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Pegging is ananal sex act in which a woman penetrates a man'sanus with astrap-on dildo.[1] The term was popularised by Dan Savage in 2001 to describe a practice that predates the term. Pegging has become more visible in the 21st century through sex education, feminist and queer theory, and mainstream media. Discussions about pegging often deal with gender roles, power dynamics, sexual stigma, and masculinity.
Theneologism "pegging" was popularized by being the winning entry in a contest for the "Savage Love" sex advice column, held byDan Savage in 2001. This was due to Savage observing that, after the act was popularized by the sex education movieBend Over Boyfriend released in 1998, the concept lacked a common name, except for the phrase "Strap On Sex" used by Queen and her partner Robert in their national lecture series (Robert was the original Bend Over Boyfriend at the Good Vibrations lectures), and there was no dictionary entry for the act.[2][3] Other words include "buggery" or "sodomy", but these refer to anal sex in general.[3] "Strap-on sex" can be used for vaginal or anal intercourse between people of any gender using a strap-on, and is thus less precise than pegging.[4] Somequeer people prefer "strap-on sex" instead of "pegging" because they feel the latter is tooheterosexual- andcisgender-centric.[further explanation needed][4]
Authors Cooper S. Beckett and Lyndzi Miller use "pegger" and "peggee" to refer to the person penetrating and the person being penetrated;"top" and "bottom" are also used.[4] According to Savage, while the classic definition involves a man being penetrated by a woman, the definition has expanded to include all genders and sexualities, as long as it involves anal sex with a strap-on.[5]
Pegging is penetrative sex with astrap-on dildo, usually anal penetration. It is usually defined as a practice in which a woman penetrates the anus of a man.[4][3] The woman uses a strap-on dildo, often asilicone phallus, attached with a harness, or a strapless dildo (that also penetrates the pegger).[4]Lubricant is also used.[4]
According toTristan Taormino, gender and gender roles can play an important part in pegging.[3] Pegging reverses traditionalcisgender heterosexualgender roles in sexual practices: the man is penetrated by the woman, becoming passive rather than active.[3] Sex researcher D. J. Williams states that, for many, pegging reflectsBDSM themes of dominance and submission.[6] Before engaging in pegging for the first time, the receiving partner typically undergoes anal training to gradually increase muscular relaxation, often usingbutt plugs. Pegging is a commonkink within BDSM. In professional contexts, it is generally performed bydominatrices.[7] Practitioners offeminization kink may incorporate pegging intoroleplay to reinforce a feminine sexual role.[8] Pegging is also practiced in the context offemale-led relationships (FLR).[9]
According toIan Kerner, the appeal of pegging is primarily psychological rather than physical. For men, it involves the "psychological thrill" of submitting to the "strength of a woman", subverting gender roles and power dynamics. However, Kerner maintains that pegging is not for everyone.[10]Joe Kort notes that the penetrator may also feel some sensation through indirectclitoral stimulation as the base of the dildo presses against thepubic mound. Individuals aroused by the concept of strap-on sex may also derive enjoyment from performing a strap-onfellatio.[11] Sophie Saint Thomas, writing forAllure, states that getting pegged by a "pro-domme or dominant partner" allows cishet men to "become vulnerable and submissive, which is a common sexual desire", and in a patriarchal society, "submitting to a woman or other person of amarginalized gender gets them off".[12]
In 1999, while criticizingsodomy laws,Debbie Nathan referenced the success ofBend Over Boyfriend, writing that "it's fun to imagine the sex police busting in on a PTA mom while she's reaming the man of the house with her strap-on. When that happens, the rest of the sodomy laws surely will fall."[13] Evaluating queer opinions on "queering straightness", feminist authorJane Ward notes that "some have hypothesized that gender-subversive sex acts themselves, like pegging, could be a backdoor route to undermining men's patriarchal authority by redefining hetero-masculinity as receptive and vulnerable".[14] Based onfeminist andqueer theories, Jonathan Branfman and Susan Stiritz argue in theAmerican Journal of Sexuality Education that men's anal receptivity disrupts rigidnorms of sex, gender, andsexuality, which they believe to be "social constructs".[15] In theirfeminist pornography discourse, challengingRobert Jensen's criticism of pornography for its perceived eroticization of male domination, Nora Winter and Morgaine Struve note that Jensen overlooks "porn that reverses power dynamics, such as pegging, which can help dismantle patriarchy".[16]
There are varying views amongfeminists on the use of strap-ons in sex. Some feminists argue that strap-on sex imitates patriarchal structures and undermines feminist ideals, asserting that fantasies should align with ethical principles. They criticize feminists who engage in strap-on sex as hypocritical. However, others share these concerns but question whether politics should be brought into the bedroom, while some oppose the notion that strap-on sex is inherently tied to patriarchy.[17] Sex columnistKarley Sciortino shares that, in discourse with female friends who enjoy pegging, she found that they separate politics from sex, even if it deviates from feminism or tends toward patriarchy. One friend described the experience as "fun and powerful", ironically calling it "Freudian bullshit". Another sees it as a "therapeutic tool" for empowerment. Though Sciortino holds opposing views, she concludes that if the aim of sex is intimacy and pleasure, perhaps politics should be set aside.[18]
