Hospital’s new online workshop helps parents talk about sexual health with kids with disabilities

By Zosia Bielski Having “the talk” fills most families with dread. For parents of teens with disabilities, the conversation often takes on an added layer of complexity. Parents want to keep their especially vulnerable children close and safe, while instilling independence and strong self-esteem. They want their kids to assert their own boundaries, even as …

What a leather convention can teach everyone about sex and consent

By Garrett Schlichte “Hotel is closed for private event” read the signs affixed to the front of the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill last weekend. A steady stream of people, mostly men, many in leather harnesses, some in collars and on leashes, and some simply in jeans and sweaters, walked in and out in an …

Why do half of women have fantasies about being raped?

By Ellen Scott [T]here’s a wide range of sexual fantasies people have, ranging from entirely unrealistic to applicable to real life, sex with Superman through to banging on a plane. But the fantasy of being raped, also known as nonconsent and forced sex fantasies, is common. Sexual fantasies let you explore your sexuality, they’re what …

Is Dating Dead?

You may be digging your own dating grave. by Benjamin Ritter Ask a Millennial about dating and you tend to get something along the lines of, “No one wants a relationship,” “Everyone just wants to hook-up,” and, “Dating is dead.” If you’re a millennial you can stop nodding now, because as a life, dating, and …

Cancer patients and survivors can have trouble with intimacy

[P]eople who survive cancer treatment — a growing group now topping 5 million — often have trouble with intimacy afterward, both from the actual treatment and physical recovery and from the psychological damage of feeling so vulnerable.(Photo: Getty Images/Comstock Images) In the mirror, Kelly Shanahan looks normal, even to herself. But she does not feel …

Why Sex Is Better At 57 Than 27

Jordan E. Rosenfeld Despite the fondness certain corners of the internet and cable television have for mocking sexually vital women of a certain age, new research suggests that those who embrace their sexuality may be laughing all the way to longer, healthier lives—though older men aren’t as lucky. A study out of Michigan State University (MSU) published this month in the Journal …