It’s Wednesday, which means it’s Hump Day, which means it’s a great time to talk about some butt stuff.
Well, it’s always a great time to talk about some butt stuff, but thanks to the new Butt Honestly podcast from gastroenterologist Doctor Carlton Thomas and Dangilo Bonilla, we’re about to learn everything we’ve been too scared to ask about in regard to rectal health.
Their first episode debuted today, July 10, and they already have a lot of material planned in the coming weeks.
When it came to putting the show together, Thomas tells PRIDE, “We were talking about how there’s really a lack of good, educational, gay-sex-related advice pods out there. We finally pulled this together, and Dangilo was very fortunate to run into someone who had a lot of insight on how to get the podcast on.”
The show partnered with independent news source MSW Media thanks in part to Bonilla’s friendship with creator Alison Gill, and Tony Bejarano serves as the show’s editor and producer.
As to what we should expect in the coming episodes, there’s a lot more to talk about than just simple butt stuff. Other topics will include things from relationship advice to sharing information about sexually transmitted infections.
“We have somebody that is coming to us from a Middle Eastern country, that Dr. Carlton’s been filling in a lot of his sex education because it’s not accessible to him where he is,” says Bonilla. “He's HIV positive, he has questions surrounding that, and he doesn't have the support system ingrained.”
There are also a few hush-hush celebrities who will make guest appearances, but we’ll all have to wait patiently to find out who.
In the meantime, here are five bottoming tips from the hosts themselves to help you be your best bottom self.
Related: 20 FUNNY reactions to viral post about the struggle of bottoming with ADHD, we're CACKLING
1. Learn the "Butt Clock" method
Bonilla recommends a soft silicon-based toy, he also recommends that you “get something that has a suction cup, throw it on the wall, and have a moment” with yourself in the shower.
Thomas, as many may know from his social media presence, is well-known for his “butt clock method” of opening people up. In regard to toys, he recommends a dildo that has a small head and tip and steadily grows in girth as it goes. Butt plugs are also an option, though he likes to remind people to “start off with the smallest size possible because they can be very difficult to pull out once you put it in there."
2. You probably don't need Holetox.
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Holetox is basically exactly what it sounds like — Botox for your butthole. It helps relax your sphincter, and not as much to the point of going to the bathroom but rather to just help you open up. It’s used on a range of people from those with naturally tighter holes to porn stars who use it because they think it helps them have better sex.
“It’s not something you need,” says Thomas. “It’s something you want, and there’s a lot of things in this world that are like that.”
3. How do you deal with bottom shaming to allow yourself to be more open?
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If you’re ashamed of bottoming, Bonilla says Miley Cyrus said it best -- you can buy your own flowers.
“There’s a certain amount of pleasure that you can get from bottoming, and sometimes you have to focus on that to get over the shame of some things,” he says. “There’s always the binary way of thinking about things (like who’s the ‘guy’ and ‘girl’ in top/bottom situations) but you can just be a person who likes anal pleasure.”
“If you’re going to have penetrative sex, it takes a top and a bottom,” says Thomas. “You should feel pretty much in control and become a boss power bottom. The top isn’t gonna get any ass unless you give it to him.”
4. Learn how — and when — to do kegel exercises.
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Oscar M Sanchez/Shutterstock
If Holetox helps loosen a tight hole, kegels are there for holes that have gotten a little too loose.
As to whether or not you should perform kegels while a top is inside of you, Thomas says, “I actually had a guy to it to me one time, and I have never forgotten him. That move was unforgettable. It’s definitely next-level bottoming if you can perform a kegel while you’re riding somebody.”
5. Decide which PrEP options is best for you — and get it!
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Sahara Prince/Shutterstock
PrEP has come a long way over the decade or so it’s been in use. People who took early versions of Truvada may face kidney or bone density issues. Taking an oral pill every day also runs the risk of inconsistency if you forget. Recently, cabotegravir, also known as Apretude, has made a bi-monthly injectable form of PrEP a possibility, and one that I personally recommend.
It’s also an option Bonilla says is getting a better response in POC communities who make up around 60% of newer infections. “We really need to be more aggressive about PrEP if we want to end HIV, and we have to start where two-thirds of new infections are,” adds Thomas. "And the injectable actually has a higher effective rate than the pill or any other treatment method."
6. If you have questions... ask an expert!
Treat this podcast like a free consultation and utilize the knowledge from these men. They speak from both personal and professional standpoints and have a lot of insights on relationships and sexual health.
If you have any questions, send them to 61-BUTT-1103 or e-mail them to [email protected].
You can subscribe to Butt Honestly Podcast on Apple or Spotify, or your favorite podcasting service.