Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Golden Showers

Piss play. Golden showers. Water sports. There’s a laundry list of terms that refer to urophilia, which is exactly what you think: getting off on the act of peeing and/or being peed on.

Though this particular kink still seems taboo to many, it has in some ways hit the mainstream (pun intended)—even former president Donald Trump allegedly dabbled in golden showers. In fact, a study from Pornhub showed a huge surge in searches (a 102 percent increase, to be exact) for “golden showers” after Trump’s pee-gate was made public knowledge in 2017.

We’re never ones to yuck someone else’s yum—kink shaming is never cute, folks. So, we decided to chat with Dr. Megan Stubbs, sexologist, relationships expert and author of Playing Without a Partner: A Singles’ Guide to Sex, Dating, and Happiness, to get the scoop on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about pee play, but been too afraid to ask.

Fair warning: After reading this, you may find that pee play tickles your sexual fancy. Go for it, babe.

What is Pee Play?

As stated before, pee play, or urophilia, is exactly what it sounds like: involving urine into the bedroom. “This is when you’re purposely urinating on your partner, or you’re asking your partner to purposely urinate on you,” clarifies Dr. Stubbs. Other names for this fetish includes water sports and golden showers.

Dr. Stubbs notes that there are tons of reasons why someone would be intrigued by the act of bringing pee into the bedroom, but one of the biggest reasons she sees is the overall taboo stigma.

“I think a lot of kinks that we see often come from a forbidden or ‘it’s just not done’ kind of place,” she says. “So for this, obviously, we’re thinking about pee, it’s like an excreting kind of thing, but we’re going to make it sexual. So the taboo-ness of this is that we urinate in private, but now you’re doing it with your partner.”

Other factors that emphasize the appeal of golden showers can include trust, comfort with your partner and even sexual power dynamics, Dr. Stubbs notes. “There’s a lot you can play with around this,” she says. “It stems from being taboo and kinky, but it can also be a fun thing.”

Adobe. Design: Cierra Miller/STYLECASTER.

Is Pee Play Safe?

Though pee is often considered to be sterile, that doesn’t mean swigging your partner’s urine is healthy for you. In fact, on the contrary to what wilderness survival shows taught all of us, pee isn’t actually sterile because it still contains natural bacteria from your body.

Though recent studies have yet to prove whether pee, poop or semen can carry COVID-19 or not, ingesting urine can lead to other health issues like infections, dehydration, irritation of wounds in the mouth or throat and more. However, Dr. Stubbs does note that like many other fetishes (scat, vomit play, etc.), risks somewhat come with the territory.

“Everything we do is dangerous,” she says. “There’s some risk in place, but knowing those factors of their health and what you’re comfortable with can make this a safer practice.”

In order to stay as safe as possible, Dr. Stubbs recommends talking to your partner about getting tested for the coronavirus prior to any pee play, knowing your partner’s overall health status and disclosing any conditions or medical concerns well in advance of getting it on.

Adobe. Design: Cierra Miller/STYLECASTER.

…Can I Get Some Tips?

So, interested in trying out pee play yourself? Before you sprinkle on your partner, Dr. Stubbs recommends having a chat with them about your newfound interest in urophilia, especially if they’ve never dabbled in it themselves. Do not just give someone a golden shower without their consent first!

“I think it’s great to use a third-party thing, like an article, to say, ‘Hey, this is different,’” she says. “Remember, this is different than saying you want to try a new position. This is wanting to delve into the kink world. So, even if you think you know your partner well, this might be a triggering thing for them.” Bottom line—respect their boundaries!

If your partner agrees to try out golden showers, there are a few ways to make your pee a little less smelly and, um, flavorful. Dr. Stubbs recommends ditching notorious pee-odorizing foods like coffee and asparagus and making sure you stay hydrated to keep your urine in tip-top shape.

“Usually, pee-play practitioners are going to do a lot of water drinking,” she says. “It’s going to be a much more dilute solution, unless you’re dabbling in BDSM and want a more aggressive-smelling pee. That’s part of your play. But usually, it’s not going to be aggressive pee. It’s the same as vomit play: People aren’t eating stew and vomiting up carrot chunks. They’re usually eating something like ice cream. Why? It tastes better coming up. Dairy, not going to burn my throat, all these different things.”

If clean-up is what’s deterring you from bringing pee play into the bedroom, then Dr. Stubbs also recommends taking the action to the shower or tub, where it’s easier to clean. “Otherwise, I know a lot of companies do make waterproof sheets, bedding or blankets that can absorb fluids,” she adds. “So, consider that. That might be a good option to keep your whole bed from being a pee pad.”

But, most importantly, Dr. Stubbs says that patience and practice are key. Brushing up on your knowledge of this particular kink is a great stream to follow in order to really master the art of water sports.

“There’s a bit of education you have to do,” she says. “You just can’t suddenly be like, ‘Let’s do pee play.’ There are ways to make it more palatable for both you and your partner, so don’t be afraid to explore and experiment.” If you’re both on board, feel free to make it rain golden showers all night long.