With all the focus on muscles and getting ripped it would be easy for skinny guys to feel just because they don’t have killer pecs and big biceps that they are unhealthy or undesirable.
Muscles aside even just being on the slim side of average can sometimes leave us feeling like we’re not fit enough, especially when the media is full of muscular guys. There is also the toxic message that muscles and size equal masculinity. With all the focus on how we look on the outside it’s easy to forget that our outward appearance is also a reflection of our inner health.
You don’t have to look like Superman to feel like Superman, and you don’t have to look like Superman to be healthy.
Being healthy is more important than being buff.
I don’t like the term skinny bitch. It’s used far too often as a put down. What is a skinny bitch anyway?
There are plenty of big guys out there who can’t run a lap of the block, buffer doesn’t mean healthier. The most healthy and the most fit I have ever been was when I was playing Waterpolo. I felt alive every day and at a spritely 63kgs I wasn’t by any means Buff.
Everybody has a different body type. Some of us are larger, some are skinnier, taller, shorter etc. What matters more than being bigger is being healthy. If you are naturally a skinny bitch then so be it. Eat well, keep fit and exercise and you will still feel amazing. There is nothing wrong with being healthy just the way you are. There are so many trainers out there telling us get bigger, bulk up, eat to gain blah blah blah. It would be easy to think that the only way to be worth anything is to weigh something. Rubbish.
So if you are one of those Skinny bitches don’t ever be afraid to own it. Eat good food, get some exercise and worry about being healthy first. Your inner glow will give you all you need to impress.
And finally back to the present
If we all just looked like we fell out of the cookie cutter then life would be boring.
I’ve spent most of my life watching my body yoyo between slim and buff and been constantly on the roller coaster of self loathing. For a long time I hated my body and there are still things I look at everyday and feel my heart sink. It’s not worth it. Punishing yourself for not looking like an Instagram model everyday is exhausting and wasted time in the end. It doesn’t matter what you look like and it will never matter how much you workout if you don’t learn to love your body and its faults.
It’s not easy to care for ourselves when we are constantly surrounded by bullshit fitness influencers and junk Gym cultures that are all using our insecurities to sell us something. Be aware of it and learn to recognise it. It’s not easy but I think we all need to get a little better at it.
OMG,,,, HELL YES. Love to lick a man’s sweaty, hot, hairy pits. Is a total turn on for me. I don’t want to taste deodorant though. Just the manly smell and taste of him. It’s just like licking a hot, sweaty ass, chest, or back.
Smelling a pit, and it has to be just the right smell, is like finding the equivalent and keen scent of a man’s crotch. Some are just rank and can make you want to forego anything further. Others hit the spot and make you want to bury and rub your face in it while inhaling like you’re smell freshly baked cookies. You get to bask in the essence of that man and for some reason that certain scent makes you rock hard and intensifies the experience. I’m about smelling them but not licking or kissing them.
In order to enjoy dick effectively, it is essential that you understand some very basic information about the male penis and how it (and the parts around it) works. While it is certainly possible to just stick one in your mouth, bob up and down on it a few times and make it cum, you’ll only be able to do that with inexperienced males. The guys who’ve been around and/or are more wordly are going to want more than that. In fact, they’re going to expect it of anyone who considers themselves a true slut.
Sucking cock is the single most important skill a slut must possess. You will, quite literally, be graded on your ability to suck cock from the very first time you do it. The more you understand about how things work down there for the guys, the better you can perform this task, and the more sexually desirable you become. With that in mind, let’s re-examine some of the basics. If you want a fully detailed explanation of all the pieces and parts and how they work, please see the SLUT103 course. Subsequent modules in this course will explain how to go down on a guy’s cock and achieve the desired end result.
The Basics: Parts and Their Functions
The Penis: The penis, of course, is the central point of focus with respect to this course. It is the external male sex organ, but also serves as the primary path for the evacuation of urine from the body. When sufficiently stimulated, the penis becomes rigid as the result of blood filling the three large tubes that run the length of the penile shaft (these are discussed at length in the A&P course (SLUT103)). This results in the penis becoming stiffer and elongated, generating what you see as an erection. It is important to note that sexual stimulation is not the only thing that can lead to an erection. Any kind of physical stimulation will generate an erection in most men, as will certain physiological responses not associated with sex. So though it is a prevalent archetype, the fact a man has an erection does not necessarily mean he is sexually aroused and/or wants to have sex.
The head of the penis is known as the glans. The male glans is the homologue of the glans (visible part) of your clitoris (though with only half the nerve endings). In uncircumcised men, the glans is covered with pink, moist tissue called mucosa. Folded over the glans is the foreskin (prepuce). In circumcised men, the foreskin is surgically removed and the mucosa on the glans transforms into dry skin. The frenulum is the underside of the penis where the head meets the shaft, while the coronal ridge is the rounded projecting border that surrounds the head. The head and frenulum are the two most sensitive spots on the penis. This is an important fact to keep in mind when you start playing with one of these things.
Circumcision used to be a routine procedure for almost every infant in the United States, but over the past couple of decades this procedure has become somewhat less popular. Therefore, with younger men you are slightly more likely to encounter an uncircumcised penis than you would be with older men. They are basically treated the same way for oral sex with some very minor differences which are discussed in a later module. The following photo shows the difference between the cut and uncut penises. The Scrotum: The scrotum is the little sack beneath the penis that holds the man’s testicles. It is known by a variety of monikers, with the most common being “nut sack” or just “sack,” while the testicles inside it are commonly referred to as “balls.” Many men like having their sacks played with while you’re sucking their cocks, but some don’t. Again, more on this in the following module.
There’s a little muscle in the scrotum that is responsible for adjusting the height of the testicles; it is known as the cremaster muscle. When the sack is exposed to coldness (such as cold water in a pool), the muscle pulls the testicles up closer to the body to keep them warm. When they are exposed to heat, such as on a hot day at the beach, the muscle will relax allowing the sack to hang much lower to get the testicles away from the body. The preferred temperature for sperm production is 95F, about three degrees cooler than normal body temperature. This is why the testicles are outside and away from the body to begin with. So on warm days it is easier to play with and suck on that wrinkled little sack than it is on the cold days.
Perineum: The perineum is the area of skin between where the scrotum meets the pelvic floor back to the guy’s asshole. This is also commonly referred to as the “taint” (supposedly derived from the saying that “…it ‘taint the nutsack and it ‘taint the asshole). The measure of the distance between the two is known as the anogenital distance. That’ll come in handy in a trivia game at some point, trust me. Beneath the skin of the taint is the prostate gland, which, as you grow more proficient with your cocksucking skills, may become another source of pleasure for the guy you’re playing with. We’ll also discuss this in a future module as well.
Penis Sizes and Shapes
Every single penis you ever encounter in your life will be different from every other penis you see or encounter. No two penises are alike. They are different lengths, different girths (circumferences), different colors, they have different curves to them, they’re surrounded by different amounts of pubic hair, some will be circumcised and others won’t, etc. How they look is largely irrelevant to how you go down on them, however. Obviously, the bigger they are, the harder it will be to get as much of them in your mouth, but the basics of sucking cock apply regardless of what they look like.
The average size of the erect penis is in the 5.5 to 6.3 inch range, depending on which survey you use. Just about every organization that has something to do with human sexuality, from major universities to condom manufacturers, has done their own surveys on the size of these things, and the average “average” is in that range. Some can be as little as three inches long or smaller, while the largest one ever recorded was over thirteen inches. The average girth (circumference) is around 4.5 to 5.0 inches, but range from anywhere around three inches or so up to over six inches. So as you can see, you’re liable to experience quite the range of penises as you move through your life of slutdom.
Showers vs. Growers
One of the more unique aspects of penises is that, not unlike their erect size, even when they’re flaccid they tend to have their own unique shapes and sizes. You will also find that the size of a penis when it is flaccid has no direct bearing on its size when it is erect. A lot of people are shocked at that and are quick to jump to conclusions the first time they see a guy with a tiny, shriveled up penis when he drops his pants and they get their first look at him. But they are often pleasantly surprised when he becomes erect and it transforms into this massive penis (I’ve always been kind of fond of those types, actually). So the flaccid length has no relevance whatsoever to how big he’s going to be when he’s fully erect. You’ll find that there are basically two types of flaccid penises. What kind you have determines whether you’re a “shower” or a “grower.”
A “shower” (pronounced like grower) has a penis that is disproportionally big when flaccid relative to the final erect length, whereas a “grower” has a penis that is disproportionally small when flaccid relative to the final erect length. In other words, when you see a shower’s penis, what you see is pretty much what you’re going to get when it becomes erect; it’ll get a bit bigger, but not much. With a grower, however, you get quite the surprise when he gets aroused. As the penis becomes erect, it will be substantially larger than its flaccid size. As you might imagine, the growers tend to be a bit more sensitive about the flaccid size of their cocks. As a slut, you’ll want to ensure that you don’t make the mistake of assuming that a smaller flaccid penis is going to automatically be a tiny penis when you get it in its upright and locked position. Otherwise, you’ll look like an amateur. According to one survey, about 80% of men were growers, while the remaining 20% were showers, by the way.
