Pegging
Executive summary
Pegging is commonly defined as a person using a strap‑on to anally penetrate another person, originally coined to describe a cis woman penetrating a cis man, but now used more broadly across genders and sexualities [1] [2]. The term was popularized by Dan Savage in 2001 and has since migrated from niche pornographic and subcultural spaces into mainstream media, sex education, and cultural debate, generating both interest and critique from queer and trans commentators [1] [3] [4].
1. What pegging means and how usage has shifted
At its simplest, pegging refers to donning a strap‑on dildo to penetrate a partner’s anus; the classic image is a cis woman penetrating a cis man, but contemporary writers and educators emphasize that the practice can involve people of any gender or orientation and sometimes prefers the broader label “strap‑on sex” for inclusivity [1] [2] [5]. Sex writers note that language has evolved: some queer people reject “pegging” as heteronormative and prefer neutral terms like “strap‑on” or the familiar top/bottom vocabulary, reflecting a shift in both practice and discourse [1] [4].
2. Origins: a coined word with older roots
The modern slang “pegging” was coined in 2001 after a contest in Dan Savage’s Savage Love column, but the practice of using strap‑ons is far older—scholars and cultural historians trace strap‑on devices and anal penetration practices to ancient Japan, medieval China, Pompeii frescoes, and early modern erotic literature, showing continuity long before the late‑20th century term emerged [1] [6] [3].
3. Why people are curious or converted: psychology and physiology
A mix of psychological and physiological explanations drives interest in pegging: some men report erotic pleasure from prostate stimulation while others cite the psychological thrill of role reversal or submission, and many partners enjoy the intimacy and communication required to try something new safely [1] [5]. Sex therapists and journalists alike point out that for many the appeal is as much about power dynamics and novelty as about purely physical sensation [1] [3].
4. Safety, technique and sex‑positive guidance
Practitioners and educators stress common‑sense safety: use of ample lubricant, slow, communicative progression, proper harness and toy hygiene, and explicit consent and boundaries are central to avoiding pain or injury—anal sex, pegging included, can be pleasurable but requires care and information to be safe [2] [5]. Reliable statistics on how many people have tried pegging remain limited, so much of the guidance comes from sex educators and industry reporting rather than large‑scale epidemiology [7].
5. Cultural visibility, mainstreaming and backlash
Pegging’s visibility rose through mainstream media moments—from TV and film references to spikes in online searches tied to celebrity gossip—helping normalize discussion but also prompting critique about fetishization and appropriation of queer sexual practices [3] [8] [4]. Critics point out that the term’s origin and mainstream uptake can obscure trans and queer histories and that marketing or pop‑culture riffs sometimes commodify or misrepresent community experiences [4].
6. Terminology, inclusivity, and ongoing debates
Language matters: while many accept pegging as a handy shorthand, a persistent critique says the word centers cis heterosexual frames and can erase the variety of strap‑on practices across genders; thus sex educators and queer writers encourage precise, inclusive language and listening to marginalized voices when discussing the practice [4] [1]. Historical etymology and authoritative dictionaries document multiple senses of “peg/pegging,” underscoring how usage shifts over time and across communities [6] [9].