"Most men I've known have preferred that a woman swallow his semen after oral sex. Why is that?"

To swallow or not to swallow...that is the question.

The key question here is "Do men really prefer that a woman swallow the semen after Oral sex?" This is an important question which has not been given its due, but it sure is an important issue for men. I, as a woman, have always been under the impression that men prefer a woman to swallow after oral sex and they may consider it a rejection or disapproval if a woman does not swallow. He may not feel completely satisfied if the woman does not complete the act of oral sex by swallowing.

Questioning the conventional wisdom

"Spit or swallow" shall continue to be a discussion that cannot have a conclusion. Opinions and perceptions, desires and expectations, wants and demands all vary with individuals. For some men what is least satisfying is when a woman stops what she is doing when he is about to come, usually in favor of less satisfying stimulation like licking or stroking his penis with her hand. These men feel that the hype attached to swallowing was overblown and that they found slight gratification when a woman swallowed his ejaculate after orgasm. When asked what the woman should do with the semen after ejaculation - the typical answer was "I really do not care what she does with it…she can spit it into a wad of tissue, or into the flower pot for all I care…it really doesn't matter". Now this was said with no hint of sarcasm or disrespect - but this is one side of the story or coin. However, this aspect has always been alive in my mind. I have often asked - Does this represent the thoughts of just a few men, or do many men feel this way? With no straight answer and an increasing number of FAQs on "spit or swallow", I got down to serious though unscientific investigation.

The Spit or Swallow Survey

To address this all important issue, I designed an elaborate yet unscientific questionnaire and decided to get an opinion of 50 adult heterosexual men. Why I chose heterosexual men over homosexuals is an easy question to answer. Why I chose men alone is because it is the point of view of men that matters and the people affected directly are women.

The questions asked in the survey and the compiled answers are as follows:-

When you receive oral sex, what do you prefer - woman should swallow or not?

Yes: (34)
No: (16)

If you answered swallow, would you prefer swallow or spit?

Swallow: (30)
Spit: (4)

If you prefer that a woman swallow, which of the following do you best prefer?

a. I just don't feel the act is complete when a woman does not swallow: (5)
b. I really like it when she swallows, and the act is a little less satisfying if she doesn't: (15)
c. I prefer when a woman swallows, but I'm still satisfied if she doesn't: (10)
d. None of the above: (0)

If you selected "a" above, would you be somewhat less satisfied, significantly less satisfied, completely unsatisfied or no less satisfied if you learned that she spit your semen out after you ejaculated.

Somewhat less satisfied: (1)
Significantly less satisfied: (2)
Completely unsatisfied: (0)
No less satisfied: (2)

If you selected "b" above, which of the following statements best describes your thoughts - relating to the reason why you feel the act is less satisfying:

The thought of a woman swallowing turns me on: (4)
Oral sex doesn't feel as good if she doesn't swallow: (8)
When a woman doesn't swallow it makes me think she isn't into it: (3)
A woman should swallow; it's not that big of a deal: (0)
Other: (0)

If you selected "b" above, check all of the following statements that apply:

I would be more satisfied if she didn't stop what she was doing until after I came: (13)
I would be more satisfied if she kept a constant rhythm during oral sex: (12)
There isn't much to say as swallowing cannot be substituted: (5)

If you checked statement "b" above and answered "the thought of a woman swallowing turns me on", which best describes the turn-on:

It makes me feel like she cares about me: (2)
Swallowing is erotic; just the thought turns me on: (2)
None of the above: (0)

If you prefer that a woman spit, which of the following best describes your preference?

I think it's wrong for a woman to swallow: (1)
It isn't important because I am satisfied either way: (2)
I don't know why; it's just not an issue: (1)
Other: (1)

If you prefer that a woman spit, which of the following statements best describes your opinion?

The idea of a woman swallowing turns me off: (2)
I am neutral, spitting or swallowing is all the same to me: (2)
I like the idea of a woman spitting; it turns me on: (1)

If you prefer that a woman spit, check the statement that is most relevant to you:

My woman really knows how to please me orally: (3)
My woman is fairly good at oral sex, but there is room for improvement: (1)
My woman is not very good at giving head: (0)

If you answered "no preference" to the question: "When you receive oral sex, do you have a preference on whether or not the woman swallows your semen or not?", which best describes your reaction to oral stimulation?

I reach orgasm quickly: (9)
I take a while to orgasm: (5)
I have to concentrate a lot to orgasm: (3)
I rarely orgasm during oral sex: (3)

That's the verdict - what is it, what does it say, what has been proven - many questions unanswered. The sample size is small - we could probably get better results if the same questions were asked to several hundred men.

The Glaring Verdict of my survey on oral sex?

As far as Oral Sex is concerned the facts of the survey cannot be denied - 32% of the men surveyed do not care between r swallowing or otherwise. Of the 68% who prefer swallowing, a large percentage prefer swallowing over spitting. However, there are many who get turned off when a woman swallows. It all gets down(pun not intended) to personal choices and preferences.

Therefore, regarding inserting my opinion about the results, rather than putting my _____ in my own mouth, or putting my head(pun not intended) to it, it would be best to let you decide. The responses are all in front of you, and I want to leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions. Please bear in mind that this is a sample of 50 heterosexual men and the results could be better with a larger sample. And for those who wish to contribute to this debate - please be my guest and post your opinion on the Message Box.