While everyone knows May for the Met Gala, Star Wars Day on May 4, and Memorial Day, we imagine far fewer of you refer to it as 'Masturbation May'.
We're sure you'll have heard of 'No Nut November', but going in the opposite direction, Masturbation May pretty much does what it says on the tin.
Even though many medical professionals in the 18th and 19th centuries referred to masturbation as a 'mental illness' or self-abuse, attitudes toward sex have evolved since then.
Sex is discussed a lot more in everyday society, but with it, we've seen various governments come down hard on the porn industry with a clampdown on age verification.
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Sites like Pornhub have clapped back at these new rules, and while there's a supposed mission to protect young viewers from seeing extreme content online, others argue that they're just being forced to get it from unregulated corners of the internet.
Ethical porn site Ersties tries things a different way, branding itself as an "independent adult entertainment platform, created by women, and focused on female pleasure."
Diving between the sheets, So Divine and Ersties are pushing the idea of Masturbation May by revealing how different generations view self-pleasure.
Although attitudes are said to be changing, there's still a stigma attached to discussing masturbation, which is only being amplified by manosphere discussions and those who are promoting abstinence as a supposed way to boost testosterone in young males.
Still, one survey conducted by the brands revealed that 55% of respondents admitted to masturbating at least once a day, with some getting some 'alone time' more than that.
With another 30% claiming they masturbate several times a week, it means 85% of those questioned engage at least once a week. As Ersties states, this makes it a routine part of our modern lives instead of just an occasional act.
Cat, Head of Creative, Community and Education at Ersties, reminds us that masturbation is perfectly normal adding: "We talk about sex…but not what we actually do.
"We’ve reached a point where people are far more open to talking about sex with their friends and partners, but conversations still tend to stop short of masturbation and porn.
“These are incredibly common, everyday experiences, yet they remain some of the most private. That gap is exactly what we want to challenge."
It's said that Gen Z is at the forefront of normalizing masturbation, making up the highest proportion of those who reported daily or multiple times a day masturbation. Still, 57.5% of all asked confessed they rarely or never talk about masturbation, while 62% are uncomfortable discussing their porn habits. That's despite 85% saying they feel personally comfortable with consuming X-rated materials.
Interestingly, the younger generation is increasingly linking masturbation to well-being and self-care.
Rubbing one out is rated as important to the overall mental and physical well-being for 60% of those asked, being considered stress relief for 38% of them, and 32% even using it as a sleep support.
Despite progress being made, Melissa Quick, Brand Manager at So Divine, thinks there's still work to be done: "For too long, masturbation has been treated as something private in a way that also makes it shameful or taboo. But the reality is it’s a completely normal part of many people’s lives and wellbeing.
"If we can talk openly about stress, sleep, and sexual health, we should be able to talk openly about self-pleasure too without embarrassment."