You are probably here because you Googled the phrase “rainbow kiss” or asked, “what is a rainbow kiss”. Here you are going to learn all about the rainbow kiss, how it is practiced and how safe the practice is. But first, I must warn you, the description of a rainbow kiss might sound very gross if you are knowing this for the first time.
The “rainbow kiss” has experienced some online popularity when several Tiktok users have taken it up on their handles to warn users not to Google the phrase. Another Tiktok user took the time to show the meaning of a rainbow kiss in a video. In my own case, I first heard about the rainbow kiss when @DrOlufunmilayo advised against it in a Tweet.
The rainbow kiss is a big misnomer because neither is it a kiss between two people under the rainbow nor is it a chocolate kiss styled in rainbow colors. A rainbow kiss is, in fact, a sexual practice, and here’s what it means.
What is a Rainbow Kiss?
A rainbow kiss happens when a man [with a penis] goes down with his mouth on a woman [with a uterus] during her menstrual period while she is giving him oral sex at the same time, in the “69” position. Afterward, period blood from the woman’s uterus sucked into the man’s mouth during the act is mixed with semen in the woman’s mouth obtained during the oral sex, while they kiss. The resulting mixture of semen and menstrual blood in the partners’ mouths is what is described as the rainbow kiss.
Not much is known about how the name “rainbow kiss” came to be. Even without seeing it, you could easily tell that the mixture of menstrual blood and semen in the mouth would not produce a rainbow color. Would it? While some experts claim that it could form a rainbow, here is what we know about the origin of the rainbow kiss terminology.
Where Did The “Rainbow Kiss” Originate From?
The first recorded mention of the phrase was a play, “Rainbow Kiss” by Simon Farquhar, a Scottish script-writer. The play was about a young man who fell in love with a woman with whom he had a one-night stand. It was staged in the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2006 but there it had no correlation to how “a rainbow kiss” is known today.
It is difficult to know the exact origins of the rainbow kiss. What is known, however, is that this sexual act is practiced by individuals while they explore their sexual phantoms. Considering the nature of the act, one would begin to wonder, “why do people practice rainbow kissing?”
Why Is Rainbow Kiss Practiced? – Expert Opinions
Sex experts have attempted to explain why people engage in a rainbow kiss and why it should be considered a normal sex practice for couples. Danyell Fima, a co-founder of Velvet Co, had explained that a rainbow kiss is one way a couple can enjoy sex during menstruation.
“A rainbow kiss is a great way for everyone to enjoy the few minutes of cathartic bliss right after you both orgasm. Consider that the goal.” – Danyell
Sadie Allison (Ph.D.), the founder of TickleKitty.com, further stated in an interview that a rainbow kiss is one way people can enjoy sex during a woman’s period. She added further that a rainbow kiss is one of the hundreds of sex fetishes out there.
“Like the hundreds of other fetishes out there, this ‘unique’ activity is perfectly okay to do so long as it’s agreed upon by two consenting adults.” – Allison
Wendasha Jenkins Hall (Ph.D.) also pointed out that orgasms can help relieve menstrual cramps and having a rainbow kiss with your partner while she is on her period can help give her some relief from the pains.
“orgasms can actually help relieve menstrual cramps, so rainbow kisses may not be a bad idea for those who are adventurous and kinky.” – Jenkins
Beyond the physical benefits, Hall acknowledges other elements of period sex that might appeal to folks with different fetishes and kinks. “Some people enjoy blood play”, she says, which can take a variety of forms, whether it is derived from a fetish for vampires, werewolves, and other mythical blood-thirsty creatures, or something else entirely. Blood play can involve light cutting of the skin or menstrual blood.
“Now, we’re not talking about cutting off an arm or bleeding out on the floor,” she jokes. “But coming into contact with the taste of it, the smell of it, that’s often what turns people on. Though, some people may use fake blood or stage blood. It all depends on the consent and boundaries of the partners.”
