{"id":36634,"date":"2021-08-19T13:00:54","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T11:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/?p=36634"},"modified":"2025-09-14T22:12:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T20:12:53","slug":"what-is-outercourse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/what-is-outercourse\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Outercourse?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re reading this, chances are you\u2019re more than familiar with the term \u201cintercourse\u201d. Maybe it even gives you cringey flashbacks to conversations with your parents, healthcare provider, or sex-ed teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

Based on this, you can probably guess what \u201coutercourse\u201d means. Typically, outercourse refers to sexual activities that exclude penis in vagina penetration.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is no one set definition for outercourse. Some people include oral<\/a> and anal sex<\/a> in that, while others don\u2019t. For some, outercourse excludes any sort of vaginal penetration, including fingering<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To some, outcourse means sexual activities that pose no risk of pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The term is fairly common in the abstinence community, although the two aren\u2019t necessarily interchangeable. Abstinence can mean no sexual activity or certain sexual acts without penetration, this is where outercourse and abstinence overlap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you got the low down on the pretty broad definition of what outercourse is, let\u2019s see why someone might be interested in it, and some fun outcourse activities to add to your to-do list.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are the Benefits of Outercourse?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re into whatever outercourse activities you\u2019re doing, and who you\u2019re doing them with, one of the biggest benefits of outercourse is pleasure. We all love to feel good, and if outcourse helps you do that, then that\u2019s reason enough to do it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Outercourse also limits or completely eliminates the risk of pregnancy, depending on what you\u2019re doing. Although there\u2019s a really low chance, there is still the possibility of pregnancy if semen happens to be near your vaginal opening.<\/span><\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t stop there. There are endless reasons why someone might want to enjoy sexual activities that don\u2019t include penetration.<\/span><\/p>\n

It Helps with Gender Inclusivity<\/h3>\n

Inclusive can mean a lot of different things, but broadening our ideas of and conversations around sexual activity helps to include more people in the conversation that may previously have been left out or disregarded.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inclusivity can refer to gender, where outercourse helps to include sexual partners where both people have a vagina.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Outercourse can help break heteronormativity in the bedroom. Heteronormative sex is thought to follow a linear timeline of kissing, maybe some foreplay, penis and vagina penetration, and possibly cuddling afterward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Normalizing outercourse activities as being the \u201cmain events\u201d helps to expand people\u2019s ideas of what their sex lives can look like, and where they can get pleasure from. Having said that, it\u2019s also important to note that not all couples who have a penis and vagina are heterosexual.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It Creates Disability Inclusivity<\/h3>\n

Inclusivity can also include people with disabilities<\/a>, whether or not they\u2019re visible, which may affect their ability to have penetrative sex.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This can expand to people who have reproductive health disorders that affect their ability to have penetrative sex. Health issues like ovarian cysts, vaginismus<\/a>, endometriosis, and pelvic floor disorders and can all make penetrative sex not pleasurable, painful, or not possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder<\/span>, whether or not it\u2019s from sexual trauma can prevent someone from wanting to have penetrative sex. Outercourse offers more possibilities for intimacy that are within their comfort zone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This also creates opportunities for people who have experienced trauma to have discussions around their sexual and intimate boundaries<\/a>, and how to navigate them in an enjoyable and pleasurable way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s More Enjoyable<\/h3>\n

Even if there are no definable medical conditions or other reasons, someone just might not want to penetrate someone or be penetrated. They don\u2019t need to have further explanation than that if they don\u2019t want to explore their reasoning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Outercourse is an awesome option for people who fall into this category. Everyone deserves access to pleasure that\u2019s enjoyable for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

It Helps You Get Creative<\/h3>\n

Outercourse can help you expand your idea of what you include in your sex life. It allows you to focus on what gives you pleasure outside of penetrative sex.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Flexing your creative muscle sexually creates more opportunities for exploration and experiencing new sensations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can You Get STIs From Outercourse?<\/h2>\n

Although you may be protected from pregnancy, there is still a risk of giving or contracting a <\/span>sexually transmitted infection<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If your outercourse includes exchanging bodily fluids or skin-to-skin contact, this can still transmit STI\u2019s like herpes and chlamydia, which is why it\u2019s important to get tested regularly and use protection like condoms and dental dams when necessary.<\/p>\n

Ways to Get Your Outercourse On<\/h2>\n

Now that you\u2019ve got a general idea of what outercourse means, let\u2019s take a look at what it might include.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, these are just general ideas that may or may not fit into an individual\u2019s definition of outercourse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n