The Vulnerable Group Sex Ed Completely Ignores & Why That’s So Dangerous

By Hallie Levine [W]hen Katie, 36, was identified as having an intellectual disability as a young child after scoring below 70 on an IQ test, her parents were told that she would never learn to read and would spend her days in a sheltered workshop. Today she is a single mum to an 8-year-old son, …

Vaginismus: solutions to a painful sexual taboo

Many women use terms such as ‘failure’ or ‘freak’ to describe themselves By Teresa Bergin [V]aginismus is a very common but rarely discussed problem. Most women I see with this difficulty will not have discussed it with anyone else, not even female members of their own family or girlfriends. The silence that surrounds the issue …

Why Can’t I Orgasm During Sex? Chronic Pain And 5 Other Factors That Affect Ability To Climax

By Lizette Borreli Imagine this: You and your partner are getting hot and heavy in between the sheets. You’re feeling sexually aroused — but you’re unable to climax. In frustration you ask yourself: “Why can’t I orgasm during sex?” The Kinsey Institute indicates 20 to 30 percent of women don’t have orgasms during intercourse, compared to only …

These 3 Sex Ed Videos Aim To Take The Awkward Out Of Sex Education

By Ed Cara   Few moments in life are weirder than when an adult finally decides it’s time to impart the birds-and-bees speech. Or less pointless it seems. Plenty of research has found that kids rarely get the answers to important questions they have about sex and puberty. And the sex ed they do get from their …

What Does Transgender Mean? Your Guide to Understanding Trans Terminology.

By Elle Stanger For this edition of Elle Oh Elle, I’ve enlisted the voice of Monika MHz, a Portland DJ and columnist. Monika is a trans woman, and she’s here to explain how you can make the world a better place by removing transphobia from your life. Although ultimately impossible to measure precisely, a new …

We’re Not Quite ‘Born This Way’

By Jesse Singal Back in 2014, a bigoted African leader put J. Michael Bailey, a psychologist at Northwestern, in a strange position. Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, had been issuing a series of anti-gay tirades, and — partially fueled by anti-gay religious figures from the U.S. — was considering toughening Uganda’s anti-gay laws. The …

Is Sex Good For You? Researchers Say Active Sexual Life Is Good For Your Brain, General Well-Being

By Clark Mindock Here’s some potential good news: Scientific evidence shows that sex can be pretty good for your well-being. Don’t count on it to replace your daily exercise routine, but sexual health experts say that consensual, positive sexual experiences are likely to release hormones like endorphins and oxytocin — both feel-good chemicals — into your brain. …