# Do you consider sex to be a recreational activity? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289 "2014-04-16T20:33:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/41 "2014-04-17T20:43:50Z")
Still waiting for someone to say that for them sex is a **professional activity**. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/42 "2014-04-18T02:56:04Z")
My wife and I have six kids between us. I’m 47 and she’s 45. We can no longer have children, but still have sex 3-5 times a week, so yes it would classify as recreational. However, I think that regards of being able to get pregnant sex is necessary for bonding and expressing out love for each other. A don’t have a child between us and since e both love kids we would probably have another if we could. But, that isn’t possible. We’ve looked into adoption, I’ve got my eye on this 17 year old French girl. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/43 "2014-04-18T13:05:29Z")
Straight male 65. It’s the best exercise in the world! ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/44 "2014-04-18T13:51:25Z")
Straight cis female, thirtysomething. I consider it a psychological necessity. I have in the past had f-buddies to whom I wasn’t particularly attached. Happily I’m now married and rather fond of my husband. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/45 "2014-04-18T17:33:27Z")
Female, hetero, married, 52. Never wanted kids so sex has always been recreational, except a couple times back in the day when it was a way to make someone stop talking and eventually go away. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/46 "2014-04-19T01:21:33Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I’ve even had one or two mathgasms! The programming equivalent is called “algorasm”. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/47 "2014-04-20T00:54:35Z")
Male, straight, when it’s not used for reproduction. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/48 "2014-04-20T01:03:57Z")
Male. Recreational. To paraphrase Woody Allen, it’s the most fun you’ll ever have without laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/49 "2014-04-20T02:50:46Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > Just out of curiosity’s sake. > > I read an article years ago in my AP Psychology class back in high school which suggested that one of the reasons for the uptick in teen pregnancies was that sex was increasingly considered to be a “recreational” activity. Every so often, that suggestion jumps back into my mind and I start to ponder it again. > > For purposes of the thread, please state your biological sex and your opinion on the topic. Maybe there is a difference in perceptions between the two genders. Male. Yes. What a strange OP–and not recreational strange. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/50 "2014-04-20T02:55:00Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Still waiting for someone to say that for them sex is a **professional activity**. Does this count? I was going to say mostly re but a few times pro. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/51 "2014-04-20T03:06:27Z")
47, male, straight, recreational, but I’d consider going pro for the right customer. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/52 "2014-04-20T03:35:01Z")
Does the barter system count for pro? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/53 "2014-04-20T03:54:36Z")
SHetM, early 50s. Recreational with personal-bond building if you can bundle them together. OK so from what we have so far the possible overlapping categories are: A: Procreational B: Recreational/Hedonic(\*) C: Ritual/Devotional D: Emotional/Bonding E: Professional F: Criminal G: Therapeutic (\*which IMO does NOT necessarily mean “casual” in the often used sense of zipless promiscuity) In some common religious beliefs, A, C and D overlap. For the case of E, it would almost necessarily simultaneously involve B for the customer; or perhaps G. As mentioned, F can be also B for the _perpetrator_. … hmm… as usual when it comes to sex, it gets complicated. Surprise. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/54 "2014-04-20T14:16:45Z")
Always recreational . . . an expression of love, giving and receiving pleasure, an end in itself. Gay male, 68 ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/55 "2014-04-20T14:52:55Z")
I guess it depends on what you mean by “recreational.” It’s fun and I certainly haven’t got any practical use for it, so in that sense it’s recreational. At the same time, it certainly doesn’t rise to the level of a hobby or anything. If somebody asked what I do for fun, it wouldn’t make the list. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/56 "2014-04-20T14:58:31Z")
For me, sex seems fairly esoteric. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/57 "2014-04-21T17:43:03Z")
Recreation? Hell, no! It’s work, plain and simple - drudgery of the worst kind! Go in clean and come out covered in filth - ugh! Why, I would trade every personal experience with the stuff, past and present, for a nice, cold root beer (frosted mug optional). I also lie about other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/58 "2014-04-21T18:16:44Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Cis male, 40 years old, bisexual, in a stable monogamous hetero relationship. So, yanno, probably not what you’re looking for exactly. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Cis female, 42. Yes, I consider sex to be a recreational activity. Hmmm… two in a row. We’re all supposed to know what “cis” means now? I can never remember. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/59 "2014-04-21T19:08:27Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Still waiting for someone to say that for them sex is a **professional activity**. We’ve had prostitutes on the board, not sure if they’ll post here, but they’ve posted in the past. Can’t recall any names offhand. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289/60 "2014-04-21T19:10:25Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > SHetM, early 50s. Recreational with personal-bond building if you can bundle them together. > > OK so from what we have so far the possible overlapping categories are: > > A: Procreational > B: Recreational/Hedonic(\*) > C: Ritual/Devotional > D: Emotional/Bonding > E: Professional > F: Criminal > G: Therapeutic > > (\*which IMO does NOT necessarily mean “casual” in the often used sense of zipless promiscuity) > > In some common religious beliefs, A, C and D overlap. > For the case of E, it would almost necessarily simultaneously involve B for the customer; or perhaps G. > As mentioned, F can be also B for the _perpetrator_. > > … hmm… as usual when it comes to sex, it gets complicated. Surprise. I’d add therapeutic, based on some other responses … sex done strictly to make the other person feel better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-sex-to-be-a-recreational-activity/686289.md?page=4)