Parents struggle to discuss sex with LGBTQ teens

[I]t’s hard enough for parents to have “the talk” about sexual health with their kids, but parents of LGBTQ children feel especially uncomfortable and unequipped when they try to educate them about sex and dating, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. The study examined parents’ attitudes toward talking about sexual health with their lesbian, gay, …

What’s The Difference Between A Polyamorous And An Open Relationship?

Inquiring minds would like to know… By Kristin Canning [B]eing in an open relationship is totally the same thing as being polyamorous, right? (Asking for a friend…) Actually, while the two share some similar characteristics, they’re very different. “An open relationship is one where one or both partners have a desire for sexual relationships outside …

8 Things Doctors Wish You Knew About Dyspareunia, AKA Painful Sex

Yup, we mean the bad kind of pain. [P]op culture’s depictions of sex typically focus on the romantic, the salacious, and (in some refreshing cases) the embarrassing. But one thing that’s still rarely mentioned—both on screen and IRL—is pain during sex (also known as dyspareunia), or the shame, confusion, and stigma that often accompany it. …

Medically assisted sex? How ‘intimacy coaches’ offer sexual therapy for people with disabilities

[F]or years, Spencer Williams felt he was missing something in his love life. The 26-year-old Vancouver university student and freelance writer has cerebral palsy. He says he meets lots of potential sex partners but had trouble finding what he was looking for. “I always refer to my wheelchair as it comes to dating … as …

Women who have sex with women orgasm much, much more, new study shows

Women who have sex with women are more likely to orgasm, according to a new study. By Josh Jackman [R]esearchers at the University of Arkansas have discovered that though straight partners have sex more often, bisexual and lesbian women have more orgasms – by far. The study, which had 2,300 respondents, found that women were …

Sexual Attraction

By Driftwood Staff [H]ave you ever wondered why you are attracted to the people you are attracted to? Despite surface guesses, there are common generalizations of sexual preferences that seem to make sense, or are at least exhibited by the average human male or female. Have you ever noticed that your preferences have changed or …

Viagra rising: How the little blue pill revolutionized sex

[T]wenty years ago, a little blue pill called Viagra unleashed a cultural shift in America, making sex possible again for millions of older men and bringing the once-taboo topic of impotence into daily conversation. While the sexual improvement revolution it sparked brightened up the sex lives of many couples, it largely left out women still …

Omnisexual, gynosexual, demisexual: What’s behind the surge in sexual identities?

by Olivia Goldhill [I]n 1976, the French philosopher Michel Foucault made the meticulously researched case that sexuality is a social construct used as a form of control. In the 40 years since, society has been busy constructing sexualities. Alongside the traditional orientations of heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual, a myriad other options now exist in the …

Actual things you can do to bridge the orgasm gap in your own bedroom

By Rachel Thompson [Y]our sexual partner just jubilantly crossed the finish line, but you’re still running a race with no end in sight. It’s frustrating. And, for an alarming number of heterosexual women, it’s the infuriating reality of sex. Metaphors aside, we’re talking about the gender orgasm gap—the disparity between men and women’s sexual satisfaction, …

How to use handcuffs during sex in the best (and safest) way

Please, please, please avoid cheap metal cuffs. By Paisley Gilmour [C]onsidering trying BDSM? If you’re looking for a beginner‘s way in, handcuffs are a really simple and super-fun way to start. “Restraints are a fantastic way to explore the world of bondage and discover a new level of pleasure and play,” says Megan McCormack, sex …