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Conventional sex, colloquially known asvanilla sex, issexual behavior that is within therange of normality for a culture or subculture, and typically involves sex which does not include elements ofBDSM,kink,fetishism, and/or happens within a marriage or relationship.
What is regarded as conventional sex depends on cultural and subcultural norms. Among heterosexual couples in theWestern world, for example, conventional sex often refers tosexual intercourse in themissionary position.[citation needed] It can also describepenetrative sex which does not have any element of BDSM, kink or fetish.[1]
TheBritish Medical Journal regards conventional sex between homosexual couples as "sex that does not extend beyond affection,mutual masturbation, andoral andanal sex."[2] In addition to mutual masturbation (includingmanual sex), penetrative sexual activity among same-sex pairings is contrasted bynon-insertive acts such asintercrural sex,frot andtribadism, although tribadism has been cited as a common but rarely discussed sexual practice among lesbians.[3][4]
The term "vanilla" in "vanilla sex" leverages thepolysemic nature of the term, meaning both literally "vanilla" or "conventional", depending on the context.[5]It originally derives from the use ofvanilla extract as the basic flavoring forice cream, and by extension, meaning plain or conventional. In relationships where only one partner enjoys less conventional forms of sexual expression, the partner who does not enjoy such activities as much as the other is often referred to as thevanilla partner. As such, it is easy for them to be erroneously branded unadventurous in sexual matters.[6] Through exploration with their partner, it may be possible for a more vanilla-minded person to discover new facets of their sexuality. As with any sexually active person, they may find their preferences on the commonly termed "vanilla-kink spectrum" are sufficient for their full satisfaction.[7]
Lesbians tribadism.
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