Jump to content

Pegging (sexual practice)

Listen to this article
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A naked man is on all fours. A naked woman is knelt behind him wearing a strapped dildo. The woman is preparing to penetrate the man's anus with the dildo.
A woman pegging a man in the doggy style position

Pegging is an anal sex act in which a woman penetrates a man's anus with a strap-on dildo.[1]

Terminology

[edit]

The neologism "pegging" was popularized by being the winning entry in a contest for the "Savage Love" sex advice column, held by Dan Savage in 2001. This was due to Savage observing that, after the act was popularized by the sex education movie Bend 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] Some queer people prefer "strap-on sex" instead of "pegging" because they feel the latter is too hetero and cis centric.[4]

Beckett and 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]

Practice

[edit]

Pegging is penetrative sex with a strap-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 a silicone phallus, attached with a harness, or a strapless dildo (that also penetrates the pegger).[4] Lubricant is also used.[4]

According to Tristan Taormino, gender and gender roles can play an important part in pegging.[3] Pegging reverses traditional cisgender heterosexual gender 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 reflects BDSM themes of dominance and submission.[6]

Evaluating queer opinions on "queering straightness", feminist author Jane 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".[7] Based on feminist and queer theories, Jonathan Branfman and Susan Stiritz argue in the American Journal of Sexuality Education that men's anal receptivity disrupts rigid norms of sex, gender, and sexuality, which they believe to be "social constructs".[8] Queer-feminist Tristan Taormino attributes the acceptance of pegging to the queer community's influence in deconstructing gender boundaries.[9]

There are varying views among feminists 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.[10] Sex columnist Karley 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.[11]

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.[12] Similarly, Kate Lister has expressed that "all men should be penetrated at least once", suggesting that it could "challenge toxic masculinity and heteronormativity" and ultimately "make the world a better place".[13] Tristan Taormino, describing pegging as "revolutionary" and a form of "sexual liberation", maintains that all straight men "must try it at least once".[14] Erika Lust likewise emphasized that "every girl" and "every man" should "get to enjoy" pegging without "feeling bad".[15] Supporting the practice, Justin Myers remarked that pegging can help deconstruct the "male ego".[16] 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 "decreasing homophobia and homohysteria". 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 sexual conservatism".[17]

[edit]

According to Beckett and Miller (2022), most popular representations of pegging are derogatory, negative or even amount to sexual assault.[18]

Before the term was coined, there is a depiction of pegging in the William S. Burroughs 1959 novel Naked Lunch. The dildo used is called a Steely Dan III, and is the source from which the musical group Steely Dan takes its name.[19][20] The 1970 film Myra Breckinridge depicted a pegging scene where Myra rapes a man with a strap-on dildo.[21][22] The first explicit pegging scene is believed to be the 1976 pornographic film The Opening of Misty Beethoven.[23] Marquis de Sade describes a pegging act in his 1795 book Philosophy in the Bedroom.[24][25] Bend Over Boyfriend (1998) is based on lectures and workshops by Robert Lawrence and Carol Queen. Bend Over Boyfriend inspired Dan Savage to call the act "BOBing" but his readers subsequently voted on the winning term, "pegging".[23]