How to Measure a Cock
You will notice a tendency for men to overestimate and often intentionally overstate the size of their cocks. In reality, the exact size doesn’t matter. And as your instructor, I literally have never measured a cock nor have I asked a guy what size he is. I don’t care. You shouldn’t care. You’re going to have to deal with whatever size he has regardless of what that is, so the specific numbers are largely irrelevant. If you get to the point where you start choosing partners based on cock size, you’ve probably become a bit too narrow-minded (unless you’re just looking to get laid by someone with a huge cock, of course). That would be the same as a guy choosing partners based on how deep or how wide your cunt was, and you probably wouldn’t be too fond of that idea.
It is important to know the approximate size, however, in order to buy condoms, especially since each manufacturer has their own designations for specific size ranges. If he’s the one buying condoms, then so long as he knows what he’s doing, that’s fine (though many men do buy ill fitting condoms). If you’re going to be buying condoms for a specific guy for your Slut Kit, you’ll need to know his length and girth (circumference). Therefore, you’ll need to know the correct way to measure the things. The basic steps are as follows:
Get his cock erect – not soft erect but a nice hard erection.
Use a flexible fabric measuring tape and measure from the tip of the head of the penis all the way to the base (where it attaches to the body) along the top of his cock. Be sure and press into the pubic bone because body fat can often hide a bit of the penis. This is the length.
Use the same measuring tape and wrap it around the penis midway between the head and the base. This will be the circumference, or girth. You can divide it by 3.14 to get the penis’ diameter.
Now that you have those two measurements, you can use the charts on condom manufacturer’s websites to determine which condoms they make that would work best for that penis.
Does Size Matter?
This question is as old as the penis itself, I’d suspect.
The key, however, is making sure the guy knows how to use what he’s got. A large penis doesn’t mean better sex just because it’s a large penis. Conversely, sex with someone who has a smaller penis but knows what he’s doing with it can be very rewarding. Just as with the sizes and shapes, a knowledge and understanding of how to use the thing varies from one guy to the next as well. Once you’re experienced with a variety of cocks, you’ll be in a better position to teach him how to do you with what he has. That is an important skill to have as a slut.
You will find that oral sex on a penis with less girth is a bit easier because you’ll be able to get the entire thing in your mouth. The wider cocks will be difficult to get into your mouth much more than three to five inches (depending on the size of your jaw and mouth), and you’ll likely not be able to deepthroat them at all. Specific techniques for managing these are discussed in a later module.
The most important issues you’ll have to deal with in this area are going to revolve around the psychological ramifications of his perception of the size of his cock, especially relative to others. Men are very, very sensitive about how big they are.
Shyness about penis sizes impacts many facets of a man’s life, to include even being naked around other men at the gym or on a clothing optional beach. It is a serious issue and you must treat it as such. Failure to do so could not only damage your relationship with him (if you’re concerned about that), but could damage his psyche for the balance of his active sex life (something you should be concerned about as an ethical slut). Here are some important tips you need to keep in mind with respect to this:
You should never make fun of a guy’s penis size, just as you wouldn’t want a guy making fun of any part of your body. You need to encourage and preach to him that it is far more important that he know how to use what he has than how big it is. I’ve lost count of the number of guys I’ve been with who have larger than average cocks but had little idea of how to use them (that happens with the smaller ones as well, by the way). A lot of men with larger cocks think all they have to do to make sex good for you is to jackhammer you with it – they don’t bother to learn any serious technique. So the sex can often suck and the big cock is for naught. Regardless of the size of his dick, though, he needs to avail himself of instructional material on the use of his tool and develop some self-confidence with it.
Some guys are going to have issues with the fact that, as a slut, you’ve likely fucked other men who’ve had larger penises. They may ask you about it (some will even get off on that). You’ll need to decide how to respond to that sort of interrogation. I suggest you find a way to avoid it or not answer it because it isn’t any of his business and generally has no direct bearing on the sex you’ll be having with him. If he persists, you need to discuss with him the rationale he has for his infatuation with the topic and deal with that aspect of it.
Large penises are often overrated. Once you get above 6 to 7 inches, the ability to be taken in totally by the mouth (and sometimes the anus) gets less likely. A large penis doesn’t mean “best” or even “good,” but rather merely reflects a comparison to other men.
Older, more mature men will generally be more comfortable with the size of their cocks, even if they’re smaller than average. Overt infatuation with penis size is a sign of immaturity and inexperience as a general rule.
Ultimately, it’s not your job to get him comfortable or happy with his penis size. You can encourage him and let him know that he satisfies you (assuming he does) and all of that. But he’s going to have to come to the realization that his penis is as large as it’s going to get and, short of surgery, there’s nothing that’s going to change that. He has to learn to use what he has. Period. It may get to the point where you have to tell him that outright. Tell him you’ll work with him to find ways to make that cock work for the both of you. An example of this would be explaining that smaller cocks make anal sex much more easier for you as the receiver.
If you’re with a guy on a one night stand, you’ll need to be prepared to deal with any size cock. Most of the instructional material you’ll find for the different techniques around the Slut Academy will address any necessary differences related to the size of a penis if it is relevant. Knowing how to handle different sizes appropriately is, again, something a slut should master.
If you know a guy has issues with his size and you keep telling him it’s “huge,” he’ll know you’re lying and is going to feel as though you’re patronizing him. Don’t lie to someone about this.
If a man has a penis that is too large for you to deal with orally or anally, then let him know if/when things begin to hurt or get to the point where you can’t or don’t want to deal with it. The two of you should work together to figure out how to work around this problem (many positions work better for guys with larger penises than others, for example). Again, many suggestions are included in the instructional material throughout the Slut Academy.
A man who is compulsively obsessive about his penis size will likely have some other issues he needs to deal with (like a low self esteem or sense of self worth, etc.) and is projecting these insecurities onto his penis. Or perhaps he’s too drawn into porn and its unrealistic portrayal of sexuality. Regardless, this is the kind of thing a professional therapist will need to address. While you should not chide a guy for having a smaller than average penis, it is also not your role to assuage his insecurities about it.
Erection Firmness
Most guys get a rather stiff erection, but there are those whose cocks aren’t stiff as a board, making the cock somewhat flexible. For some guys this is normal (the larger the cock, the increasing relative lack of firmness, generally speaking), but for others it may portend medical conditions. One distinct advantage that a less than board-stiff cock has is that it is much more pliable, making it easier to flex into your throat once you learn how to deep throat a cock. It can also make creative positioning with anal sex a bit more interesting. As I said before, penises are highly individualized. Learn to work with the penis you have at your disposal to make the sex work for both of you.
Pubic Hair
When a boy reaches puberty he begins developing pubic hair. In the male, the hair will cover the base of the shaft, the scrotum, and most of the remainder of the pubic area, to include back along the perineum and the asshole. Some guys will not manage this hair and it will get unruly. You may even end up losing his cock if it gets to be too much of a forest! Fortunately, most men at least trim their pubic hair when it becomes unmanageable. This has the benefit of making things a bit easier to get to as well as making the cock appear larger. Hair can hide a good inch or two of his tool, so if you encounter a guy who’s unkempt down there, remind him of this if that bothers you. Perhaps he’ll get the hint.
The trend these days is very close trimming or complete removal of the pubic hair, especially among younger men. There are probably a variety of reasons for this, including perceived hygiene issues and its prevalence in porn. Many of the men in porn videos these days (including the amateur stuff) have completely bare pubic areas. Additional reasons for this might include:
It makes their cocks look bigger (the last inch or so is not lost in the forest)
It makes for better hygiene (less smell, less sweat, etc.)
It makes it easier to see their cock at work when it’s fucking you
It presents a much cleaner, neater appearance in general
It means less pubic hair getting in the mouth of the person going down on them
It usually results in more ball licking/sucking because the person going down on them won’t be getting hair in his mouth
There’s less mess to deal with after sexual intercourse
And while many men shave the hair off, there are salons and spas that perform waxing on male intimate areas as well. Male Brazilian waxing has become rather popular over the past few years, and involves removal of all the hair below the belt, to include around back, the butt, and in the butt crack (which makes for a much nicer experience with rimming, by the way).
Everyone has their own preferences. Some like the bare look, some don’t. Regardless, as a slut, it is not your role to judge, but rather to deal with what you’re handed. Personally, I prefer licking and sucking on a cock and balls that are hairless just because I don’t care for having hair in my mouth.
One of the strongest gay sub-cultures is for sure theBear movement. From an aesthetic point of view Bears are sort of the opposite to the ephebic male type we’ve already seen. Under this label we see many different types of people, all of them marked by what is strongly believed to be a high level of masculinity distinctive characters: hairs, facial hairs,muscles, or, sometime, a chubby belly.
