Q: What’s the average duration of sex?
A: This is a great question but one that’s hard to answer. Often this question focuses only on the length of time vaginal intercourse takes (from when the penis is inserted into the vagina until the male ejaculates). [Notice how that definition is both heterosexist and sexist. It doesn’t include gay and lesbian couples and the “end-point” is measured only by the male ejaculating; it says nothing about whether the woman has achieved orgasm or not. Here’s a great example of the baseball model at work!]
According to the University of Arizona, some research cites a length of time from penile penetration to ejaculation to be between 3 and 10 minutes, other studies report anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, and then there are those studies that claim the time frame is much less, at around 2 minutes. In a global study done by the Durex Condom Company in 2004, Americans claimed to spend 19.7 minutes on foreplay prior to sex.
If we’re using the pizza model instead of the baseball model, this question becomes unimportant. Sexual activity should last until both partners feel satisfied. Each act of sexual activity wouldn’t be compared to the next or the last one. Why worry about how long or short the activity is if both people feel satisfied at the end of it? Remember, it’s not a competition.