‘We have not had sex since the dog came into our lives’

— When pets affect human relationships From prophetic pooches to clingy cats, Guardian readers share tales of how pets have influenced their love lives, for better and worse By Doosie Morris While humans have kept domesticated animals for tens of thousands of years, there’s no evidence that anyone was ever driven out of a cave …

Queer Reading

— SF State prof sees reasons for rethinking LGBTQ history by Brian Bromberger For Marc Stein, professor of history at San Francisco State University, queer history is a calling, realizing he is part of a network and a community of gay intellectuals. Many U.S. college history departments don’t even define queer history as a bona …

How Hannah Arendt’s Zionism Helped Create American Gay Identity

— The pioneering gay writer and editor Michael Denneny, who died on April 12, learned from his teacher Arendt that an individual can be free only as part of a free community by Blake Smith Hannah Arendt left behind little in the way of an obvious institutional or intellectual legacy during her brief years at …

Everything to Know About Gender-Neutral Terms and How to Use Them

— “Gender-neutral language is honestly an easy way to show respect and acceptance to everyone we come into contact with.” By Jamie Ballard The language we use when we’re speaking to and about people is significant. It can impact how we see others, how we see ourselves, and how people are treated in workplaces, social …

I’m Intersex

— Here’s How That Affects My Sex Life. “I’ve never understood the idea in society that people should be ashamed of differences like this.” By Mark Hay About 1.7 percent of all people are born with intersex characteristics, an umbrella term for sex traits—such as external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and chromosomal configurations—that don’t line …

How the ancient Greeks viewed pederasty and homosexuality

— In many city-states, it was perfectly acceptable for older men to have sexual relationships with young boys. By Tim Brinkhof In ancient Greece, pederasty was the practice of older men serving as mentors to young boys in exchange for sexual favors. This practice was widespread, though customs and attitudes differed drastically from Greek city-state …

Sex After 50

— Don’t Lose That Lovin’ Feeling Connection, communication and self-acceptance keep intimacy alive By Lisa B. Samalonis Although advancing age can pose some challenges to a healthy sex life, with a shift in perspective, intimacy can still be satisfying, good for your health and overall fun. Frequently discussed obstacles include: Vaginal dryness/atrophy. Erectile dysfunction. Lost …

Sex Redefined

— The Idea of 2 Sexes Is Overly Simplistic Biologists now think there is a larger spectrum than just binary female and male By Claire Ainsworth As a clinical geneticist, Paul James is accustomed to discussing some of the most delicate issues with his patients. But in early 2010, he found himself having a particularly …