This culture is very present across the world, and developed a lot in recent years. That’s why in this post I’m referring not only to a specific body type, but a group of people that decided to share something more. Part of this story is also that not all hairy men do share this kind of culture (which is my case for example: I’m tall and hairy, and even if I enjoy going sometime to Bear parties, I don’t consider myself part of the Bear culture. Nothing wrong with it of course, it’s just that I hate labels.)
The Bear subculture has sort of formed itself against the fashion-driven, feminine-traits oriented mainstream gay culture, at least in its first days. Of course, even in this reality you can’t establish one unique rule. For sure the bear movement has established itself as a much more “open” group then some of the other subcultures. But it also has been decisive in affirming its own pride, in terms of belonging to this “sub-culture”, to the extent that it also developed its own Bear Pride Flag.
When talking about Bears we shall distinguish a couple of different “stereotypes” of masculinity. The range of distinction is either made along the body type of the person, or its age.
Muscles-Bears are the first typology, in which fall all kind of bears that consider physical activity, body building and fitness a “Must” to develop their bodies, still considering hairs a very important trait of their appearance.
On the other side we have Chubby Bears, which instead consider their masculinity visible also thanks to their important belly or in any case with a chubby look.
From the age perspective we start with what is defined a Cub, normally a younger or less experienced bearish looking guy. We then have Bear Daddy when age becomes more important and Silver Bear or Polar Bear when hair color shifts to grey or white.
Within the Bear culture there’s also another stereotype. It’s a person that doesn’t reflect Bearish body standards, but is attracted by bears and is named Chaser.
Of course, I’ve been very synthetic in describing these traits, but I just wanted to give a brief introduction to the subject.
So what if you’re attracted by any of these kind of body types? Well I believe there are a couple of things to be taken into account. Be aware of the cultureMake sure you understand that a “bearish culture” exist, and respect it. These group of people tend to be more open then other gay sub-cultures. If you’ve ever tried to go to a fashion-disco not properly dressed you’ll know what I mean, in those contests people tend to be a lot judgmental. Bear parties are instead typically more open. Which also means you shouldn’t be judgmental even if you don’t like the chubby type or older people.
Don’t follow stereotypes. Because of their “openness” Bears are very often considered to be on the sleaziest side of gay sex. Which is not always the case. From a sexual point of view bears share the same range of sexual behaviors then any other kind of gay groups. Actually, I’ve met more “romantic” types of people among bears then among fashionstas just to make an example. So don’t expect of all of them to have a dungeon in their home and experiment only the s/m side of sex.
Which leads to my last suggestion, Be sure about what you’re looking for and what you like. Or maybe better, make sure you know what you don’t like. Again, bears are usually very open. They don’t have problems with their bodies, so they don’t like when other people comment on this. A friend of mine once had the “fantasy” of getting with a bear, but he then sort of was disgusted by the presence of hair on the back of the guy he went home with. Of course, this is absolutely personal taste. But if you’d like to meet up with people that refuse the usage of razors, you can’t pretend they’ve a smoothly waxed back! (But again, this varies a lot. There are many “bears” who take it as a mission to have their hairy bodies groomed to perfection!).
So, where to start? I suggest that a good way to approach the Bear culture is to go to a mixed party. Many discos offer a “bear” room. This will allow you to navigate around and explore, without feeling too uncomfortable. Bear clubs could be a next step. Bears, as I mentioned, are usually very friendly, so don’t be shy. A second option is try to explore a specific dating site, such as BearWWW. Which also lists lots of events.
Pheromones are volatile, odorous substances which are released by one animal and detected by another, causing some sort of physiological reaction. These reactions can manifest themselves in a variety of different ways: some pheromones modulate sexual activity, some affect aggression, some play roles in territory marking, and other pheromones have similarly diverse effects on the target animal. Pheromones have been demonstrated in a very large number of organisms ranging from amoebas to fish to mammals, including primates. However, the question of whether human olfactory signals exist has been a question of much debate and few definite conclusions. In this paper I will look at some possible examples of odor signaling in humans.
Mammals of all sorts use olfactory signals to indicate willingness to copulate, define territory, mark their young, and signal aggressive intent. These processes can be seen in many animals used as models for human systems, including rats, monkeys (both Old World and New World), hamsters and mice. The fact that pheromones are important biological signals in a plethora of other species indicates that the possibility of human pheromones should not be discarded lightly.
Although humans generally rate olfaction as their least important sensory modality, we still spend billions of dollars, years of our life, and a considerable amount of effort to modify the way we smell (at least in industrialized countries). These efforts typically include scrubbing with deodorant soaps and scented shampoos, applying deodorants to those parts of our bodies we feel need deodorizing, and finally applying perfumes and sprays to replace those natural odors we just discarded down the shower drain. This points out an obvious contradiction: if olfaction is considered unimportant and possibly even obsolete, why do we work so hard to change the way we smell? The first question to address is where do these odors we produce come from? Whereas animals release pheromones from their skin, urine, feces, and to some extent breath, most research on pheromones in humans indicates that the main odor-producing organ is the skin. For the purposes of this paper, the skin is what I will focus on. These odors are largely produced by the skin’s apocrine sebaceous glands, which develop during puberty and are usually associated with sweat glands and tufts of hair. These glands are located everywhere on the body surface, but tend to concentrate in six areas1:
1) The axillae (underarms)
2) The nipples of both sexes2
3) The pubic, genital, and circumanal regions
4) The circumoral region and lips
5) The eyelids
6) The outer ear
The first four of these regions are generally associated with varying amounts of hair growth, which makes perfect sense, as the extremely large surface area of a tuft of hair is a very effective means of spreading an odor by evaporation. The fact that body hair and apocrine glands appear simultaneously at puberty is significant and suggests that body odor and its dispersal may be linked to sexual development. These supposedly non-functional structures, coupled with the olfactory system, would be called part of a pheromonal system in any other mammal. The substances produced by these glands are relatively imperceptible by the human nose; what we smell when we detect skin odor is not the fresh glandular secretions but rather the bacterial breakdown products of these glandular secretions. The sebaceous secretions themselves consist mostly of lipids such as squalene and other esters. When degraded by enzymes of bacteria naturally present on human skin, free fatty acids result, including those that smell hircine and are generally regarded as unpleasant. The most prominent examples of these hircine fatty acids have the general formula (CH3(CH2)nCOOH) and are called butyric acid (n=2), caproic acid (n=4), and caprylic acid (n=6).
The first studies I will discuss relate to evidence for the existence of pheromone signaling in human babies and children. The first interesting studies regarding children come from Michael Kalogerakis and Irving Bieber. They proposed a theory that olfaction is related to sexual identification in young children. Kalogerakis performed a study on young boys, two to four years of age, which strongly indicated that at some point in early childhood, a boy will begin to show an aversion to the odors of their father, and will simultaneously feel attraction to the odors of their mother. According to Bieber, this indicates a shift in sexual interest and acts as a biological trigger for the Oedipus response. Kalogerakis supports this theory with a case study of a boy named Jackie, who originally was closer to his father, but at the age of three years, three months, began to show a distinct preference for his mother’s smells, especially at times right after she and Jackie’s father had been having intercourse. At four years of age, Jackie would become nauseous at the smell of his father. This behaviour continued, tapering off slowly until Jackie was six, and his sexual identity had presumably been established.
Another intriguing study was carried out by Michael J. Russell of UCSF in 1976. He enlisted the help of ten recent mothers, whom he asked to wear a cotton pad in their bra for three hours before testing. Russell then tested the sleeping babies’ ability to differentiate between pads worn by their own mothers and those worn by strange mothers. At the age of two days, only one of the ten babies responded to either type of pad, and he responded to both with a sucking response. At the age of two weeks, eight babies responded by sucking to a stranger’s pad, and seven responded to their mother’s pad. Also, one child responded only to its mother’s pad. At the age of six weeks, however, things had changed. Eight babies responded to their mother’s pad, one responded to a stranger’s pad, and one did not react to it’s mother’s pad but did react with a jerk and a cry to the stranger’s pad. These results may indicate either that a baby imprints on its mother’s odor, or as Russell suggests, that the mother unconsciously marks her baby with a distinctive scent, a phenomenon observed in many other primates. This latter possibility is supported by the common parental observation that a child will reject their favorite blanket or stuffed animal after it has been washed, presumably because it has lost specific odors acquired in previous contacts.
A final childhood phenomenon worth mentioning is one observed by Dr. Alex Comfort. Comfort noticed that in the past three centuries, the age of onset of menstruation for girls has had a direct correlation with the amount of time that young girls spend with boys. In pre-Victorian times, menstruation began at an early age, only slightly above the average age of onset now. However, in Victorian times, when mingling between the sexes was minimized as much as possible, the average age of onset climbed a few years. In post-Victorian times, as boys and girls were allowed to mingle more freely and coeducation appeared, the average age fell once again. Admittedly, this could be due to a number of other factors, but it is Comfort’s opinion that it is due to the exposure to odors of the opposite sex. In fact, this phenomenon has been documented in mice and is called the Vandenbergh effect: female mice raised alone in sterile cages have a much higher age of maturation than that of female mice raised alone in cages filled with a male mouse’s bedding material. When the bedding belonged to a castrated male mouse, this effect was not observed.
