The Real Reason People Love This Sex Position

We've all heard the many stigmas about having sex in the missionary position: It's boring, unoriginal, lame...the list goes on. While it's true that there are many other amazing sex positions to try out, there's no reason for missionary to get a bad rap. Whether you're an expert or a beginner, having sex in missionary can be an erotic, thrilling, and fun experience, and it truly never loses its appeal, no matter how old you get or how often you do it.

There are so many things to love about missionary — the intimacy, the lack of physical exertion it requires, the fact that you can kiss your partner during — it's no wonder it's a tried-and-true classic. Sure, it's technically an 'easy' position, but that doesn't make it any less fun. No matter what the haters say, there's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying sex in the missionary position, and it doesn't mean you're necessarily 'vanilla' or boring. As with any position, there are ways to put a new spin on this classic position, and of course, loving missionary doesn't mean you can't also love positions like doggy style or spooning. (Why pick just one favorite position when you can pick them all?!)

If you're still not convinced that missionary is worthy of your time between the sheets, read what these 16 people have to say about the many joys of missionary.

1. Amanda, 35

"I love the missionary position, because I like being able to look into my partner's eyes while we're having sex. I like to see his facial expressions, as well as being able to kiss him. Granted, I enjoy a lot of different sex positions, but missionary provides an intimacy that I really adore. I want us to see each other's face when we climax. I also like feeling the weight of his body on mine... it just feels amazing to me."

2. Rachel, 22

"It gives you the intimacy and closeness that some other positions don't. Having skin-to-skin contact that's face-to-face is another level of sexy and that's what I enjoy most about it."

3. Watson, 24

"It gets rid of a lot of [the] novelty of sex and is the real litmus test of an emotional connection, i.e. if you're there staring into your partner's eyes during and there's a problem or some sense of discomfort you'll definitely become aware of it. Likewise, if you lose yourself without any sense of self-consciousness or worry, it's a good signal that you're doing something right with your relationship, however brief or long the duration."

4. Taryn, 28

"I love having sex in missionary because I feel the closet to my partner that way. I can see their face, smell them perfectly, and I love when their head digs into my neck. Out of all the positions, this is my favorite if I'm wanting to make love. If I'm feeling particularly emotional or if I'm wanting to feel close to my partner, and also if I really want to be held, then I opt for missionary. In terms of pleasure and actually feeling his penis, then I would opt for any other position. I consider missionary innocent and sweet."

5. Jen, 27

"OK, so missionary might seem really boring, but I find it to be ideal for when you're feeling lazy AF. There's really no thinking involved for either party involved. You don't have to try to bend your body in ways it doesn't bend. Especially if you've been going at it for a while and you're both tired, missionary is the perfect way to finish the job. It's kind of like the cool down you do at the end of a long run. Easy, but important."

6. Bobby, 26

"Missionary is as boring as you make it. There are so many substitutions you can incorporate to change it up that to say this, the classic of sexual positions, is "boring" is a tragically uneducated statement."

7. Brad, 23

"It allows significantly more intimate exchanges between partners. You're able to see the expressions of the one you love. And a girl's facial features is always what I find most attractive."

8. Zoe, 28

"It's the best— a good starter position, plus it's really intimate and you can mix it up a lot."

9. Anna, 30

"OK, so people who look down on the missionary position must not like looking up at their partner. Jokes aside, I think the angle feels great, but I particularly like the closeness you feel when someone's on top of you. Plus you can do fun leg things. Right?"

10. Chloe, 22

"My favorite thing about missionary is the closeness it allows with my partner. I like when our chests are touching and that we have access to kiss one another. I feel the most intimate when I can pull my partner as close as possible and missionary allows me to do that."

11. M, 23

"You can easily kiss while you do it. It's a perfect warm up position for more wild things (for ladies, getting properly wet; for guys, getting properly hard). Looking at your partner's face as you make love is romantic :) I still love doggy, but it's nice to change it up."

12. Ronald, 21

"Call me a romantic but I am really into the idea of aggressively making out while I am being pounded. One of my favorite parts of sex is feeling the head of his penis enter me. I am very vocal and expressive in bed and I like the idea of my partner being able to read my pleasure via my face. Also eye contact. Who doesn't love eye contact? It just makes it so much more erotic and thereby so much more fun!!!!!!"

13. Kelly, 21

"As a heterosexual woman who usually likes things a lot kinkier, I just think it's super cute when guys are really, really into missionary. It just shows that they appreciate the simpler things in life."

14. Nick, 22

"Missionary is great because I get to face my partner, and see how his face reacts to my every thrust. So, if I'm doing something wrong, I can see him wince. And if I'm doing something right, I can read that on his face. (Doesn't hurt that I can make out with him while penetration is happening...)."

15. Francine, 24

"Sometimes it's nice to feel close and intimate (and less like an object someone's just fucking from behind). The eye contact is also pretty hot!"

16. Maxo, 22

"Mostly because I get to see her face, but also because it gives me easy access to grab or kiss (devour?) virtually anywhere from the boobs up. The control is nice too, especially in the beginning when you're trying not to blow your load 30 seconds in."

Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our video on sex positions for small penises:

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