Dear Prudence,
I'm a woman in my 50s who started masturbating when I was about 12 and
have ever since. As a young girl, I discovered my orgasms were much more
intense and a lot faster (just a few minutes) and easier if I had my
legs straight out on the bed with muscles tensed. The problem is that
now I have do that to be able to come. I hate it and am embarrassed
about it. My lovers have never expressed a problem with this—to the
contrary—but I am still deeply ashamed. I have tried to climax in other
ways but it took a really long time and I needed a vibrator to finish. I
fear my current lover will get tired and bored with my "patented
method.” I told a close girlfriend about this last year and she blurted
out, "Ewww: mannequin!" which was a kick in the gut. But should I just
get over my shame, and if so, how?