Mythbuster: Good girls don't masturbate

PRIVATE AFFAIRS: Does masturbating make women lose their virginity?

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Suhasini Haidar

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Whether you masturbate or not may depend on your religious and personal beliefs, but a girl has the same right to explore her body as a boy.

Contrary to God-knows-whose opinion, masturbation won't turn you a partially blind, freckled ugly dwarf with hairy palms. Really, how many people have you seen like that?

Masturbation is unhealthy

If you think it can bring physical harm to you, discard the thought. Sexologist Dr Prakash Kothari says, "Masturbation is as healthy and normal as having sex." It's a great stress reliever. If you are able to orgasm while masturbating, even better! Orgasms are known to be great pain relievers. Try masturbating when you have menstrual cramps. You don't need to worry about an unwanted pregnancy or an infection when masturbating — it is the safest form of sex.

Girls don't masturbate

Hogwash! Girls don't masturbate as much as boys do. But that is not because your libido is any less than the boys. With so many taboos attached to masturbation, women are taught not to pleasure themselves. Or admit it!

You are not a virgin if you masturbate

Sure. Next, next they will say that tampons make you lose your virginity. You will remain a virgin until you have sex. Your hymen could get ruptured if you masturbate using your finger or a foreign object (like a dildo). But that does not mean you are not a virgin. You are not "getting any."

All of us have sexual urges and tensions. Masturbation is a great way to relieve this without any additional tensions of pregnancies and infections. You can masturbate if you are having sex with someone or if you are not.

You are in a relationship. So, you don't need to masturbate

You might be concerned if your partner masturbates. 'Why is he masturbating when he can have sex with me?', 'Is he not attracted to me?', you ask. According to Dr Kothari, you usually masturbate when your partner is away. It is also alright to masturbate each other. So, just because your partner masturbates doesn't mean that all love is lost.

You cannot have a baby if you masturbate

Here is another gem of the human imagination. "This is just a misconception. Your fertility will not be affected if you masturbate regularly, " stresses Dr Kothari.

It is bad to masturbate everyday

You can masturbate, everyday, more than once. Twice, thrice, four times. Not a problem. Masturbation becomes a problem only when it comes in the way of normal activities — going to work, meeting up with friends or spending time with the family. Otherwise it is perfectly fine.

So, help yourself — in liberal doses.