Implicating vaginal_penetration -> sex.

Reason: because it is a form of sex

Won't work because anal/vaginal_insertion is implied to anal/vaginal_penetration, so a solo person using a dildo on themselves would be tagged as sex, which is wrong.

Are you implying, tony, that masturbation is not "sex"? In an actual poll conducted on a website the opinion was split almost exactly down the middle, so I think this reflects the way "sex" is actually being used. Dictionaries are frequently behind the times when it comes to the evolution of language.

I don't think there's really any sort of consensus about this, but my own take is that if you're doing something ... anything ... with the express intention of causing sexual pleasure either to yourself or to someone else then this is "sex".

Yes, I know. Our wiki clearly states that masturbation is not sex. I'm just pointing out the ambiguity in the way English speaking people consider the two terms. Perhaps our wiki does not actually reflect the way the general population (or at least about half of it) feels about this matter.

RedRaven said:
In an actual poll conducted on a website the opinion was split almost exactly down the middle

How many of these people actually know the etymology of the contraction "sex", coming from "sexual intercourse" which by its very definition involves TWO?

There's a reason we call it sexual and not asexual.

If, as you state, "sex" is a contraction of "sexual intercourse" this is not reflected in the word. Contractions always contain elements from all words which are contracted together. I might also point out that the etymology of a word cannot be used to define its meaning in modern language.

Nor does sex necessarily involve TWO. How about double, or even triple penetration? Are the other two males not having "sex" with the person being penetrated? Indeed, double vaginal penetration is also possible. Do we exclude this as "sex"?

Merriam-Webster properly offers a definition of "sex" as "sexually motivated phenomena or behavior", and this would not exclude any form of sexual behavior, including masturbation.

The etymology of "sex" is pretty well known, and it's not a contraction of "sexual intercourse". The first recorded instance of the word is from 1382 and it was derived from the Middle French "sexe" and/or the Latin "sexus", both of which refer to gender.

The first use of the term to imply sexual intercourse is from the writings of D.H. Lawrence, dating to 1929. The meaning of the word has, since, expanded to include more than vaginal intercourse between a male and a female.

Finally, etymology only speaks of the origins of a word. Language evolves, sometimes very rapidly, and that's why many etymologies no longer make sense in actual usage contexts. This is why "sex" is both a noun and a verb, meaning very different things in today's use of English. Indeed, to "sex" someone is a modernism that further illustrates how rapidly a word can change meanings and/or acquire new meanings through common use.

Anyway, I'm sure the rules regarding the use of sex and masturbation are not going to be changed, since they're already too-well established here, and it would likely require a massive re-tagging effort even if they were.

We don't tag masturbation as sex, period.

Incidentally, that 2x gigantic wall of text combo kind of makes you look like a total dick.

But that's just my opinion on the subject.

Your opinion on what I am is just that, GreyMaria. If you don't like the fact that I back up my opinions with facts and verifiable data then you don't have to read what I write. Please just move on, wrap your brain around smaller morsels that you can digest, and don't bother posting off-topic comments that are veiled attacks on posters, rather than dealing with the issues. I seriously doubt that name-calling is considered anything but obnoxious behavior around here.

I respect your stance on masturbation issue, tony. Noted and understood.

Further proving my point.

Moving along to go have sex.

Feel free to interpret that with your flawed knowledge.

GreyMaria said:
Further proving my point.

Moving along to go have sex.

Feel free to interpret that with your flawed knowledge.

Play nice.

RedRaven said:
...In an actual poll conducted on a website the opinion was split almost exactly down the middle...

Polls that are conducted on websites are actually the least scientific and accurate of all polling methods, unfortunately.