Contraception, consent, kinks – welcome to the sex-ed you wish you’d had in school

Your questions answered by sex-positive pros. By Ali Pantony For most millennials, the words ‘sex education’ probably conjure up images of clinical vulva diagrams, scaremongering STI leaflets, entirely heteronormative textbooks and absolutely tons of bananas encased in condoms. Basically, you know that bit in Mean Girls when the PE teacher tells the class that if …

Sex Flush

— How to Embrace Your Body’s Natural Arousal Glow by Gabrielle Smith Remember mood rings? Sex flush is kind of like that. Except it’s your body changing color because of a very specific mood: Arousal. Sex flush is a normal part of the arousal cycle. It can happen during solo or partnered sexy times to …

4 Things Every Woman Needs to Do for Her Sexual Health

Women’s well-being has lagged behind men’s for far too long, but there are steps you can take to empower yourself — and all womxn. By Pam O’Brien “Every woman deserves good sexual health and a robust sex life,” says Jessica Shepherd, M.D., an ob-gyn and a gynecologic surgeon at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas …

Growing risks of STIs in the over-45 crowd

By University of Chichester Over-45s are at a higher risk of contracting STIs than ever before because of society’s unwillingness to talk about middle-aged and older people having sex, a new report has found. A study undertaken by the University of Chichester, alongside organisations in the UK, Belgium, and Netherlands, revealed negative attitudes and limited …

What You Need to Know About Being a BDSM Switch

It’s like a lil bit of dominant + a lil bit of submissive. By Rachel Varina BDSM stands for bondage and discipline, domination and submission, and sadism and masochism. This is where the whole dominant (sometimes called a “top”) and submissive (a “bottom”) dynamic comes into play. “A top is simply someone who leads/guides the …

Sexual health during cancer treatment

Many patients don’t want to talk about sexual health while being treated for cancer — here’s why they should. By: Sara Thompson Cancer treatment and sexual health Depending on the treatment you are given, sexual side effects range from mildly annoying to downright debilitating. For instance, hormone-blocking medications can cause vaginal dryness, which can lead …

The difference between gender, gender expression, and sexuality

By Canela López Gender, gender presentation, and sexuality are concepts that are commonly lumped together and confused for each other. Insider has compiled a guide to each. Gender is how you identify, whether it be as a man, woman, non-binary, or something else. It can differ from the sex you were assigned at birth based …