Google's Top 5 Sex Questions

We delved into the top five sex questions Googled and it was eye opening. The number one question searched was: how to have sex.

Google's Top 5 Sex Questions

What’s the name of that one movie with so and so? Google it. What are the only birds with two toes? Google it. Searching for answers on Google is so common that Google has been added to the dictionary as a verb.

Google means to obtain information about someone or something on the World Wide Web. And we all do a lot of Googling. So when it comes to sex, why not Google your way to understanding it better? Lots of people do. We delved into the top five sex questions Googled and it was eye opening. The number one question searched (no, it wasn’t how do Wookiees have sex?’ – though that was up there and it’s definitely a conversation we’d like to have another time), it was: how to have sex. 🤯

We delved into the top five sex questions Googled and it was eye opening. The number one question searched was: how to have sex.

How to Have Sex? 

This being the most Googled question around sex begs another question: what’s being left out of sex education for so many people to turn to Google? Even more surprising is what comes up in the results. The search results return explanations on how to have sex, but also tons of ways to enhance sexual pleasure and commentary around why we have sex at all. Then there are suggestions for what not to do during sex like biting before your partner is ready for it. Ignoring the erogenous zones for men and women, which include knees, wrist, back and stomach. Staying quiet is also frowned upon. (We say you do you.) There’s a lot telling you what to do and not do to have a better sex life, but the step-by-step factual information is certainly not the norm in these search results. The question is straightforward and the answers are anything but.

What is sex?

What is sex?’ was the second most Googled question. It actually might have more to do with understanding the differences between sex and gender, than the act of having sex itself. Sex is a set of biological qualities in humans and animals. It relates to the physical and physiological aspects like chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels and reproductive tasks. Gender on the other hand is about the socially constructed roles, behaviors and expressions, and identities of women, men and gender diverse people.

What is Oral Sex?

This ranked number three on the list. Oral sex is an act known by many names but medically speaking, there’s cunnilingus for pleasuring a woman down there and fellatio if you’re doing it on a man. Just like with ‘how to have sex?’ this question returned some informative, factual results, but lots was dedicated to the why and the how rather than the what. This question also returns many results about risks if you don’t practice safe oral sex (you can still pass on or catch STIs).

Can You Have Sex While Pregnant? 

Pregnancy opens up a lot of questions for soon-to-be moms and dads, one of which inevitably is ‘can you have sex while pregnant?’. The dos and don’t are a big question mark over the bedpost. The reality is it’s perfectly safe to have sex during pregnancy, unless your doctor has advised against it. Sex won’t hurt the baby. A penis or sex toy won’t go any farther than the vagina. The baby will likely sleep through it — they are safe and snuggly inside the amniotic sac. It’s actually great for your health to have sex while you’re pregnant. You can burn a few calories and it can lower blood pressure too. Also, all that oxytocin floating around can help with backaches and other aches and pains.  

Can You Have Sex With a UTI? 

Great question and the fifth most googled. The short answer is that you can, but doctors generally advise you not to until the infection is gone. Having sex might irritate the urinary tract and push bacteria into the urethra, which is going to make things worse. Of course, check with your doctor about your specific situation before deciding anything.

We assumed the most Googled sex questions would be related to more sensational, off-the-wall topics, but this list shows that Dr. Google is being visited for many questions whose answers form a foundational base of knowledge around sex and sexual health. Who knew there was so much confusion surrounding sex? Why? That would be a good question for Google. Not Siri though, she will likely say “I don’t have an opinion on that.” Honestly though, sex education is such an important part of education, and it’s a little concerning to see so many people looking for basic information about sex. Lucky for us there are some fantastic resources out there for those of us seeking to continue (or start) learning. Sounds like the makings for another post. Stay tuned 😉

Who knew there was so much confusion surrounding sex? Why? That would be a good question for Google.