Q: I’ve noticed on the internet, in both memes and what I assume to be serious conversations about the benefits of not masturbating (or at least not finishing) for guys. Is there any actual truth to this or is it all just jokes?
A: “No Fap”, “No Nut November”, and other anti-male masturbation movements are based on inaccurate information about masturbation and on attitudes that promote toxic masculine behaviors. Not only should we ignore those memes and messages, but we should call them out for what they are.
These anti-masturbation movements suggest that a “real man” or a “strong man” keeps tight control over his desires, and that fighting back the very natural urge to masturbate (or masturbate but not to orgasm and ejaculation) is like winning some battle. It isn’t. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with masturbating if a person wants to do that. It causes no physical, emotional, or social harm and can actually be very useful in helping a person learn about their body, relieve stress, and have fun.
The other thing to notice about the No Fap movements is that they are solely aimed at men. The fact that they have no interest in female masturbation (or assume that females don’t masturbate) shows their sexism. They don’t seem to care about women’s strength (because they often assume women don’t have strength).