Blame it on Disney fantasies, early 2000s magazines, and every rom-com ever made, but there is some interesting messaging out there when it comes to dating. One of the biggest narratives we’re fed around dating and relationships is that there’s this magical unicorn of a human that was made just for you – “the one”.…
Sexuality is a form of sharing – experiences, pleasure, love, and yes, genetic material. Yet, it can’t just be sharing because we don’t stop being sexual without a partner. Being single is by no means an obstacle to developing your sexual skills even if there’s presently a dry spell in your love life. Here are…
Sometimes, it might be hard to get over your ex. Some people take a few months, while others require years. And if we look at the movie “Love in the Time of Cholera,” sometimes people might spend their whole life hung up on a long-lost lover. You can find a gazillion advice pieces online, from…
Do you believe in soulmates? You’re not alone if you answered “yes” to that question. According to the Marist poll, even 73% of Americans believe in soulmates. That’s a lot of people who believe in true love, yet the divorce rates are fairly high in developed countries around the world. Doesn’t make much sense now,…
Finally, the hygge season is back! With the days becoming shorter and the weather turning colder each day, it’s time to cuddle up and spend some good quality time inside with your partner. Now, staying home wrapped in sweaters doesn’t have to be boring. Sweater weather is the perfect time for cuddles and some uninterrupted…
It’s fairly obvious… dating today is nothing like it was 20-some years ago. Today, dating is predominantly done via technology, aka using dating apps. And even though there are a slew of Hollywood films that lead us to believe that online dating is an actual revenue in which to find love and companionship (think “You’ve…
When it comes to men and what turns them on, there are a million blog posts and women’s magazine articles that will tell you how to flirt, what to say, what to wear, and how much eye contact to use. To be very honest, it can be very easy to turn a man on and…
Cold Netflix nights are played out. As nice as cozying up by the fire has been, you’re ready to do some adventuring – or at least step outside. The weather is warming up, the grass is looking lush and green, flowers are blooming, and love is in the air. After cozying up for the winter…
Everyone craves human connection. We’re hardwired for it. Our relationships, no matter how serious they are, give us the opportunity to reflect, to learn about ourselves and life, to experience pleasure, and to enjoy life! Dating apps are one of the most revolutionary tools out there when it comes to love, sex, and romance. They…
San Diego is one of the biggest hot spots in the United States. This coastal city has it all – sunny weather, beautiful beaches, amazing food, and endless amounts of fun things to do and see. Whether you’re exploring San Diego for the first time, or you’ve lived here your whole life, this is a…
It’s 2022 and in this day and age, people get to love who they want and however many people they want. They’ve broken the confines of what your stereotypical relationship should look like and have made their own rules. It seems like more and more people are leaning towards polyamory, or choosing to stay single…
There is no one gender that has a monopoly on not being in the moment during lovemaking. When it comes to a wandering mid-coitus mind, women are just as likely as anyone to be thinking of any number of things, other than what’s happening right there in front of them. IT should be no surprise…
In literal terms, a cat fish is a diverse ray-finned fish that has distinguishable barbels that look like a cat’s whiskers. But in the figurative world, a catfish is something completely different… and chances are, you’ve heard of this term before. Regardless of your views on the matter, being a catfish is devastatingly immoral, cruel,…
What’s your first reaction when someone says they “waited for marriage” or when someone mentions the concept of virginity? Do you cringe? Are you ambivalent? Does it resonate with you? Does it bring up some family and cultural baggage? Is it outside of your normal life but you’re curious? All or none of the above?…
With the popularity of online dating, the chances of you speaking to someone on the phone or hearing a voice note from them before actually meeting, is high. And how about the growingly popular TV show, Love is Blind, in which contestants base their levels of attraction towards another using only their voice? It’s true!…
So you’re getting ready for a first date. How exhilarating! Is your tummy filled with butterflies, creating a slew of anxiety, intrigue, and excitement? Are you preparing to look and feel your best, to make a great impression, and hopefully get whatever it is you want out of this date? Maybe you’re looking for a…
“I only date Asian girls because they’re so hot.” “Once you go black, you’ll never go back.” “Oh, no, man. I only date white girls. Black girls are just not my type.” Unfortunately, statements like these are a fairly frequent occurrence in conversations amongst people, even the younger generations, who are more aware of racism…