There are variations in odor perception between human adult males and females. Le Magnen and Doty found that this is most evident in the case of women’s acute ability to smell musk3, which are steroids, large cycloketone or lactones, often with side chains which are most likely involved with their biological specificity of action. All of these compounds are very similar to the male sex hormone testosterone (see appendix for structures). Whereas women are very sensitive (1 part in 109) to the musky odors of civetone (from the anal glands of the civet cat and used in many perfumes), exaltolide (a synthetic musk), and boar taint substance (a sexual attractant produced in the preputial glands of the boar), men are relatively insensitive (1 part in 106) to these substances. Moreover, women’s sensitivity to these substances varies as a function of where they are in their menstrual cycle: during menstruation, women are no more sensitive to musks than men, but about ten days after menstruation (ovulation – a woman’s peak fertility period), women reach their maximum sensitivity. In addition, women on the pill, women who have had ovarectomies, pregnant women, and post-menopausal women are relatively insensitive to these substances. Le Magnen deduced from these results that sensitivity to musk in women is critically defendant on the levels of estrogen in the blood: during ovulation, serum estrogen is at a peak, whereas serum levels of estrogen are low during menstruation, pregnancy, in post-menopausal women, women who have had ovarectomies, and birth-control pill users. Further, it is the action of progesterone which causes nasal congestion during menstruation and pregnancy4, and might be responsible for the reduced sensitivity at these times.
Why is this relevant? Men secrete musky odorants in abundance. The -3-ol precursor of boar taint substance is found in male urine, and substances similar to testosterone, such as androstenone, are secreted in the smegma and from the apocrine glands of the underarms5 and pubic area of males. As is usually the case, bacterial action may be necessary for the release of the odorants. The fact that men’s bodies secrete these substances and that women are maximally sensitive to them when they are most fertile indicates that there may be a olfactory-sexual role for these substances in human sexuality.
Indeed, a study performed by J. Richard Udry at the University of North Carolina attempted to delineate the relationship between coitus, orgasm and position in the menstrual cycle. He found that women do indeed engage in sexual intercourse about six times more frequently at about the time of ovulation, when women’s sensitivity to the male musk odor is highest. In addition, the women are much more likely to have an orgasm at these times. Further, the women Udry studied women were several times less likely to have sexual intercourse or have an orgasm during and two to three days after menstruation, which is when women’s sensitivity to the musky smell of men is lowest. Coupled with women’s odor sensitivity, these results could indicate a possible pheromonal trigger for sexual behaviour.
There are several other effects in adult humans which might hinge on pheromones. Some of the most interesting results come from work done by Martha McClintock at Harvard. She performed a study on menstrual cycles in women who lived together in dormitories and found that when women are housed together, their menstrual cycles tend to synchronize and lengthen. She also found that the lengthening effect was attenuated in direct relation to the amount of time these women spent with men. In one woman’s case, her regular cycle was six months long, but when she started seeing a man, it dropped to four and a half weeks. After she stopped seeing this man, her cycle once again lengthened. Of course, in an experiment like this, it is difficult to eliminate diet, work and sleep habits as factors, but the fact that this is such a widespread phenomenon indicates that something more basic is probably at work here. It is to be stressed that airborne odors or pheromones were not directly demonstrated in this study, but there is an identical phenomenon in mice that has been shown to be pheromonal in nature. This effect is called the Lee-Boot phenomenon, in which groups of female mice housed together experience increases and synchrony in their estrus cycles. When a female mouse is housed alone, this effect does not occur, but when a solitary female mouse is kept in a cage supplied with bedding from a cage full of female mice, the Lee-Boot effect is once again observed, indicating that the cues are chemosensory in nature. The attenuation of cycle elongation in women in response to male contact is also echoed in mice, and is called the Whitten effect. Once again this effect has been shown to be due to olfactory signals.
Michael Russell provided some more insight on the phenomenon of menstrual synchrony. A colleague of his, on reading McClintock’s paper, mentioned that she too had noticed the same phenomenon among her friends, except that in every case, it was her own menstrual cycle which determined the synchronization of her friends’. Upon hearing this, Russell asked his colleague if he could use her underarm scent to help confirm and extend McClintock’s findings. She consented, and proceeded to wear sterile cotton pads under her arms regularly. Russell the recruited sixteen female volunteers, each of whom came in three times a week for four months to have a liquid applied to her upper lip. One group of women had pure alcohol applied to their lips, and the other group had a mixture of alcohol and Russell’s colleague’s underarm scent from the previous day applied. The group which received pure alcohol did not experience changes in their menstrual cycle, but those that had the mix of alcohol and underarm scent applied showed a radical change in their cycles: The average time lag between cycles had been 9.3 days, but after four months, this had decreased to 3.4 days, and fully half the women were in exact synchrony with Russell’s colleague, discounting the the aforementioned one day time lag. None of these women had ever even met Russell’s colleague. McClintock’s study showed that women who lived together reported menstrual synchronization, and Russell’s study provided a likely mechanism: underarm scent. Another possible interpretation of this study leads to the conclusion that there may be dominant women with regard to menstrual synchrony, a phenomenon observed in many animals.
Dr. Russell provided yet another interesting result. At the same time he was performing his experiments on babies’ ability to discriminate between their own mothers and strange mothers, he performed another experiment on whether young adults could discriminate between their odors and others’ and between male and female odors. Twenty-nine college age students, 16 male and 13 female, were asked to wear a clean undershirt for twenty-four hours without using soap, deodorants, or perfumes. After twenty-four hours passed, the shirts were collected and put in buckets with the armpit right above a strategically placed sniffing hole. Two tests were then performed: the subjects were presented with three shirts, one theirs, one from a strange female and one from a strange male. The subjects were then asked to identify which shirt was theirs, taking as much time as needed. The subjects were then asked to identify which shirt belonged to the strange male and which shirt belonged to the strange female. The subjects generally sniffed each bucket once in succession, and then repeated the process. The results were impressive: 81% of the males and 69% of the females identified their own shirts correctly, for an average success rate of 75%, which is highly significant when compared to the chance percentage of 33%. In the second sex-identifying test, the subjects performed just as well: 81% of the males and 69% of the females were correct, for an average of 75%. Once again, this result was very significant, as chance would dictate a 50% success rate. When asked to characterize the odors of the shirts, the subjects generally said the males’ shirts smelled musky and the females’ shirts smelled sweet. This observation jibes well with the previous discussion of variations in odor perception.
One final effect needs to be mentioned due to large amount of research on it. There have been many studies on whether or not human vaginal secretions might contain some kind of sex pheromone (or “copulin”, as one researcher calls them). Several researchers have found that human vaginal secretions contain various small (C2 to C6) fatty acids, with acetic acid predominating. Richard P. Michael found that about 30% of the women (he called them ‘producers’) produced a significant amount of those small fatty acids (not including acetic acid) that induce copulatory behaviour in infra-human monkeys. In addition, these “copulins” increased up until ovulation, and then decreased as menstruation approached. Michael also noted that women on birth-control pills did not show this mid-cycle increase, and had a lower overall fatty acid content. Michael theorized that these fatty acids or “copulins” were a sexual trigger in humans, but this has never been demonstrated, although the producers’ secretions did increase copulatory behaviour in rhesus monkeys. When David Goldfoot’s group in Wisconsin tried to confirm these results, however, they were unsuccessful.
Are pheromones in humans a myth or are they real? At this point, it is difficult to say either a definite yes or a definite no. The field is obviously very confused, and for every paper one finds that seems to demonstrate the existence of human pheromones, one can find another equally compelling study refuting their existence. In this paper I have tried to consider a few compelling bits of evidence, but it should be noted that none of these results are yet widely accepted, and no pheromone has yet been isolated and conclusively linked to a physiological effect in humans. Further, much of the work in this field is of a qualitative nature, without adequate controls or firm statistical basis.
However, some of the results mentioned above are quite compelling. McClintock’s study and Russell’s extension seem to strongly indicate there is some odorant that affects women’s menstrual cycles. The fact that men secrete musk-like substances that women are maximally sensitive to during ovulation coupled with the finding that there is a demonstrated increase in coitus during this period is also very intriguing. “Copulins” may or may not be human sexual releasers, and they seem to stimulate copulatory behavior in monkeys, although this result has not been confirmed.
To close, I would like to propose a new way of looking at pheromones, specifically in humans. With our highly developed intellect and rich compliment of emotions, ambitions, motivations and desires, it may not be profitable to look at human pheromones the same way we look at animal pheromones. Instead of looking for odorants that cause a definite physiological response, it may behoove us to look at how possible pheromones affect our attitudes. We are not machines that blindly fall into some stereotyped behaviour in response to an odor, but we may be machines that are nudged towards a type of behaviour by pheromones in concert with our higher intellect.
