When the CDC sends us a press release, we assume it's about a viral outbreak, or maybe a turning point on The Walking Dead , or something even more petrifying—like a long-forgotten STD back to haunt us, stronger and more pissed off than ever. This time, however, the federal agency issued surprising news about Here's what they found: The National Survey of Family Growth , conducted between and with people between the ages of 15 and 44, concluded that 44 percent of straight men and 36 percent of straight women have had anal sex at least once in their lives. Even factoring in the ubiquity and ease of access to hard-core porn, those numbers still seem a little startling. And the surprises don't stop there. More straight women, for example, are experimenting: Roughly 12 percent say they've had sex with another woman, while only six percent of men who identify as straight say they've had at least one homosexual experience.

Relationships, like produce, milk and reality television stars, have a shelf life. Most couples find that after a few weeks, months, or years, the luster fades and the initial carnal fury that brought them together has dissipated. The moldy codgers who get past this sexual brick wall do so by developing an elaborate series of coping mechanisms. Infidelity is common in scenarios where one or both sexual partners become fed up with plain vanilla missionary.

She told me about one guy who shook nervously the entire time they had lunch. She told me about another guy who wined and dined her with an expensive dinner neither one of us could afford and dancing afterward. This guy must really like her, I thought, to be messaging at all hours after a one-night stand. My friend laughed and just handed over the iPhone:.

Sex may be something that nearly everyone does, but the way each person prepares for it is not necessarily the same. When it comes to anal sex particularly, the type of preparation can be even more specific and can vary by the role of the person participating. Some people use cleansers, supplements, or nothing at all. Whether a top, bottom, or vers, or whether male or female, the difference in pre-sex ritual or lack of one can be quite distinct — and can have health implications. With this in mind, we decided to conduct a survey to find out how people prepare for anal sex.