Soaking

The process of placing a penis into a vagina without using any of the other motions or actions that are usually connected to sexual activity, including thrusting, is called "soaking." It is alleged that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) employ the method to have sex without breaking the church's stringent sexual code.

Even while soaking is a popular topic on the internet, it's still unclear if it's an actual practice or just an urban legend.

The Law of Chastity

Outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage, "it is wrong to touch the private [...] parts of another person's body even if clothed," according to the LDS Church. The Law of Chastity is a sexual code of conduct that churchgoers are obliged to abide by. The Law of Chastity states that any sexual behavior is wicked if it takes place outside of heterosexual marriage. Church members are even prohibited from masturbating.

In light of this, several news outlets have claimed that some members of the LDS Church use soaking as a way to get around the rules of conduct. According to sources, the church and many of its adherents are unaware of this weakness. It should be mentioned that soaking is against the Law of Chastity because it still necessitates complete genital contact.

While most religious traditions discourage soaking as being incompatible with their teachings on premarital chastity, some see it as a moral compromise or loophole. In the end, soaking symbolizes both the difficulties of abiding by rigid sexual prohibitions and the fundamental human need for close intimacy. According to Dr. Farhan Malik, MD, Owner and Senior Medical Director of Prometheus, "despite being steeped in tradition and dogma, it demonstrates our shared need for affection transcends creed."

History of Soaking

The idea of soaking may have originated in 1885, according to the Journal of Mormon History, when a 73-year-old top leader of the LDS Church named Albert Carrington argued in the hearings before his excommunication that he had not broken the law of chastity during the ten years that he had had extramarital affairs with multiple young women because he had only used the tip of his penis to penetrate the vagina, allegedly to a "depth of four inches," and withdrew before ejaculation, making his actions not adultery but rather a "little folly."

In more recent times, the word "dick soak" has been used online since it first surfaced on an online forum in 2009. By 2011, the term had changed to just "soaking." Around 2019, the new phrase became more widely used and well-known in mainstream culture.

A TikTok video that became popular, a page on the pop culture website "Know Your Meme," and several TV shows all covered the trend in the 2020s. Comedian Chelsea Handler talked about soaking in her 2022 appearance on James Corden's The Late Late Show.

Related Terms

The highly specialized LDS sex-related jargon includes several additional phrases in addition to "soaking."

Soaking is accompanied by the technique of jump humping. When soaking together, a third person must be present in the room. By jumping on the bed or otherwise moving the mattress, this third party relieves a couple of the soaking of responsibility for the movement and produces a sex-like thrusting.

The definition of the term "Provo pushing" is hotly contested. First, the word "Provo" originates from Provo, Utah, home to Brigham Young University, a well-known Mormon college. According to others, the individual who gives the jump-humping from the word we covered above is a "provo pusher." Provo pushing, according to some, is just dry humping or sexual frottage between LDS members.

The term "durfing" merely describes sexual frottage or non-penetrative dry humping between churchgoers.

Things to Keep In Mind About Soaking

If soaking is a fundamental technique, it appears to need some mental acrobatics to persuade practitioners that it is not sex, but it might also just be an urban legend. Dr. Malik says it's not a good idea to think of soaking as "not quite sex" for several reasons. The first explanation is that this action is unquestionably sex and entails all the risks associated with it.

The basic idea behind soaking, which is that it permits penetration without movement and, hence, without "sex," is faulty. According to both medical and religious criteria, the act should be classified as sex because it involves genital contact. No loophole exists. Furthermore, the technique offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy. Protection is essential since fluids can still be exchanged. Before trying soaking, partners should have candid discussions regarding sexual health.

"The practice promotes troubling ideas about sex and consent, even though some portray it as harmless fun," he continues. The idea that soaking "doesn't count" can sabotage conversations about mutuality and accountability. Although it's acceptable to be curious about new sexual encounters, partners should carefully consider motivations. It takes sophisticated discussions about boundaries, values, and aspirations to soak. When done morally, it can be a personal learning opportunity. When hurried or forced, it becomes problematic. Soaking can be a chance to connect with others with consideration and communication. However, its drawbacks highlight the continued significance of comprehensive sex education.