What exactly is happening when the government feels it needs to encourage people to masturbate?
We’ve had multiple decades of pro-masturbation propaganda. Anyone alive now probably remembers being told as a teenager that “there is nothing wrong with masturbation.”
So why is the government coming out now with a pro-masturbation PSA campaign?
Are they worried people are going to stop masturbating?
Queensland authorities surprised their Facebook followers with some “pleasurable” health advice on Thursday.
On its official Facebook page, Queensland Health shared a post about masturbation, which was accompanied by brightly coloured infographics detailing its health benefits.
“Give yourself a hand,” the post began, with a hand and winking emojis.
“Masturbation is a normal and healthy part of a person’s sexual experience and a great way to discover what you are comfortable with. The best part is, it’s for everyone – and also offers a wealth of health and sexual health benefits!”
“It’s important for us all to work towards normalising sex-positive messages about masturbation to reduce associated feelings of shame and fear, and improve overall sexual health and literacy.”
An article accompanying the Facebook post linked to peer-reviewed research that has found a correlation between masturbation and positive body image in women, and that orgasms may help reduce menstrual cramping.
It also provided recommendations for how to broach the subject with young people.
According to 2014 data from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships, conducted once a decade, 72% of men and 42% of women reported masturbating in the previous year.
The study’s lead author, Prof Juliet Richters, said the sex differences in masturbation prevalence and frequency were consistent across many studies.
The research found masturbation was relatively uncommon among younger women, a “disappointing” finding “as it is generally agreed to have benefits for women in learning about their own bodies and negotiating more rewarding sexual practice with partners.”
Translation: women who don’t masturbate are easy to please, they enjoy normal sex and don’t ask you to choke them until they pass out and then wake them up with a slap to the face.
What’s up with the eyes and worm-like shapes in the image they used though?
Creepy stuff.