What is pegging
Executive summary
Pegging is a sexual practice in which one partner penetrates another partner’s anus with a strap-on dildo, most classically described as a woman anally penetrating a cis man with a harnessed toy [1] [2] [3]. The act has become more visible in recent decades, is discussed both as physical prostate stimulation and as a way to subvert traditional gender and sexual scripts, and carries both practical safety considerations and cultural debates about language and power [2] [4] [5] [6].
1. What pegging physically is
At its simplest, pegging denotes anal penetration performed with a strap-on dildo or harness rather than a penis: the person wearing the strap-on is the penetrator and the person receiving the penetration is the partner being penetrated [1] [2]. While the “classic” social image frames it as a cis woman penetrating a cis man, many sources emphasize that pegging can involve people of any gender or sexual orientation so long as the act involves a strap-on and anal penetration [6] [7].
2. Origins of the word and its rise into mainstream conversation
The specific term “pegging” was popularized around 2001 through a naming contest run by Dan Savage’s Savage Love column after there was perceived to be no common name for the act, and since then the term has spread into media and mainstream sex coverage [6] [3]. Visibility in pop culture and online sex education in the 21st century has raised public awareness and prompted articles and guides explaining technique, safety and emotional dynamics [2] [3].
3. Pleasure, safety and practical guidance
Sex educators and health outlets note pegging can produce pleasure for receivers partly because anal penetration can stimulate the prostate — often described as a male G-spot — and for the strap-on wearer through power dynamics or erotic role reversal [2] [4]. Practically, experts recommend communication, going slowly, using plenty of lubricant, considering hygiene like optional enemas, and being mindful of STI risk and condom use when appropriate; many guides also advise anal training with smaller toys if the act is new to participants [2] [4].
4. Cultural meanings, gender and power dynamics
Discussion of pegging frequently centers on what the act symbolizes: for some it’s a way to subvert heteronormative sexual roles and explore dominance and submission, while critics caution that the language and framing can reinforce binary ideas about masculinity and femininity [6] [5]. Commentators and sex writers note pegging’s ability to expose straight cis men to vulnerability traditionally associated with receptive partners, and some queer communities prefer terms like “strap-on sex” to avoid cis-heteronormative implications of “pegging” [5] [6].
5. How reporting frames pegging and where coverage can be limited
Mainstream reporting tends to oscillate between practical “how-to” guides and cultural takes that read pegging as symbolic of feminist or queer politics; outlets like Business Insider and Healthline emphasize mechanics and safety, while cultural pieces interrogate masculinity and language [2] [4] [5]. Sources used here focus on definitions, safety guidance and cultural analysis, but they do not comprehensively represent every community’s vocabulary or every medical nuance; when a claim falls outside those sources, this reporting has not asserted it.