The complicated, and sometimes surprising, global fight for LGBT rights

By Bilal Qureshi As 2019 drew to a close, Merriam-Webster declared the pronoun “they,” reconfigured as a non-binary gender identifier, its “word of the year.” The authoritative choice to cement a once-contentious usage affirmed the expansion of both the language and the politics of gender and sexuality in recent years. As of this summer, the …

6 Types of Orgasms You Didn’t Know You Could Have

By AnnaMarie Houlis When we talk about orgasms, it covers a wide range of conversations. After all, orgasms manifest differently for everyone — they may feel different, come through different sensations, last for different durations and affect us in a wealth of different ways. In fact, they may even derive from different pleasure points. And …

Why some women ignore sexual discomfort and settle for bad sex

By Kellie Scott Amelia*, 38, recently told her long-term boyfriend she experiences pain during sex. He asked, “Why didn’t you tell me before?” “I did tell him the times it was unbearable … but there were times where the pain wasn’t ‘that bad’ so I endured it,” Amelia says. “His question made me question myself …

Exploring the common misconceptions regarding trans and non-binary identities

Eight reasons why anti-trans rants are unscientific. By Hannah Seo Last month, a series of anti-trans tweets by author J.K. Rowling incited a maelstrom of anger, pain, and indignation. Specifically, Rowling opposed the phrase “people who menstruate” in an article, commenting on the social media platform, “I’m sure there used to be a word for …

Understanding These 2 Types of Sexual Desire Will Help You Feel In Control of Your Libido

Introducing: Spontaneous and responsive desire. By Gabrielle Kassel By now, you’ve probably heard a sexual health pro say—punctuated by 👏👏👏, of course—that porn is entertainment, not education. And that’s true. But there’s another type of media that shoves lies about what sex “should” (eye roll) look like down our collective throat: Romantic comedies. One of …

How Using Safe Words Helped Me Reclaim My Sexuality After Trauma

Determining safe words with your partner can create a healthy, loving space. By By Ashley Oken There are sexual experiences that can strip you of believing you have bodily autonomy, feeling safe in your own body, especially during sexual encounters. These leave you feeling powerless over your own sexuality. It could be through sexual violence, …

How and when to have sex for the first time after giving birth

By Julia Naftulin Doctors suggest waiting four to six weeks after giving birth to have sex again, but new parents shouldn’t feel pressured if they aren’t ready. When they are, it helps to ease back into the experience with self-pleasure and oral sex. Going on dates or spending quality time with your partner before sex …

“Who designed these uniforms—Tom of Finland?”

The real story behind these viral photos of Spanish soldiers Deployed to cities at high risk of coronavirus, photos of the Spanish Legion provoked lust, loathing and comments about homoeroticism when they went viral on social media. Yet the history of the Legion makes these responses no contradiction at all by Catherine Baker They are …