Xs & Os:

Couples Who Regularly Show Physical Affection Have Happier Relationships by John Anderer Cuddling, hugging, and touching that doesn’t lead to sex can help build a stronger and happier relationship and marriage, according to a new study conducted at Binghamton University. The research team examined the effect of non-sexual physical intimacy on relationship satisfaction across a …

What Does Asexual Mean? Definitions & How To Know If You’re “Ace”

Definitions & How To Know If You’re “Ace” By Suzannah Weiss Even as people gain more awareness of LGBTQ+ identities, asexuality remains poorly understood by many. Until recently, lots of people assumed that everyone was sexually attracted to someone or another. But in fact, some people don’t experience sexual attraction. Here’s what you should understand …

Why These Sexual Health Educators Took Their Activism Online

Education can be radical. by Gretchen Brown Sonalee Rashatwar believes education can be radical. “Any time we are giving someone information about their own body, we are informing them about their rights, and that’s political,” she said. “It destabilizes the structure when I tell someone they don’t have to opt into it.” Rashatwar is a …

Sex during lockdown

Are we witnessing a cybersexual revolution? Quarantine encourages the prosperity of sexual exploration. In the absence of consequence, there’s an abundance of freedom By Ciara Gaffney It’s with an almost nascent nostalgia that I recall the coining of the Gen Z “sexual recession”: a patronizing concern that our youngest generation would be rendered psychosexually stunted, …

A new wave of online sex education introduces children to LGBTQ+ issues

How YouTubers are providing free LGBTQ+ focused sex ed to bolster school curriculum By Observer staff Picture this: A chalkboard with rainbows drawn on it propped up on an easel made for children. Crayons and other props are spread out on a desk. A stuffed bear sits at attention ready for class. “Welcome to Queer …

Your Guide to Fertility and Getting Pregnant

Here’s a primer on how to conceive, whatever your sexual orientation, gender identity or relationship status. By Brooke Borel The early scenes of “Private Life,” a 2018 Netflix film about a New York City couple who are trying to conceive, present an unsettling scenario for anyone pondering their biological clock: A 40-something woman wakes up …

Sexual assault is a consequence of how society is organized

By Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan The Department of Education is about to release new rules about how schools must deal with sexual harassment, stalking, and sexual assault. There’s a lot that’s disastrous about this interpretation of Title IX, which is supposed to promote equal access to education for women. But what’s largely missing from …

Isolation could improve how we think about and navigate sex and relationships

By Victoria Brooks The coronavirus pandemic has already profoundly changed many of our lives. And it is certain that the virus will change some things forever. Some industries will fail, others will prosper. We will learn new ways of working and new ways of understanding the impact of capitalism. We will reconsider who the most …