Since the coinage of "pegging", it was featured in the TV show Weeds, on the episode "Crush Girl Love Panic" (2006).[23] Here, pegging appears to be non-consensual and is played as a joke towards the male character being forced into anal sex.[18] In the episode "Knockoffs" of the sitcom Broad City, Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) turns to friends and family for advice regarding Jeremy's request for pegging.[26][27] In the 2016 film Deadpool, Wade is pegged by his girlfriend Vanessa, commemorating International Women's Day.[28] In François Ozon's 2017 film Double Lover, Chloé pegs Paul. Ozon stated that this scene, where the woman penetrates the man, "aligns with the feminist film that I advocate for".[29][30] At the Met Gala 2021, Cara Delevingne wore a vest printed with the slogan "Peg the Patriarchy", garnering media attention. She said: "It's about women empowerment, gender equality—it’s a bit like, 'stick it to the man'".[31]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cooper S. Beckett and Lyndzi Miller (2022). The Pegging Book: A Complete Guide to Anal Sex with a Strap-On Dildo. Thornapple Press. pp. xii, 7–8, 10, 12–14, 15. ISBN 9781778242090.
  2. ^ These three links chronicle how the term pegging came into usage.
  3. ^ a b c d e Beckett & Miller (2022), foreword by Tristan Taormino
  4. ^ a b c d e f Beckett & Miller (2022), "what is pegging?"
  5. ^ Feast, Fancy (28 June 2022). "How Pegging Became More Mainstream". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  6. ^ Melancon, Sarah (21 July 2023). "How Common Is Pegging". Women's Health Interactive. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  7. ^ Ward, Jane (March 2022). The Tragedy of Heterosexuality. NYU Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-4798-0446-7. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  8. ^ Branfman, Jonathan; Ekberg Stiritz, Susan (14 December 2012). "Teaching Men's Anal Pleasure: Challenging Gender Norms with "Prostage" Education". American Journal of Sexuality Education. 7 (4): 404–428. doi:10.1080/15546128.2012.740951. ISSN 1554-6128. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  9. ^ Taormino, Tristan (3 December 2007). "The Queer Heterosexual". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  10. ^ Luxx, Lisa (31 May 2019). "Is it "Feminist" To Wear a Strap-On?". Slutever.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  11. ^ Sciortino, Karley (20 January 2016). "Why (Some) Women Love Strap-Ons". Vogue. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  12. ^ Brodesser-Akner, Taffy (5 December 2016). "Tom Ford on Sex, Death, and Why You'll Never See His Kid in Ugly Shoes". GQ. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  13. ^ Lister, Kate (26 March 2024). "Why all straight men should try pegging once". i. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  14. ^ Taormino, Tristan (28 December 2007). "Bend Over, Boys!". The Village Voice. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  15. ^ Lust, Erika (8 February 2016). "The Girl's Guide to Pegging". Erikalust.io. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  16. ^ Myers, Justin (3 February 2022). "What is pegging and how can it improve your sex life?". British GQ. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  17. ^ Lehmiller, Justin. "The Peak of Pegging? Why Anal Eroticism Is Everywhere in Porn and Pop Culture". Playboy. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b Beckett & Miller (2022), "media representation of pegging"
  19. ^ Sweet, Brian (2000). Steely Dan: Reelin' in the Years. Omnibus Press. p. 42. ISBN 0-7119-8279-1.
  20. ^ "Official Steely Dan FAQ". Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  21. ^ Chia-wen Kuo (Veronique Kwak) (1 January 2013). "The Subversive Plasticity of Posthuman Womanhood in the Cases of Vidal's Myra Breckinridge and Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Navigating Cybercultures. Brill Publishers. pp. 181–191. ISBN 978-1-84888-163-1. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  22. ^ Spitznagel, Eric (8 March 2012). "Raquel Welch Hopes People Don't See Her as a "Wretched, Horrible Bitch"". Men's Health. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  23. ^ a b c Nault, Curran (Summer 2010). "Bend Over Boyfriend to Take it Like a Man: pegging pornography and the queer representation of straight sex". Jump Cut (52). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  24. ^ Sade, Marquis (2010). La Philosophie dans le boudoir [Filozofija v budoarju ali Nemoralni učitelj] (in Slovenian). Ljubljana: Center za slovensko književnost. p. 110. ISBN 978-961-6789-14-1.
  25. ^ Philosophy in the Boudoir: Or, The Immoral Mentors. Penguin Classics. 2006. p. 74. ISBN 0-14-303901-6.
  26. ^ Hope, Clover (5 February 2015). "Last Night's Broad City Was All About Pegging". Jezebel. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  27. ^ Chan, Mi-Anne (24 June 2015). "Abbi Jacobson Thinks Broad City's Pegging Episode Was 'The Best' One They've Done". Vulture. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  28. ^ Le Vine, Lauren (9 February 2016). "We Need to Talk About the Pegging Scene in Deadpool". Refinery29. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  29. ^ Boivin, Justine (26 May 2017). "François Ozon et son Amant Double, virtuose schizophrénie" (in French). Le Journal des femmes. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  30. ^ Frey, Meaghan (27 February 2020). "The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 6 Review: To Peg or Not to Peg". TV Fanatic. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  31. ^ Zhou, Maggie. "'Peg The Patriarchy': Activism Fashion Has Its Moment At The 2021 Met Gala". Refinery29. Retrieved 16 March 2024.

Bibliography

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pegging.
Listen to this article (10 minutes)
Spoken Wikipedia icon
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 23 March 2011 (2011-03-23), and does not reflect subsequent edits.
(Audio help · More spoken articles)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pegging_(sexual_practice)&oldid=1289082203"