It was time to borrow a new book from our workplace library. After selecting a copy of Rebecca Chalker?s Clitoral Truth, I went to a coworker to confirm its merits. Her opinion was simple:It changed my life.I later nestled down in bed with my juicy new read, and it surely was marvelous. Within its pages, I found new information presented in an accessible and pleasure-affirming manner. Rather than recap the entire book, I?ll simply recommend trotting yourself out for a copy of your very own; and while you do that, let me whet your appetite with the passage that stuck in my craw:

We recently observed a female fetus at 32 weeks? gestation touching the vulva with fingers of [her] right hand. The caressing movement was centered primarily on the region of the clitoris. Movements stopped after 30 to 40 seconds, and started again after a few moments. Further, these light touches were repeated and were associated with short, rigid movements of the pelvis and legs. After another break, in addition to this behavior, the fetus contracted the muscles of the trunk and limbs, and the climax, clonicotonic movements [rapid muscle contractions] of the body, followed. Finally she relaxed and rested. We [several doctors and the mother] observed this behavior for about 20 minutes.Giorgi, G. and M. Siccardi, ?Ultrasonigraphic Observation of the Female Fetus? Sexual Behavior in Utero,? letter in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 175, Sept. 1996, 753.

Fetal masturbation? Oh, yes. This goes to prove that masturbation isn?t an unnatural, learned behavior; rather, it?s a healthy, joyous, natural act that's within us even before we?ve drawn our first lusty breath.How gosh darned cool is that?