What puzzles me somewhat is the way certain sexual acts are accepted in mainstream Romance and others are not.
(Not talking about Erotica or Romantica here.)
For every couple hundred books that go into detail in re tab A and slot B, there may be one mention of masturbation. The odds in real life, *cough*, are skewed differently.
I liked the insight that sexual intercourse or mutual physical arousal are 'about' the relationship. About the creation of a bond. About communication.
That's why sexxing shows up at length in Romance while essentially solitary activities, be they ever so sexual, do not. Folks do not have blinding revelations about each other when they're in bed in opposite corners of the house. In the same bed -- more likely.
Also . . . sexual relationships are the fantasy, aren't they? Folks do not turn to their lover, close their eyes, and imagine battery-operated appliances.
But sometimes I wonder why we don't get a mention of masturbation when it seems called for by the action of the book, especially when there's open and detailed depiction of sexxing.
So I feel like there's taboo at work here. Because of its rarity in mainstream Romance, I'd argue we can add masturbation as a 'forbidden topic'.
(Not talking about Erotica or Romantica here.)
For every couple hundred books that go into detail in re tab A and slot B, there may be one mention of masturbation. The odds in real life, *cough*, are skewed differently.
I liked the insight that sexual intercourse or mutual physical arousal are 'about' the relationship. About the creation of a bond. About communication.
That's why sexxing shows up at length in Romance while essentially solitary activities, be they ever so sexual, do not. Folks do not have blinding revelations about each other when they're in bed in opposite corners of the house. In the same bed -- more likely.
Also . . . sexual relationships are the fantasy, aren't they? Folks do not turn to their lover, close their eyes, and imagine battery-operated appliances.
But sometimes I wonder why we don't get a mention of masturbation when it seems called for by the action of the book, especially when there's open and detailed depiction of sexxing.
So I feel like there's taboo at work here. Because of its rarity in mainstream Romance, I'd argue we can add masturbation as a 'forbidden topic'.
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