Cunnilingus
From Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality
A variety of oral sex involving mouth contact with female genitalia. The term comes from the combining of two Latin words: cunnus, meaning vulva, and lingere, or licking. Cunnilingus is reported by many women to be the most effective means of sexual stimulation; some report that it is the only way they are able to have an orgasm.
While cunnilingus is not enjoyed by all women, it appears that during the last fifty years there has been growing acceptance of it. For a lesbian couple, it is generally a major source of sexual satisfaction. An indication of the growing acceptance of cunnilingus may be found in comparing data collected by Alfred Kinsey in the 1940s to that of later researchers in the 1970s and 1980s. For example, among married women who have had a college education, the rate of cunnilingus reported in marriage rose from 58 percent to 72 percent.
Many couples find cunnilingus especially valuable for stimulating and satisfying the woman during periods in which the male partner has a temporary problem in achieving erection. In some cases, cunnilingus is favored by women during the period after childbirth until the vaginal area is fully healed.
For most women the main sensation of cunnilingus comes from the stimulation of the clitoris by their partner’s tongue licking it in slow or rapid motions. For others, however, this stimulation may be too intense and the licking should then focus on the sides of the clitoral shaft and the surrounding area. If a woman’s clitoris is reasonably elongated when fully stimulated, her partner may also suck on it. The area surrounding the clitoris, particularly the labia, is often a source of attention during cunnilingus, and it may also be licked and gently pulled by the mouth. Individual variation of sensation is so great among women that it is imperative that sexual partners first discuss which areas provide pleasant or unpleasant sensations to the person receiving cunnilingus.
One irritant reported by women is the stubble of beard that many men have when they engage in sex at the end of the day. This stubble may be a great irritant for some women, but for other women the feel of their partner’s heavy beard may actually be stimulating.
For many persons, subtle messages associating the genitals and genital area with dirt have often been communicated to them as children. Most adults appear to have outgrown such associations, but at times odors from the vaginal area may reinforce earlier admonitions. With normal, routine bathing, the vaginal area should not have any unpleasant odor. If one exists, the woman should consult a gynecologist.
Some of the “street” terms for cunnilingus are “eating pussy,” “muff-diving,” “going down,” and “giving head”.