Footnotes
1. This is an overgeneralization; there are substantial differences in apocrine gland distribution and quantity between the various races. The six areas outlined here are generally found in caucasians, but blacks and Aborigines tend to have more and larger glands, with a higher number on the chest and abdomen than is found in an average caucasian. In addition, Aborigines have a much more powerful scent gland in the circumanal region. Asians, on the other hand, tend to have smaller and far fewer apocrine glands than either Caucasians or blacks, and many have none at all. In fact, only about 10% of Japanese people have any underarm odor at all, and at one point having scent glands in the underarms qualified a Japanese male for a military exemption and a free ticket to a medical center where they could receive treatment.
2. Interestingly, the mammary glands themselves are highly modified apocrine glands
3. Musk is a basic ingredient of all perfumes and colognes.
4. This phenomenon might be responsible for womens’ reputed proclivity for unusual foods during pregnancy and menstruation.
5. A note about underarms: many of the authors of the references for this paper have pointed out that underarms are the ideal location for the dispersion of odors and /or pheromones. This is because 1) They are among the warmest parts of the body, and are among the first parts to perspire. 2) They are amply endowed with apocrine and sweat glands. 3) There is usually a strong growth of hair, which is a very effective means of dispersing an odor (as noted above). 4) Underarms are high on the torso and thus well-situated to disperse odors in the region of other people’s noses. 5) Finally, being under the arms, armpits are protected from excessive evaporation. To release odors, the arms must be raised or in motion. Comfort speculates that underarms may even be specialized for this purpose.
No stubble, please
I go au naturel and don’t mind if my partners do as well, as long as they’re not excessively hairy (you know who you are). I think having it look too sculpted looks too much like a pornstar (in a bad way). And don’t get me started on stubble.
A bit of grooming
I think expecting topiary is … weird, but I think I expect grooming? Not au naturel, but not a landing strip or anything, either. I don’t know — I generally keep my own pubic hair fairly short, but just like I can accidentally forget to give myself a hair cut, I can let things go longer than I meant to downstairs, too. I don’t think anything is a deal breaker, but by inclination — or by enculturation, I guess to be more precise — I tend to prefer close grooming.
Pro-tickling
That’s up to the guy. I can’t think of anything more personal than how you deal with your pubes. Personally I like as much pubes as possible because they tickle my penis and feel good during sex. That said, if the guy feels cleaner or more comfortable waxed/shaved/whatever that’s his choice. But, as far as I’m concerned it’s all beautiful and I just feel lucky to know what his dick looks like. And I will say that when going down on a guy the more pubes he has the better the experience because you get much more “guy smell” than if he’s hairless.
Pro-trimming
I don’t have any expectations about upkeep, neglect or an unkempt and untrimmable quim hair. I know every man’s different, and I feel that it’s kind of not my place to present demands. However, I was raised in the heart of a generation of pornography that seemed to almost abhor an au naturel appearance. I think that and the significantly decreased chance that I’ll catch a free-floating hair in the recesses of my throat make me prefer — but not demand — trimmed or completely absent downstairs hair.
Landing strip
I think using the term of expectation is very problematic. I would never expect anything from someone when it comes to hair maintenance down there, I’m not an asshole. Now, what style do I prefer? Different story entirely. I personally find something along the lines of a “landing strip” or a manicured v shape the most. Shows the person you are going down on is, you know, a grown adult. However, as long as things are maintained and neat I am fine.I am definitely not a fan of the “au natural” unkept look. To me it comes across as someone who doesn’t really care about their appearance. In terms of if it is not even remotely trimmed. I would never expect someone to take the time to shave or wax every single time (I credit any man who takes hot wax to that area … the thought makes me cringe strongly), but it doesn’t take that much time to take a trimmer and do some maintenance. I do it myself. I walk the talk and my expectations of others are expectations of myself.
A road less traveled
Perhaps my view is unenlightened, but I view pubic hair much as I view roads and highways. A minimally-maintained personal region on a man (little to no trimming) suggests that this particular route doesn’t get a lot of traffic, and that anyone who does show up here, probably already knows the territory. Conversely, one could be forgiven for feeling that meticulous, effort-intensive maintenance correlates to an expectation of higher traffic (a consistently waxed/shaven vagina, Interstate 95.)Correlation isn’t causation; I’m sure some guys who don’t get laid much wax religiously, and some who do, don’t bother. Same goes for men in monogamous relationships; I know some who wax or shave completely to keep husbands/boyfriends happy, and others just because they prefer the look. It means nothing on its own, but it’s an interesting data point to plug into the equation.My personal preference is the gently-maintained landing strip. Totally shaven makes a naked man look exposed and makes me feel like a predator. And if a guy disrobes with you, and your first or even second thought is a critique of his topiary arrangement instead of just “He’s naked! With me! Hooray!” then, well, you’re kind of an idiot.
“Nothing fancy”
Trimmed, nothing fancy, and please don’t shave it. Prepubescence shouldn’t ever give dudes a boner, and really, if your partner demands a bald downstairs, know there are a billion other guys who want to see something there, and will love you for it. Seeing you’ve left something, but have taken the care to not let it go nuts, tells me you have a degree of self-respect, both in keeping yourself tidy and in your own beautiful, amazing pubic world. But if you’re into going hairless, that’s your call. I’m also not looking to run my hands through anything unless it’s atop your head. As long there’s nothing preventing my face from doing the business, I’m good. Team Pubes.
Anti-powder
The last guy I dated waxed himself completely, from the neck on down. I was … less than enthused by this, especially when he started getting stubbly and itchy in places where really, you never want to experience those sensations. I’m not really into hairy guys, but waxing/shaving your pubic region is just unattractive to me. To all the guys who do it because they think it makes their penises look larger: Don’t. Really, it just makes your dick look like the bottom end of a slightly runny ice cream sundae. Plus, you start getting into creepy “I want to look like an adolescent twink, even though I’m 30 and have a mortgage” territory, which … no. Look like a grown-up, please. A little trimming is fine. Tidiness is great! Tidiness is appealing! But draw the line at looking like the guy from “Powder.”
Gay men often use descriptive terms to identify and label other men within the wider gay community. No doubt you’ve heard of some of these labels, like jock, otter, bear, cub, wolf, and so forth. But many gay men often wonder what these terms actually mean.
How many times have you approached your friends and asked them, “What am I? Which group do I fall into? And what the heck is a wolf?”
Maybe you’ve even sent them a bathroom mirror selfie wanting some answers.
After conducting extensive research on gay body types, collecting survey opinions from gay blogs, and plugging the data into high-grade statistical analysis software, the typologies of gay male body types can now be revealed. Much of the analysis draws upon search phrases via Google’s algorithms. Nothing was left to chance.
To simplify the process (and for giggles), I’ve used popular film and television celebrity photos as a point of reference. At the end of this article, there’s a link to a gay census website where you can punch in your information to find out your potential category.
Please note that I have not included all of the groups here and the ones that are here may have a subgroup. It is entirely possible that your group is not listed. Finally, some may disagree with these labels as there continues to be ongoing friction regarding what they mean. This is simply an attempt to offer clarity.
Let’s jump right in …
The Otter
In the gay world, an otter is considered a thin gay male that is hairy and may or may not use a trimmer to shorten body hair. Some otters have beards, and some do not.
Otters usually have smaller frames when compared to the heavier cub or bear and look a lot like what you would see in a picture of an otter … hairy. This might surprise some people who typically think of otters as smooth.
Athletic but not super built, a person can be an otter regardless of age and they are considered to be part of the larger bear community. Think of otters being somewhere between cubs and bears. They’re not as massive as bears and are certainly smaller than cubs.
The Wolf
Semi-hairy, muscular, lean, attractive, and sexually aggressive, wolves are sometimes considered as part of the larger bear community or on the bear spectrum. They can be any age and normally have facial hair.
Some might also describe wolves as slimmer bears but there is a lot of disagreement on this. Subgroups of wolves can be found in aging wolves, which are gay men with wolf-like features that are starting to turn a bit gray.
And then there are full-on silver or gray wolves, terms that describes an older wolf with gray or white facial and body hair.
The Bear
Characteristically, a bear is a large, possibly heavy gay man that could also be muscular. A fairly large protruding belly is a defining characteristic of a bear.
Masculinity is also a key feature of bears, and some bears are so caught up in projecting a masculine image that they shun other would-be bears who appear to be too effeminate. That said, many bears consider themselves to be harmless and even playful.
There are several subtypes of bear, which include:
Muscle Bears: Bears whose size comes from muscle and not from fat
Polar Bears: Older bears with gray or white facial and body hair
Sugar Bears: Effeminate bears that are shunned by more masculine bears
The Cub
For gay men, the term cub is used to describe a younger (or younger-looking) male that is usually husky or heavier in body type and is almost always hairy. While many cubs have a beard, it is not a requirement to fit this category since body hair and huskiness are the dominant features for this gay descriptor.
