Most Unusual Sexual Myth You Actually Believed

Let's face it: there's a lot of sexual misinformation out there. And I'm sure we've all been in a situation where we believed something which turned out to be false. Sometimes it's funny; sometimes it's harmless; sometimes it's downright dangerous. So, what is the most unusual sexual myth that you actually believed at one point in your life?

One that was taught to me at my religious high school's health class was that the HIV virus was smaller than the molecular structure of latex, implying that even if a condom is used properly and doesn't break, while it will protect against pregnancy, the virus could tumble through the latex like a sieve and infect the other person. Much later, I realized that while it may be true that the virus could indeed be that small, it can't live on its own and must be resident inside a cell (which, of course, is much larger).

A lighter one that I've read online is that when a woman (or man, if that's your thing, I suppose) is shopping for a vibrator, she should switch it on and hold it under her nose -- if the vibrations cause her to sneeze, then it is likely too intense and she should try to find a more gentle model. I can picture the proprietor of a sex shop looking on perplexed as a shopper goes up and down the aisles, holding each vibrator to her nose until she found the perfect one.

I never believed a single one.

My friends and I believed that the religious circumcision involved cutting the length of the penis, creating the raphe, and having a silver dollar dipped in the blood.

Not too weird considering that ultraorthodox Jewish mohels actually suck blood from the wound by direct oral contact.

A lighter one that I've read online is that when a woman (or man, if that's your thing, I suppose) is shopping for a vibrator, she should switch it on and hold it under her nose -- if the vibrations cause her to sneeze, then it is likely too intense and she should try to find a more gentle model. .

Never heard this one, but it's good for a chuckle.

I've usually heard, and almost directly forgotten, tales about penis length compared to various other body parts: certain fingers, a foot, total body height.

Agracier I have heard of that too. And still to this day you sometimes will hear someone say about a man, "well he's got big feet, and or hands, and you know what that means?"

Matt I have never heard any one of those before. I found both of them very interesting. The one about the vibrator was really interesting to me as well.

These are sort of along the lines of old wives tales. Like if you cross your eye for to long then they will stay that way. As far as sexual ones I have heard from older generations that it was common that if they masturbated too much it would make them either blind or make hair grow on their palms. Well I have yet to see a man with hairy palms and I'm guessin it's not because he didn't masturbate, lol. But other than that, I don't recall any more.

Oh, I did hear one growing up. I heard, and I am not sure if I am remembering this right or not but something like you shouldn't wear your bra to bed because it would make your boobies saggy when you were older. Oh and another one, I also heard that if you don't air out the va jay jay nightly mold could grow on it and then you would stink.

I will have to think about this some more. I find stuff like this interesting. Thanks for the great topic Matt.

Mashie

These are sort of along the lines of old wives tales. Like if you cross your eye for to long then they will stay that way. As far as sexual ones I have heard from older generations that it was common that if they masturbated too much it would make them either blind or make hair grow on their palms. Well I have yet to see a man with hairy palms and I'm guessin it's not because he didn't masturbate, lol. But other than that, I don't recall any more. Mashie

Those are ones I heard when I was growing up. I didn't totally believe them. I do not have hairy palms.

These glasses are just for reading.

There are some weird myths in India which people used to believe.

1) You can lose your virginity having had oral sex .

2) An orgasm for women is supposed to be earth shattering and if not so, you're not normal

3) Pressing, sucking or fondling a woman’s breast will make them bigger

Its just so weird lol

3) Pressing, sucking or fondling a woman’s breast will make them bigger

sigh ... so it isn't true ...? 😢 ... who cares ... i like having it done anyway ... 😉

When I was younger, my mom convinced me that if you had sex before marriage, any children you'd subsequently have would be deformed. I debunked that when I was about 10, but still. It was an intense thing to tell a kid!

In a non-sex related thing, my dad convinced me that you had to be 18 to drink coffee. I ordered one when I was 15 and was so scared they'd card me.

Hey hawky, the thing about the coffee is actually sort of cute. It's amazing the influence our parents can have on us.

Mashie

My mom told me that when she was young some people around her believed that a menstruating woman in the vicinity during preparation would make certain sauces fail.

My mother said that I would go blind if I kept on masturbating - hey, but I solved that one - I carried on just long enough to need spectacles!

