Since we’re already more than halfway through, you probably already know that May is National Masturbation Month.  Yes, there is one entire month completely dedicated to discussing and practicing the fine art of self-love. Consider it the ultimate holiday for your genitals, filled with lots of opportunities to buzz your way into pleasure every day...without feeling an ounce of guilt.  This may not be special to those of you who celebrate daily masturbation all year, but for those of us who don't have the stamina, time, or fluids to maintain a 365-day jerking off habit, this is the perfect excuse to prioritize one person fondling all month long!

In 1995, Good Vibrations in San Francisco declared the sunny month of May to be a month all about getting comfortable with your goodies. It was inspired by the backlash Joycelyn Elders, the Surgeon General of the time, received after saying that masturbation is a natural part of human sexuality and should be a part of sexuality education at the United Nations conference on AIDS. The ever-chaste President Clinton fired her shortly thereafter. In a show of both protest and celebration, Good Vibrations decided that raising awareness about masturbation and its educational potential, they created National Masturbation Month.

Eighteen years later and still going strong, May is now filled with all kinds of masturbation-related activities, events, and artistic expression surrounding fapping. The month eventually spawned the Masturbate-a-thon, which is exactly what it sounds like. Groups of people come together to, well, come together. This diddling marathon focuses on raising money for sex-positive charities and awareness about masturbation as an expression of healthy sexuality.

As of this year, May also has International Clitoris Awareness Week. Clitoraid, an organization that is focused on supporting victims of female genital mutilation globally, decided to take a tongue-in-cheek approach to giving clits everywhere the attention they deserve (and, of course, teaching people a few things in the process).  If anything needs more attention, it is almost always the clitoris.  

Lastly, some folks (including myself) have been writing about masturbation as a practice and an exploration at The M Blog. Emma Cohen and Renee Garcia, both writers and sex educators, founded The M Blog to document their month-long masturbatory journeys, and to encourage others to try “masturbation [as] a revolutionary act”. They even offer advice on how to start your own exploration through masturbation (and start your very own M blog).

If you haven’t already joined the party in your pants, brush up on your slang (for those of you who prefer something with a little pizazz, utilize the swanky masturbation euphemisms from McSweeney’s), and get your hands on your sweet spots!

If you’re interested in attending the Masturbate-a-thon in San Francisco, it's not too late!  It takes place on Saturday, May 25th, from 7 PM - 11 PM. Find out more info on how to pledge here.