Perspectives

Talk Dirty to Me: The Why and How of Hot Aural Sex

Published: OCTOBER 17, 2017
Want to have better sex? Speak up!

The more I talk to people about sex, the more I see that so many of them struggle with the very same things. High up on this list is sexual communication. Whether it's navigating consent, ensuring that they get what they need, or being a better partner, an awful lot of couples come up short because their approach falls somewhere between mind reading and charades. I’d like to offer a better way. My suggestion? Dirty talk.

Dirty talk is hardly groundbreaking stuff, but according to a 2011 poll by Adam & Eve, nearly one-third of people never talk dirty, while another 33 percent only do so sometimes. So I'm going to come right out and say it: If you and your partner aren't talking dirty, you could be missing out. Here are some key reasons why you should let the filth fly. I'll also provides some tips on how you shy types can get the conversation started.

Why Try Aural Sex?

It’s the most fun way to tackle a serious topic

If there's anything that scores points in the sack it's enthusiasm, but enthusiastic consent is a stumbling block for many people who feel that it ruins the moment. In reality, dirty talk is a great way to say you're in while still building arousal.

You know what’s hotter than a partner touching you in a new way? A partner telling you how much they want to touch you in that way, giving you the chance to say oh hell yes. Suddenly, sexual consent stops being a stumbling block on the way to the good stuff and becomes a stepping stone to making the stuff we do good. This is especially true when you're with a new partner or you're trying something new with an old partner.

Read: Yes! Why Consent Is Totally Sexy

It can make good sex even better

Speaking of making the stuff we do good, the best thing about dirty talk is that it gets people talking about sex, which is always a good thing. According to a 2012 study by researcher Elizabeth Babin at Cleveland Ohio University, chatty lovers tend to have greater sexual satisfaction because they communicate what they want.

Your partner isn't a mind reader; building communication into lovemaking can heat things up - and improve the chances that you'll get what you want.

How to Get Dirty

Breaking out of your sexual mime box

For some people, talking dirty can feel like diving into performative, porn-star sex. That can be a huge leap for more, shall we say ... demure lovers. The first step to making it all more manageable is to keep it simple and keep it real. Forget about parroting all the dirty-talk stereotypes you may have heard; not all penises are "so big" not all vaginas are "so tight" and sometimes, announcing that your partner has been "very, very bad" just comes off weird.


The answer? Just stick with what’s actually happening with the person you are actually with. Does it feel good when they touch you? Awesome, share that news. Do they have a great ass? They’d probably enjoy hearing about that. Are you excited to have sex with them? Tell them all about it. Perhaps the best piece of dirty talk advice comes from famed porn start Nina Hartley, who said, "Don’t tell them what they want to hear, tell them what they need to know".

Talking dirty to a ninja

Sometimes what impedes dirty talk is an imbalance between partners. Maybe you’re rarin' to go and your partner is totally silent. In this, scenario whispering "talk dirty to me" often yields results that are awkward - for both of you. It can be hard to find that softer side of the strong, silent ninja type, so help a ninja out! Keep it real. Go with questions. "What do you want?" is especially successful in this scenario, or something more structured to get them comfortable verbalizing. Whatever you do, just make sure you give your partner some guidance with it and understand that, as with any sexual activity, dirty talk isn't for everyone, and that's something you'll have to negotiate.

If it works for you, dirty talk can be a sexual game-changer. So don't be shy: Get out there and get dirty!

JoEllen Notte

JoEllen is a writer, speaker, researcher and mental health advocate whose work explores the impact of depression on sex and relationships. Since 2012 she has written about sex, mental health, and how none of us are broken on her award-winning site The Redhead Bedhead. JoEllen has led workshops nationwide on sexual communication, navigating consent, having casual sex kindly, and dating as an introvert. She has toured sex shops, spoken at length on dildos, and...

Latest Sex Positions