What’s So ‘Indecent’ About Female Pleasure?

A consumer technology innovation award was revoked from a company that makes a hands-free sex toy. The reason, some believe, is that the product is made for women. By Valeriya Safronova A personal massager, a sperm counter, virtual-reality pornography, something described as “the world’s first ebook-driven sex toy”: All of these products have been exhibited …

Why Tumblr’s ban on adult content is bad for LGBTQ youth

By Stefanie Duguay As of Dec. 17, Tumblr will no longer allow “adult content,” defined as that which shows “real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples, and any content — including photos, videos, GIFs and illustrations — that depicts sex acts.” Before this, the platform’s lenient policies contrasted significantly with those of Facebook and Instagram, which …

Gender Identity in Weimar Germany

Remembering an early academic effort to define sexual orientation and gender identity as variable natural phenomena, rather than moral matters. By: Livia Gershon As the already precarious legal rights of trangender Americans come under renewed threat, it’s worth looking back at the first political movement around gender identity in the modern West. As German Studies …

What it really means to be in a dominant/submissive relationship

Real D/s relationships go beyond ‘Fifty Shades.’ By Tiffany Diane Tso When it comes to understanding BDSM, non-practitioners generally equate the kinky lifestyle with the chains, ropes, whips, and handcuffs found in Christian Grey’s “red room of pain” in Fifty Shades of Grey. And among the different elements included in the BDSM portmanteau (bondage and …

Yes, we can.

And we can also change the way we talk about disability and sex By Henrietta Bollinger  There are major barriers for disabled people who want to pursue sex and relationships. They are real and deeply felt. Yet the stigmatising tone of public conversation makes me wary, writes Henrietta Bollinger “Um … advice? From me? Yes, …

The first app to get approved as birth control in Europe has now been green-lit in the US, despite controversy

By Erin Brodwin Birth-control app Natural Cycles has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration — the first app to be approved for contraception in North America. The app uses an algorithm to tell women when they have the highest and lowest chances of getting pregnant, but it ultimately relies on men and …

What’s The Difference Between Kink And Fetish?

By Cara Sutra What’s The Difference Between Kink And Fetish? With increasing awareness of and interest in BDSM, much of the related jargon and terms have made their way into common parlance. Two such words are ‘kink’ and ‘fetish’. They’re often used interchangeably, but as they are two different words it’s natural to wonder what the actual meanings are. What’s the difference …

How Satisfying Are Open Relationships Compared To Monogamy?

By Sadhana Bharanidharan Monogamy;— to have only one partner at a time — is considered a social standard in modern human society. But is it a necessary component of a satisfactory relationship? Canadian researchers present new findings, suggesting that it may not have to be the ideal relationship structure. People in open relationships report feeling just as …

Performance issues in the bedroom are not just an older man’s problem

By Harriet Williamson [A] study has revealed that 36% of young men between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced sexual performance problems in the last year. The figures are higher for men between 25 and 34, with nearly 40% of those surveyed admitting to having issues in bedroom. Sexual dysfunction is often linked …

Queen Mother of the South: My Life as a Transgender Parent

By Evonne Kaho [T]he Southern part of the U.S. has to be one of the more conservative regions in the nation. Rooted in traditional, religious, and conventional values, it is often referred to as the “Bible Belt.” Southern traditionalists marvel at their old-fashioned ways and high moral standards. These standards are applied to every aspect …