# Most Natural Human Sexual Position. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900 "2014-08-19T15:05:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/21 "2014-08-19T17:35:21Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Strictly anatomically speaking, What is the most natural human sexual position? The one where your penis is in her vagina. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/22 "2014-08-19T18:31:16Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > The one where your penis is in her vagina. Oh, now you’re just restricting yourself. Besides, you don’t want the other orifices to feel left out, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/23 "2014-08-19T18:34:24Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > I know I rarely ask sexual questions on these boards. But that’s not because I don’t have one or two. > > One concerns the most natural (human) sexual position. > > I know in western culture, for hundreds of years now, the missionary position is considered the most natural human sexual position. But this apparently is found no where else in the animal kingdom. When you see animals (be they wild or farm animals) having sex, they are doing it in the rear entry vaginal position. I have never thus far seen an exception to this rule. Bonobos will mate every chance they get in every position they can get. [spoiler] Here’s an NSFW image of hot monkey love in the [missionary position](http://specularimage.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/ventral_copulation.jpg?w=300&h=157). Here’s the [entire article](http://specularimage.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/bonobo-sex-and-stuff/), including the picture. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/24 "2014-08-19T18:49:36Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > It’s a shallow angle toward the spine. So if you think of the angle of the penis, it actually fits perfectly in either missionary or doggy position. > > Of course, the vagina is also quite flexible and the penis, too. While these angles may line up nicely, penetration is actually possible from just about any angle. Including having one’s knees clamped together, carefully holding a single aspirin there. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/25 "2014-08-19T22:43:43Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Including having one’s knees clamped together, carefully holding a single aspirin there. :rolleyes: Mebbe if you ingested the aspirin, the headache would go away & then the knees wouldn’t need to remain clamped together. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/26 "2014-08-19T23:21:12Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Here’s the [entire article](http://specularimage.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/bonobo-sex-and-stuff/), including the picture. > [/spoiler] In case you can’t be bothered to look at this article I’ll give you a quote from it: > [@](#): > > Once Vanessa actually did shake the penis the bonobo of course became less threatening to her. I have to wonder and only wonder if the bonobo found Vanessa extremely attractive as I find her. That itself is a reference to \* Vanessa Wood’s book Bonobo Handshake\* ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/27 "2014-08-19T23:27:12Z")
This issue was addressed in _Quest For Fire_, where it was opined that the missionary position is what separates us from the apes. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/28 "2014-08-20T08:21:32Z")
Most natural position? I thought it was sitting, in front of your computer monitor. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/29 "2014-08-20T10:02:24Z")
The first _Book of Lists_ (circa 1979, edited by Wallace, Wallace, and Wallechinsky) included a list (created by some scientist) of positions, which were assessed by “likelihood of pregnancy.” This speaks directly to the OP’s concern with anatomy. I recall that “man on top” (missionary) and “rear entry” were the only ones in the highest category of likelihood – but neither was higher than the other. (Surely there has been more research on this since 1979). ---
**Author:** ![lilihob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a9adbd/32.png) [@lilihob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilihob)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/30 "2014-08-20T11:44:53Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Bonobos will mate every chance they get in every position they can get. > > [spoiler] Here’s an NSFW image of hot monkey love in the [missionary position](http://specularimage.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/ventral_copulation.jpg?w=300&h=157). > > Here’s the [entire article](http://specularimage.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/bonobo-sex-and-stuff/), including the picture. > [/spoiler] That has just made my day! She looks so bored, as if she’s lying back and “thinking of England/Africa”. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/31 "2014-08-20T11:46:43Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > This issue was addressed in _Quest For Fire_, where it was opined that the missionary position is what separates us from the apes. Well that’s an authoritative source!😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/32 "2014-08-20T11:58:03Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Bonobos will mate every chance they get in every position they can get. And use sex as a conflict resolution mechanism. Upset ? Eh, fuck it. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/33 "2014-08-20T19:37:31Z")
“This issue was addressed in Quest For Fire, where it was opined that the missionary position is what separates us from the apes.” Ninja’d by Tom Tildrum! If I recall correctly QFF also featured the first BJ. Well, not really. Rae Dawn Chong was from the more advanced “tribe” and serviced the male questing for fire, much to his surprise. Between that and the new missionary position he was quite flummoxed. ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/34 "2014-08-21T00:06:35Z")
Just about everybody I’ve ever been intimate with had all kinds of different shapes of all their parts, most preference is cultural but if you’re a quick study you ought to find what works best with whatever you’re with. I’d say, most people need to give doggy a rest, it’s a big world out there… ---
**Author:** ![PlumBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/35 "2014-08-21T02:30:44Z")
My wife has a definite preference to the angle in the missionary position. I’ve yet to measure it but I know when I get it right! ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/36 "2014-08-21T02:39:52Z")
This seems like it would be ridiculously easy to test this using a paper towel tube. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/37 "2014-08-21T02:50:42Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > This seems like it would be ridiculously easy to test this using a paper towel tube. Or me. I volunteer. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/38 "2014-08-21T04:39:45Z")
The answers, it seems to me, depend on the goal in the lovely act. If it’s conception, that’s already been answered. If the goal is pleasure, and if Graffenberg is correct about the G-spot, the couple might narrow it down to the most pressure and movement on that spot. The male is less picky about positions Diagrams of the angle of the vagina abound, from the back of a tampon box to Masters and Johnson books and sex toy catalogs. Keep in mind that the vagina, and the rectum next door, will readily adapt to angles other than the “at-rest” position the diagrams show. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/39 "2014-08-21T14:44:11Z")
> [@PlumBob](#): > > My wife has a definite preference to the angle in the missionary position. I’ve yet to measure it but I know when I get it right! Nice username/post combo! ---
**Author:** ![PlumBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900/40 "2014-08-23T00:35:52Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Nice username/post combo! That got a chuckle from her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-natural-human-sexual-position/695900.md?page=3)