How To Make The First Move Without Forgetting Consent

(Spoiler: It’s Not Hard) By Kasandra Brabaw For straight men and women, the sexual script has generally gone like this: Boy likes girl; boy asks girl out; boy makes the first move. That’s always been less-than-ideal (not to mention, limiting). In the #MeToo conversation, though, it feels more out of touch than ever. But, as …

A guide to the words we use in our gender coverage

By Anne Branigin Over the last few years, the rights of transgender people — and those within the LGBTQ community more broadly — have increasingly become the subject of legal and political debate. School districts across the country have proposed book bans that strike the work of LGBTQ writers from reading lists. Florida has moved …

Everything You Need To Know About Outercourse

(Sex Without Penetration) By Kesiena Boom, M.S. What is outercourse? Outercourse is a term that generally encompasses any type of non-penetrative sexual play, says sex educator Cassandra Corrado. “So it might include handjobs, nipple stimulation, perineal massage, cunnilingus—anything that stimulates the outside of the body for sexual pleasure.” Notably, outercourse has a broad definition and …

Women on top

— The woman who found BDSM in her 50s “Sexuality-wise I mostly find people who are not into BDSM boring; they aren’t sexy or open enough for me.” Anjya is 58, and is always submissive in her BDSM relationships. But she won’t be won’t be submissive to just anyone… Ever wondered what kind of sex …

What’s The STD Knowledge Gap & Why Is It An Issue For Women’s Health?

By Alice Broster Sex and health education has changed a lot over the last few decades. Depending on where you grew up, it’s more than likely that the syllabus being taught in schools now bears little to no resemblance to what was on offer when you were there. However, this has serious implications for your …

What will Consent 101 actually look like in schools?

‘There’s an understandable concern from parents, but I think they should feel confident that this education will be age appropriate and grow with the students.’ By Jaymie Hooper A landmark decision by the Australian government will see sexual consent education mandated across schools nationally from next year, with children as young as four expected to …

Can Xanax Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

By Laura Dorwart Xanax (alprazolam) can cause sexual side effects, including low libido (sex drive) and erectile dysfunction (ED).1 Xanax is a prescription medication used to treat anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder. It is also sometimes used to treat insomnia, muscle spasms, and seizures.2 Xanax belongs to the benzodiazepine …

What Is The Kinsey Scale?

Visualizing Sexuality As A Spectrum By Stephanie Barnes Charts and scales can help better explain many things in life, and sexuality is no different. One of the most popular scales used to understand sexuality is the Kinsey Scale, which was created to help describe a person’s sexual orientation. Though not without its limitations, this scale …

What to Know About Gender-Affirming Care

Gender-affirmation care refers to treatments, ranging from surgery to speech therapy, that support a transgender or nonbinary person in their gender transition. Transgender people identify with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth. Nonbinary people have gender identities that fall outside the categories of male and female. Transition looks different for …

What’s the Difference Between Ethical Non-Monogamy, Polyamory, and Open Relationships?

Here’s how to determine what’s right for you. By Zachary Zane Relationships used to be simpler. Traditionally in the United States, the vast majority of people in relationships were monogamous, whereas the few remaining more “adventurous” couples were in open relationships, meaning they slept with additional folks with the consent and knowledge of their partner. …