# Any difference in anal sex with gender of recipient **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606 "2011-07-28T12:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/1 "2011-07-28T12:33:11Z")
Yes, the SD tackles another of the great questions of our time: Is the experience of anal sex significantly different between men and women? Is it easier, more pleasurable, whatever for one gender? Off the top of my head I suppose that women’s lack of a prostate would make it less pleasurable (ok, there’s a “female prostate” but I don’t think it’s accessible this way). For ease, I’m not sure…men are generally larger overall so I might expect them to have a larger opening. But women have a different pelvis shape / angle, which…I dunno…might have an effect. (I’ve put this in GQ but I’m expecting some opinion answers. Wasn’t sure where to put it. As they say :)) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/2 "2011-07-28T15:52:20Z")
Wouldn’t answering this question factually pretty much require someone to have been the recipient of anal sex both as a natural-born female and as a natural-born male to be able to compare the experiences? Because even someone who has had sex reassignment surgery still has whatever equipment they were born with back there. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/3 "2011-07-28T15:58:38Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > (I’ve put this in GQ but I’m expecting some opinion answers. Wasn’t sure where to put it. As they say :)) Since I doubt there are controlled, peer-reviewed studies on the subject, and as **KneadToKnow** notes no one is going to be able to make a direct comparison, this is better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/4 "2011-07-28T16:06:17Z")
I feel so dirty googling for this. [No difference in anus size between men and women.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1389654) So that answers that part of the question. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/5 "2011-07-28T16:24:02Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > For ease, I’m not sure…men are generally larger overall so I might expect them to have a larger opening. This has far less to do with gender than it does with experience with anal sex. Anal sex stretches things, and anuses being less elastic than vaginas, they don’t always return to their, uh, unbuggered state. (As I was reminded of last week, when I had a discussion with a bisexual male sex educator about the logistical possibilities of using female condoms for anal sex. I said I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to get one in an anus properly, since they’re more “grabby” and tighter than vaginas, and he laughed and assured me that with a partner experienced in anal play, the anus can actually be looser than the vaginal opening.) The larger problem with the question, of course, is…how does one quantify pleasure (or pain, for that matter) and compare it between two different people? Is “it feels really good!” not as pleasurable as “It feels really, really good?” 😃 ETA: You could, of course, ask if anal sex feels better to the inserter if the insertee is male or female, but then again, you have the complicating factor that sex is always different with a different partner. I’ve had multiple partners of the male gender for plain ol’ vanilla sex, and some were better than others - not because they were male, but because their technique or body or our connection was just different than with other partners. You’d need a heckuva bisexual slut to have a sample size large enough to control for variables other than gender, and you’d still have the issue of personal preference to deal with! ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/6 "2011-07-28T16:45:37Z")
I agree that trying to quantify pleasure is of course subjective but I thought there would be an objective element to this. e.g. Stimulating the prostate is often part of on-man anal, which can’t happen in the on-woman variety. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/7 "2011-07-28T16:50:10Z")
The nerve endings around the sphincter are sensitive regardless of gender. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/8 "2011-07-28T17:30:35Z")
I’m curious if anyone who has gone both ways can comment on whether _giving_ anal sex is equally pleasurable with both men and women. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/9 "2011-07-28T19:27:09Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I’m curious if anyone who has gone both ways can comment on whether _giving_ anal sex is equally pleasurable with both men and women. Seems to me this would be susceptible to a controlled, blind study. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/10 "2011-07-28T23:45:57Z")
Women seem to be softer. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/11 "2011-07-28T23:48:56Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I feel so dirty googling for this. > > [No difference in anus size between men and women.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1389654) So that answers that part of the question. Way to take one for the team! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/12 "2011-07-29T00:43:15Z")
Honestly, I’m more sympathetic on the poor people who had to tackle that study. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/13 "2011-07-29T02:49:09Z")
According to the study > [@](#): > > …using a 7 MHz multiplanar endoprobe… _snicker_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/14 "2011-07-29T02:58:53Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I feel so dirty googling for this. > > [No difference in anus size between men and women.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1389654) So that answers that part of the question. Best thread title / user name combo evar! Unless I’m not getting your user name dude, in which case, I’m sorry but I just finished a pint of Arrogant Bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/15 "2011-07-29T03:02:47Z")
People rarely do. It’s a poor username. I had just read Eats, Shoots, and Leaves when I joined the messageboard. You’re not the first person to interpret it in such a way. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/16 "2011-07-29T03:15:34Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > This has far less to do with gender than it does with experience with anal sex. Anal sex stretches things, and anuses being less elastic than vaginas, they don’t always return to their, uh, unbuggered state. > > (As I was reminded of last week, when I had a discussion with a bisexual male sex educator about the logistical possibilities of using female condoms for anal sex. I said I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to get one in an anus properly, since they’re more “grabby” and tighter than vaginas, and he laughed and assured me that with a partner experienced in anal play, the anus can actually be looser than the vaginal opening.) Is that healthy? I’m not sure I’d like it if my anus were…um, loose. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/17 "2011-07-29T03:26:41Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Is that healthy? I’m not sure I’d like it if my anus were…um, loose. No idea. I’d google it, but I’m scared. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/18 "2011-07-29T03:58:55Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Is that healthy? I’m not sure I’d like it if my anus were…um, loose. In my experience (with guys) they tend to go back to their regular…shape pretty quickly. The only guys I’ve known that had issues with looseness were ones that liked having items significantly larger than a regular penis in them. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/19 "2011-07-29T05:26:15Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I feel so dirty googling for this. > > [No difference in anus size between men and women.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1389654) So that answers that part of the question. Did part of this study involve flashing lights and kidnapping the subjects while dressed as aliens? It sure would explain a lot. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606/20 "2011-07-29T06:11:15Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I’m curious if anyone who has gone both ways can comment on whether _giving_ anal sex is equally pleasurable with both men and women. Having done some field research in the subject, going by sensation alone there’s no difference. Of course, the view is different. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-difference-in-anal-sex-with-gender-of-recipient/590606.md?page=2)