So you’re getting ready for a romantic date at home (COVID, duh) and are finishing the final touches before your partner arrives. As you’re setting the table you feel moisture between your legs, and think “oh no! I didn’t check my menstrual calendar!” Rushing to the bathroom, you discover that it is true, you have just started your period. All sorts of thoughts rush through your head about how you’ve quite possibly just ruined a potential night of sex and debauchery with your favorite person, when the doorbell chimes. Gasp! You quickly clean, and prep for the flood, and head to open the door. The first thing out of your mouth to your partner, is how you’ve just started your period and you would understand if they want to leave after dinner. They cock their head to the side and very calmly say, “A little blood never got in my way..”

Yup, you guessed it, we’re hitting another ‘taboo’ topic today with period sex. It’s a subject that is mostly never talked about, but is actually practiced quite often. Even the discussion of masturbation and using sex toys during menstruation is skipped over. I think the main stigma behind keeping it so hush, is that it’s dirty or gross, or whatever some people have to say about it. But in all reality, there is no reason to stop sexual activity for a bit of blood and there are actually benefits. Some have even reported having the best sex during this time! We’ll go over the good, the bad, and the orgasm in just a few lines.

History

Ever wonder where people got the idea that sex during your period is bad? The BIBLE. Now we all know the Bible has a lot of controversy behind its topics and many argue the interpretations on quite a few subjects, but this one is pretty plainly put. Mostly found in the book of Leviticus in the Bible’s Old Testament, it goes into great detail about how a woman is unclean for seven days while on her period and anyone that touches or sleeps with her, is also unclean. So those of us that were raised Christian (or Jewish) were probably told that this was the case. On your period = no sex. But if we look at the time period, many of these texts were written so long ago, there wasn’t the medical technology and knowledge or the advances we’ve had scientifically to prove that certain things aren’t ‘unclean’ anymore. I’m not going to argue the validity of the Bible or the Torah, but I will say that much of those teachings were for a different time period and now, having more information on how the human body works, we can lean towards a different perspective.

Benefits, you say?

Yes! Benefits. When having sex on your period, there are a few things that can go all the way right. First is the cramps! If you’ve experienced menstrual cramps like I have, you look for any and every way to alleviate the pain so you can simply function. Having sex while on your period works to reduce those cramps by allowing those reproductive muscles to contract more, further loosening up those tight and rigid areas that are cramping. Think of it as having a sore muscle, and using a massage gun to loosen up the tight and sore tissue. So that means the vibrating dildo in your drawer can actually work in more than one way if you’re on your period. The movement is actually medicine.

Something else I’m sure most people don’t consider with period sex is how it has the ability to shift your mood. During a woman’s menstrual cycle, she can experience high and lows with moods, and that’s a result of hormones spiking and dropping. When you have sex, there are endorphins that are released that make you feel good. Similar to completing a workout, your body has these endorphins that put you on a high, and make you feel like you could conquer the world. Don’t sleep on the clit stimulators and vibrators as they function in the same way for lifting your spirits. I don’t know about you, but I love anything that makes me feel victorious, especially through my raging hormones.

Another benefit of sex during menstruation is the added moisture for penetration. You won’t need much lube here tonight folks, as the blood serves as a natural lubricant. Now, keep in mind that blood does transmit STIs so we’re in no way advising against using protection, but you can lose the lube for a few nights during Aunt Flow’s visit.

The bad

A major downside to period sex is the mess. It’s typically what will keep most people from trying or continuing it, if they’ve had a messy experience that didn’t go well. Some people I know, tried it in high school, and because of our maturity levels during adolescence it didn’t go well, and they are wary of trying it again. But in high school, there were so many things we did wrong, especially sex, so I encourage you to keep an open mind with this. Here are some things you can do to make it a more pleasant experience, if you’re worried about the blood factor:

Shower sex — if you’re not keen on the bloody mess, and still want to experience the joys of period sex, try it in the shower first. The water washes all things down and you don’t have to mess up any clothing or sheets. This is great for first-time period sexers and those that have maybe had a traumatizing experience with the sight of blood. I find that most of the time, sex in the shower is a great way to introduce anything that could get messy (stay tuned for blog on Golden Showers and other bodily fluids).
Jacuzzi or pool sex — again with the water, everything feels a bit cleaner and doesn’t have to end with a trip to the washing machine. Please, I can’t stress enough, to make sure you are ALONE for this and not using a communal space (it’s illegal to have sex where other can see, hear, or smell you having it!). But with the pool or jacuzzi, there’s more space to play with positions, more buoyancy so you both feel lighter, and less. Be careful though, when not menstruating, as the water will wash away any lubricants, making it a rougher ride. But with the lube coming from within, a good jacuzzi romp could be just what you need.
Scene Prep — for those of you that aren’t too keen on watery sexual adventures, period sex will just take a bit more prep if you want to limit the mess. Laying towels down on top of your sheets, or opting to have sex on the floor rather than the bed could be an easy prep for this ordeal. Scene prep is easy, just takes a bit of planning beforehand to go smoothly.

Another downside to period sex that most don’t know, is that you can still get pregnant. Yes ma’am, ovulation generally happens fourteen days prior to your cycle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still drop and egg and fertilize that bad boy with your bloody ‘gina all active and stuff. So pay attention to what you’re doing and make sure you’re exercising caution when embarking on any sexual affair. Those of us using dildos and strap-ons have nothing to fear here, ha!

The final downside to period sex, is the spreading of STIs that we briefly mentioned earlier. Viruses like Hepatitis and HIV live in blood, so it’s a bit easier to spread them during this time of the month. If you or your partner want to try but are worried about it, make sure to use proper protection to reduce the possibility of the spread.

The orgasm

Now I’ve heard different stories from different women, but they all generally say the same thing about the orgasm; it’s INTENSE. I know this to be true because I practice period masturbation. Something about the added moisture and the extra sensitivity, makes the orgasm from my suction vibrator one to never forget. Plus the idea that it is taboo to someone somewhere, works hand-in-hand to provide a pretty powerful eruption. I have also experienced multiple orgasms (like back-to-back) while on my period. So I think it’s safe to say that the orgasm is a little extra during menstruation.

In closing, the female body is a beautiful thing, all month long. Blood does not have to stop you from having an orgasm, whether alone or with a partner. The history of why most people don’t participate in more period sex is just another one of those outdated laws that needs updating to fit our time in the world. It’s 2021 people and if you’re still timid about sex, you should definitely make it a goal to work on that. We aren’t in the stone ages today so we don’t need to treat everything like a threat to our health. We can enjoy wonderful sex and mind-shattering orgasms any day of the month, because we choose to. Here’s to a bloody good time!