How to Rethink Intimacy When ‘Regular’ Sex Hurts

There’s no rule that says sex has to be penetrative. By Breena Kerr [W]hen sex hurts, women often feel alone—but they’re not. About 30 percent of women report pain during vaginal intercourse, according to a 2015 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine which surveyed a subsample of 1,738 women and men ages 18 and older …

How many times do women need to explain that penetration isn’t everything before everyone gets it?

By Ellen Scott [T]his week, sex therapist Dr Janet Hall advised MamaMia of a catchy new term for sex that doesn’t just involve placing a penis inside a vagina and wriggling it about. ‘Introducing outercourse’, said MamaMia, explaining that ‘outercourse’ counts ‘kissing, massaging, using vibrators, touching erogenous zones, clitoral stimulation, oral sex or toe-sucking. Basically, …

Female Orgasms Are Not Puzzling Enigmas, Study Helpfully Concludes

By Tom Hale [T]he female orgasm is apparently a subject of great mystery and bewilderment for many men and women alike. But after you break through the old myths, taboos, and prudishness, it’s not quite as complicated as the glossy gossip magazines and hearsay makes out. A new study by sexual health experts at Indiana University looked into …

Affection And Romance Most Popular Forms Of Sexual Behavior, Says New US Study

By Dami Olonisakin [H]ave you ever thought about what your partner might enjoy most behind closed doors? Well, a study from researchers at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and the Center for Sexual Health Promotion have shared that it is, in fact, different forms of romantic and affectionate behavior. Finding new ways to create …

These Are the Moves That Really Make Women Orgasm, According to Science

Back and forth? Up and down? Straight across or in a circle? No one type of touch guarantees an amazing climax for everyone, but the women in a recent study said yes! yes! yes! most often to these. By Julia Naftulin If you relied on Hollywood as your guide to sexual pleasure, you’d think that the …

What to Do When You Want More—or Less—Sex Than Your Partner

By Justin Lehmiller [A]nyone who’s ever been in a long-term relationship knows that, when it comes to sex, we aren’t always on the same wavelength as our partners. Sometimes we’re in the mood, but our partner isn’t. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, it’s usually not a big deal—unless it starts happening over …

‘I’m 62 and my sex life is more important now than ever’

By Heather Saul [S]ex is just as important for women after 50: that’s what the European Court of Human Rights made clear when it ruled that the judges who reduced a 50-year-old woman’s compensation for a botched gynaecological operation had discriminated against her. Maria Morais, who is Portuguese and has two children, sought compensation on …

Personal Inventory

By Susan Deitz [R]elax your body before you start this questionnaire. It’s important you start this with shoulders loose and mind clear. Don’t rush through the following questions, because chances are they’ll lead to still more probing. (For now, jot down those additional questions on a separate sheet of paper for future reference.) The best …