Do Married Couples Masturbate? Men And Women Open Up

Do Married Couples Masturbate? Men And Women Open Up

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Despite the taboo that still surrounds masturbation, it's safe to say most everyone you know does it. Data from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior found 78 percent of Americans aged 14 and older say they have engaged in self-pleasure. But how does such a private habit change when you get married?

After New York magazine explored that topic last month, HuffPost Live's Ricky Camilleri got the scoop on the masturbation habits of married couples in a panel discussion Friday. Participants included a lesbian woman who enjoys masturbating with her partner, a man who was caught red-handed by his wife and didn't found out how she really felt about it for 13 years, and a man who has a deal with his wife to never masturbate.

Panelist Ricky Shetty explained that his agreement with his wife is partially about where the mind goes during "solo sex."

"It's not just the physical act, it's all the psychology that goes into masturbating," Shetty said. "So you have fantasizing about maybe a movie star or a musician or another partner you've had, so I feel there is some kind of disconnect between you masturbating thinking about someone else and not your own partner who you've committed to love for the rest of your life."

Author Jenny Block offered a different take and extolled the benefits of masturbating either alone or alongside your lover.

"I think it's an incredibly freeing act. I think it's an incredibly sexy act. I think it's a great way to learn what your partner likes -- there's really no other better way to figure out the equipment than to see how the person who owns it uses it," Block said.

Check out the complete discussion in the video above. Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

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