Vaginismus: a major psychological reason women experience pain during sex

If you have never heard of vaginismus, it’s time to get it on your radar. By Rosy Edwards [A]ly Dilks, sexual health expert and clinical director at The Women’s Health Clinic, says: ‘It is the term used to describe recurrent or persistent involuntary tightening of muscles around the vagina whenever penetration is attempted,’ According to …

5 Simple Sex Positions You Actually Haven’t Tried Yet

By Anthea Levi [T]rying something new in bed can be intimidating. But attempting the unknown between the sheets comes with thrilling benefits. Besides giving you the chance to discover new erogenous zones and orgasm triggers, “it’s a great way to practice asking or telling your partner what you want,” says Nicole Tammelleo, a psychotherapist specializing in …

STI symptom checker: Do I have gonorrhoea, chlamydia or syphilis? Signs of sex infections

STIs – or sexually transmitted infections – can be passed on via unprotected sex. These are the symptoms of gonorrhoea – commonly misspelt gonorrhea – chlamydia and syphilis to look out for. By Lauren Clark [S]TIs – the common abbreviation for sexually transmitted infections – can be passed on via unprotected sex. Common STIs include …

New treatments restoring sexual pleasure for older women

By Tara Bahrampour [W]hen the FDA approved Viagra in 1998 to treat erectile dysfunction, it changed the sexual landscape for older men, adding decades to their vitality. Meanwhile, older women with sexual problems brought on by aging were left out in the cold with few places to turn besides hormone therapy, which isn’t suitable for …

More Men Than You Think Identify As ‘Mostly Straight’

By Ritch Savin-Williams [I]n 2013, Hunger Games actor Josh Hutcherson told an interviewer for Out magazine that he was, in his own words, “mostly straight.” “Maybe I could say right now I’m 100 percent straight. But who knows? In a fucking year, I could meet a guy and be like, ‘Whoa, I’m attracted to this …

Female sex tech pioneers are turning pleasure into empowerment

Women are founding startups to design sex toys and wearables that appeal to female sensuality and increase representation in the tech industry By Kirstie Brewer [T]he percentage of female leaders working in technology is notoriously low and the sex tech industry fares no better. But there has been a surge in the number of sex …

6 sexually transmitted infections you should know about and how to treat them

“Sex is great, but safe sex is better“ By Dr Seth Rankin [S]exual Health Week upon us, which means it’s time to have that awkward STI chat. You might be in a loving relationship or think you’re a few decades past your sexual prime, but the STI talk isn’t just for teenagers. According to research …

Bugs, Boners and BDSM: A Day in the Life of a Dominatrix

Because quirks can be quirky. By Andre Shakti “We’ve got a live one, ladies!” Svetlana called out from the office. The scantily clad women seated around the kitchen table barely flinched. Tuesdays were notoriously slow, with our phone lines typically dominated by time wasters. We called them “wankers,” the men who contacted us under the …