In 2016,Tom Ford stated that "all men should be penetrated at some point", as he believes it would help them "understand and appreciate" women by experiencing the "invasion" involved in being in a "vulnerable" and "passive" position.[19] Similarly,Kate Lister has expressed that "all men should be penetrated at least once", suggesting that it could "challengetoxic masculinity andheteronormativity" and ultimately "make the world a better place".[20]Tristan Taormino, describing pegging as "revolutionary" and a form of "sexual liberation", maintains that all straight men "must try it at least once".[21]Erika Lust likewise emphasized that "every girl" and "every man" should "get to enjoy" pegging without "feeling bad".[22] Supporting the practice,Justin Myers remarked that pegging can help deconstruct the "male ego".[23]
Queer-feministTristan Taormino attributes the acceptance of pegging to thequeer community's influence in deconstructing gender boundaries.[24] In 2016,Chauntelle Tibbals noted that the "increasing acceptance" of pegging is a logical outcome of "an explosion in public gender awareness, understanding, and willingness to explore boundaries" over the past decade.[25] In 2018,Eric Anderson predicted that the popularity of pegging would rise, noting that "despite what the term 'toxic masculinity' implies, men are becoming softer", which links to "decreasinghomophobia andhomohysteria". Reflecting on generational changes,Justin Lehmiller observed that the growing references to pegging in popular culture "reflects a deeper societal change", adding that the "decoupling of anal sex and homosexuality is, in some ways, a symptom of a broader decline in sexualconservatism".[26] Ally Head ofMarie Claire wrote that pegging "can be incredibly freeing. It can turn sexual stereotypes upside down and expose you to new perspectives, with surprisingly pleasurable andprogressive consequences".[27]
Hugo Schwyzer argues that the "fear" of penetration derives from a "deeplymisogynistic culture," suggesting that pegging can help straight men become "more thoughtful boyfriends" and betterfeminist allies.Charlie Glickman and Aislinn Emirzian contend that "men who get into anal penetration are among the most secure in their masculinity".[28] Olivia Cassano ofMetro endorses pegging, noting that it inverts the "traditional framework of gender and sexual roles" and can help men "get overinsecurities". She criticizes the perception of pegging asgay or "unmanly", attributing it to a "patriarchal idea ofemasculation", an "ew" factor, and "internalized homophobia".[29] Georgia Aspinall ofGrazia suggests that asking a man if he is into pegging can indicate whether he is "boyfriend material", revealing how "secure he is in his sexuality" and his attitude toward "women who loudly proclaim their sexual agency without shame".[30] Psychotherapist Jordan Dixon notes that some men feel shame after pegging, shaped by sex-negativity and gender norms, which reemerge after the "highs ofoxytocin anddopamine" diminish.[31]
Nadia Bokody believes pegging could redefine masculinity by easing its "toxic" and "oppressive restraints", yet men with "homophobic" views avoid it, revealing a "fragile construct of masculinity" rooted in "fear of vulnerability and femininity".[32][better source needed]Leeza Mangaldas notes that pegging remains taboo forcishet men, "largely because of society's overarching homophobia and misogyny", and adds that shame and disgust toward the act arise from "unexamined prejudices."[33] According to Eleanor Hadley, many women hesitate to explore pegging because of "misogynistic rhetoric" that shames them.[34] According to sex therapist Laura Miano, pegging contradicts "hegemonic masculinity" and sexual stereotypes. The practice can allow cisgender women to "feel a sense of empowerment," while men may enjoy "relinquishing control".[35] According toJessica Drake, "everyone should try it once".[25]
According to Beckett and Miller (2022), most popular representations of pegging are derogatory, negative or even amount tosexual assault.[36]
Marquis de Sade describes a pegging act in his 1795 bookPhilosophy in the Bedroom.[37] There is a depiction of pegging in theWilliam S. Burroughs 1959 novelNaked Lunch. The dildo used is called Steely Dan III, and is the source from which the musical groupSteely Dan takes its name.[38][39] The 1970 filmMyra Breckinridge depicted a pegging scene where Myrarapes a man with a strap-on dildo.[40][41] The first explicit pegging scene is believed to be the 1976 pornographic filmThe Opening of Misty Beethoven.[42]Bend Over Boyfriend (1998) is based on lectures and workshops by Robert Lawrence andCarol Queen.Bend Over Boyfriend inspiredDan Savage to call the act "BOBing" but his readers subsequently voted on the winning term "pegging" in a 2001 contest and the term has since entered the English lexicon.[42]
Since the coinage of "pegging", it was featured in the TV showWeeds, on the episode "Crush Girl Love Panic" (2006).[42] Here, pegging appears to be non-consensual and is played as a joke towards the male character being forced into anal sex.[36] In the episode "Knockoffs" of the sitcomBroad City, Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) turns to friends and family for advice regarding Jeremy's request for pegging.[43][44] In the 2016 filmDeadpool, Wade is pegged by his girlfriend Vanessa, commemoratingInternational Women's Day.[45] InFrançois Ozon's 2017 filmDouble Lover, Chloé pegs Paul. Ozon stated that this scene, where the woman penetrates the man, "aligns with thefeminist film that I advocate for".[46][47] At theMet Gala 2021,Cara Delevingne wore a vest printed with the slogan "Peg the Patriarchy", garnering media attention. She said: "It's aboutwomen empowerment,gender equality—it's a bit like, 'stick it to the man'".[48]
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