Xah Lee, 2005-06
Missionary Position. It is said that when the WASP missionaries arrived in continental America, they saw doggy position practiced by the natives like animals, and proceeded to proselytize them the gospel of the God-pleasing position and Christianity. This is, however, most likely a urban myth.
Cowgirl Position. Cowboys, ride horses; by sexual transgression of the word, cowgirl is created to denote females who hold the job of cowboys, even though it doesn't exactly exist. It is similar to the situation where we have wide spread of female warriors or femme fatale or courageous heroine in tales throughout history, invariably all beautiful. Now, since in this position the woman rides like riding a horse, thus it's called cowgirl position.
Another illustration of the cowgirl position. In this image, we see that the woman assumed a position that facilitates up-and-down movement, while the man helps in the up movement cycle.
A variant of the cowgirl position. The cowgirl bends forward so that her breasts touch her man, and they can exchange saliva.
Woman on top position is sometimes known as Amazon position. The “Amazon” here refers to the legendary Amazon race comprising female warriors and females only and all warriors. By imagination, Amazons being beautiful, strong, independent, and controlling as opposed to being controlled, thus woman-on-top is aka Amazon position. When a woman is on top, she has control of the situation. In general, men do not wish women to be on top, nor women. For copulation, it may be different.
Reverse cowgirl.
The legs-up position.
Art by Rama. Used with permission. By the artist's request, you shall also be free to use these images provided that you allow others to do so too.
For technical info about sexual positions, see Wikipedia: Sexual positions.