learning. pp. 286–289. ISBN 978-0-495-81294-4. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2012. Noncoital forms of sexual intimacy, which have been called outercourse, can be a viable form of birth control. Outercourse includes all avenues of sexual intimacy other than penile–vaginal intercourse, including kissing, touching, mutual masturbation, and oral and anal sex.

[Carpenter-7] See here onwards Archived 2016-12-01 at the Wayback Machine and pages 47–49 Archived 2016-12-01 at the Wayback Machine for views on what constitutes virginity loss and therefore sexual intercourse or other sexual activity; source discusses how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in penile-vaginal sex. Laura M. Carpenter (2005). Virginity lost: an intimate portrait of first sexual experiences. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-1652-6. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2011.

[Intimate-8] 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 July 24, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 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).

[Virgin-9] Joseph Gross, Michael (2003). Like a Virgin. The Advocate/Here Publishing. pp. 44–45. 0001-8996. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2011.

[Bouris-10] Karen Bouris (1995). What Parents and Teenage Girls Should Know about "Losing Your Virginity". Conari Press. pp. 133–134. ISBN 978-0-943233-93-2. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2020-10-27.

[Durham-11] Jerry D. Durham; Felissa R. Lashley (2000). The Person With HIV/AIDS: Nursing Perspectives, 3rd Edition. Springer Publishing Company. p. 103. ISBN 978-81-223-0004-8. Retrieved January 29, 2012.

[aids.gov-12] "Sexual Risk Factors". AIDS.gov. Archived from the original on December 4, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2011.

[Hales-13] Dianne Hales (2008). An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011. Cengage Learning. pp. 269–271. ISBN 978-0-495-39192-0. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.

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