Dildos, for the four people on the internet that are somehow not yet aware of them, are sex toys intended for sexual penetration (of a male or female) during recreational bedroom activities. They are very often phallic in shape—which is to say explicitly penis-shaped—sometimes down to minute detail, but more often in a sort of general, abstract way. A google search about the history of dildoes will turn up all sorts of =slideshows and pop-culture articles on the internet crediting the invention of dildos all the way back to the Paleolithic era, like these:

Today, the strangely-elongated bell shape of a condom is instantly recognizable. Condoms are the most-used sexual devices in the world, and in studies of sexuality and sex practices the vast majority of people report being familiar with condoms or have used one recently. The standard modern condom is made from latex and is used to prevent pregancy (with 98% effacacy if used correctly) and to act as a protection against most STDs.

This also appeared on Pornhub.com’s Sexual Wellness Project [SFW link, NSFW URL].  Often times, when people are growing up–depending on their parents–they are told that masturbation is unhealthy, sinful, or just plan immoral. This is still a very widespread attitude, especially in parts of the United States and Europe that are more conservative or religious.  But this hasn’t always been the case–in many places and times masturbation was seen as relatively harmless and painless, not particularly dangerous for an individual.

[Image is a fresco from the House of the Centurion, Pompeii, first century BCE] This was previously published here, on Pornhub’s Sexual Wellness and Education site. What is porn? This seems to be a silly question, because the answer seems so obvious—you ‘know it when you see it.’ But you’d be surprised about the amount of ink spilled and the amount of time wasted over this topic. In fact, the more you think about it, the less clear it becomes!