What is the sexual practice known as pegging and how is it defined?
Executive summary
Pegging is a specific form of strap-on anal sex most commonly defined as a person wearing a strap‑on dildo to anally penetrate another person, historically described as a cis woman penetrating a cis man [1] [2]. Modern reporting and sex‑education guides stress that the core feature is anal penetration with a strap‑on and that participants can be of any gender or sexual orientation [3] [4].
1. What the word means and where it came from
The term "pegging" was popularized in the early 2000s but describes a much older sexual act: penetrative anal sex performed with a strap‑on dildo or harness [1]. Early and many mainstream definitions still frame it as a woman penetrating a man, which is why dictionaries and health pieces often open with that example [5] [2].
2. The technical, consensus definition
Across encyclopedia, health and sex‑advice sources the technical definition is consistent: pegging involves one partner using a strap‑on dildo to penetrate another partner’s anus. Authors and journalists emphasize the presence of a strap‑on as the defining element rather than the genders of those involved [4] [1].
3. Gender, language and evolving usage
Primary sources note a shift in how people use the word: while classic usage centers on a cis woman pegging a cis man, many writers and researchers now expand the term to include all gender pairings so long as a strap‑on anal penetration occurs [1] [2]. Sex therapists and mainstream outlets explicitly say couples of any genders and sexualities can practice pegging [3].
4. Why pegging attracts attention beyond mechanics
Commentators link pegging to questions about gender roles, power and masculinity: some view it as subverting traditional heteronormative roles by making a typically “active” position passive, and scholars have argued it can challenge rigid social norms around masculinity [1] [2]. Opinion pieces and sex educators highlight psychological and relational dynamics — vulnerability, dominance/submission and role reversal — as core elements of the act’s cultural meaning [1] [6].
5. Practical and pleasurable aspects reported
Health and lifestyle outlets point to physiological reasons some people enjoy pegging: prostate stimulation in people with prostates can intensify orgasm, and many sources describe pegging as a way to explore new sensations, power dynamics and intimacy [7] [8]. Guides stress communication, consent and preparation — from choosing the right strap‑on to hygiene and STI awareness — as essential [4] [6].
6. How different outlets frame it — note the disagreement
Encyclopedic entries and wiki mirrors emphasize the historical, gendered definition while also noting expanded modern usage [1] [2]. Consumer and health sites present pegging primarily as a sexual practice open to all genders and focus on technique, safety and pleasure [4] [3]. Definitions pages and social writeups often default to the cis woman/cis man example, reflecting lingering common usage [5] [9]. This mix shows both continuity and change in how the term is used.
7. What reporting doesn’t settle — limits of available sources
Available sources describe pegging’s definitions, cultural meanings and some safety/pleasure advice, but they do not provide comprehensive epidemiological data on how common it is, nor uniform clinical guidance beyond general STI and consent warnings; those specifics are "not found in current reporting" among the provided items [4] [6].
8. Bottom line for readers
Pegging is best understood as strap‑on anal penetration: the strap‑on is the technical core, and while many references point to a woman penetrating a man as the classic example, leading sex‑education and health reporting treat pegging as a practice available to people of any gender pairing, emphasizing consent, communication and safety [1] [3] [4].