Learning to allow and enjoy sexual touch
Because I grew up in an abusive home, I have a difficult history with accepting touch. As I have been writing about sex and was asked what type of sexual pleasure I like to receive, this has been on my mind. The truth is, it took me years to allow myself to be touched sexually let alone to be able to enjoy it. Now I love to be fingered and to have my clit massaged until I come.
This is my favorite sexual touch to receive for two reasons:
- It feels good.
- I can receive this without giving, which means it can be given to me without expectation.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i.imgsafe.org/cca2d47f5e.jpg)
That second item may seem confusing, but if you've been following my sex posts you'll know that my parents raised me to fear and be ashamed of sex and my body. I was taught that my role in sex was to provide it. My parents wanted me married off and doing my duty early on because it would prevent me from "becoming a slut" and "whoring myself" as women, they said, are prone to do. I was also taught marriage would prevent me from being raped because, obviously, the only sex that occurs outside of marriage is forced. Oh, it would also be my fault if I was raped because I was probably loose and advertising that I wanted it. All of this was neatly tied up in a religious bow. Ta da!
So I learned that if I was aroused, it was because I was a sinful creature who was asking for rape. I stuffed all my arousal down and turned my sexuality off to the best of my ability. When I got married, I was still switched off. It took years of therapy for me to accept that sex is a natural act and that I was allowed to enjoy it. Then came the work of learning how.
We tried many approaches to my body before I figured out that I needed to know how to touch myself in order to tell someone else how to touch me. I learned how to masturbate as an adult. I was always embarrassed when I tried, so I did it in secret until it became less difficult and more normalized. Then came the step of orgasm in front of my partner (yep, that had never happened), and then allowing him a role in that orgasm. It was really hard. And no, that is not a sex joke.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i.imgsafe.org/cc9164a630.jpg)
It took a lot of practice. More than that, it took patience from my partner. If he hadn't wanted me to enjoy sex so much, I probably would have given up.
We ended up doing a combination of couples counseling and learning about orgasmic meditation. Knowing there is an entire practice centered around touching a woman without sex as a goal was profound for me. I let go a lot of the garbage I was taught and began to enjoy my body in a way I never had before. I even began to dress in a more feminine way because it was no longer scary to be a woman.
With sexual exploration came confidence. The fear that I was a bad person for wanting pleasure slipped away. I began asking for touch. It also became easier to give touch because the imbalance vanished when the artificial sense of obligation did. Sex became give and receive rather than give and endure.
That's a touching post :D
I always hated when someone touched me.
Then I understood that I have to be really close to enjoy it.
Still hate when strangers get too close.
I have a big issue with strangers and touch. That's a hard no, which is tough because I come from a kiss kiss culture.
Thank you for this brave post. Many people don't know that some men have exactly the same fears and confusions.
Thank you for reading. It was difficult to write, more so than I thought. I really think we should talk about this more often!
It's almost impossible to talk about in our society.
For me, talking about it triggers the whole PTSD thing. I was almost put off by your first sentences. The sexual abuse I was subjected to by my mother has ruined three marriages and several relationships. The last one when my ex laughed at me for revealing my fears and told me that men are never abused. I just couldn't have sex with her after that. Dead stop. I've even had a shrink tell me I was just wrong, that it didn't happen. Makes it difficult.
I am so sorry that you were abused and that your ex laughed at you. That is completely not okay. Not at all. I do not understand why medical professionals also feel it is okay to erase someone's experience. Gaslighting has no place in therapy unless it is being undone.
I believe you. Let's start there. I hope you find a partner who is patient and compassionate. You deserve love, compassion and understanding.
I think most women are 50/50. Some orgasm through penetration and some through stimulation. We know which camp your in now @honeyscribe ;) A v.enjoyable post :))
Wellll, I'm in both camps. Maybe I should write about that as well. LOL. Thank you for reading and commenting!
I'm sure some of the women are 50/50 within each 50! Confused? Me too!
Thank God my G/F is all 100% stimulation. Cummy yum yums all the way! Life is good :))
Fabulous quote:
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and the journey of your growth.
Thanks, @lukestokes. It's good for me to think about these topics to keep the growth going.