Rub Me the Right Way: Tribbing and Tribadism

What is tribbing and how is it different from scissoring? Victoria Blisse rubs her hands together in glee to give you all the juicy details on tribbing and tribadism...

You know, it’s not just crafters who know a lot about scissoring! In Pornhub’s 2022 year in review, it was revealed that ‘lesbian scissoring’ searches grew by over 151% worldwide. And, perhaps surprisingly, 155% more women searched for it than men. So, what is scissoring and how does it relate to tribbing? 

What is tribbing exactly?  

Some say the term tribbing originates from Ancient Roman stories of strong, masculine women who seduced and penetrated other women. These women were known as ‘tribas'. 
 

Others suggest it was ancient Greeks who used the term to refer to women or intersex people penetrating their partners with clits or dildos. In fact, the word tribbing itself comes from the ancient Greek word meaning ‘to rub’.

There's the rub: tribbing is a common lesbian sex act

Tribbing describes the action of body parts being rubbed together for sexual stimulation. It’s usually associated with lesbian couples, but people of all genders and sexualities can enjoy tribadism. 

It can involve rubbing your vulva against any part of another person’s body in order to get aroused. This is where tribbing differs from the more specific term ‘scissoring’. This well-known act is the action of two people straddling each other and rubbing their vulvas together. Their limbs then resemble two pairs of scissors interlocked.

“Tribbing describes the action of body parts being rubbed together for sexual stimulation. It’s usually associated with lesbian couples, but people of all genders and sexualities can enjoy tribadism.”

Vulva owners can indulge in tribbing with anyone they like, it doesn’t matter what body part it is being rubbed against, it is still known as tribbing. In fact, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines tribadism as: “a form of sexual activity between women in which the external genitalia are rubbed together.”  So, it really is open to people of all types and kinds of genitalia. 

Scissoring can happen between any genders as it is the act of interlocking legs to rub genitals together that defines this sex act, not the genders of the people doing it. However, more commonly, the rubbing of penises together is known as frotting, and is a term often used by the gay community. Basically, pick the term that feels right for you: you don’t have to get your tribadism and frotting in a twist! Unless it feels good, who are we to judge?

Why is tribadism a turn-on?  

Who doesn’t want to rub up against a person they find incredibly sexy? Tribadism embodies passion and lust that has people so desperate for each other they are frantically rubbing together – even if they haven’t taken their clothes off yet!

Don't mind the gap: tribbing involves vulva play

It’s a wonderfully queer act too, that is often associated with non-straight couples, and for straight people this idea alone can be a turn-on, whereas for queer people, it’s a fun act with full body-to-body contact.

How to practise tribbing

Every body will fit together in a slightly different fashion, but here’s a quick list of things to do to indulge in tribadism.
 

• Warm up Getting bodies interlocked and then rubbing them together can involve some intense contortions! Stretch your body before diving right in. This act of foreplay can involve kissing and caressing each other – it doesn’t have to be the stretches you do before hitting the gym!
   
• Lube Lots of lube! If you’re both still clothed then obviously you won’t need it, but if naked parts are being vigorously rubbed together then you’re going to need some lubrication, or there could be chaffing. Lube will help your skin run against your partner’s more easily; use your favorite!
   
• Try different techniques You might want to try the classic straight-legged scissors position, but your body anatomy might not rub against your partner’s in a very pleasurable way like that. Try adapting the position by cricking legs, one person being more in a sitting position, or by getting your hands involved. Experiment to see how you slot together best.
   
• Patience It might not work straight away, so take your time. Or not. If it’s really not happening, go on to other sexy practises and maybe come back and try tribadism again another time. You’re not failing if you can’t trib or anything like that.

Is tribbing safe? 

Any genital-to-genital contact runs the risk of someone getting an STI. You can try placing a dental dam between you, but the friction can ruffle them up, so it isn’t totally effective.
 

Coming together through tribadism

Condoms can be used on penises too. Have a frank conversation with your partner if you’re planning to do this skin-to-skin, and make sure you are being regularly tested for STIs.

The final FET: tribadism 

Barbies of the world have been scissoring for decades and humans have been practicing tribadism since the dawn of time. It’s a fun way to increase the friction and rub up against a hot body the right way. Want to find folks to try tribbing with? Add it to your fetish and kinks list so others know you’re into it too. What’s your favourite tribbing position? •

Victoria Blisse was an erotic author and sex-positive Reverend. She helped shape fetish.com and FET from the very beginning and we're eternally grateful for her passion and creativity. Sadly, she passed away in January 2024. We hope that whenever her articles are read, she'll be honoured.

Curious to learn more about your kinks? Fill out our free kink test and learn more about your role and fetishes!

Images shutterstock.com/Lucky Business, Pinterest/Volodymyr Bushmelov, shutterstock/Guryanov Andrey