Sixty-Nine

From Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality

A form of oral sex that two persons engage in simultaneously. The term, also known by the French words for sixty-nine, soixante-neuf, derives from a graphic representation of the number sixty-nine that, with a little imagination, can be visualized as two bodies entwined, with each person’s head facing toward the other’s feet. Sixty-nine may be engaged in by two women who perform cunnilingus on each other, by two men who engage in fellatio with each other, or by a man and a woman—one performing cunnilingus and the other fellatio. This sexual variant has been known throughout history and is even depicted on ancient temple walls in India.

Although most people visualize sixty-nine with one partner on his or her back and the other on top, it may also be engaged in with both partners lying on their sides. While there are many jokes about sixty-nine and much speculation by young persons concerning its imagined virtues, writers on the subject of oral sex—including sex therapists—believe that, because of the acrobatics involved, it is not always a suitable method for providing stimulation to the clitoris or penis. In particular, it is very awkward for a person in this position to utilize any sophisticated techniques involving fellatio. For many people, sixty-nine is tiring and may inhibit the ability of each to stimulate the other. Sequential oral sex, rather than sixty-nine, probably offers greater latitude for sexual skills.

One problem, although not exclusive to sixty-nine, is the possibility that the male will have an orgasm more quickly than his female partner and will be unable to continue the stimulation to bring her to orgasm for at least a few minutes, during which time her passion may wane. Other difficulties reported are a function of the many activities and sensations occurring simultaneously, resulting in each partner not fully enjoying the sensations being produced in them because they are concentrating on pleasuring their partner. Also, some women report that they feel uncomfortable when their male partner is on top and thrusting with his penis in their mouth if they are then unable to move their head back. For couples who find sixty-nine stimulating but arduous, the decision to use it during an early stage of lovemaking and then switch to a more comfortable position may be more sensible.