- This article is about orgies. For the musical band, see Orgy
(band).
Orgy has several meanings, including "a drunken revelry," a religious rite involving ecstatic dancing, an
"unrestrained indulgence" (e.g. "an orgy of destruction"), or group sexual activity. This article deals with the last of
these.
In sex, an orgy is a sexual activity
in which more than four or more participants are present and involved in sexual activity with each other. In some cultures, it
has been practiced as part of a communal ritual or religious practice. An orgy may be exclusively hetero- or homosexual;
instances of bisexuality may or may not occur. The concept of an orgy in
Western culture also carries a connotation of unrestrained and outlandish behavior.
Strictly speaking, group sex involving three participants is called a
ménage à trois or a threesome and isn't normally
classified as an orgy. Similarly, some argue that for such activity to be classified as an orgy there must be at least eight
people, including at least two of each sex, otherwise is is just 'group sex'.
Participation in an orgy is a common sexual fantasy. Most people
have only seen an orgy in explicit films or pornography.
Practical difficulties -- but which also contribute to the enjoyment -- in participating in an orgy include figuring out where
all the arms and legs go, figuring out what positions
work and in what complexity, and addressing in advance such issues as consent and jealousy.
A "drunken orgy" resulting from intoxication may leave the participants embarrassed and upset in the morning when the hangover strikes.
A gang bang is intercourse between one woman, or man, and a group of men, one after another. An alternate
slang phrase for this practice is "pulling a train." Gang bang can also refer to a group rape (the meaning should be
clear from the context). Gang members are sometimes called gang bangers.
Safe sex party
Homosexual safe sex parties became popular in the 1980s, with the rise of
AIDS, as an alternative for equally promiscuous unsafe practices.
The strictness of the rules vary, from less to more strict:
See also Saunas and sex.
Orgies in fiction
The movie Caligula has several orgy scenes, not all of them
erotic.
Orgies serve a central ceremonial role in the futuristic society described in Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World. This is a
historically accurate use.
In literature, the word "orgy" appears in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in which the main
character tries to figure out what an orgy is so that he and his playmates can participate in one, and also in the novel
Peter Pan and Wendy.
See also: group sex, bukkake
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