Cubs are sometimes partnered with bears in passive relationships or with other cubs and they can sometimes be considered an apprentice to a bear.
Here are a few subtypes of cubs:
Muscle Cubs: Body size is attributable to muscular composition as opposed to body fat
Sugar Cubs: Effeminate cubs
The Chub
In the gay world, chubs are a distinct subgroup within the gay male population and are often confused with bears. Many bears reject extremely large or obese chubs and do not consider them as part of their subgroup. Chubs even have their own events, such as Mr. Chub International. According to my research, an extremely large chub is referred to as a superchub.
Along with chubs, I should note a group of people called chasers. These individuals are attracted romantically and physically to chubs and are typically much smaller than chubs.
The Pup
A pup is a gay male who is fairly young—we’re talking late teens to early 20s more or less. Pups are known for their lack of experience in the gay world, as well as for being naïve, energetic and cute. They may have similar body types to twinks (see end of article) however, pups usually are super new to the gay world whereas twinks are not.
Though they share some similarities to cubs, pups are not involved in the bear community and likely do not even know this community exists.
You often hear seasoned gay men tell very young gay men who are just coming out things like, “You are just a young pup—you have a lot to learn.” or “You are just a pup—you’re just a baby!”
The Bull
In the gay community, bulls are body builders that weigh between 215 and 300 pounds. They are not necessarily part of the bear community and usually herd together as a bull might in its natural environment.
Twinks
In gay terms, twinks are younger, slim men with minimal body hair and no hair on the face. They’re usually between 18 and the mid-20’s, give or take a few years. A wrap on the twink is that many think the world revolves around them.
Twunks
Twunks are a more muscular version of twinks, and some have assigned feminine and masculine characteristics to twunks. For example, sugar twunk describes an affectionate twunk.
Some make the mistake of confusing twinks and twunks with tweakers when they’re actually not related. Tweakers are younger gay men that use party drugs, like E and crystal meth and are very thin as a result of not eating enough. However, one does not need to be a tweaker to tweak.
The Gym Bunny
Gym bunnies are native to both straight and gay worlds. They can be any age but are usually younger than 50. Gym bunnies spend an obsessive amount of time working on their physique and are muscular and sculpted as a result.
Bunnies are similar to jocks except that their fitness is not usually connected to sports. They work out to create a physique others will notice and look at. You will often find gym bunnies at the beach and they are typically considered pretty.
The Jock
For gay men, jocks are almost always considered attractive, muscular males with low body fat. A jock can be of any age but they are generally considered to be younger because of their athletic abilities and they are usually linked to playing sports and being active.
Years ago, the term “jock” used to have a negative connotation in the straight world. However for gays, being called a jock is a compliment.
The Gym Rat
Gym rats are somewhat similar to gym bunnies but are distinguished by their addiction to working out. While they may enjoy attention from others in public, that is not their motivation for being fit. Their primary motive for long, daily lifting sessions relates more to an obsessive need to get bigger. They are typically lean and very well-built. Like a rat lives in the basement, gym rats live at the gym and are always there. The straight equivalent would be a muscle head.
Gym bunnies and gym rats are closely related. Again, the primary difference is that gym bunnies care most about sculpting their bodies whereas gym rats are typically concerned with adding muscle size in hopes of becoming a bull.
Some Final Thoughts
There has always been disagreement within the gay community around descriptive terms for body types and their associated characteristics. It is possible that some readers could feel they don’t fall into any of the above categories.
If this is the case, there is always the “average” category, which is an area that many gay men fall into and simply means that the person is average in most areas, including body weight, height, and hairiness.
Note that the term “daddy” not used here. This is because a “daddy” is not connected to a specific body type. Wolves, bears, chubs, and otters can all technically be daddies.
Otters – they happen to be one of the most common body types within the gay spectrum, according to a poll. Here at GCG, we love our cute little otters. What’s not to adore about these furry creatures of nature? The main picture in this post is a good example of an otter. Isn’t he adorable?
If you are wondering what we mean by “otter”, you have come to the right place. Below you will find a basic rundown of otter characteristics – followed by five celebrity examples that include pics.
Keep in mind that not everyone agrees on what constitutes an “otter” so we are going to try to stick to general features.
Gay Otters
In the widest sense possible, otters usually have a frame that is average to muscular. They don’t exactly fit into the “jock” category and aren’t really “cubs” either.
Other characteristics include:
Hairy to semi-hairy
May or may not use a trimmer to manscape
Can have an “athletic” build but again, not “jocks”
Can be of any age but typically thought of as a kind of “pre-wolf”.
May or may not have facial hair
Not twinks (otters have meat on their bones)
Fun Otter Facts
If you identify as an otter, there are some cool things that you will want to know about this animal. Some Native Indians think of otters as a kind of zodiac symbol. They are also considered to be good friends, sensitive, attentive to another’s needs and nurturing. Did we mention otters are strangely attracted to water? No surprise!
Lots of otters visit our website daily and we recognize this as an important group within the larger gay-o-sphere.
Gay Otter Flag
Speaking of gay-o-sphere … as you likely know, there are a number of different communities that are part of the rainbow. For example, “Bears” are fairly well known. And then there are the wolves – a kind of offshoot of the bear community that until recently … didn’t even have a flag (we had to make one!)
Because we don’t want the otters to feel left out, we created a flag for them as well. It’s only fair, right? And remember, otters make up a gigantic swath of our community.
To shave your pubes or not – here’s what I decided
For many gay men, shaving their pubes is a normal part of daily grooming. While the research is a bit scattered, there is data to suggest somewhere around 86% of all men remove some form of body hair.
While I can’t be certain, I have a feeling those numbers are likely higher in gaydom, where lots of guys in our community seem to put a premium on the “smooth” look.
You see for years, I used to regularly shave my pubes. I think I started when I was 21, when I had my first boyfriend.
I remember him looking at me one day after we got done messing around and saying, “You need to start mowing the lawn – it’s what gay guys do.”
Thinking back, I guess he kind of hair shamed me.
Those first few times with the razor sucked because I ended up slicing myself. If you’ve ever cut your junk, you know exactly how painful it can be. In fact, a gash can take you out of service (play wise) if you know what I mean.
But that was then. This is now.
At 35, I’ve decided to “ditch the Bic” and embrace my true hairiness. The truth is I like being an otter!
I’m going to tell you how it happened and my 5 reasons for doing it. Sorry if it’s too much TMI.
So several months ago – while standing in the shower and preparing to trim – I remember looking at my razor just before it touched my sack and thinking: Now why are you doing this?
It then dawned on me that I was being a complete hypocrite. You see for years, I’ve been very open and vocal about my love of body hair on men. Just thinking about it now gets me all worked up.
And that affection for “hairy” isn’t confined to the chest or leg areas. It also includes the guy’s genitals. To me, the bushier the better!
But while I was singing the praises on this one, I wasn’t doing the same in private. I’d jump into the shower, grab my Gillette Fusion and shave off my man-muff with near surgical precision. That included sheering my shaft, my nut-sack and areas around the base.
1. Self Respect
There are many reasons I decided to toss my razor and let my forest grow. Probably the biggest one was self-respect. It’s just hard to look in the mirror with a straight face and know that I preferred men with hairy gardens – but too cowardly to do it myself.
It’s difficult to be an advocate for “going hairy” while not joining my brothers in the struggle. You know?
2. Mother Nature
I also did it to help mother earth. Yeah, that may sound crazy but it’s true. When I shaved my junk, I always used anti-bacterial soaps to prevent infections.
But deep inside, I knew that a few of the ingredients were harmful to the planet.
The shaving cream, the razor, the gallons of water shooting out of my shower – how selfish could I be in pursuit of “fitting in”? Not that my little contribution to save the planet makes a huge difference. It probably doesn’t. But as least it’s something I guess.
3. Health
One other reason I ended my scrotum-shaving ways was for health.
According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, people who shave their privates have a 60% greater chance of developing a health problem as a result of removing body hair.
Specifically, we’re talking about razor burns and follicle infections. And many people don’t realize this but pubes are your body’s natural way to protect against certain STD’s.
4. Sex
Perhaps a shallow reason but I’ve made the leap to remain totally hairy is for sexual reasons that are firmly steeped in science. You see, your pubic hairs act as a kind of pre-historic bait that signals to potential mates, I’m willing and ready!
Being single and on the market, I’ll take whatever help nature gives!
5. Money
The final reason I stopped shaving the areas around my stick are financial. The truth is, it takes money to keep yourself up in high quality razors and creams.
Don’t get me wrong, I still shave my face. But between the gels, razors and balms, it’s already costing me a ton to keep my mug in check. Why add more to my pocketbook just because that’s what gays are “supposed” to do?
