Fellatio
Fellatio (also known as fellation,[1] and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off)[2] is an oral sex act involving a person stimulating the penis of another by using the mouth.[3][4] Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed fellatio,[5][6] or colloquially as teabagging.[7]
For other uses, see Fellatio (disambiguation). "Blow job" redirects here. For other uses, see Blow job (disambiguation).
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]
Etymology
The English noun fellatio comes from the Latin fellātus, the past participle of the verb fellāre, meaning "to suck".[17] In fellatio, the -us is replaced by the -io while the declension stem ends in -ion-, which gives the suffix the form -ion (cf. French fellation). The -io(n) ending is used in English to create nouns from Latin adjectives and it can indicate a state or action wherein the Latin verb is being, or has been, performed.
Further English words have been created based on the same Latin root. A person who performs fellatio upon another (i.e. who fellates) may be termed a fellator. Latin's gender based declension means this word may be restricted to describing a male. The equivalent term for a female is fellatrix.
Health aspects
Sexually transmitted infections
Chlamydia, human papillomavirus (HPV), gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis (multiple strains), and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be transmitted through oral sex.[10][11][29] Any sexual exchange of bodily fluids with a person infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, poses a risk of infection. Risk of STI infection, however, is generally considered significantly lower for oral sex than for vaginal or anal sex, with HIV transmission considered the lowest risk with regard to oral sex.[11][12][30][31]
There is an increased risk of STI transmission if the receiving partner has wounds on their genitals, or if the giving partner has wounds or open sores on or in their mouth, or bleeding gums.[11][12][32] Brushing the teeth, flossing, or undergoing dental work soon before or after giving fellatio can also increase the risk of transmission, because all of these activities can cause small scratches in the lining of the mouth.[11][12] These wounds, even when they are microscopic, increase the chances of contracting STIs that can be transmitted orally under these conditions.[11][12] Such contact can also lead to more mundane infections from common bacteria and viruses found in, around and secreted from the genital regions. Because of the aforementioned factors, medical sources advise the use of condoms or other effective barrier methods when performing or receiving fellatio with a partner whose STI status is unknown.[10][11][12][29]
HPV and oral cancer link
Links have been reported between oral sex and oral cancer with HPV-infected people.[33]
A 2007 study suggested a correlation between oral sex and throat cancer. It is believed that this is due to the transmission of HPV, a virus that has been implicated in the majority of cervical cancers and which has been detected in throat cancer tissue in numerous studies. The study concludes that people who had one to five oral sex partners in their lifetime had approximately a doubled risk of throat cancer compared with those who never engaged in this activity and those with more than five oral sex partners had a 250 percent increased risk.[34][35][36]
Cultural views
Virginity
Oral sex is commonly used as a means of preserving virginity, especially among heterosexual pairings; this is sometimes termed technical virginity (which additionally includes anal sex, manual sex and other non-penetrative sex acts, but excludes penile-vaginal sex).[13][14][15][41] The concept of "technical virginity" or sexual abstinence through oral sex is particularly popular among teenagers in the United States,[15][32][42] including with regard to teenage girls who not only fellate their boyfriends to preserve their virginities, but also to create and maintain intimacy or to avoid pregnancy.[15] Other reasons given for the practice among teenage girls are peer-group pressure and as their introduction to sexual activity.[15] Additionally, gay males may regard fellatio as a way of maintaining their virginities, with penile-anal penetration defined as resulting in virginity loss, while other gay males may define fellatio as their main form of sexual activity.[13][16]