A monthly sex and relationships advice column by Aria Vega for POV by Lustery, this month on the supposed benefits of semen retention.

In this month’s advice, column, Aria addresses a reader question about the link between the alt-right and the No Nut November movement as well whether there are actually any benefits to the practice of semen retention. 

Will Semen Retention Help My Sex Life – An Ask Aria Advice Column by Aria Vega

ASK ARIA: Can semen retention really change my sex life? 

 campaign, which I know was created to help counter the #NoNutNovember movement to avoid masturbating for 30 days. In an issue of 

, you made a passing reference to semen retention that linked the practice to alt-right influencers and incels.

Semen retention is something I’ve engaged with both personally and professionally, but in an apolitical way, so I was surprised to see it described in this context. Can you clarify the connection between conservatism and semen retention? Also, what benefits have been clinically proven to come from the practice?

Thank you so much for reaching out to me about this passage in our recent newsletter. In addition to this column and other articles on the site, I also write 

, where POV shares exclusive content from industry buzz to anonymous confessions. That’s a whole lot of words to weave, and sometimes some of them don’t come across exactly as I mean them. I appreciate you offering me the chance to set the record straight.

In the issue in question, I describe the origins of #NoNutNovember, a satirical meme challenge based on Movember, which raises awareness about men's health issues. #NNN took on a life of its own once the Reddit communities and Discord channels about it began to proliferate. Within these insular spaces, users touted the (debunked, which I'll get to) health benefits of abstaining from masturbation for 30 days, trading dubious tips and cheering each other on.

At some point, the convo took a hard turn toward the alt-right, with manosphere influencers (who I won't amplify here) co-opting the #NoFap message to claim that avoiding masturbation for a month boosts testosterone. According to them, this can help turn you from an average cis guy to an “alpha male”, or one who is socially and sexually dominant.This premise is key to the grievance I expressed in the LUSTLETTER, as it rests on a bed of falsehoods.

Meanwhile, there’s clear and abundant evidence that solo sex is actually good for you, reducing pain and stress, improving sleep, and boosting focus.

 that abstaining from ejaculation has any impact on testosterone levels, as the body will either reabsorb the fluids or release them in a nocturnal emission. Plus, notions of masculinity are cultural, and thus not biologically measurable. Testosterone is just one piece of a complex puzzle.

Speaking of clinical research, there’s virtually none that shows any benefit from skipping solo sex, for people of any gender. In fact, avoiding masturbation can actually 

 that when people try to force themselves not to masturbate, they often create tension in their pelvic floor, which can cause excessive urination, testicular pain or constipation.

 that solo sex is actually good for you, reducing pain and stress, improving sleep, and boosting focus. For people with penises, frequent ejaculation can even support prostate health. By the way, semen retention and abstinence aren’t exactly synonymous — the former refers to simply not ejaculating, whether through abstaining from sex 

 by learning to orgasm without ejaculation (yes, that’s a thing). Dry orgasm, as this rare bliss is known, is said to have emotional and spiritual benefits.

 By the way, semen retention and abstinence aren’t exactly synonymous...

Furthermore, I’d also like to point out that many of those in the #NoFap forums are seeking support with compulsive behaviors related to masturbation and porn usage, and use abstinence as a part of their toolkit. While sex addiction is not 

, people are the experts of their own experiences, and have every right to seek support for anything they're struggling with, and to experiment with solutions. 

Your question showed me how easily my comment could be misinterpreted, and I can see how it could come across as judgmental or belitting to innocent practitioners of sement retention, and I regret that. Such a sensitive topic deserves much more exposition than I provided. Your assumption of good faith is much appreciated, as it feels like there's precious little left of that on the internet. Thanks for renewing my hope in humanity a bit! 