Sexual orientation may be set by sex hormones in the uterus – new study by Kiwi and Europeans

Some women may be born gay because of the amounts of male and female sex hormones they were exposed to in the uterus, according to a new study. Based on a review of 460 scientific studies, New Zealand and European researchers argue that the quantities of testosterone and oestrogen may be crucial in understanding the …

I’ll Have What She’s Having: Books for Better Sex and Better Relationships

By Judith Newman Having recently found myself single again, I approached the latest crop of books on sex and relationships with more than scholarly interest. Anything new happen while I’ve been on ice for the past 25 years? Let’s find out. If you’ve ever had a sexual fantasy and thought, “Oh God, what’s wrong with …

How to Have the Sex Talk During and After Cancer

One expert shares advice for opening the line of communication between patients and health care providers, as well as their partners. BY Katie Kosko Sex and intimacy after cancer can often become an afterthought. Many people are focused on fighting their disease, but don’t realize that sexual health matters, too. And it’s not a challenge …

How Evangelical Purity Culture Can Lead to a Lifetime of Sexual Shame

Former born-again Christian Linda Kay Klein combines personal reflections with years of research to trace the psychological effects of purity culture on women in her new memoir, “Pure.” by Stephanie Dubick For millions of girls growing up in evangelical Christianity, sexuality is a sin. Girls are sexual “stumbling blocks,” they’re told—a danger to the relationship …

How To Have More Intimate Conversations

This Simple Shift Will Immediately Spark Intimacy In Your Conversations By Danielle Dowling, Psy.D. We’ve all been in a situation where we’re uncomfortably asking questions of the person we want to impress or connect with, only to find ourselves running the conversation into a brick wall. Connecting through conversation is an integral part of any …

Building Strength And Resilience After A Sexual Assault: What Works

By April Fulton The wrenching testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a sexual assault years ago, raises questions about the long-term emotional and physical toll this kind of trauma takes on survivors and how our society responds to those who come forward long after the assault. Emily …

Questions you should ask before you get into a new relationship

By Simone Paget When I was younger, attraction, desire, love and sex were all tangled together in one big elastic band ball of feelings. I equated physical attraction with romantic love and found the two nearly indistinguishable. If I was attracted to someone, I’d immediately make it my goal to date them, often sacrificing my …

What even the most vanilla among us can learn from the BDSM community

by Natalie Benway “Sex is not what you do, it’s a place you go.” —Esther Perel Americans carry a lot of anxiety about having an exciting sex life. This anxiety inspires Cosmopolitan, Redbook and the like to publish a steady stream of articles flouting “100 ways to spice up your sex life!” and “The top …