Fellatio

An illustration of a woman performing fellatio on a man

Fellatio (also known as fellation,[1] and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off)[2] is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a penis by using the mouth.[3][4] Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed fellatio,[5][6] or colloquially as teabagging.[7]

It may be performed by a sexual partner as foreplay before other sexual activities, such as vaginal or anal intercourse,[8][9] or as an erotic and physically intimate act of its own.[8][4] Fellatio creates a risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but the risk is significantly lower than that of vaginal or anal sex, especially for HIV transmission.[10][11][12]

Most countries do not have laws banning the practice of fellatio, though some cultures may consider it taboo.[8] People may also refrain from engaging in fellatio due to personal preference, negative feelings, or sexual inhibitions.[8] Commonly, people do not view oral sex as affecting the virginity of either partner, though opinions on the matter vary.[13][14][15][16]

  1. ^ "fellation". Merriam-Webster. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Archived from the original on 2010-04-10.
  2. ^ "Oral Sex". BBC Advice. BBC. Archived from the original on 2010-11-12.
  3. ^ Krychman, Michael (2009). 100 Questions & Answers About Women's Sexual Wellness and Vitality: A Practical Guide for the Woman Seeking Sexual Fulfillment. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-76375-448-8. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Wayne Weiten; Margaret A. Lloyd; Dana S. Dunn; Elizabeth Yost Hammer (2008). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st century. Cengage Learning. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-495-55339-7. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  5. ^ Nilamadhab Kar; Gopal Chandra Kar (2005). Comprehensive Textbook of Sexual Medicine. Jaypee Brothers Publishers. p. 106. ISBN 978-81-8061-405-7. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  6. ^ Robert Crooks; Karla Baur (2010). Our Sexuality. Cengage Learning. p. 241. ISBN 978-0-495-81294-4. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2013. Fellatio (fuh-LAY-shee-oh) is oral stimulation of the penis and scrotum.
  7. ^ Tom Dalzell; Terry Victor (2007). Sex Slang. Psychology Press. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-203-93577-4. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d Janell L. Carroll (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. pp. 265–267. ISBN 978-0-495-60274-3. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  9. ^ "What is oral sex?". NHS Choices. NHS. 2009-01-15. Archived from the original on 2010-10-01.
  10. ^ "Global strategy for the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: 2006–2015. Breaking the chain of transmission" (PDF). World Health Organization. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  11. ^ Dianne Hales (2008). An Invitation to Health Brief 2010-2011. Cengage Learning. pp. 269–271. ISBN 978-0-495-39192-0. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  12. ^ William Alexander; Helaine Bader; Judith H. LaRosa (2011). New Dimensions in Women's Health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-4496-8375-7. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  13. ^ See here Archived 2020-08-14 at the Wayback Machine and 47-49 Archived 2016-12-01 at the Wayback Machine for male virginity, how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and for how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in vaginal sex. Laura M. Carpenter (2005). Virginity lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences. NYU Press. pp. 295 pages. ISBN 978-0-8147-1652-6. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  14. ^ Bryan Strong; Christine DeVault; Theodore F. Cohen (2010). The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationship in a Changing Society. Cengage Learning. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-534-62425-5. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2011. Most people agree that we maintain virginity as long as we refrain from sexual (vaginal) intercourse. But occasionally we hear people speak of 'technical virginity' [...] Data indicate that 'a very significant proportion of teens ha[ve] had experience with oral sex, even if they haven't had sexual intercourse, and may think of themselves as virgins' [...] Other research, especially research looking into virginity loss, reports that 35% of virgins, defined as people who have never engaged in vaginal intercourse, have nonetheless engaged in one or more other forms of heterosexual sexual activity (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation).
  15. ^ Sonya S. Brady; Bonnie L. Halpern-Felsher (2007). "Adolescents' Reported Consequences of Having Oral Sex Versus Vaginal Sex" (PDF). Pediatrics. 119 (2): 229–236. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.321.9520. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-1727. PMID 17272611. S2CID 17998160. Archived from the original on 2020-04-20. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
  16. ^ Joseph Gross, Michael (2003). "Like a Virgin". The Advocate. Here Publishing. pp. 44–45. 0001-8996. Archived from the original on 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2011-03-13.