---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only unnatural sex act is that which…"
description: "\"The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform.\" — Alfred Kinsey"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg"
---

#  The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform.

![“The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform.” quote by Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg)

> “The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform.”

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Sexual acts are defined by ability to perform; the statement challenges norms about naturalness.

**In simple terms:** Sex acts are judged by feasibility.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about what is natural.

Themes

sexuality norms ability culture ethics

Mood

provocative analytical

Type

sociological philosophical

When to use this quote

- sex education
- policy debates
- personal relationships
- health counseling

Key Concepts

Sexual behavior social constructs physiological limits

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines a natural act?
- How do abilities shape sexual norms?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplifies complex consent and desire issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/)

## Related quotes

> [I act and perform in hopes of getting attention and admiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tia-carrere/i-act-and-perform-in-hopes-of-getting-attention-and-admiration/)

[Tia Carrere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tia-carrere/)

> [I want to act, perform in my own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabu/i-want-to-act-perform-in-my-own-way/)

[Tabu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabu/)

> [Every act we perform today must reflect the kind of relationships we are fighting to establish tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/every-act-we-perform-today-must-reflect-the-kind-of-relationships-we/)

[David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/)

> [I want to perform an unnatural act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-want-to-perform-an-unnatural-act/)

[Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/)

> [“If you never have sex you never gain a sense of power. You never gain a voice or an identity of your own. Sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-you-never-have-sex-you-never-gain-a-sense-of-power-you-never-gain/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Reading is like the sex act - done privately, and often in bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/reading-is-like-the-sex-act-done-privately-and-often-in-bed/)

[Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/)

> [“During the 18th century, pictures depicting the sex act were distributed more widely in Japan than in any other part of the world, partly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-smith/during-the-18th-century-pictures-depicting-the-sex-act-were/)

Bradley Smith

> [“He invited the driver of the limo to perform an illegal sex act on himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-invited-the-driver-of-the-limo-to-perform-an-illegal-sex-act-on/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Use sex as an act of meditation…. Do not fight it, do not go against it. You cannot fight with nature; you are part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/use-sex-as-an-act-of-meditation-do-not-fight-it-do-not-go-against-it/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [If every time you engage in a sex act, you go into a confession box, you will never accept your own sexuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weinberg/if-every-time-you-engage-in-a-sex-act-you-go-into-a-confession-box/)

[George Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weinberg/)

> [Anybody hear the great news, today? Jimmy Swaggart under investigation! Oh Ja-eezus! One day every one of those cocksuckers will get caught! I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/anybody-hear-the-great-news-today-jimmy-swaggart-under-investigation/)

[Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/)

> [“why has the blowjob had a dual existence for so long, sometimes subterranean and sometimes flaunted, before bursting into plain view as the specifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/why-has-the-blowjob-had-a-dual-existence-for-so-long-sometimes/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Let's face it: If a son of God was ever born, it was because of this wonderful sex act that Joseph and Mary enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/let-s-face-it-if-a-son-of-god-was-ever-born-it-was-because-of-this/)

[Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/)

> [God knows if you could start a new sex act that's more important than making a good movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/god-knows-if-you-could-start-a-new-sex-act-that-s-more-important-than/)

[John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/)

> [The jokes that take my last name and equate them to a sex act ... is a really cruel thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-lewinsky/the-jokes-that-take-my-last-name-and-equate-them-to-a-sex-act-is-a/)

[Monica Lewinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-lewinsky/)

## More by Alfred Kinsey

> [Art alone develops weaklings, science alone, monsters. Somewhere, somehow, we must combine the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/art-alone-develops-weaklings-science-alone-monsters-somewhere-somehow/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [The range of variation in the female far exceeds the range of variation in the male.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-range-of-variation-in-the-female-far-exceeds-the-range-of/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [There is a tendency to consider anything in human behavior that is unusual, not well known, or not well understood, as neurotic, psychopathic, immature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/there-is-a-tendency-to-consider-anything-in-human-behavior-that-is/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [Males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual. The world is not to be divided into sheeps and goats. Not all things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/males-do-not-represent-two-discrete-populations-heterosexual-and/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [Only the human mind invents categories and tries to force facts into separated pigeonholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/only-the-human-mind-invents-categories-and-tries-to-force-facts-into/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [It is amazing to observe how many psychologists and psychiatrists have accepted this sort of propaganda, and have come to believe that homosexual males…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/it-is-amazing-to-observe-how-many-psychologists-and-psychiatrists/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [The male's difficulties in his sexual relations after marriage include a lack of facility, of ease, or of suavity in establishing rapport in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-male-s-difficulties-in-his-sexual-relations-after-marriage/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [Cheese crumbs spread before a pair of copulating rats will distract the female but not the male.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/cheese-crumbs-spread-before-a-pair-of-copulating-rats-will-distract/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [Few males achieve any real freedom in their sexual relations even with their wives. Few males realise how badly inhibited they are on these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/few-males-achieve-any-real-freedom-in-their-sexual-relations-even/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [The heterosexuality or homosexuality of many individuals is not an all-or-none proposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-heterosexuality-or-homosexuality-of-many-individuals-is-not-an/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [If all persons with any trace of homosexual history, or those who were predominantly homosexual, were eliminated from the population today, there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/if-all-persons-with-any-trace-of-homosexual-history-or-those-who-were/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [It is ordinarily said that criminal law is designed to protect property and to protect persons, and if society's only interest in controlling sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/it-is-ordinarily-said-that-criminal-law-is-designed-to-protect/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [The history of medicine proves that in so far as man seeks to know himself and face his whole nature, he has become free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-history-of-medicine-proves-that-in-so-far-as-man-seeks-to-know/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [We are the recorders and reporters of facts - not the judges of the behaviors we describe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/we-are-the-recorders-and-reporters-of-facts-not-the-judges-of-the/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

