Commonly known as the "missionary position," or, in George Carlin's phrase, "good old American man-on-top-get-it-over-with-quick." Authoritative medical opinion since the time of Hippocrates has written off this arrangement for fat people. Many authorities still hold the notion that a fat man simply cannot perform in the dominant position. "If he has a belly," writes Alex Comfort, "... he won't be able to come on top, and will quite often prefer to avoid male-active positions because of breathlessness." As for a fat woman, John F. Oliver's authoritative textbook Clinical Sexuality states that "Marked obesity of the wife, especially of the thighs, pelvic girdle and abdomen, can make intercourse in the standard position well-nigh impossible. Even moderate stoutness, if it involves thick labia majora and a prominent mons, can keep the male organ from penetrating to a satisfactory depth."

So much for authority. Those with practical experience in the matter adamantly disagree. Conventional sex is rarely impeded by any degree of fatness: experimentation and a few minor adjustments are all that the average fat couple require. Most would find it harder to program a new VCR.

When the woman is fat, Abraham Friedman recommends that she lie on her back, "her legs bent at the hips, her thighs open as wide as possible, and her knees fully bent, thus completely exposing her vulva and vagina." If she has a big tummy, she can lift it away from her pubic region with both hands, at least until the man gets himself positioned between her thighs. If penetration is still difficult, it can help to put one or more pillows under her buttocks. "Considerable variety is available to you through the simple expediency of changing the position of your legs," writes Marvin Grosswirth. "If you use a pillow, your vagina becomes elevated and entry is easier. If you use two pillows, entry will not only be easy, it will be different. If you raise your legs to a certain height, the angle of penetration and the points of friction will be different than if you raise your legs to another height, or if you do not raise them at all. You would be amazed at the variations three inches up or down can create."

However tempting it may be to lie atop that heavenly pillow of female flesh, when the woman is fat it makes more sense for the man to sit back on his haunches during intercourse. (Where you choose to lie afterwards is up to you.) You might call it "male upright" rather than "male dominant." This has the added advantage of freeing the man's hands and with both hands free, a woman's tummy becomes a plaything rather than a hindrance.

"There are only a few basic rules for a fat man to remember in the male-dominant position," advises Grosswirth. "First, raise your body high enough or lift your abdomen with your hands, if necessary so that your partner can guide the penis to its destination. This will be a little easier if the woman places a pillow beneath her buttocks. ... Second, never drop your full weight on your partner. Prop yourself up with your hands rather than your elbows, and lower yourself gradually. At the first indication that your weight is uncomfortable for her, raise yourself again. (Be prepared for a surprise: most women, even the smallest and most fragile-looking, can support a good deal more weight than you would suppose.) That is all."

In fact, a fat man should be prepared to find that his weight adds to his partner's pleasure. "The stimulating aspect of a fat man is manifested in the way he uses his weight to apply intense titillating pressure on the woman's genital area," writes Lisa Davis. "What with the physical power of most men, physical weight is not a necessity for a man to make his presence felt, but it can be an advantage. I first learned this with my lover Donald. When we made love, he would center much of his weight over and around my clitoris and gently rock back and forth, stimulating me to long, ecstatic climaxes."

Drawbacks to this position are usually pulmonary. A fat woman may find it difficult to breathe while lying flat on her back, and a fat man my find it difficult to catch his breath while doing the work of lovemaking for an extended period of time. In such cases, a couple can follow the same "stop-and-start" method advised for men with premature ejaculation problems. The man first stimulates the woman to orgasm without intercourse. The couple then has intercourse in the female-dominant position, and finally in the male-dominant position. As this last is usually the most stimulating position for the male, he is likely to finish before either partner runs out of air.

FEMALE-DOMINANT POSITION-

This position comes highly recommended, both by those who write about sex with a fat partner and those who have experienced it. "The female-dominant position is especially useful for very fat men, or where both partners are fat" advises Marvin Grosswirth. "Among its many benefits is the ease with which it permits touching, stroking, and caressing of almost the entire body." Dr Friedman concurs. "In this position, which seems to be the best," he writes, "the man lies on his back, with his legs straight, or knees slightly bent. If there is much abdominal fat, he can lift it up with both hands, as the woman straddles over him with her knees bent, facing him. She can thus easily slide his erect penis into her vagina and start her pelvic thrusts either alone or in conjunction with his."

Many writers, and many Hustler cartoons, make the point that a fat woman should avoid this position, for fear of injuring her partner. As with any such assumption, it's best not to judge the case without a trial. I have had incredible sex with a 500-pound woman sitting atop my pelvis, her belly tucked up to my chin like a comforter. It didn't last long, and it required a good store of oxygen, but it was incredible. It was never painful, and it always provided mutual satisfaction.
Writer Jack Jardine interviewed several fat women on their sexual technique for Penthouse Variations, and found one who was particularly outspoken on the subject. Adrena (he tells us) says she loves being on top, "because I'm more in control and can get penetrated deeper this way. Since my hips are wide and I've got so much belly I've noticed that sometimes it's real hard for the guy to penetrate me completely so I'll take my hand down there and help him, maybe extend my vagina with my fingers and make sure he gets everything in there. When I'm on top I can reach around from the rear and make sure the cock goes all the way in. That little hand motion helps when you're a big lady."

FEMALE DOMINANT, BACK TO FRONT-

When both partners have particularly large tummies, the dominant woman can face her partner's feet. "In this variation of the above position," writes Dr. Friedman, "the man lies on his back and the woman straddles him with her back facing his front. She then inserts his penis into her vagina from the rear. ... Here, too, the partners' abdomens do not come in contact with each other, thus enabling satisfactory sexual intercourse." The problem here is that the woman may have to stay in a crouching posture for quite some minutes before the man adjusts himself to the angle of penetration. "Push his belly up before you sit completely," adds Screw magazine; "then he can rest it up against your ass."

REAR ENTRY POSITION-

Impolitely known as "doggie style," this position has long been advocated as the best for fat couples. "Given an obese man and a woman likewise obese or with child, how are they to do the thing otherwise?" asked 18th-Century German pornographer Friedrich Karl Forsberg. Rear entry is not without its drawbacks, however. If the man's penis is particularly short, or if the woman's internal anatomy is positioned at an unusual angle, it may be literally impossible for a couple to copulate from the rear. It can also be hard on a fat woman's knees.

Nevertheless, many couples swear by it, and the size of a woman's buttocks and thighs doesn't seem to affect the matter. Both Alex Comfort and Abraham Friedman recommend it. Dr. Friedman describes it thusly: "the woman kneels on the bed with her legs slightly apart, and lowers her chest so that her behind is elevated. By kneeling behind her, and holding his stomach up with his hand at the same time, the man can readily insert his penis from the rear. He can also rest his abdomen on the woman's buttocks to make it easier for him to continue his sexual thrusts throughout intercourse."