You’d think that sex, love, and romance would be the most natural things for humans, but that’s not always the case. Many of us are often left floundering when it comes to these vital parts of life. Sex ed in school often leaves people more confused than before, your parents may not have the best…
Question: how did you meet your current partner? And what about the last person you dated? Chances are, you’ve gone on a number of dates with people you’ve met on one or more online dating sites. And while these apps are mostly a pain, they can actually work. Think about it: at this very moment…
Love at first sight is so often romanticised. In movies, films, and even in real life. And while the thought of it does sound appealing, there is the flip side of it all. In other words, is love at first sight actually quite shallow? Does it mean that one can be filled with feelings of…
It might surprise you that it’s not “Boobs. Boobs. BOOBS.” There are many things that are going through a man’s mind while he’s making love–and yes, there’s a good chance he’s fantasizing about someone or something else. And that’s okay, because you’re probably doing it too! What is he thinking during sex? While making love,…
There’s a well-known expression that goes, “birds of a feather, flock together”. So we were curious to find out whether this expression was applicable when it comes to sex and dating. Well, more so about whether vegetarians and vegans were more likely to date other vegetarians and vegans (spoiler alert? They are!), and if being…
We’re just sliding into that late autumn/early winter colder months – you know the time: the air is crisp, the sleeves are long and the lattes are pumpkin spiced. But now that the sun is setting earlier and there’s enough of a nip in the air to make an excuse to skip after-work drinks, have…
You may or may not have heard of the term ‘demisexual’. For reference, demisexual is when a person only experiences sexual attraction to another when they have a close emotional bond with them. This bond need not be romantic in nature however—it could even be a platonic friendship. Regardless, demisexuality isn’t actually about being sexually…
Sex columnist Dan Savage explained the art of talking dirty very simply: “Dirty talk for beginners: Tell ’em what you’re going to do, tell ’em what you’re doing, tell ’em what you did.” This formula sounds perfect, but what if you’re shy and struggle with articulating your thoughts? Not all people are comfortable with voicing…
We put a lot of emphasis on our romantic relationships, and for good reason. Romance lights us up, inspires us, and helps us feel that fiery rush of what it means to be alive. Romance, however, isn’t always easy to find, especially amidst a pandemic with off-and-on lockdowns. Even dating apps can be a tricky…
The second episode of our pleasure podcasts takes around the globe to discuss the effects of the ongoing pandemic of human relationships. How has the prolonged time spent together influenced couples? How has the dating scene changed? Or how to deal with the psychological impacts of lockdown? These and many more questions form the basis…
Being single usually has a fairly sad undertone for many people. Movies and media had shaped a certain image of how the life of single people looks like, with tons of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or endless booze on Friday nights and questionable sex life. But in real life, being single doesn’t have to…
Samantha Jones once said, “Sex with an ex can be depressing. If it’s good, you can’t get it anymore. If it’s bad, you just had sex with an ex.” Even the fictional queen of casual sex knew that sex with an ex is complicated, yet surveys report that even 44% of people have sex with…
Sexual compatibility is one of the most important aspects of every relationship. Whenever we meet a new partner, we’re always eager to find out whether we’re compatible in the sheets. We’re looking for that spark, that instant attraction to another person, where you can’t seem to get enough of each other and where you don’t…
Whether you’re a pinch hitter in middle school or a relief pitcher who’s been to the mound a few times, you’re probably like us and very, very confused by all the baseball terminology that pop culture has made so famous. We’re of course talking about the different bases correlating to different levels of intimacy with…
LGBT. LGBTQ. LGBTQI. LGBTQIA+. As an out and proud member of the queer community, I relish each letter our little web of support brings to the table. Under such a big, welcoming archway of possibility, there are few things more beautiful than queers and our ability to meet one another exactly where we’re at. Most…
Is your partner’s love language verbal affirmation? If so, you should definitely take advantage of World Compliment Day to show them some love. Words are one of the most powerful tools of communication and making your crush, girlfriend, wife, or life partner feel butterflies can start with a simple text. What is World Compliment Day…
