Threesome

{{short description|Sexual activity that involves three people at the same time}} {{About|sexual activities involving three people}} {{Redirect|Three-way|other uses|3-way (disambiguation)}} {{pp-pc}} {{Multiple image|total_width = 600}} thumb|Threesome involving two men and a woman

In human sexuality, a '''threesome''' is "a sexual interaction between three people whereby at least one engages in physical sexual behaviour with both the other individuals".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Scoats|first=Ryan |title=UNDERSTANDING THREESOMES: gender, sex, and consensual non-monogamy |date=2019|publisher=ROUTLEDGE|isbn=978-0-429-84237-5 |oclc=1110711748}}</ref> While the term ''threesome'' typically refers to sexual activity involving three participants,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Thompson|first1=Ashley E.|last2=Byers|first2=E. Sandra|date=April 2017|title=Heterosexual Young Adults' Interest, Attitudes, and Experiences Related to Mixed-Gender, Multi-Person Sex|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10508-016-0699-1|journal=Archives of Sexual Behavior|language=en|volume=46|issue=3|pages=813–822|doi=10.1007/s10508-016-0699-1|pmid=26943139|s2cid=39487837|issn=0004-0002|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Scoats|first1=Ryan|last2=Joseph|first2=Lauren J|last3=Anderson|first3=Eric|date=February 2018|title='I don't mind watching him cum': Heterosexual men, threesomes, and the erosion of the one-time rule of homosexuality|journal=Sexualities|language=en|volume=21|issue=1–2|pages=30–48|doi=10.1177/1363460716678562|s2cid=151580022|issn=1363-4607|doi-access=free}}</ref> it has at times been used to refer to a long-term domestic relationship, such as polyamory or a ménage à trois.<ref name="Frayser">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZArPH0nFGo0C&q=f%3Dfalse&pg=PA340|title=Studies in Human Sexuality: A Selected Guide|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|year=1995|isbn=1-56308-131-8|pages=340–341|access-date=2013-10-03 |first1=Suzanne G. |last1=Frayser |first2=Thomas J. |last2=Whitby}}</ref>

A threesome is a form of group sex that typically occurs in private settings, such as spontaneous sexual activity among three friends or in the context of casual sex or a hook up. A threesome may occur in specific contexts or environments that allow for sex, such as swingers events, orgies, or sex parties.{{fact|date=January 2024}} Threesomes are a common element of sexual fantasy,<ref>{{Cite book|last=LEHMILLER|first=JUSTIN J.|title=TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life |date=2018|publisher=ROBINSON|isbn=978-1-4721-4223-8|oclc=1013584575}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Jonason|first1=Peter K.|last2=Marks|first2=Michael J.|date=March 2009|title=Common vs. Uncommon Sexual Acts: Evidence for the Sexual Double Standard|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11199-008-9542-z|journal=Sex Roles|language=en|volume=60|issue=5–6|pages=357–365|doi=10.1007/s11199-008-9542-z|s2cid=53548047|issn=0360-0025|url-access=subscription}}</ref> and are widely depicted in pornography.

== Types == The people in a threesome may be of any gender and sexual orientation. Each participant may engage in any type of sex act with one or both of the others, such as vaginal, anal, oral, or manual sex. One or more of the participants may engage in autoerotic sexual activity, such as masturbation, possibly without physical contact with the other participants. It is a matter of subjective definition whether participation of a third person without physical contact constitutes a threesome and this sort of sexual activity might instead be interpreted as voyeurism or cuckolding or cuckqueaning. Troilism is a term that encompasses both threesomes and cuckoldry, although its usage across literature is inconsistent.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ley|first=David J.|title=Insatiable wives: women who stray and the men who love them|date=2009|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-4422-0030-2|location=Lanham, Md.|oclc=373474387}}</ref>

Threesomes are sometimes described using shorthand to refer to who was involved in the threesome e.g. MMF (male, male, female); FFM (female, female, male); MMM (male, male, male); FFF (female, female, female).<ref name=":0" />

''Sandwich'' is slang for a person performing both receptive and insertive anal and/or vaginal sex simultaneously during a threesome, being positioned between the two partners.

== Academic research == The first major academic work to address threesomes specifically was published in 1988, called: ''Threesomes: Studies in Sex, Power, and Intimacy''<ref>{{Cite book|last=Karlen|first=Arno |title=Threesomes: studies in sex, power, and intimacy|date=1988|publisher=Beech Tree Books |isbn=0-688-06536-8|location=New York|oclc=17104896}}</ref> by Arno Karlen. In the work, drawing mainly from interview data, Karlen outlined how threesomes were often viewed as qualitatively different to other forms of group sex. Other notable findings include that threesomes were often viewed by women as a safe way to explore their sexuality; they often consisted of a couple joined by a third person; and that the third person was not necessarily viewed or treated equally. Karlen also suggested that the societal view of threesomes cast those who engaged in them as radically different to other members of society:

<blockquote>There is a common tendency to think of people who have been in threesomes as alien beings. Like swingers, homosexuals and others who deviate from basic sexual norms, they seem to many to have entered another social, psychological, and moral sphere.</blockquote>