Shaving Pubes Final Thoughts
I’ve told my friends about my decision with mixed reaction. Some of them are supportive. Others not so much.
“Why would you stop – it makes your d*ick look bigger,” reacted one buddy. Another friend said, “It just looks hotter when a guy shaves.”
Maybe they are right? Perhaps my genitals do appear more aesthetic to when nicely shorn.
Have you ever dated a guy with a hairy chest? If the answer is no, maybe you should give it a try. In the world of Gaydom, men who shave their chests (and other body parts) seem to get lots of attention. In fact, there are entire “how to” guides on the web that tell otherwise furry men how to shave off the hair.
But when you think about it, is that really such a good idea?
Over the course of my gay development, I have discovered that I’m a total sucker for men with hairy chests. And if the man is furry with tats to boot, even better!
For a lot of gay men, an obsession with chest hair is nothing new. I think part of the attraction relates to something primal inside; like dating back to prehistoric times when lots of body hair was a sign of masculinity.
Maybe that’s why I naturally seem to pop major wood anytime I’m around a dude who trims his chest and shapes his treasure trail? I mean there’s just something about that look that gets my testosterone flowing, you know?
I’m not knocking guys who are smooth so please don’t get me wrong. That look can be sexy too. But a dude who has a really nice hairy chest that is complimented by tats and some facial scruff just makes me want to burst!
Part of the sexiness of a guy with a hairy chest is the ability to run your fingers through his man fur. Personally, I like to start with my three middle fingers and begin at the start of the treasure trail and slowly fan my way upwards towards his nipples.
And the best part is when you are doing the gay spoon thing, resting your head on his hairy chest while he cradles you in his arms. Woof!
Hooking up with a man that has a hairy chest changes your outlook. No, it’s not the magical elixir to cure depression or anything like that. But the experience does allow you to reconnect with your more reptilian parts and somehow channels your inner animal.
And if you have yet to lick on a dude with a hairy chest, you really haven’t lived. The combination texture of body hair and skin are probably one of the most erotic experiences you can ever have.
If you still aren’t convinced that dating a man with a hairy chest is the way to go, I’m going to give you 7 solid reasons to reconsider now:
1. A furry guy will keep you warm
One of the reasons men have body hair is because it’s nature’s way of regulating their internal temperature. When you curl up with a hairy chested man to sleep, he’s got a natural man blanket to keep you warm.
2. He’ll have a manscent
I’ve learned that hooking up with or dating a guy with a hairy chest carries the additional benefit of taking in his manscent. Part of this has to do with the science of pheromones.
The more he releases his manscent onto his skin and chest hair, the more it will activate your brain’s amygdala, which is connected to your popsicle down below (if you get my drift).
3. He’s a bear in bed
One of the best things about guys with chest hair is how animalistic they can be in bed. If you are into otters and bears, you already know how intuitive they can be when it comes to drilling for white oil that fountains from your love stick.
4. He’s not afraid to keep things raw
A lot of the hairy chested men I have dated are into natural, uninhibited things. In other words, they like to keep things raw. That’s not true for all furry guys but going by experience, a lot of them like it natural baby.
5. You can grab onto the fur
When you are doing some rough riding of the serious “bouncy bouncy” type, having a guy with a hairy chest gives you something to gently latch onto!
6. He’s usually well groomed
One of the things that makes a guy with body hair so sexy is that he knows how to keep himself well groomed. Trust me, that well-manicured chest and scruffy face that you are worshiping on a hot dad didn’t just happen! It took time for him to sculpt and shape what you see.
7. When he’s behind you – wow!
OK my last reason – and perhaps best – for dating a man with a hairy chest is the feeling you get when he’s behind you. There’s just something about feeling his fur pressing up against your back and behind when he’s deep inside. If you haven’t tried it, you need to!
Do you like watching guys flex their muscles? When you’ve hookup with a hottie, have you ever kissed his biceps? Do you get turned on when you run your fingers across a guy’s pecs, deltoids and triceps – or the grooves along his abs?
If you answered yes to these questions, there’s a good chance you are into muscle worship. Don’t worry -it’s not a bad thing. Lots of guys are into muscle worship.
In fact, that’s what this article is all about – worshiping guys who spend time at the gym and then using what they’ve built to flex and show off in front of you.
And so without further delay, what follows are seven facts about muscle worship you might not know! Oh – don’t forget to take our muscle worship poll at the end!
1. Definition of muscle worship
The official name for muscle worship is sthenolagnia and it is considered an offshoot of body worship. The practice of worshiping someone with a sculpted, muscular physique has been around for centuries.
Just take a look at some of the statues from ancient Greece and Rome. Many of the gods were depicted as muscular and super cut. The intent was to create an image of strength and power.
2. What qualifies as muscle worship?
The term muscle worship is somewhat subjective, but generally speaking, activities involving adoration of muscle include:
Touching
Licking
Kissing
Caressing
Stroking
3. Do people have roles in muscle worship?
There can be roles involved with this activity but not always. Sticking to the traditional definition of muscle worship, here are some related points:
Usually, the person being worshiped is involved with body building or athletic training (i.e. gym).
The worshiper is often smaller in size. Less common are two guys who have the same build (but it does happen).
The guy being worshiped is usually considered to be the “dominant” person in the dynamic.
Verbal commands by the body builder and submissive behaviors by the worshiper are often part of the experience.
4. Can muscle worship involve groups?
The simple answer is yes. In fact, many people who are into muscle worship prefer doing so with others who enjoy adorning a person (or persons) who are sculpted.
Related points:
Group muscle worshiping sessions have been happening for thousands of years. It is believed the first recorded group muscle worship sessions happened during the Hellenistic times.
There can be more than one guy being worshiped during a play session.
Worshiping happens for men and women, gay or straight. Not confined to sexual orientation however, gay men have perfected its practice.
5. Isn’t “muscle worship” escorting by another name?
Sure – it is true – some male escorts do advertise as part of their services “muscle worship”. But many heterosexual body builders also supplement their income by allowing other men to kiss, lick and otherwise “touch” them.
When you think about it – anytime a person attends a body building event, they are involved in a visual form of muscle worship (minus the touching).
6. Is muscle worship similar to a fetishism?
In the clinical sense, muscle worship (sthenolagnia) can be considered a form of fetishism however, this is very subjective.
7. What’s in it for the “Muscle God”?
It is probably obvious what the “worshiper” muscle gets out of the experience. But what about the man being kissed, licked and touched? How is he turned on?
The answer is simple. Guys who enjoy having other men worship their muscles find the experience highly erotic. This is why some therapists prescribe “body worship” as a form of intimacy counseling with troubled couples.
If you have been out for any amount of time, you’ve no doubt heard of gay muscle worship. It’s a term that conjures up all sorts of mental imagery – from caressing biceps and kissing pecs.
But what’s it all really about? Is there more to adorning a guy’s meaty torso than just mere touching? And do you have to be submissive in order to partake?
The answer to those questions and many more are about to be revealed. That’s because we’ve put together the very first gay muscle worship ultimate guide!
In this article, you’ll learn:
The definition of gay muscle worship
A quick history of gay muscle worship origins
All about gay muscle worship siphoning
Activities that qualify for muscle worship
The different roles involved with muscle worship
Group worship of muscle and gay men
Gay for pay muscle worship
Where to find men to muscle worship
Tips and suggestions for making the experience fun
Gay muscle worship poll
Common myths about gay muscle worship
DEFINITION OF GAY MUSCLE WORSHIP
Gay muscle worship is no different than any other form of muscle worship. The clinical name of this activity is sthenolagnia: a twenty-five cent term for getting aroused by a person’s muscles.
Specific to men who are attracted to other men, we define gay muscle worship as a male who gets turned on by well-built jocks, wolves, daddies, otters and bears!
HISTORY OF GAY MUSCLE WORSHIP
The exact origins of gay muscle worship remain elusive. A review of the historical literature suggests it may have its origins during the time of ancient Greece; sometime around the early 300’s, BCE. This was a period of time historians call the Hellenstic age.
Bear in mind this was a time when homosexuality was very much part of the ethos. In fact, one of the greatest ways to pay homage to a male Greek God was to emulate his appearance.
When you look at the statues, paintings and carvings of “Andres” deities from the era, you’ll notice most all of them are muscular and defined.
Perhaps the best known representation of muscular Greek men is seen in the mythical hero Hercules; son of Zeus and with a mortal mom named Alcmene. Hercules was rumored to be extremely muscular and defined with an enormous manhood (seriously!)
And you know what else?
Legend has it Hercules was also gay. Well, perhaps bi. See this book on Gay Greek legends to learn more.
Not to get off track but it was believed that one of the best ways to obtain male during this era came directly from the male penis and the seminal fluids it discharged.
Which leads us to our next point.
GAY MUSCLE WORSHIP SIPHONING
Many people assume that gay muscle worship is all about adoration of brawn. Sure, some of that is true but in terms of history, that’s not what this activity was all about.
