What’s the Best Way to Talk to a Teen About Sexual Identity?

A new survey indicates that many teens aren’t getting the information or advice they need about important health issues. by George Citroner [A] nationwide survey of almost 200 gay teens found that young males who have sex with other males aren’t receiving proper advice about critical health issues that affect them. The survey included responses …

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 …

What a leather convention can teach everyone about sex and consent

By Garrett Schlichte “Hotel is closed for private event” read the signs affixed to the front of the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill last weekend. A steady stream of people, mostly men, many in leather harnesses, some in collars and on leashes, and some simply in jeans and sweaters, walked in and out in an …

Lessons In Love For Generation Snapchat

By Tovia Smith Along with explicit sexual education classes, some schools are beginning to offer more G-rated lessons on love. Experts say the so-called “iGen” is woefully unprepared to have healthy, caring romantic relationships and young people need more guidance. So schools are adding classes that are less about the “plumbing” of relationships, and more …

Nienke Helder designs therapy tools for women recovering from sexual trauma

By Angel Trinidad Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Nienke Helder has created a set of sensory objects that can be used to rehabilitate women affected by sexual abuse. Presented at this year’s Dutch Design Week, Sexual Healing is designed to help women who are suffering from trauma-induced sexual problems, such as pelvic muscle blockage. According to the …

Senior citizens are having more sex and enjoying it more than younger people

Those age 70 and up are having more sex and enjoying it more than younger people. But they don’t kiss and tell. By Kevyn Burger [G]ray-haired customers sometimes sidle up to Smitten Kitten owner Jennifer Pritchett and say with a smile, “Bet you don’t get someone my age in here often.” The owner of the …

Talking With Both Daughters and Sons About Sex

By LISA DAMOUR Parents play a key role in shaping sexual decision-making among adolescents — especially for girls. A 2016 review of more than three decades of research found that teenagers who communicated with their parents about sex used safer sexual practices. Likewise, new research from Dutch investigators who studied nearly 3,000 teenagers found that …