TV shows like Sex and the City have brought female masturbation into the media, but real women haven't quite caught on. A recent study by University of Indiana researchers found that around 20 % of females have masturbated in the past 30 days, and 40% in the last year. Conversely, anywhere from 27-68% of males reported masturbating within the last month, depending on age.

Contrary to popular stereotypes, females are equally males - they're just not encouraged to engage in female masturbation the same way males are. How many movies joke about adolescent boys masturbating? (American Pie was even named after that special scene!) Growing up, I didn't even know other girls practiced masturbation, but I sure knew the guys did! Some females just need a little encouragement feeling good about being sexual. Read on for reasons to enjoy female masturbation:

(1) Female masturbation helps females have orgasms. In a survey Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, eighty eight percent of females who masturbated could climax as opposed to only 48 % of women who had not masturbated.

In the same survey, they found its easier for females to orgasm by masturbating more than any other way - including vaginal sex, cunnilingus, and fingering. Sexuality is more than just orgasm, of course, and you can have awesome sex without it. But to state the obvious, orgasms are fun, and one of the most enjoyable physical sensations we can experience. Use female masturbation to practice climaxing by yourself.

(2) If you have a significant other, you'll have you'll have better sex with them too them. If you don't know your own body, don't expect your partner to. Unlike romantic movies, men don't always know how to bring a woman to orgasm. Good sex comes from communication, and to communicate you have to have something to say!

Some people think only single people masturbate, or that its an insult to their partner. On the contrary! If your partner is feeling envy, tell them that your female masturbation will mean more pleasurable sex for them too. Exploring with a significant other is fun, but if you depend on them as your only sexual outlet, you'll probably be disappointed. Even soulmates have different desires, preferences, and sex drives. When you're in touch with what you want and share that with your significant other, you'll have more pleasure and greater intimacy. Female masturbation enhances your relationships.

(3) That old saying - you have to love yourself first before anyone else can really love you. Female masturbation is bodily self-love, as cheesy as it sounds. Like a healthy diet, working out, and relaxing -- female masturbation is another method to nurture your body. US culture makes females feel despise their bodies, where we're targets of violence simply for being female. Making female masturbation a part of your life tells yourself that sexual pleasure is important. Alone you can experiment with your desires safely and touch that part of yourself that is longing for something more meaningful. Female masturbation is correlated with higher self-esteem, which will also improve your work and family life.

As female masturbation proponent Betty Dodson says, "masturbation IS sex." We can be so focused on our relationships that we forget about playing with ourselves. Make love, fuck, play with yourself - however you want to say it, female masturbation means better sex and more happiness.