Meet the Swedish feminist bringing ethical porn to Spain and the world

By Ellie Day Erika Lust has spent the last 14 years creating feminist, ethical porn. In 2004, discouraged by the mainstream porn she found on offer, the Barcelona-based Swedish filmmaker set out to put forward an alternative to adult content. “The men who control the porn industry seemed to have the emotional intelligence of a …

Enjoy kink?

Here’s how to handle the ‘drop’ you may feel after you play. By James Besanvalle ‘I tend to play pretty hard,’ Rizzo Barajas from Martinez, California told Gay Star News. ‘Usually involving blood or very hard physical impact play.’ Rizzo identifies as a queer agender person of color. He’s also a switch, which means he alternates between taking either …

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 …

Why do we have difficulty accepting the variety of gender expressions?

Isn’t it self-evident that gender would always be uniquely expressed in each person? By Allyson Jule I know we’ve all heard this stuff before: men and women and boys and girls are “different”: they think differently, they think about different things, and they interact with the world in different ways. But those are dangerous ideas. …

Non-Binary Folks Share Advice for Coming Out as Gender Non-Conforming and Accepting Yourself

Struggling to come out as your authentic self? You’re not alone.  by Chelsea Steiner   With Pride Month coming to a close, Lifehacker has released a video featuring folks discussing coming out and the process of identifying as non-binary. The individuals include Nandi Kayyy, Dane Calabro, Divesh Brahmbhatt, and Kei Williams, all of whom use …

6 Things Every Transgender Person Should Know About Going to the Doctor

You deserve sensitive, comprehensive care. By Nathan Levitt, FNP-BC [T]ransgender patients often experience tremendous barriers to health care, including discrimination and an unfortunate lack of providers who are knowledgeable about and sensitive to this population. As a result, many transgender and nonbinary people avoid seeking care for preventive and life-threatening conditions out of fear. According to …

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 …

BDSM and consent

How to stop rough sex crossing the line into abuse By Soraya Auer [W]hen allegations of assault were made against New York’s top prosecutor Eric Schneiderman this week, he denied them, saying engaging in non-consensual sex was a line he would not cross. “In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and …

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 …

Mutual masturbation could help end orgasm inequality

May is National Masturbation Month, so we’re celebrating by exploring the many facets of self-love. By Rachel Thompson [S]o, your sexual partner just came and you didn’t. It’s infuriating, it’s frustrating, and it’s — rather dismally — all too common during heterosexual sex. I’m talking about the orgasm gap — the inequality in men and …