Queer people more likely to say oral sex and hand jobs count as ‘having sex’, survey finds

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Queer people are more likely to consider oral sex, hand jobs or fingering alone as ‘having sex’, according to a tantalising survey on Brits’ sexual habits. 

Honestly, the exact definition of what ‘counts’ as sex doesn’t matter as long as all parties involved consent to have sex or engage in sexual activity. Everyone is different as some might consider kissing, touching, masturbation, oral sex or penetration as sex – and what feels good for one person might not be right for others.

YouGov admitted many of its surveys on how often Britons have sex define ‘having sex’ as intercourse that involves “penetration, oral sex or any other activity with another person typically culminating in orgasm”. 

Yet, the research and data analytics team found that definition wasn’t fully accurate to the breadth of Brits’ sexual experiences and decided to go deeper on what ‘counts’ as sex. 

New YouGov research of over 5,800 adults found Brits are divided on the topic. But, by and far, LGBTQ+ folks were more likely than straight people to consider having only cunnilingus, blow jobs, fingering and hand jobs as having sex. 

Over half (57 per cent) of gay and bisexual men said a blow job counts as sex, compared to 47 per cent of heterosexual men. 

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Similarly, 54 per cent of lesbian and bisexual women considered cunnilingus alone as sex. Only 42 per cent of straight women said the same. 

Queer people across the board were more likely to consider getting touchy-feely with their partner or partners alone constituted having sex. 

Almost half (49 per cent) of queer women saw fingering and stimulation of the clitoris with fingers as sex on its own, compared to 37 per cent of straight women. 

Gay and bisexual men (37 say so) were only slightly more likely than straight men (34 per cent) to say that hand jobs count as sex.