Threesome

This article is about sexual activities involving three people. For the 1994 film, see Threesome (film). For the 2011 TV series, see Threesome (TV series).

"Three-way" redirects here. For other uses, see 3-way (disambiguation).

A threesome commonly refers to three people engaging in sexual activity together, although it can technically be used to refer to any set of three things. Although threesomes may take place in the context of polyamory or a ménage à trois, they are not necessary elements of these relationships, and may occur outside of relationships as well.

Threesomes are common elements of sexual fantasy, and are commonly depicted in pornography. They are a type of group sex, but as only three people are involved, may more frequently occur in more private, non-anonymous settings than orgies.

Types

Sex acts involving a man and two women

The people involved in a threesome may have any combination of gender and sexual orientation, and be engaging in any number of acts with one or both of the other participants, such as sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation.

For a partial list of sexual acts and positions that involve all participants, see sex positions with three participants.

One or more of the participants may be engaging in autoerotic sexual activity, such as masturbation, possibly without physical contact with the other two participants. It is a matter of subjective definition whether participation of a third person without physical contact constitutes a threesome. This may relate to fetishes such as voyeurism or cuckolding.

Safety

As with all other forms of sexual activity, exchange of bodily fluids and contact of mucous membranes during a threesome may lead to the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. To ensure full efficacy when using barrier protection, care should be taken that neither side of a condom, female condom, dental dam, or medical glove contacts more than one partner's mucous membranes. Additionally, one should be aware that hands and sex toys can spread fluids between partners.

Media

A threesome involving two men and one woman

These illustrations are examples of threesomes and are not intended to be exhaustive of either possible threesomes or threesomes in media.

• 
  Painting by Édouard-Henri Avril: two men and a woman having a threesome
• Drawing of one possible position for a threesome.
  Drawing of one possible position for a threesome.
• Drawing of an oral threesome with one man and two women.
  Drawing of an oral threesome with one man and two women.
• 
  Double penetration in a threesome.

See also

• Polyamory
• Swinging

References

• GROOVIN’ ON 70s spoof