As a term, Penis Envy is quite well-known, and as a concept, it’s an easy-to-grasp one, as it’s right there on the tin: being envious of a penis, as in a penis that is not yours. Among men and penis-having individuals, this is simple enough to understand, as who hasn’t at least wondered about the…
Sexual Health
Understanding Your Sexual Desire Response Type with Emily Nagoski
Sexual desire (or sex drive, or libido – however you want to call it) is a rather misunderstood concept to this day. And not without reason. Due to the lack of sexual education in the majority of the world and mixed signals regarding sex in media, it’s natural that people are confused. The good news…
Why We Absolutely Love Comfort Sex!
So often, when we read literature online or self-help books on the topic of sex, we find ourselves talking about experimenting, trying new things in the bedroom, and different way to avoid boredom in between the sheets. But what if the narrative changed? What if, instead of going for a one night stand or partnering…
Sexual Health Q&A with Dr. Zhana
For our January Q&A with Dr. Zhana Vrangalova, we’re talking about Sexual Health. How much sex is necessary to keep a balanced, healthy sexual relationship? This is a remarkably common question that I get. There’s no one right answer. How often you and your partner should have sex really depends on how often the two…
Why Am I So Horny? The Science Behind High Libido and How to Manage It
“Why am I so horny recently?” You might be asking yourself that if it’s been five days in a row of having sex with your partner, and yet, on the sixth day, you still wake up ready for another round. Different people have different sex drives, and they can vary depending on various things happening…
What is the Meaning of Your Sexy Dream?
So you’ve woken up all flustered, perhaps a little sweaty and well, aroused! Or it could have been the complete opposite—freaked out, overwhelmed, and possibly even disgusted. Sexy dreams happen to the best of us, and we don’t always get to choose who we have these lustful dreams about (cue lucid dreaming). But whether you’re…
Ask a Therapist: Desire Discrepancy Q&A with Casey Tanner
What are things you can do to increase sexual desire with a partner To begin, it’s helpful to understand what kind of desire you and your partner have. There are at least two kinds of desire that we know of: spontaneous desire and responsive desire. Those with spontaneous desire might have the experience of feeling…
Play Safe: Here’s Why High Quality Sex Toys are Way Better for Your Health!
While there are too many different sex toys out there to count, you’ll really notice the difference when you decide to prioritise high quality sex toys. Sure, you could buy a super affordable pleasure product you’ve spotted. And sure, it’ll probably bring you all kinds of sexy sensations. But once you decide to invest in…
LELO x Dr. Zhana: Self-Love Q&A
For our December Q&A with Dr. Zhana Vrangalova, we’re talking about Self-Love. What are the benefits of self-love? Self-love, more broadly, is about taking care of ourselves and appreciating ourselves. Very often, we use that term to talk about masturbation and self-pleasure, which are such important parts of our lives and come with a lot…
How Your Penis Changes with Age
Time waits for no man. The same goes for his penis. As we all march forward into old age (yes, that’s ALL of us. Even you), you’re going to notice changes all over the place, including below your waistline. While you’re maybe worried about wrinkles appearing on your face and grey hairs on your head,…
The Link Between Endometriosis & Painful Sex, and How to Ease Discomfort
Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis and you’re living with some the dreaded effects, aka painful sex. Or maybe you’ve yet to visit your healthcare provider, but are having some difficulty during intimacy, creating some anxiety and discomfort. Unfortunately, there are many women who have endometriosis, and may not even know it. If you identify…
Sex During End of Year Stress | Q&A with Casey Tanner
Like in most cases, stress can have a direct impact on your emotional well-being and intimacy. We opened the floor for users to ask sex therapist Casey Tanner all their dwelling questions about holiday stress and sex. How can I tell my partner I’m not into sex when I’m feeling stressed? You are, of course,…
Sexual Guilty Pleasures: So Bad, Yet Oh So Good!
