Masturbation Myths

Masturbation means touching your sex organs to get pleasure. It's also been called "wacking off", "spanking the money" or "choking the chicken." Besides having many nicknames, there are lots of myths and misinformation about masturbation. Here's a look at some of the myths and facts behind masturbating.

Is Masturbating Wrong?

Absolutely not. It's perfectly normal to want to explore and touch your own body. Many kids (and adults) are embarrassed or ashamed to talk about masturbating because they think it's wrong. This is partly because many old farts hundreds of years ago believed masturbating was sinful. Back then, many parents forced their daughters to wear gloves made of steel wool at night or put a powder on their private parts that made them painful to touch. Boys had to wear metal chastity belts at night that made it painful to have an erection. Ouch! These types of attitudes have led many generations of kids to believe masturbation is wrong or weird when it's not. But if you're not doing homework, not playing sports or not hanging out with friends so you can masturbate instead - then you're doing it too much. (Ha Ha Ha!)

Will Masturbating Make Me Go Blind or Crazy?

Not at all. This is just one of those crazy stories that was made up by stuck up old farts to frighten people away from masturbating.

Will Masturbating Give Me Hairy Palms?
Same as above - it's totally false.

Will Masturbating Make My Penis Shrink
No. Masturbating (unless you're using knives, saws or other weird tools) will not cause any physical changes to your sex organs.

Will Eating Cornflakes Make Me Stop Masturbating?

No. This rumor goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. The guy who invented Kellogs Corn Flakes, John Kellogg, thought sex and masturbation were horrible. He believed it could give you leprosy, heart disease and epilepsy. He designed his famous corn flakes to promote health and decrease interest in sex. There is absolutely no evidence that eating corn flakes has any effect on sex drive or masturbation.

Do Girls Masturbate?

Yes. Almost everyone has or will masturbate at some point in their lives. A recent survey found that 97 percent of guys and 90 percent of girls have masturbated by the time they're 21 years old.

Am I Still a Virgin If I Masturbate?

Yes. You are still a virgin as long as you haven't had sex with another person. Inserting something into your vagina, like a tampon, doesn't mean you've lost your virginity.

Whatever you decide to call it, masturbating is a normal part of exploring your sexuality. It's not something you need to be ashamed of and it's one of the safest forms of sex.

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