How do we know for sure if someone sees us as especially attractive and a potential partner? And how do we let others know if we find them equally attractive , or simply see them as friends? One way is by recognizing flirtatious facial expressions, according to a study published in a September 2020 issue…
What’s the secret to staying madly in love? Is it even possible to feel madly in love with someone after 5, 10, 20 years together? Due to recent neurological research, we are a bit closer to answering these perplexing questions and demystifying the secrets behind achieving intense, lasting, romantic love. A recent study published online…
One of the hardest aspects of ending a romantic relationship or marriage is listening to others tell you what you need to do. Many people don’t know what to say or how to comfort you, or they take on the responsibility of “fixing” you and your situation. In reality, all you really want (and need)…
We have very complex mating strategies as a species. Research shows that a heterosexual woman will adapt their behavior and the way they dress depending on the kind of relationship they’re looking for. Whether it’s innate or it’s down to external, cultural pressures is an important consideration, but whatever the reason, straight women looking for…
We all have different coping strategies when a relationship breaks down, and each of us reacts differently to finding ourselves alone after investing time and emotion into someone else. Some of us lose ourselves in work, others in sport and exercise. Some self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, a few jump feetfirst into their singledom through…
You swiped right. You matched. You want to have sex with this person. But what do you need to know up front? What insights can you glean from instant messaging that might be important? Below, we list five of what we think are important questions to ask before you hook up with a stranger to…
The majority of people meet their partners through friends, family, work, or social groups. But increasingly, we’re meeting our partners online, due to having access to a high volume of people, being able to organise them easily, and communicate with them safely, at our own leisure. Dating apps like Tinder have simplified the process even…
Someone once told me that, after a breakup, your heart should only hurt for half the amount of time the relationship lasted. So, a two-year relationship would equal a year of mourning, and a ten-year relationship will hurt for five years. Bullshit. I had relationships which lasted months but hurt for years. There’s a girl…
There are a lot of questions that arise before thinking about coming out (a metaphor used by the LGBTQ+ community referring to revealing your sexual identity) to your friends, family, workplace, etc. How do I tell them? When? What will they say? Is it even worth it? It’s important to weigh the pros and cons…
When we hear the word introvert, most of us imagine a person with robot-like social skills. Such extremes, however, are relatively rare, which is exactly what makes them extreme. In reality, there’s a continuous scale between absolute introversion and extroversion and almost all of us fall somewhere in between. Nevertheless, the fact that we gravitate…
We get a lot of feedback from our wonderful readers, and as June is Pride month, we are going to be tackling some of the questions we’ve received from our LELO fans in the LGBTQ community. Q: Dear LELO, I’ve been a big fan of your products and blog for a few years, but I…
Hi everyone, this is Dr. Zhana, professor of human sexuality in New York University and it’s time to answer some questions about sex and love in this very strange time of the Coronavirus pandemic and the life-saving requirements to physically distance from people. It’s a challenging time for pretty much everyone. It’s challenging for single…
This article was scientifically fact-checked by Human Sexuality expert Dr. Laurie Mintz. We’re in an age of categories. Baby boomers. Millennials. Generation Y. Gen Z. Can we expect a surge of babies in nine months’ time, as a result of the sex* we imagine is happening right now, with all of us self-isolating in the…
Getting your heart broken is horrible, and unfortunately medicine has still not produced an overnight cure. Methods for getting over heartbreak can vary, but most can agree that embarking on a bender and then sending very regrettable text messages that alternate between trying to hurt and trying to reconcile with the heartbreaker is not the…
Alright, alright. I can already hear it: not the wedding bells for the next solo wedding, but the heckling. It’s coming from the comments section, and from trolls on social media. Sologamy, the art of marrying yourself, has long been the butt of many an anti-feminist joke. But if you can, just hear me out.…
This article was scientifically fact-checked by Human Sexuality expert Dr. Laurie Mintz. As the invisible virus keeps spreading globally, infecting people and transforming our reality into a new and unknown one, there is another virus threatening us – the virus of anxiety. To fight it, we must mobilize one of our basic survival mechanisms, and…