Guilty pleasures… we all have them! Maybe you enjoy singing Westlife in the shower, or perhaps your favourite TV show is 90 Day Fiancé. We don’t judge! But! We do see why these things could be considered a guilty pleasure. And when it comes to sexual guilty pleasures, the notion is essentially the same…. What…
How Does Your Vagina Change with Age?
As we worry about the ways that time changes our appearance in terms of crow’s feet and laugh lines, do we ever consider what kind of effect it’s having on our privates? Just like everything else about our bodies, our genitals will also bear some of the signs of aging, for good and for ill.…
Is The Term ‘NSFW’ Actually Quite Toxic?
My initial research led me to a meme that read, “If you work in a sex shop, is it still NSFW?” Well played, meme, well played! But actually, the term ‘NSFW’ has been flung around for a good few years now. And if you haven’t seen it yet (or searched to find out its meaning),…
The Anatomy of the Vagina: It’s Not Even the Half of It!
If a spade is a spade, let’s just call it a spade? By that I mean, the majority of you reading this article right now probably are or have been sexually active. At the very least, it’s safe to assume that you’ve experimented with masturbation (or are ready to). And because we’re sexual beings, we…
Where Do You Fall on the Kinsey Scale?
Have you ever questioned your sexual orientation, despite being quite grounded in the fact that you belong to or do not belong to a certain one? As we know, sexuality is fluid and while one may very well feel as though they are 100 percent heterosexual or 100 percent homosexual, the majority of us actually…
Sex and CBD Oil: What You Need to Know
While studies of every claim are still ongoing, CBD is appearing in more and more creams, ointments, and candies with claims of being able to treat an ever-growing list of symptoms related to anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and many issues and ailments. This cure-all tincture we are talking about, more specifically, is cannabidiol: It…
Ask a Therapist: Sex, Masturbation & Mental Health
Enjoy our Q&A with sex therapist, Casey Tanner. How can sex help our mental health? There is so much evidence that sex, masturbation, and orgasm can all have amazing benefits on your health and mental health. This is mainly because the same system that is responsible for sex and arousal is also connected to the…
Wild Sex Fantasies From Everyday People
Do you have a vivid imagination? Or in the words of the great Rihanna “Wild, wild thoughts”? You’re not alone. Sexual fantasies are completely normal. They’re the merging of the subconscious world of desire, your libido, and your imagination. You may have sexual fantasies that you have no intention of ever bringing to fruition, but…
How are Seniors Having Sex? An In-depth Senior Sex Study
There may be a good reason grandma and grandpa haven’t returned your phone call. A survey looked at how the sex habits of 2,000 people aged 50 and older changed and found that more than three-quarters have noticed significant changes to their sex life now compared to when they were younger (77%), with 45% saying…
LELO Podcast: Safety First, Beginners Guide To Sex Toys
In this week’s episode of the Volonté pleasure podcast, we are joined by a professor of psychology and licensed sex therapist, Dr. Laurie Mintz. We all know that pleasure can take many different forms. However, we’ll be focusing on self-pleasure in this episode. Many people have an aversion to using sex toys, resulting from a…
No Safety, No Pleasure: A Beginner’s Guide To Sex Toys That Won’t Scar You For Life
We already know that pleasure comes in all kinds of different forms. We also know that there is a sweet little thing called self-pleasure time; it can, and if you ask us, should include a special intensifier. Still, some have a particular aversion to using sex toys, perhaps a previous bad experience, a lack of…
Stop Hating on Vanilla Sex
Isn’t it ironic how we live in a society that worked on its sex positivity by replacing it with “vanilla-shaming”? Kink-shaming is finally out of style and frowned upon. However, it appears vanilla-shaming has taken its place. After decades of feminists campaigning for equal rights for women, fictional characters such as Anastasia Grey (50 Shades…
Doctor’s Edition: All the Awkward Things that Happen to Your Body During Sex Explained
Have you ever heard of the man who received oral sex from his partner and ended up with a rotting penis? While lovingly nibbling on his genitals, a woman accidentally made a tiny cut on the tip with her teeth. Unfortunately for the recipient, this wound soon became infected and eventually saw the skin go…