Instead, muscle worship – man on man – was a powerful form of foreplay. Here, a guy (or group of guys) would spend hours stimulating a given muscled up male and literally edging him to the point of eruption.
Some sessions are said to have gone on for hours. When the guy being worshiped could no longer contain himself, he would explode with fluid.
And that white liquid didn’t go unused! Instead, it was greedily swallowed by the worshiper to obtain vigor, strength and power!
Now let’s take a look at gay muscle worship activities, which haven’t changed all that much since the time of the ancient Greeks.
GAY MUSCLE WORSHIP ACTIVITIES
When it comes to muscle worshiping, there’s really no hard and fast rules. Generally speaking, there are a number of activities that fall within the brawn adoration spectrum.
These include:
Touching
Stroking
Licking
Caressing
Kissing
Petting
GAY MUSCLE WORSHIP ROLES
It is common for men involved in gay muscle worship to take on certain roles. They are similar to what we find in other areas of gay play, including some forms of BDSM.
Examples of roles include:
Dominant [person being worshiped]
Submissive [person engaged in adoration]
Master [muscled up guy getting worshiped]
Slave [man who follows orders of master]
While not true for all, there have been correlations drawn between the dominant types being “top” and their submissive partners being “bottom” during intimacy.
GAY GROUP MUSCLE WORSHIP
It is not uncommon for groups to take place as part of gay muscle worship. This point is particularly true during “group scenes” that some people put together on popular hook up apps.
Here are some related points:
It is believed group male muscle worship has its origins during the early 300’s, during the previously mentioned Hellenistic age.
Group worship takes place in the current era when one considers male, muscled up male dancers who put on “shows” at various gay nightclubs.
The man being worshiped does not need to be “gay” in order to partake in the group (see next point).
Some forms of group gay muscle worship take place online. For example, Facebook groups like “The Real Muscle Gods”.
GAY FOR PAY AND MUSCLE WORSHIP
To make extra money, some self-identifying straight body builders do allow themselves to be worshiped by gay men. In its purest form, this constitutes a form of “gay for pay”.
In these scenarios, the heterosexual man allows himself to be touched in exchange for a set dollar amount. The cost of such worship is generally pre-determined.
Most straight guys who allow other men to adorn them set boundaries. Examples include:
No touching private parts
It’s OK to caress but no kissing
No self-pleasuring allowed
It’s important to state here that the examples provided above are just that – examples. Some heterosexual men may be perfectly OK with these activities.
It just depends on the guy and the level of trust he has with the worshiper(s).
FINDING GAY MEN FOR MUSCLE WORSHIP
If your goal is to find a muscled up guy to worship, you won’t have too much difficulty. That’s because there are plenty of men who enjoy this activity and find the experience erotic.
Common places to find guys who like being worshiped include:
Hook up apps
Craig’s List
Kink and Fetish focused websites
BDSM portals
As a side note, some men get into other guys checking out their bodies and even pleasuring themselves while doing so. But it’s always a good idea to ask if it’s OK to touch – even when someone is putting on a show.
GAY MUSCLE WORSHIP MYTHS
There exists a number of myths regarding gay muscle worship. It would be impossible to list them all but we’ve tried to include the biggies.
All gay men are into muscle worship
You have to be a body builder to be worshiped
Gay body worship and muscle worship are different
Two body builders can’t be involved with gay muscle worship
Muscle worship among gay men is mostly for younger guys
One must have an Adonis build to be worshiped
Straight men don’t get involved with gay muscle worship
SUMMING THINGS UP
Worshiping muscle among gay men as an erotic activity has been going on for hundreds of years. Its historical roots seem to trace back to ancient Greece.
FYI: It is possible different forms of gay muscle worship pre-date recorded history.
Ten years ago ‘downstairs’ grooming was pretty much the final frontier in terms of keeping up appearances.
But with the recent growth of interest in manscaping, all eyes have shifted southwards in the pursuit of neat and tidy nether regions.So much so that, according to a recent survey by Gillette, one in five men now sport a close trim down below (though given that the survey also showed that 92 per cent of women prefer a man with a tidy trunk line, the other four fifths might want to consider some pubic topiary, too).
In fact, a whole industry has developed around keeping men’s tackles clean and fresh, so grooming below the belt isn’t so much an eyebrow-raising oddity, as a practice you should probably consider taking up.
So, here’s everything you wanted to know about ‘down below’ grooming but were too afraid to ask.Shaving Private RyanNext to the popularity of beards, I can’t think of another grooming trend that’s proved as popular as the removal of body hair (also known as ‘manscaping’), especially in the pubic area.
There are lots of reasons for this – trends in porn, pressure from partners and the fabled ‘optical inch’ pubic hair removal supposedly provides have all been cited – but the bottom line is that some men just prefer the way it looks and feels.“Hair-free skin can certainly feel cooler and fresher, and also helps to reduce body odour, especially during hot and humid weather,” says body waxing expert Andy Rouillard, owner of Axiom Men’s Grooming Salon. “
As for anything below the belt; nobody likes to see sideburns poking out the side of a pair of trunks, do they?
”So, if you fancy trimming, shaving or waxing, here are a few simple pointers:
1. Trim Before You Shave
A light trim is often all that’s needed to neaten pubic hair, but if you want an altogether smoother look, and are using a razor to achieve it, trim the hair back first with a specialist device like the Philips Bodygroom, Braun CruZer6 Body, Wahl Body Groomer or the King of Shaves Prostyle Bodystyler.Any of these will make shaving much easier, not to mention less hazardous.
2. Take A Cold Shower
If smooth balls are what you’re after, splash them with cold water before shaving, or shave during a cold shower so skin is taut and less vulnerable.
Use a transparent shave gel like Gillette Fusion Clear Shave Gel (so you can see where you’re going) and use short, gentle strokes.
And, for god’s sake, make sure you’re sober.Afterwards, apply an unscented aftershave balm like Clinique’s Post Shave Soother, just as you would after shaving your face.
3. Keep Things Even
If you’re just trimming pubic hair rather than shaving it all off, make sure you also trim stomach and chest hair to a similar length to balance things out.
4. Make Trimming Part Of Your Routine
To minimize the risk of itchy re-growth, get into the habit of shaving regularly.If you’re worried about unsightly spots forming after you shave or wax, try using an antiseptic spray like Outback Organics Post-Wax Spray or Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S Spray.
5. Call In The Professionals
If you’ll settle for nothing less than super smooth, consider a professional wax. They might be a little eye-watering but the results will last much longer than if you just shave.
If you’re having a ‘Boyzilian’ in time for a beach holiday, though, allow at least three days between waxing and jetting off to give the skin plenty of time to settle.
A Sore Point
One of the least discussed skincare issues, ‘intimate chafing’ might be a painful topic for discussion, but experiencing it is even worse.
Caused by skin rubbing against itself, chafing can occur everywhere from the buttocks to the armpits, but the groin is also a prime area.
You’re especially susceptible if you play sport and, if you’re prone to perspiring a lot, sweat can make things even worse.
The easiest way to soothe chafing and sweat rash is to apply a little nappy rash cream like Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream.
However, if you’re looking to prevent the problem, try a product like Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel or Below The Belt Sports Lubricant, both of which allow skin to glide, rather than rub against itself. Simply apply a small amount where you’re likely to rub. Wearing briefs or trunks instead of boxers can help too, as the fabric acts as a barrier to prevent skin rubbing.
Fresh Thinking
Like armpits, the male groin has its own unique and distinctive aroma. That unmistakable musky scent is largely down to the concentration of apocrine sweat glands. These glands are only found in a select few places on the body, including the armpits, around the nipples and – oddly – the ear canal.
They secrete a type of sweat that contains a blend of fats, proteins, steroids and chemicals – often labelled ‘emotional’ sweat because it’s triggered when we’re anxious, in pain or sexually aroused, where it acts as a kind of flag. So in a way, that singular smell is sometimes worth having.
That said, there will be times when you want to stay – and feel – clean and fresh. You don’t need me to tell you how best to achieve that (it involves water, unsurprisingly) but you may also want to check out a few specialist products aimed at keeping your undercarriage looking and smelling its finest.
Below The Belt’s Fresh & Dry Balls, which does exactly what it says on the tin, comes highly recommended, as does the brand’s Waterless Shower Groin Cleanser, which is to your ‘boys’ what dry shampoo is to hair.
Alternatively, you could try a talc-free powder like Balla Powder, which is highly absorbent, lightly fragranced and great at preventing that sticky situation known as ‘batwing ball’ (where the skin of your scrotum sticks your thighs). Thrill seekers will be pleased to know that Balla do a ‘Tingle Formula’ version, too.
Whatever you do, do yourself a favour and resist the temptation to use eau de toilette down there. Not only can it react badly with sweat, it smacks of a blatant cover-up. And no one likes unpleasant surprises down under.
Final Word
Follow this straightforward below the belt primer and you’ll always look and feel clean from the waist down.
