Masturbation During the Pandemic
Q: Since the beginning of the quarantine, I’ve reverted to an old habit of masturbating to porn to relieve myself. I currently do not have a partner and I’m afraid this bad habit will desensitize my pleasure senses and reduce my ability to orgasm with a live partner once this pandemic passes on. What can I do to supplant my urges when we’re still social distancing?
A: I don’t think there is a need to worry. Once you are able to engage in partnered sex, you will once again get used to other forms of stimulation.
Coronavirus and Semen
Q: Just wondering if coronavirus can be spread through semen?
A: The research is unclear at this point. There was one study done in China that found traces of SARS-CoV-2 in the semen of patients with COVID-19, implying that it might be possible to sexually transmit it. Much more research needs to be done before we can come to this conclusion. What we know so far is that it is transmitted through respiratory droplets which means that the riskiest sexual activity is kissing. Assuming that you’re kissing during sex, or otherwise doing heavy breathing indoors, close to each other, that’s where the real danger lies.
Teen Sexuality
Q: I have a 14-year-old son. Now that everyone is home all the time, it’s feeling like close quarters. For the past few months, I have noticed sperm stains on his sheets. So I figured it was masturbation and put Kleenex in his room. The next time I cleaned his room, I found tons of balled up tissues under his bed. He spends hours in his room, and I estimate he masturbates four or five times a day. Should I discuss this with him or let him continue and just leave him be? I don’t want to embarrass him.
A: It’s certainly not unusual for adolescent boys to masturbate A LOT! I am a strong believer in parents talking to their kids about sex, which includes a discussion on pornography. I would not be surprised if he is watching porn too. It’s important to make kids critical thinkers of what they are watching, otherwise they will go on to believe that real sex is just like that, which is far from reality. It’s also a good opportunity to discuss how women should be treated. Even if you have these talks, which I really encourage you to do, you might want to put in parental controls to limit his access to adult sites.