Polishing Your Skills: Methods of Female Masturbation
This article was scientifically fact-checked by Human Sexuality expert Dr. Laurie Mintz. After our article focusing on methods for masturbation involving a penis, we received a lot of feedback asking how to masturbate and about female masturbation in general. It’s great to explore what that “feel good” sensation solo, but sharing our tips can help…
Beating Porn “Addiction”: How to Connect with Your Imagination for Mind-blowing Sexual Experiences
“Am I addicted to porn?” I Googled one evening as the masturbation session came to an end for the fourth time that day. The first thing that popped up of considerable interest was a study by the American Psychological Association (APA) stating that pornography addiction is not recognised or considered a mental health problem or…
The Best Pregnancy Sex Positions You Need To Try
It’s fairly normal for women to feel extremely horny during certain parts of their pregnancy. Of course, with changing body comes challenges that might deter couples from enjoying sex the same way they did before pregnancy. But pregnancy sex can be great, and today we have even six best pregnancy sex positions that offer a…
Does SONA 2 Really Work? A Clinical Study by the University of Almería
The clinical trial was conducted by the University of Almería Center for Neuropsychological Evaluation and Rehabilitation (CERNEP) in correspondence with the bioethics committee. The device used was the SONA 2 clitoral massager by LELO, which uses patented SenSonic technology to stimulate more of the clitoris in comparison with traditional vibrators. Background Information Female pleasure has…
The World of Smart Sperm
Growing technical advances and societal views have made it possible for many people to reproduce, who might not have been able to otherwise. Although there are certainly financial barriers that keep people from accessing reproductive technologies like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI), it certainly does level the playing field a bit. With more…
LELO Podcast: Sex Education in the 21st Century
In this episode, we are taking you back to school, particularly to the classroom of sexual education! As important as this topic is, it seems as though many countries are still lagging in implementing a nationwide SexEd curriculum. What are the reasons behind this? Is SexEd even a teachable science? At would age should we…
Is My Penis Normal?
Lads, when was the last time you looked down in the shower? In those first few minutes of the day as your mental modem starts pinging to life and a more dreamlike state affects all you see and perceive, your eyes may just travel all the way down to alight on your dick. Your dick.…
How Sex Toys Can Help You in Birth
People don’t often associate birth with sensuality or sex, but the majority of the time – that’s how the person became pregnant in the first place. Many of the sensations and hormones that help aid with arousal, also support people during birth. Believe it or not, sex toys can actually be used during labor! So…
LELO Podcast with Dr. Zhana and JJ: Love and All its Forms
In our very first episode, we talk about non-monogamy and the different forms that it can take. The norm and the ideal in our Western societies is this monogamous, life-long romantic relationship. Some find that to be exactly the right thing for them, but some prefer to make their own rules. We are sure you’ve…
Welcome to Volonté, a PLEASURE PODCAST by LELO!
After years of fighting for the right to speak openly and plainly about human sexuality, Swedish sexual wellness brand LELO decided to take a different approach and create its discussion platform. And the best part is – everyone’s invited to join! And what better way to do it than by starting their own video podcast. …
Sexual Boundaries and Saying “No:” What You Need to Know
In a culture that applauds people for being as easygoing as possible, it can feel hard to speak up and state our boundaries. Even in the wake of the “Me Too” movement and a shifting dialogue about what consent actually is, putting that boundary talk into practice is a whole other issue that many folks…
Ask a Doctor: Gender & Sexual Expansiveness
Enjoy our interview with certified sex therapist, Casey Tanner, who discusses readers’ questions about gender and sexual expansiveness. Q: Where can I find queer-positive, LGBTQ+ porn? It is certainly more difficult to find queer porn that doesn’t feel tokenizing or made for the male gaze. I find that the best, most ethical queer porn—or really…
What is Trauma-Informed Sex?
