‘2 condoms are safer than 1’ The sex myths we believed growing up

When we think of all the rumours what went around our schools about sex, we're actually cringing about how little we knew.

From the myth that you can't get pregnant the first time you have sex, to the ludicrous idea that promiscuous women have 'loose' vaginas, there was a lot of fallacy and not a lot of fact (sex ed curriculum, get your sh*t together).

Zava Med's 7 Years of Figuring Out Sex study asked 1000 people about the sexual superstitions they used to believe, and the results are both hilarious and a little concerning. 

Myth 1: Two condoms are better than one

This myth definitely circulated around secondary schools, however misguided it was.

The Zava Med study found that 12% of women and a whopping 28% of men believed that wearing two condoms during sex was better at preventing pregnancy than one. 

In actuality, wearing two condoms creates serious friction, leading the condoms to easily break.

 

Myth 2: Bigger hands and feet equals a bigger…

There's the common saying: 'You know what they say about a guy with big hands…', and apparently, 38% of women and 37% of men have heard that one. 

However, there is no correlation between hand or shoe size and penis size. 

One Korean study found that there is a connection between the length of a man's ring finger and his level of fertility, but it has nothing to do with the actual penis size.

 

Myth 3: Eating pineapple will make your you-know-what taste better

Not to sound totally ignorant, but we actually didn't know that this one was fake news. 

Apparently we're not alone, with 42% of men and 37% of women believing that pineapple is the key to palatable genitals. 

Myth 4:  You can't get pregnant by having sex in water

If Glee taught us anything, it's that having sex in a body of water can definitely get you pregnant. 

Water makes most condoms less safe because of the increased rick of them slipping off, with manufacturers not recommending them for use in showers, baths, or bodies of water. 

With 15% of women and 19% of men formally believing this myth, here's your PSA: Condoms are not effective in submerged situations. 

 

Myth 5: Masturbation leads to blindness

A classic. This myth was applied mostly to young men and women to shame them into not following through with their bodily urges to masturbate. 

11% of woman and 18% of men believed that masturbating would make you blind.

We sincerely hope the gals who once believed this have since discovered vibrators. 

 

Myth 6: Men pee inside their partner during intercourse

Sorry, WHAT? We had never heard of this one before, but apparently growing up, the concept of ejaculation was lost on many. 

A whopping 21% of men once believed that during sex, men peed into their partner. Can you not? 

Myth 7: You can make your own condoms 

According to Zava Med's 7 Years of Figuring Out Sex study, 6% of women and 9% of men believed that you could create your own condoms out of plastic bags or cling film. 

Seriously, we do not recommend. Step away from the Frubes package. 

 

Myth 8:  Women cannot get pregnant in the summer

Well ladies, the summer of love is about to begin because apparently we're all about to simultaneously lose our reproductive qualities because…well it's summer!

This has to be one of the silliest myths on the list, one no doubt started by some random person to their summer fling. Rude. 

Luckily only 5% of women and 7% of men ever believed this one. 

Myth 9: Only people who sleep around need STI tests

Sex shaming much? A person who has had unprotected sex ONCE can contract and STI, whether they have slept with 200 other people or two. 

As the study points out, 'many of these potentially harmful myths are the result of unfortunate ignorance about how STIs are actually contracted.' 

Over one quarter of men believed this one, so here's to hoping they have all gotten themselves checked regardless of the number of partners they have had. 

 

Myth 10: You cannot contract and STI from oral

WRONG. Herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis can be spread through oral sex. 

There is a reason that sex workers use condoms for oral sex, and it's something we should all be doing if our partner has not had a very recent STI text that came back all clear. 

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