What does the term “vanilla” mean, when used in a sexual connotation?
Vanilla sex is a term that refers to what a society regards as standard or conventional sexual behaviour. Different cultures, subcultures, and individuals have different ideas about what constitutes vanilla sex. Often it is interpreted as sex that does not involve such elements as BDSM, kink, or fetish activities. Among heterosexual couples in the Western world, vanilla sex often refers to the missionary position. The term “vanilla” derives from the use of vanilla extract as the basic or most popular flavouring for ice cream, and by extension meaning “plain” or “conventional”. Thus, the term “vanilla” is sometimes used as an insult to describe someone who is overly conventional or unwilling to take risks, in both sexual and non-sexual contexts. (The term is not wholly accurate, however, as the concept of vanilla – in ice cream and other foods – can be very flavorful and interesting, and is rarely as bland as the stereotype would indicate.) Neapolitan is a term proposed to describe the