Content Warning: This Article Discusses Sexual Trauma and Abuse. Please read with caution if this is a triggering topic for you. Sometimes things happen in our lives that create pain, shame, or blame. When these events alter our perception of the world in a way that disconnects us or keeps us from feeling safe…
What’s Wrong with The Term “Same-Sex Couples”?
As we as a society start to have a broadened understanding of gender identity and inclusivity, we’re noticing the ways our language can exclude or even harm certain people. Up until recently, the term “same-sex couple” was considered the default to refer to any romantic and/or sexual dynamic that isn’t heterosexual. Same-sex is taken from…
What is Outercourse?
Content Warning: This Article Discusses Sexual Trauma and Abuse. Please read with caution if this is a triggering topic for you. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re more than familiar with the term “intercourse”. Maybe it even gives you cringey flashbacks to conversations with your parents, healthcare provider, or sex-ed teacher. Based on…
The Stigma Surrounding Bi+ Men
There’s a thing every bi+ person knows: nobody else believes in us. And out of everyone who falls under the pan/bi+ umbrella, nobody struggles with that invisibility more than bi+ men. Just look at some of our pop culture icons; you ask the average person on the street, and they’ll say David Bowie was straight…
Aftercare for Vanilla Sex: Why It’s Important and How To Do It Right
Anyone who had dabbled in some BDSM play knows the term “aftercare” well. It’s always repeated over and over again whenever you’re looking for tips on how to start with BDSM. Somehow, people often think that aftercare after vanilla sex, when no whips and chains were involved, is not needed. Like, if you’re having sex…
Understanding The Difference Between Sex and Gender
We’re seeing a growing awareness and conversation around gender, how it comes into play in various aspects of our lives, and the importance of inclusivity when discussing gender. With new conversations comes some confusion. Breaking down questions about sex and gender is one of the ways we can create a more inclusive world. Understanding starts…
Faith and Masturbation: Interview with an Ex-Pastor-Turned-Stripper
Hi Nikole. Thank you so much for joining us! Can you start by giving us a quick overview of your background in faith? Hi! I’m so happy to be here! Yes, my story’s gone viral as the Pastor-turned-stripper, and it’s true. I grew up in the church, loved the church, and became a leader in…
Before You Have Sex with Your Ex, Read This
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…
Talking about: STIs, COVID, and #HotVaxSummer
A bit ago, I wrote an article on STIs (sexually transmitted infections, otherwise known as STDs). In it, I discussed how to help ensure you do not have an infection through testing, barrier method protection, and also by talking with your partner(s). Of all these, talking is often one of the hardest for people. Now,…
Do Men Really Have a Higher Sex Drive Than Women?
Women are morally superior prudes, who barely think about sex, and men are never-satisfied, sexually hungry beasts, right? That’s the stereotypes of sexual desire in both sexes we are used to seeing in media and our culture on a daily basis. Interestingly, though, this understanding of sex drive in women and men we have to…
People with Penises Can Squirt, Too
As someone who was voted “most pessimistic” in grade school, it seems it’s in my nature to be a skeptic. So when I was recently informed that people with penises can squirt like people with vulvas, my immediate reaction was to question its legitimacy. A way of penis-owners saying: “Well, I can do that, too!”…
The Porn Star Experience (PSE): The Ultimate Fantasy Come to Life?
Just like a romantic movie in which someone chases another through the airport, sweeps them off their feet and they live happily ever after, the porn star experience is oddly similar… although on opposite ends of the spectrum. You see, the PSE has been called “the porn star experience” for a reason… it’s something you…
Rough Sex—Why Do We Crave It?
Sex is one of the best ways to build intimacy and connect with your partner. When you’re both naked, bodies touching, sensually moving together while keeping each other’s gaze, the atmosphere is very romantic and pleasant. But sometimes, you just don’t want to do it sweet and soft. Sometimes, you just want to be thrown…