Glossary Sapphic
Scissoring
Also called · scissor position · tribadism
At a glance
- In one line
- The interlocked-legs position where two vulvas press together directly, each partner's leg between the other's.
- Usually looks like
- Both partners half-reclined on their sides or backs, legs scissored, rocking; usually short stretches rather than a whole session.
- Gear needed
- None. Pillows under the hips and a little lube are what make the angle and the friction workable.
- Talk about first
- Whether the position physically works for both bodies, and what you switch to when it does not.
Scissoring is a specific position in which two partners interlock their legs so their vulvas press together, each grinding against the other at the same time. It is the act most often used in pornography as shorthand for sex between women, and also the one most often reported as more awkward in practice than it looks.
The difficulty is geometry rather than enthusiasm: getting both partners useful clitoral contact simultaneously depends on hip alignment and relative height, and holding the position calls on core and thigh strength that limits how long it lasts. Pillows under one hip, a wall to brace against, and accepting that contact will be better for one person than the other are the usual adjustments.
Ratings split between symmetry and practicality: people who score it high value being active and receiving at once, with nobody waiting a turn and eye contact throughout. People who score it low have generally tried it and found the contact too vague, the position tiring, or the coordination distracting enough that taking turns simply works better for both of them.
What a score means here Scissoring
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0
Hard no: direct vulva-to-vulva contact in this position is not something you want.
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1–33
1-33: you will try it, but the angle wrangling costs more than the sensation returns.
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34–66
34-66: enjoyable to drop into for a while, not how you expect to finish.
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67–99
67-99: you want it in the rotation and have worked out the pillow-and-angle setup that delivers pressure.
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100
100: this is the act, and you would judge a session on whether you got here.
Rating it
A low score usually reflects having tried it and found the mechanics not worth it; a high score means the mutual, simultaneous quality is the point and you are willing to work around the alignment problem.
Common misconceptions
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Scissoring is the standard way lesbians have sex.
In practiceIt is overrepresented on screen because it films well with both faces visible. In practice it is awkward to hold and most pairs get better pressure from thigh grinding.
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If it does not work for you, you are doing it wrong.
In practiceWhether two vulvas can meet at a usable angle depends on hip mobility, height difference and body shape. For some pairs the geometry simply never lines up.
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No penetration means no infection risk.
In practiceDirect skin contact transmits herpes and HPV, and shared fluid can pass trichomoniasis. A dental dam or a layer of fabric between the contact points is the barrier.
Worth knowing
Friction on dry skin is the main discomfort here, and lubricant deals with it; strained leg positions cramp, so shift or rearrange rather than holding an angle that has started to hurt.
About this item Frequently asked
Scissoring — questions people ask
what is scissoring and how does the position actually work
Scissoring is a tribbing position where two partners interlock their legs so their vulvas press together directly, each partner's leg passing between the other's. Both usually half-recline, propped on hands or elbows, and rock rather than thrust. The pressure comes from grinding the pubic bones and clitoral areas against each other, so the aim is sustained contact rather than movement range. It needs hip flexibility and a similar enough leg length that both partners can reach, which is why it works better for some pairs than others.
how do you get into scissoring for the first time without it being awkward
Build it out of a simpler position rather than starting cold. One partner lies on her back, the other straddles a thigh facing her, then slides one leg forward until the vulvas meet, and both lean back onto hands or pillows. Pillows under the lower partner's hips lift the angle and remove most of the strain. Add lube, because dry friction here builds fast. Expect to spend a couple of minutes finding an alignment that gives both partners pressure, and treat it as a position you drop into for a stretch rather than for a whole session.
scissoring vs tribbing, are they different things
Tribbing is the broad category and scissoring is one position inside it. Tribbing covers any grinding of the vulva against a partner's body, most often a thigh or hip; scissoring specifically means the interlocked-legs arrangement with direct vulva-to-vulva contact. The practical difference is control: on a thigh the moving partner can aim pressure precisely, while in scissoring both partners are half-supporting themselves and neither gets full control. That is why people who like the idea often end up doing the thigh version.
how should i rate scissoring if i've never managed to finish that way
Rate desire, not success rate. A 0 marks it as a hard no and takes it off the table entirely; anything from 1 to 100 is a continuous measure of how much you want it. Wanting it but finding the mechanics unreliable is a normal middle score around 40 to 60. Never having got there does not push the number down unless you also do not want it. The score is about this specific position and carries no other meaning.
does anyone actually orgasm from scissoring
Yes, but fewer people than the position's screen presence suggests, and usually those who have solved the alignment problem. The obstacle is pressure: in scissoring both partners are partly holding themselves up, so neither can bear down the way the top partner can in thigh grinding. Pairs who reliably get there tend to use pillows under the lower partner's hips, keep one partner more reclined than the other, and add a hand or a small vibrator at the contact point. Treating it as one stage among several is more realistic than treating it as the finisher.
Appears on
This item appears on the Sapphic test — one vial each.