“Masturbation: the primary sexual activity of mankind. In the nineteenth century it was a disease; in the twentieth it's a cure.” – Thomas Szasz

May is Masturbation Month. We can trace the origin of this special month back to 1995, when US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders said that masturbation is a part of human sexuality and something that should perhaps be taught in sex education courses. Her comments set off a huge controversy that ultimately led to her being fired. To mark her unjust dismissal, sex toy company Good Vibrations declared May 14 to be National Masturbation Day, which was later expanded to include the whole month.

Two decades after Elders' firing, masturbation is something that continues to be controversial. In fact, a lot of people today still think that masturbation is an unhealthy activity that causes a wide range of ill health effects. However, research suggests that rather than being unhealthy, masturbation could potentially be good for us. For a brief overview of what the science of self-love has revealed, check out the video below. For a closer look at the research linking masturbation to potential health benefits, check out this article.