Top, bottom and versatile

In human sexuality, top, bottom, and versatile are roles during sexual activity, especially between two men. A ''top'' is usually a person who penetrates, a ''bottom'' is usually one who receives penetration, and someone who is ''versatile'' engages in either or both roles. These terms may be elements of self-identity that indicate an individual's usual preference and habits, but might also describe broader sexual identities and social roles.

''Top'' is known formally as insertive sex role, and ''bottom'' is known formally as receptive sex role.

The terms ''top'' and ''bottom'' do not refer to the literal physical position during sex.

For men who have sex with men and do not engage in anal sex, the term "side" has been proposed and has seen commercial use.

Top

A top is usually a person who engages in the penetrative role during sexual activity; for men who have sex with men (MSMs), this often involves penetration using the penis during anal or oral sex. ''Top'' is also used as a verb meaning "to penetrate another". ''Top'' may also describe a broader personal identity involving dominance in a romantic or sexual relationship; however, this stipulation is not a requisite element of being a top.

Several related terms exist. With regard to gay male sexuality, a ' is one who assumes an exclusively penetrative role for sex. A ' is one noted for their great skill or aggressiveness in topping. A ' is "one who tops under the direction of an eager bottom". A ' is one who prefers to top but who bottoms occasionally. The terms ' or ' are synonyms of ''top'', created to describe the act of penetrating without implying non-egalitarian relations among participants.

Trevor Hart of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that self-identified tops were more likely to act as the penetrative partner in other sexual activities (besides anal intercourse), including oral sex and sex toy play.

Bottom

A bottom is usually the receptive partner during sexual penetration. This frequently refers to MSM who are penetrated via the anus during anal sex. ''Bottom'' is also used as a verb meaning "to be penetrated by another, whether anally or orally". ''Bottom'' may also describe a wider social context of submission within a romantic or sexual relationship, though this element does not apply to all people who prefer to bottom.

In gay male sexuality, a ''total bottom'' is someone who assumes an exclusively receptive role during anal or oral intercourse. A ' is someone who aggressively enjoys being the receptive partner. A ' is one who prefers to bottom but who tops occasionally. The terms ' or ' may be preferred by some. An ''oral bottom'' is the exclusively receptive partner in oral sex, providing the penetrative partner, or ''oral top'', with unreciprocated fellatio or irrumatio.

Versatile

''Versatile'', or ''vers'', refers to a person who enjoys both topping and bottoming and may alternate between the two in sexual situations. ''Flip-flop'' or ''flip fuck'' commonly describes switching from top to bottom during one sexual encounter between two men. Each participant penetrates the other and is penetrated in his turn.

Versatility is a concept of lifestyle. ''Versatility'', though, is not limited to the simple acts of anal, oral, or vaginal penetration, but also includes the splitting of duties and responsibilities in the relationship.

According to some, living a ''versatile lifestyle'' implies a certain openness to new things and an opposition to labels, stereotypes and generalizations. Therefore, this concept differs from heterosexual relationships where sexual compatibility does not begin with guessing who will end up as top or bottom.
In self descriptions of men seeking sex with other men, they may refer to themselves as a versatile tops or versatile bottoms in addition to using other terms.

A 2009 Austrian study on gay pornography has shown that at least 82.4% of all men performing in the male porn industry are versatile at some point during their career. In this study, the performances of 5,556 actors were considered. 10.8% performed only in the top role, 6.8% only as bottoms. The study also found that the actor with the larger penis was more likely to act as the top.

Side

The term ''side'' has been proposed by ''The Huffington Post'' contributor Joe Kort for gay men who are not interested in anal sex.

In May 2022, Grindr added Side as a position option as opposed to Top, Bottom, or Versatile.

Prevalence

A tally of 55,464 profiles on gay.com from the United States showed that 26.46% preferred top, while 31.92% preferred bottom, and the largest group (41.62%) preferred versatile. The preferences seemed to vary by state, however. In Wyoming, for example, 16% preferred top, 44% preferred bottom, and 40% preferred versatile. In West Virginia, tops outnumbered bottoms by a slim margin (32% top, 29% bottom, and 39% versatile). In Oregon, "versatile" profiles made up nearly half (48.42%).

A study of men who have sex with men found only 37.2% of participants had engaged in anal sex, while 72.7% had participated in oral sex and 68.4% in partnered masturbation, putting "sides" in the majority.

Other

General

In the hanky code, a person flagging the top, or active, role would wear the hanky in the left pocket, and the bottom, or passive, role on the right. Acts which were not divisible into distinct roles, however, such as "69" or "anything", followed a pattern in which one flagged interest by wearing the hanky on the left and absence of interest by wearing it on the right, and preferences that did not relate to sexual mechanics, such as uniform fetishism or prostitution, followed a pattern in which the seeker flagged on the right and the object of desire flagged on the left.

The ''cowboy position'' is anal sex in which the bottom straddles the top. The position is often cited as being advantageous for bottoms who are new to anal sex, as it allows the receiving partner to lower himself on to the other's penis at his own pace.

Alternative terminology

Other terms for ''top'' and ''bottom'' include ''active'' and ''passive'', and ''pitcher'' and ''catcher''. The intended meanings of ''active'' vs. ''passive'' in reference to oral sex can be unclear, however. ''Switch'' is sometimes used for ''versatile''.

Role vs. position among sexualities

The terms ''top'', ''bottom'' and ''versatile'' do not necessarily refer literally to physical position during sex.Topping or Bottoming – How To Know If You're A Top Or Bottom
. Gaylife.about.com (2012-01-01). Retrieved on 2012-01-09. For example, if the inserting partner lies on his back and the receptive partner straddles him, the inserting partner is still considered the ''top'', and the receptive partner the ''bottom'', despite their reverse physical arrangement.

See also

* Lordosis behavior
* ''Seme'' and ''uke'': related terms in Japanese manga and anime publications and fandom
* Sex position
* ''Top'', ''bottom'', and ''switch'': terms used in BDSM erotic practices and roleplaying

References

;Notes

;Bibliography

* Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy. ''The New Topping Book.'' Greenery Press, 2003. .
* Person, Ethel S. / Terestman, Nettie / Myers, Wayne A. / Goldberg, Eugene L. / Salvadori, Carol: Gender differences in sexual behaviors and fantasies in a college population, 1989, erschienen in: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, Bd. 15, Nr. 3, 1989, P. 187–198
* Janus, Samuel S. / Janus, Cynthia L., 1993 The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior, Wiley, New York
* Charles Moser, in Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality 1988, (7;1, P.43–56)

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