> [The very general occurrence of the homosexual in ancient Greece, and its wide occurrence today in some cultures in which such activity is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-very-general-occurrence-of-the-homosexual-in-ancient-greece-and/)

[Alfred Kinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

[Explore all 18 Alfred Kinsey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/)

## More Perform quotes

> [It's the only way you're able to play as long as I have, is to go out there and perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/it-s-the-only-way-you-re-able-to-play-as-long-as-i-have-is-to-go-out/)

[Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/)

> [For me, I've always told myself, 'I can only do me in the ring.' When I go out there and perform, I can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-banks/for-me-i-ve-always-told-myself-i-can-only-do-me-in-the-ring-when-i-go/)

[Sasha Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-banks/)

> [I'm a big Penn &amp; Teller fan. But I myself was never very good; I was a teenage magician who performed at kids' parties.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-a-big-penn-teller-fan-but-i-myself-was-never-very-good-i-was-a/)

[Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/)

> [Playing in the NFL, you're expected to perform and perform well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/playing-in-the-nfl-you-re-expected-to-perform-and-perform-well/)

[Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/)

> [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/)

[Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/)

> [I'm human. I want to play, I want to perform well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cahill/i-m-human-i-want-to-play-i-want-to-perform-well/)

[Gary Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cahill/)

> [We perform the show for the people that are in the room and then that performance is theirs forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-urie/we-perform-the-show-for-the-people-that-are-in-the-room-and-then-that/)

[Michael Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-urie/)

> [I'm always a competitor. I'm not there just to have a good time. I want to play well and perform well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-kuchar/i-m-always-a-competitor-i-m-not-there-just-to-have-a-good-time-i-want/)

[Matt Kuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-kuchar/)

> [I always was a writer, but then I wanted to do stand-up because I thought that was a way that I could perform what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/i-always-was-a-writer-but-then-i-wanted-to-do-stand-up-because-i/)

[Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/)

> [The thing is, don't get me wrong, I still love scoring and I hate to lose but now I see myself more as making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thierry-henry/the-thing-is-don-t-get-me-wrong-i-still-love-scoring-and-i-hate-to/)

[Thierry Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thierry-henry/)

> [Once you're on the pitch and you've put the shirt on, it's then down to you to perform and play well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lingard/once-you-re-on-the-pitch-and-you-ve-put-the-shirt-on-it-s-then-down/)

[Jesse Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lingard/)

> [“All human beings must perform according to their nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berger/all-human-beings-must-perform-according-to-their-nature/)

[Thomas Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berger/)

> [I love having the opportunity to perform, and I hate not being given the opportunity to perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-laing/i-love-having-the-opportunity-to-perform-and-i-hate-not-being-given/)

[Christie Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-laing/)

> [In my mid-twenties, I said to myself: 'I can't perform anymore!' I didn't know what I wanted to do. I didn't perform for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-kayden/in-my-mid-twenties-i-said-to-myself-i-can-t-perform-anymore-i-didn-t/)

[Spencer Kayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-kayden/)

> [Korean audiences are amazing. The fans scream so loud, and that really surprises skaters when they first perform in my shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-yuna/korean-audiences-are-amazing-the-fans-scream-so-loud-and-that-really/)

[Kim Yuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-yuna/)

Browse all 722 Perform quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alfred Kinsey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which-you-cannot-perform/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Perform"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which-you-cannot-perform/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/alfred-kinsey-29134_perform_the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which_834126.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform.” — Alfred Kinsey",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alfred Kinsey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kinsey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The only unnatural sex act is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which-you-cannot-perform/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kinsey/the-only-unnatural-sex-act-is-that-which-you-cannot-perform/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