Research exploring rates of threesome engagement suggest that men have both higher levels of interest and participation in threesomes.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Thompson|first1=Ashley E.|last2=Cipriano|first2=Allison E.|last3=Kirkeby|first3=Kimberley M.|last4=Wilder|first4=Delaney|last5=Lehmiller|first5=Justin J.|date=2020-11-11|title=Exploring Variations in North American Adults' Attitudes, Interest, Experience, and Outcomes Related to Mixed-Gender Threesomes: A Replication and Extension|journal=Archives of Sexual Behavior|volume=50|issue=4|pages=1433–1448|language=en|doi=10.1007/s10508-020-01829-1|pmid=33175272|s2cid=226302189|issn=1573-2800}}</ref> One study soliciting responses to a sex survey via a British newspaper in 1987 found that 34% of 1,862 men, and 15% of 2,905 women had experience of a threesome.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1987-01-01|title=Male-female differences in sexual activity, enjoyment and fantasies|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0191886987900195|journal=Personality and Individual Differences|language=en|volume=8|issue=1|pages=125–127|doi=10.1016/0191-8869(87)90019-5|issn=0191-8869|last1=Wilson|first1=Glenn D.|url-access=subscription}}</ref> From a nationally representative sample in the US in 2017, 34.1% of men and 11.1% of women found a threesome to be at least somewhat appealing and 18% of men and 10% of women had engaged in one.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Herbenick|first1=Debby|last2=Bowling|first2=Jessamyn|last3=Fu|first3=Tsung-Chieh (Jane)|last4=Dodge|first4=Brian|last5=Guerra-Reyes|first5=Lucia|last6=Sanders|first6=Stephanie|date=2017-07-20|title=Sexual diversity in the United States: Results from a nationally representative probability sample of adult women and men|journal=PLOS ONE|language=en|volume=12|issue=7|article-number=e0181198|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0181198|issn=1932-6203|pmc=5519052|pmid=28727762|bibcode=2017PLoSO..1281198H|doi-access=free}}</ref>

== In art == Threesomes in various positions depicted in art:

<gallery class="center" mode="packed" heights="180"> File:Kylix - ceramic - 1.jpg|Three young men in an unusual position (Greek) File:A man enjoying an erotic dalliance with two boys, seated on Wellcome V0047309.jpg|A man and two male youths (Chinese) File:Miyagawa Chosun - Nanshoku 05.jpg|A man and two male youths (Japanese) File:KamaSutra37.jpg|Threesome involving double penetration File:KamaSutra43.jpg|Threesome involving two women and a man File:Peter Fendi - Der Gemeinsame Freund (1910).jpg|"''Der Gemeinsame Freund''" ("''The Mutual Friend''") attributed to Peter Fendi File:Wiki-gangbang.png|Seedfeeder's illustration of a threesome involving two men and a woman File:Wiki-FMF-threesome.png|Seedfeeder's illustration of a threesome involving two women and a man </gallery>

==In popular culture== Threesome scenes are featured in various films and TV series, including ''Summer Lovers'' (1982), ''Threesome'' (1994), ''Wild Things'' (1998), ''American Psycho'' (2000),<ref>{{cite video |title=American Psycho threesome scene|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWNHfw9W5aQ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822033959/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWNHfw9W5aQ| archive-date=2013-08-22 |access-date=2015-10-24}}</ref> ''Zoolander'' (2001), ''Y Tu Mamá También'' (2001), ''Ken Park'' (2002), ''The Dreamers'' (2003), ''Kiss Me Again'' (2006), ''Shortbus'' (2006), ''Vicky Cristina Barcelona'' (2008), ''Shame'' (2011), ''21 Jump Street'' (2012), ''On the Road'' (2012), ''Savages'' (2012), ''Spring Breakers'' (2012), ''Knock Knock'' (2015), ''Love'' (2015).<ref name="10 Most Memorable">{{cite web |last1=Hoarde |first1=Peter |title=The 10 Most Memorable Threesome Scenes in Movies |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/12/the-10-most-memorable-threesome-scenes-in-movies/ |website=Complex.com |access-date=29 September 2018}}</ref> ''Basic Instinct 2'' (2006) was originally intended to include a threesome scene, but this was cut out.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Stone's lesbian scene cut from Basic Instinct 2 |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30251738.html |website=Irishexaminer.com |date= 30 March 2006|access-date=20 October 2025}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist|1}}

== Bibliography == {{refbegin}} * {{cite web |last1=Benoit |first1=Sophia |title=How to Have a Successful Threesome, According to People Who Have a Lot of Them |url=https://www.gq.com/story/it-takes-three-to-make-a-thing-go-right |website=GQ |access-date=2023-04-25 |date=2019-07-24}} * {{cite news |last1=Druckerman |first1=Pamela |author1-link=Pamela Druckerman |title='It was hard to keep track of who was at which stage': what I learned from a threesome |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/23/what-i-learned-from-a-threesome-pamela-druckerman |access-date=2023-04-25 |work=The Guardian |date=2023-04-23}} * {{cite web |last1=Hsieh |first1=Carina |title=What It's Really Like to Have a Threesome |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a50969/what-its-really-like-to-have-a-threesome/ |website=Cosmopolitan |access-date=2023-04-25 |date=2020-10-08}} * {{cite news |last1=Hunt |first1=Elle |title=The psychology of the threesome: everyone wants one, but who's truly ready for it? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/feb/11/threesomes-men-women-sex-psychology |access-date=2023-04-25 |work=The Guardian |date=2020-02-11}} {{refend}}

== External links == {{Wiktionary}} {{commons category-inline|Threesome}}

Category:3 (number) Category:Group sex Category:Sex positions Category:Pornography terminology Category:Trios