Rainbow kiss has thus become a new spice to the sexual experience of many people who practice it.
Are Rainbow Kisses Safe?
Dr. Harvey Olufunmilayo in his tweet warned that a rainbow kiss is potentially infectious and can transmit several infections like Hepatitis A, B, and C, Human papillomavirus, Herpes simplex virus, HIV, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Diarrhea, and dysentery.
In view of these, Wendasha Jenkins Hall, says it is important to take precautions when performing the act of rainbow kissing.
“There is nothing wrong with giving or receiving oral sex when you or your partner is menstruating as long as both are comfortable doing so and have taken the necessary precautions, such as getting tested for HIV and other STDs. It is possible to perform cunnilingus and not come into contact with any blood if you focus on clitoral stimulation.” – Jenkins
Also, according to Jenkins Hall, the rainbow kiss is becoming less and less of a taboo, and thus, emphasis is being placed on how people who practice it can be safe at it while still deriving all the sexual pleasure they can get from it.
“It was once thought that it was ‘dirty’ or ‘unclean’ to have sex while you menstruate,” Hall explains. “But now we’re actually starting to see that there’s some benefits to having sex while you menstruate, like relieving stress or pain from headaches or menstrual cramps.”
Hall adds that you should also refrain from brushing or flossing your teeth, which can create little cuts inside your mouth, before attempting any kind of unprotected oral sex, especially a rainbow kiss.
“If you have those micro-abrasions and you go down on someone and you come in contact with semen, bodily fluids, or blood, that is a way that HIV and hepatitis, and even chlamydia or gonorrhea, can be transmitted,” she says. Her pro tip to keep yourself safe? “Don’t brush your teeth, don’t floss first. Go down, do what you do, and then afterward wash your mouth out with an antiseptic mouthwash before you brush.”
On the question of if it is okay to practice the rainbow kiss, Allison adds, “Like the hundreds of other fetishes out there, this ‘unique’ activity is perfectly okay to do so long as it’s agreed upon by two consenting adults.” She also encourages couples performing the rainbow kiss to try using flavored lube to “add a new dimension to their sensory play.”
My Medical Opinion About Rainbow Kiss
Sexual experts would argue in favor of rainbow kiss so as to seem less critical of people who practice or who want to give it a try. But before you do a rainbow kiss, here is my medical opinion about the rainbow kiss.
In my medical education to become a medical doctor, I have been taught about the risks associated with body fluids. Blood and other body fluids are regarded as very high risk for the transmission of infections in the hospital environment. In 2010, unsafe injections were responsible for as many as 33,800 new HIV infections, 1.7 million hepatitis B infections, and 315 000 hepatitis C infections.[1]Pépin J, Abou Chakra CN, Pépin E, Nault V, Valiquette L. Evolution of the global burden of viral infections from unsafe medical injections, 2000-2010.PLoSOne. 2014 Jun 9;9(6):e99677
To say that these infections can be transmitted via needle prick accidents will emphasize how much higher the risk of transmitting these infections and many more via direct contact with body fluids including menstrual blood and semen during a rainbow kiss.
There are many other sexual ideas safer than the rainbow that you can try out. If you are concerned about the safety of the practice, you may consider refraining from engaging in a rainbow kiss.
Final words
The rainbow kiss is a new sexual practice that has received tremendous attention on the internet. Not much is known about its origins and how many people practice it. But before it enters the mainstream of popular sexual practices done by people, it is important to consider how safe or unsafe it can be.
The rainbow kiss can be taken as one of the many sex fetishes. Now that you know so much about it, it is your choice to make whether or not you want to practice it. In either case, you are better equipped with all the information about the rainbow kiss.
References
| ↑1 | Pépin J, Abou Chakra CN, Pépin E, Nault V, Valiquette L. Evolution of the global burden of viral infections from unsafe medical injections, 2000-2010.PLoSOne. 2014 Jun 9;9(6):e99677 |
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