Despite its ho-hum rep, the missionary position doesn't have to lack passion or imagination. Doubt it? Read on...

Just the Facts

According to Wikipedia, the term missionary position didn't originate from Christian missionaries preaching that this sexual position was the only proper way to boink, as is commonly believed. Rather, the expression likely comes to us from the Polynesians, whose sexual experimentations (with both partners and techniques) far exceeded the straightforward hanky-panky routines of the married Protestant missionaries in their midst.

In 1953, Alfred Kinsey, in his famous (infamous?) Sexual Behavior in the Human Female report conducted in the U.S. concluded that 91 per cent of women engaged in the missionary position most of the time, while the remaining 9 per cent used this position exclusively. While sexual practices may have blossomed somewhat since then, it's fair to say (and an informal study of my own posse confirms it) that missionary continues to stand as the most commonly practiced way we do the bed boogie.

It's a Rap, a Bad Rap

So why exactly do we feel somewhat embarrassed by this? Why is missionary the vanilla ice cream of sexual positions? For some reason, missionary has a reputation as lacking creativity and imagination -- perhaps because it is the easiest of the positions to perform and reach climax with and therefore "easy" is somehow seen as "less sexy." Or maybe because some lame-ass female sex partners have given it a bad rep because they just lie there without contributing anything except an orifice. Some insecure women shy away from this position because they find it too dominating and smothering.

Extra! Extra!

But there are more benefits to indulging in missionary than most other positions. Not just because to many (including myself) it just feels damn good physically. Think about it. What other position gives you more skin-on-skin contact? More shared control of penetration depth and rhythm? More eye-to-eye intimacy? More free use of the woman's hands to stimulate and caress other body parts in the mix (anus, clitoris, buttocks, testicles, breasts)?