5 Crazy Sex Myths You Learned in High School

Flickr/quinn.anya

Once upon a time, I taught sex ed to high schoolers. Not to brag or anything, but I could roll a condom onto a banana in front of a classroom of 15-year-olds and maintain my composure. No big deal.

What I had a harder time maintaining composure about, though, were the egregiously misguided myths about sex that so many teens still harbored. And as it turns out, a lot of these myths are widespread.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the top five falsehoods about sex that our nation's future believes to be true:

Flickr user Diamond Fresh/CC 2.0

Sometimes, less is more.

1. Two condoms are better than one. That seems like it should make sense, because, you know, double the protection, and all. But guess what happens when rubber meets rubber meets friction? Breakage.

And guess what happens with breakage? Spillage. Of sperm. Into vaginas, anuses and mouths, thereby increasing the risk for STDs and pregnancy.

Flickr/chidorian

Don't be afraid.

2. Too much masturbation will damage your sexual organs. This is basically the modern-day version of "jerking off will grow hair on your palms." Teens might be extra likely to believe it because no one is telling them about how masturbation is actually healthy and normal.

But "genitals are meant to have a lot of stimulation," says Catherine Toyooka, sex educator and founder of Catherine Coaches. "Unless you are using sex toys in a way that is not recommended, like putting a vibrating bullet up your butt, you are not going to do damage."