My mom told me that when she was young some people around her believed that a menstruating woman in the vicinity during preparation would make certain sauces fail.

Yes ... I remember hearing that one too. But when i first heard it, I must have been young and didn't really understand the things that were implied but not said aloud (ie. menstruating). It was just another of those grown-up things that they acted weird about but never explained sufficiently. It was my wife who later enlightened me as what was really meant by this wives tale.

In a non-sex related thing, my dad convinced me that you had to be 18 to drink coffee. I ordered one when I was 15 and was so scared they'd card me.

Shades of Prohibition! The only thing good for you is water, don't you know! Coffee, like alcohol, inflames the senses and poisons the body! ha ha

When I came to Belgium I was flabbergasted to hear and see that kids would quite normally drink coffee in the morning for breakfast - diluted with lots of milk, which made it even worse for me. That along with a piece of bread and chocolate spread was considered quite normal for breakfast. My mother had been trying to get me to do the same when I was a pre-teen: drink coffee, drink wine at certain meals. But I always thought both yucky and didn't like the taste at all.

Agracier: I think I recall seeing in a movie set in the 1940s a young man making a snide remark at a menstruating woman, implying she smelled of menses.

Yucky.

(I suspect the washable napkins women used in those days were less efficient at containing smell than current pads and tampons. Plus, not everybody had a shower or a bidet.)

Plus, not everybody had a shower or a bidet.)

That was not all that abnormal up until the late 1960s even. Especially in inner cities with older houses. Most student housing was back then still very rudimentary. I rented a room as student in 1971 that had no available shower or bath either, just a sink. One made due. But it was cheap rent though ...

Agracier: I recall my mom saying how nice it was that we had a bidet in our house. I understood later that she had spent some time in a room like you describe - toilet in the stairwell, sink in the room and nothing else.

@spank : even I use to believe this 😜 "3) Pressing, sucking or fondling a woman’s breast will make them bigger"

During my childhood and teenage years I heard many sexual myths being discussed by my peers. I just didn't believe any of them, as my mother had always made sure I was given the truth about sexual matters and was properly informed. Sex was not seen as threatening or unseemly, but as an essential part of being human. I learned it was pleasurable and not something shameful. Religion was not allowed to undermine my developing sexuality by poisoning my mind with unwarranted guilt either. I would also question things. Bullshit answers were not acceptable, and my mother did not treat me like a fool. More than that, she wanted me to enjoy myself and not have hangups, while protecting not only myself but my partners too.

I didn't actually get involved in discussions to debunk the misconceptions and lies I heard, but listened to what was being said by others in a typically British 'nudge, nudge, wink, wink' kind of way. Many already thought they knew best, so I would have been wasting my time trying to set them straight. I can't remember all the falsehoods people believed, but there are two that come to mind right now - "the girl can't get pregnant the first time" and "she can't get pregnant if she does it standing up".

Classics.

My grandpa used to tell us that if you masturbate your penis was going to fall off

that scared the crap out of me so i quit lol

know i know he was bull shiting us

The one I liked was the idea that it was impossible to get pregnant through underpants. Wrong, you can.

Right you are Liquid, and the one I like even better is that a girl can't get pregnant if you don't stick it in. Wrong, you can then as well.

Mashie

There was one in high school that said that after intercourse a girl wouldn't get PG, if she shook up a bottle of Coke and shot it inside her V JJ, (The acid in the Coke supposedly would kill the sperm)

Jimmy I have never heard that one either. Interesting.

Mashie

This is worth a read

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Sexandyoungpeople/Pages/Sexmythsbusted.aspx

My personal favourite is number 8. From the sound of it, some boys have been afraid their testicles would explode. LOL

Good one Dr Z!

My dad said one time that women with big lips get them by sucking a lot of dick. I think he is full of crap. Do women's lips get bigger by sucking a lot of dick? Does anyone have any info on this?

Like BigK I was told I would go blind if I didn't quit...I am now 63 and have had detached retinas in both eyes...I shoulda listened!

Of course not. The only thing that makes lips larger after birth is Botox.

Of course not. The only thing that makes lips larger after birth is Botox.

Don't you mean collagen fillers?

The coca cola myth is as old as the hills.