Sex position

A sex position describes how people arrange their bodies for sexual intercourse or other sexual activities. The positions participants take often define the sexual acts themselves. While intercourse typically involves one person penetrating another, many sex positions also include non-penetrative activities. Common sexual acts fall into three broad, overlapping categories: vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex. A fourth category, manual sex, involves using fingers or hands to stimulate the genitals or anus. Some acts incorporate devices like dildos or vibrators. Countless positions exist for each type of sex act, and some writers suggest the possible number is effectively infinite. Guides to sex positions have existed for centuries. During the Greco-Roman era, Philaenis of Samos, possibly a courtesan from the Hellenistic period, authored a sex manual. The Kama Sutra, attributed to Vatsyayana and thought to have been composed between the 1st and 6th centuries, is famously known as a sex manual. Different positions affect the depth and angle of penetration. Alfred Kinsey identified six primary positions. The earliest known medieval European text focused solely on sexual positions is the *Speculum al foder* (The Mirror of Coitus), a 15th-century Catalan work discovered in the 1970s. These positions involve inserting a phallic object—such as a penis, strap-on dildo, plug, or another nonporous item—into a vagina, anus, or mouth. In the missionary position, partners face each other. The receiving partner lies on their back with legs apart, while the penetrating partner lies on top. This and its variations work for vaginal or anal intercourse. The penetrating partner stands before the receiving partner, whose legs hang over the edge of a bed or similar surface. When the receiving partner’s legs are lifted toward the ceiling and rest against the penetrating partner, this is sometimes called the butterfly position; it can also be done kneeling. In another variant, the receiving partner lies on their back while the penetrating partner stands and lifts the receiver’s pelvis for penetration; the receiver may rest their legs on the penetrator’s shoulders.