We like to celebrate sex in all its joyful glory. I rejoice at the very possibility that my articles might encourage someone to have better sex, but I’ll never claim that it’s a one-way road and that there isn’t a dark and sinister quality to sexuality. Sex is a risky game and some of its…
Tag Archive for sex education
Men’s Biggest Sexual Insecurities
Men have been raised to be “strong” which, according to societal interpretation, means we should keep everything bottled up lest we communicate and be vulnerable. Since there is no physical act more vulnerable than sex, you can imagine how tight-lipped men become concerning their sexual insecurities. One of the many culprits for sexual insecurity is…
FYI: Butterflies Aren’t the Same as Being in Love
Aren’t butterflies fantastical? In the literal sense of the word, sure, but figuratively… like when you see someone that makes you all giddy. That experience of joy, excitement, but also nervousness… wow! It truly can make you feel alive! So, imagine this scenario: you see someone you’re attracted to, or you look at your partner.…
Prodding Ms. Grumpy – An Erotic Story
The assumption is employees hook up or, at least, get naughty at Christmas parties. But that isn’t the case in the real business world. Office parties are one evening with a few drinks. Then the employees go home alone. The real hookups happen where there are fewer eyes and longer nights. They happen at business…
Top 5 Best LELO Vibrators for Women
With many choices on the market, shopping for a new vibrator can be overwhelming. This guide will cover our top 5 favorite LELO vibrators for women (so you can get to the fun stuff). How To Decide on a Vibrator So, you’ve decided to invest in a quality sex toy! The next step is to…
Sex in Marriage and Fear of Intimacy
Richard Nicastro, PhD looks at why “intimacy is not for the faint of heart” and how a fear of intimacy can get in the way of the quality of the sexual relationship in your marriage. He poses questions for reflection for you and your partner to improve the connection. Emotional intimacy involves a connection that…
Trust: A Critical Component of Sexual Intimacy in Committed Relationships
Richard Nicastro, PhD, examines how the sexual intimacy stakes rise when you fall in love. He highlights the conditions that either encourage or discourage trust in a committed relationship. When love becomes part of the relationship landscape, when the other starts to matter to you, then how they respond takes on a heightened importance. And once love…
Married Sex Can be Great Sex
Richard Nicastro, PhD takes a deeper look at married (or long-term relationship) sex and some of the unique reasons it can be so satisfying. He encourages couples to understand their ruts and look for opportunities for change. You might have read about—or personally experienced—the challenges some married couples (or couples in long-term relationships) face when it comes…
Scheduled Sex? Perhaps So
We can all see the logic of scheduling life maintenance tasks like medical appointments or our car’s oil change, or even social events, like lunch with a friend. But when we hear of the idea of penciling sex into our busy calendars, we tend to balk…after all, “Sex should be spontaneous (shouldn’t it?)”; “Scheduling intimate…
Sexual Interest in Relationships: Navigating the Range Between “Low-to-No” and “High”
Richard Nicastro, PhD digs deeper into the important relationship dynamic of sexual interest. While acknowledging the normalcy of an imbalance, he suggests the shortest route to a solution that works for both couples is understanding and empathy for these differences. There are certain relationship dynamics that impact a couple’s sex life and certain relational dynamics…
The Truth about Men, Love and Intimacy
“I’ve been married for over twenty years. I know I’m not perfect, but I can honestly say that I do my best to be a good husband…I care about what my wife thinks of me asa husband and father.” ~Sal “It scares me to admit this, but I’d be totally lost without my wife. She’s…
Time to Call It Quits? When to End a Relationship
Relationships are hard. There’s just no denying it. And anyone who is or has been in a long term relationship will surely tell you the same. Even so, while there are days that are dismal, annoying, and somewhat unbearable, relationships should have a fundamental feeling of contentment and happiness. So when is it that enough…
Anxiety & Depression Associated with On-Again, Off-Again Relationships
Did you know that there’s an actual term for on-again, off-again relationships? It’s called ‘relationship cycling’, and encompasses people who have broken up and gotten back together with their romantic partner one or more times. This kind of relationship behaviour however, does run the risk of bringing on psychological distress for both partners, such as…
How Many Calories Does Having Sex Burn?
