Sex column: 'Shoe size correlates to penis size' and 5 other sex myths

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The 6 most common sex myths among Latinos

Myths are false stories which have been passed from generation to generation. These are some of the most common sex myths Latinos believe and are simply not true.

According to Dictionary.com, a myth is a “traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being, hero or event ... [that] explains some practice, rite or phenomenon of nature.” Although many myths have some touches of reality, they’re not true. As simple as that.

Sex myths are not different — they’re misconceptions and stories that have been told so many times and passed along so many generations that often times they become urban legends with no solid factual foundation.

These are six of the most common myths concerning the bedroom's pleasures:

1. Shoe size correlates to penis size

This is the biggest old wives tale of all times, albeit with little to none scientific base. The Hox genes in mammals, including humans, play an important role in the development of toes and fingers, as well as the penis and clitoris. However, there is not enough sustainable evidence that men with bigger feet have bigger penises.

A Canadian study cited by the Daily Mail found a weak correlation between penis and shoe size. Simply put, it’s impossible to determine how well-endowed a man is by simply looking at his feet.

2. A woman’s first sexual encounter will always hurt

This really varies from woman to woman and there is no medical standardized answer. For many women the first time can be pleasurable, comfortable and fun. For others, having sex for the first time can feel uncomfortable and even painful. Often times such a discomfort is the result of poor lubrication, a certain sexual position or having penetration too fast.

3. Men think about sex every 7 seconds

If men really spent 16 hours of their awake time thinking about sex, they would be incapable of doing much else. There is real scientific data behind this belief; in fact, a recent study by the Ohio State University conducted on among a group of 18 to 25-year-olds delivered much lower numbers.

Participants of the study were handed tally counters and asked to track their thoughts about sex, food and sleep. The results? The average man tallied 19 sex-related thoughts per day, which comes to one sexual thought every 1.26 hours.

4. Only men watch pornography

While it is true that the traditional pornographic industry initially catered to men and the large majority of its production is still male-dominant oriented, men are not the only ones consuming it. According to Nielsen ratings, an average of 13 million women were watching porn in 2007, and the numbers have since increased. A poll conducted by Ann Summers, a British sex and lingerie retailer, showed that 85 percent of women reported watching porn as a “fantasy escape.”

5. Sex replaces exercise

Bad news for those who hate the gym but love sex. The latter, although physically demanding, does not come near replacing exercise. According to Woman’s Day, an average 30-minute session of sex burns merely 144 calories. Spending extra time on activities such as kissing – which the site states burns an average of 68 calories per hour –, switching positions and moaning increases the workout effect further.

6. Having sex in different positions influences your baby’s gender

If only it were that easy. Couples trying to conceive have heard, and in many cases attempted to follow this myth for centuries. The reality, says Jeffrey Sternberg, MD, director of the gender selection program at the Fertility Institute in Los Angeles, “there are really no lovemaking positions that can influence the gender of your baby.” Humans are still at the whim of Mother Nature when it comes to the sex of their babies.