What is a Golden Shower? - Definition from Kinkly

Golden Shower

Updated: JUNE 28, 2023

Reviewed by Marla Stewart

on June 26, 2023

A golden shower is a slang term for a sex act involving a person urinating on or in front of a sexual partner. Golden showers fall under the umbrella of watersports, commonly known as piss play. People with a fetish for golden showers and other watersports have urolagnia, sometimes called urophilia.

Why People Are Into Golden Showers

Some people enjoy golden showers because it sets up a dominant/submissive dynamic. Someone urinating on their partner is in a dominant position while the person receiving the golden shower is submissive. The giver may feel powerful humiliating or degrading their partner by urinating on them. The receiver may also feel turned on when they're humiliated or degraded in this way. Sharing a golden shower can also be a bonding experience for some people. Some enjoy the sensations of golden showers, including the look and scent of urine and the warm feeling of the liquid against their skin. People giving golden showers may also feel intense relief as they relax and empty their bladders. Since people normally urinate in private, some people also find golden showers arousing because they’re taboo.

People who enjoy watching golden showers may enjoy watching pornography featuring this sex act. This pornography may involve live-action footage or animated characters, such as in Japanese hentai.

How common is this kink?

It's difficult to determine how common the practice or interest in golden showers is, as many people are private about their kinks. A study analyzing the conversations of Yahoo Groups members estimated around 9% of people had a sexual interest in bodily waste, including blood, feces and urine. In addition, when writer and sex educator Luna Matatas asked her Instagram audience whether they would be open to pee play if they had an interested partner, 31% said yes, while a further 25% said they’d consider it.

While golden showers are largely enjoyed behind closed doors, this sex act has gone mainstream over time. In 2000, "Sex & The City" featured an episode in which Carrie Bradshaw refused to urinate on the face of her new politician lover. In 2017, a BuzzFeed dossier claimed Donald Trump hired sex workers to urinate in front of him. In 2021, Sophia Urista of Brass Against urinated on a consenting audience member during the rock band’s performance at Florida’s Welcome to Rockville festival. In 2023, golden showers were back in the headlines when the Netflix series "You" featured a character donning swimming goggles and requesting a golden shower from an employee.

A golden shower is different from a brown shower, which is another sex act that involves defecating on or near a partner. As both acts involve human waste, they can be parallel fetishes for some people.

More About Golden Shower

People may enjoy golden showers during foreplay or sex. Someone may stand in front of a kneeling or sitting partner or stand or kneel over a partner lying on their back. They may position themselves to urinate over any part of their partner’s body. Some people like partners to urinate on their face or into their mouth. Some people also enjoy sitting in a partner's urine. People may enjoy the sensations of having sex with a full bladder, urinating inside their partner, or being urinated inside during sex. Golden showers can also be a part of pet play, where people role-playing as puppies may urinate if they are not house-trained.

Golden Showers and Ways to Play

People who love golden showers might also enjoy other forms of piss play, such as drinking their partner’s urine, listening to their partner urinate, or collecting urine. If they like BDSM, they may control when a partner can use the bathroom or enjoy having their toileting controlled by a dominant partner. Diaper play can be a fun way to combine role-playing with watersports.

How to Enjoy Golden Showers Safely

As with all types of sexual play, clear communication and consent are important. Discussing an interest in golden showers can help someone learn whether their partner is open to golden showers and how a scene involving one might look. Establishing safe words can help partners ensure they’re both enjoying playing with golden showers. Single people interested in golden showers may also search for partners who share their interests online or sex workers who offer a golden shower service.

"If you're interested in golden showers but don't know where to start, the best place to start is in the shower!" suggested Rhiannon John, a certified sexologist for BedBible.com. "Shower play allows for easy cleanup, and having water running during a golden shower can help dilute the urine, making it less intense. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually progress to engaging in golden showers without the water on and expand the activity beyond the bathroom once you have the necessary materials and knowledge to handle cleanup effectively."

People can become nervous when urinating in front of someone, especially if they’re new to golden showers or just getting to know their partner. Being aroused also makes urinating more difficult. It can be easier to perform a golden shower with eyes closed after taking a few deep breaths to relax.

While urine is 95% water, it may contain viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and blood-borne viruses and bacteria from urinary tract and sexually transmitted infections. These viruses and bacteria can be transmitted through golden showers. Making sure everyone is healthy, especially if anyone has open wounds or plans on drinking their partner’s urine, can lower the risks. The bacteria in urine can grow over time when left on surfaces, so it’s important to clean any play area thoroughly after use.

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