This is just one part of our Anal Sex Advice & Guide to the Anal Only Lifestyle section. Be sure to read the rest as well to get answers to our most frequently asked questions! New! This guide is also now available as a Kindle ebook!

While anal sex has been growing in popularity globally in recent years, the anal only lifestyle still remains relatively unknown to most, and so a common question people have when encountering this site or anything talking about it is… “what is the anal only lifestyle, exactly?” This page will attempt to outline exactly what it is and is not, and answer those questions for you.

The fundamentals of the Anal Only Lifestyle

Despite the fairly straightforward-sounding name, there can be some nuance to the anal only lifestyle, and this can lead to some confusion.

In its most fundamental form, going anal only (AO) means that you are replacing all vaginal sex with anal sex instead and no longer taking part in vaginal intercourse.

It does not restrict oral sex, though there are some who choose to do so.

It does not restrict clitoral stimulation, though there are some who choose to do so for the various benefits that can come from it.

It doesn’t even necessarily eliminate all vaginal penetration, though most choose to do so. There are some, however, who only have anal sex with their partner but will still use a dildo vaginally during sex if they feel the need.

It’s highly personal and variable, with the only real restriction being on vaginal intercourse. Beyond that, you can customize it to your own needs and desires.

What the Anal Only Lifestyle is not

It doesn’t include vaginal sex. You can certainly enjoy vaginal sex and anal sex both, but that isn’t anal only. Some people consider themselves anal mostly, in that they primarily have anal sex but intermittently or on rare occasions have vaginal sex. And some are curious about the idea or find it appealing and have a goal of being anal only in the future, but aren’t currently.

It’s not about degradation, humiliation or control of women, though people who enjoy taking part in consensual D/s or BDSM relationships can utilize anal only as part of that dynamic. The majority of people simply do it because they enjoy or prefer anal sex, or like the benefits of going anal only.

It’s not painful or unhealthy. With proper anal training and warmup, and appropriate technique, anal sex should never hurt, and won’t cause injury or any long-term health issues, even when having it exclusively as a replacement for vaginal sex.

It’s not a restriction on having children. Rather than being a complete and total rejection of the vagina for all purposes, the anal only lifestyle is more of a recognition that the vagina is optimized for reproduction while the anus is optimized for pleasure and intimacy. Vaginal sex for the purpose of getting pregnant is fully consistent with the anal only lifestyle, and engaging in it to have children is still entirely possible while otherwise being anal only. There are some who are committed enough to being anal only that they want to avoid having vaginal sex entirely even when getting pregnant, and so utilize in-vitro fertilization, or experiment with other techniques such as holding open the vagina and ejaculating inside it, or even having anal sex like normal and letting their semen run out and into their partner’s vagina afterwards. These are not necessary to be anal only, but may be options for those who find vaginal sex even for reproductive purposes to be unappealing.

It’s not limited to just heterosexual women or couples. While the majority of this blog leans that way because society leans so heavily towards women in heterosexual relationships being primarily vaginal-centric, and because it can be seen as a bigger choice to give up vaginal in favor of anal, and because there is still so much taboo and myth surrounding women enjoying anal, the lifestyle and community is open and welcome to any and all people who prefer anal or want to embrace the anal only lifestyle. Lesbians can and do go anal only as well, and some gay and straight men as well as trans women can appreciate being bottoms only who never use their penises sexually and only engage in receptive anal sex.

Have a suggestion for an additional topic you’d like to see covered here, or a missing or incorrect detail that you’ve found or have concerns about in one of the guides? Please let us know and we’ll do our best to continue improving these guides over time!