Exercise… for some it’s a form of therapy, a way in which to feel happy and confident, a release, or even just an excellent hobby. For others, it’s dreaded. The sweat, making time for it, the activity itself which may be mundane. But what about sex? Sex counts as exercise, right? We do burn calories…
Introducing LELO DOT, Your Clit’s New Best Friend
The clitoris is the only organ in the human body that’s purpose is solely for pleasure, so it’s only right that you give it the luxury treatment as a much-warranted thank you for all the ecstasy it brings you. Not only is the clit a powerhouse of erotic delights, but it’s also a key component…
Darkness and the Bride – An Erotic Story
In the warm afternoon of mid-June, Julia’s face was bright and glowing in all her loveliness and uncontainable joy. Already, her face was sore because it would not stop grinning. She was the centerpiece of the day, the bride. She had never felt so beautiful and glorious, since in her childhood fantasies. Her new dress…
What Is a Soft Top? Everything You Need to Know
After downloading Tik Tok in an attempt to stay culturally relevant as a journalist and aging millennial, I was introduced to the concept of the soft top. As a sex educator and columnist, I will be boastful and admit that there’s rarely a sexual topic that I’m completely in the dark about, so I was…
BDSM for Beginners Guide by LELO
Are you looking for BDSM for beginners guide that would help you navigate the world of BDSM when you have no experience but want to explore new, exciting things? Well, then, you’ve come to the right place! Let us guide you through all the BDSM basics, some beginner-friendly toys and accessories, and how to bring…
Surprising, Lesser Known Facts About ADHD & Sex
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, affects 6 million children and 366 adults in the United States (or that we know of so far, at least with an official medical diagnosis). Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably befriended or dated someone with this neurological condition, which is thought to affect the brain’s levels…
First Time at Your Partner’s Home? This is What Their Place Says About Them
It’s easy to go on a first date somewhere neutral… a place where someone can be the person that they want to be. Just like many of us only reveal the best parts of ourselves on social media, the same could be said for a first date. But when things get serious, or you decide…
5 Remarkable Health Benefits of Hugging
For some, hugging is done out of habit. It’s a sign of affection, endearment, or even a greeting that’s easily practised without blinking an eye. For others, hugging can be quite intimidating. The feeling of two bodies pressing up against each other, after all, is quite an intimate act. To further prove this point, hugging,…
The Office Christmas Party – An Erotic Story
The company Christmas party was in full swing. Every year I went regrettably. Social things weren’t my gig. The theme was Fire and Ice. Every table was adorned with elaborate ice sculptures while fire breathing gymnasts tumbled across the dancefloor in skin tight crimson costumes, men gawking at them unashamedly. The room was abuzz with…
People’s Agonizing Experiences With Monkeypox
“It felt like someone shoved a corkscrew with spikes up my ass and mercilessly kept twisting,” River Mitchell, a 30-year-old OnlyFans creator from Texas, remembers of their agonizing 21 days with monkeypox. “The pain was excruciating, I’ll never forget it. There were days that I would just lay on the floor sobbing.” Mitchell suspects he…
A Guide on What To Eat Before Anal Sex
What goes in must come out. It’s an adage that carries particular meaning regarding anal sex. No judgement, of course. One should know that if you’re playing with fire, you might get burned. Except in this case, we’re replacing “fire” with “ass” and “burned” with… you get the idea. While many of us are most…
How To Use a Vibrator: The Ultimate Guide by LELO
Learning how to use a vibrator when you’re new to the world of sex toys can be overwhelming. There are so many different types of vibes, all made of various materials and offer multiple functions… Whether you’re looking to get your first vibrator to enhance solo play or you want to bring in something new…
Does Watching Porn Promote Sexism?
Before we dive in, allow us to give you a brief definition of the word ‘sexism’. Sexism is a kind of predjudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex. For example, sexism is the belief that women are inherently inferior to men, should be subordinate to men, and belong in the…
Is “Hooking Up” the New Dating?
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…
Unfinished Business – The Recipe for Great Weekend Getaway Sex
We tend to actively keep only a tiny number of our sexual experiences in our memory, especially from long lasting relationships. But those we do remember are usually quite remarkable and I’ve noticed that some of the best ones I remember tended to come in the form of little bursts that stretch over long periods…
Employee Investigation – An Erotic Story
Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Inter-Office Memorandum To: Sheriff Richard Langford From: Drake Wilkerson, Inspector General CC: Gerald Newsome, Bureau Chief, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department; Office of Internal Affairs; Office of Human Resources Subject: Review of Employee Investigation On 21 April 2022, the Office of the Inspector General of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department received a…
When is Your Pleasure NOT a Priority? Situations When You Need to Put Your Partner First
Hold up that sex-positive train for just a minute, folks! While you absolutely deserve all the orgasms in the world, there are some exceptions to the otherwise awesome thread of sexual self-realization happening right now. Prioritizing your own pleasure, whether that means shamelessly enjoying your favorite vibrator while alone or during sex, or asking for…
Turn Down Your Music – An Erotic Story
The baseball games that summer were a struggle to watch. They were ruined by the thudding music in the apartment below. As I had done all that summer, I had stomped my foot and banged my wooden Louisville Slugger on the floor. The pounding didn’t work, because the person below would not turn off that…
Relationship Ideals That Millennials (And Everyone Else) Need to Ditch Now
Did Millennials kill the so-called ‘institute of marriage?’ Millennials have the lowest rate of marriage compared to our parents and grandparent’s generations. We’re doing things differently than the folks who came before us, like moving in with our partners and focusing on shared happiness over jumping into a wedding dress and tuxedo and immediately popping…
Is Body Image Affecting Your Sex Life?
The way in which we see our bodies can hugely affect a number of areas in our lives—especially our sex lives. In fact, having a negative body image is one of the biggest disrupters of sexual enjoyment, and can be detrimental to feelings of sexual desire and arousal. Quite honestly however, it is more so…
Two Ways to Boost the Emotional Safety in Your Relationship
Emotional safety is one of the most important elements of any happy and healthy relationship. Yet there are so many ways it can be compromised. Sometimes it happens inadvertently and other times it’s a more direct assault on the foundation of the relationship. When a couple has a high level of emotional safety they usually…
Two Bags of Sugar – An Erotic Story
When Lois first unlatched the locked windows of the Lake Agnes Tea House, she stood there quietly to bask in the natural beauty. She felt the cold mountain breeze rush against her face, encircle her neck, and blow back her blond hair. The air was as fresh and crisp as it had been every year…
30 Things You Should and Shouldn’t Be Doing After Sex
Sure, sex is amazing, incredible, wonderful, and sometimes firework-inducing. But there are things that you should and shouldn’t be doing afterwards. Don’t let this put you off however, it’s merely a way in which to always keep safe, and to feel your best as you bathe in your post-orgasmic bliss. Now’s the time to live…
Feeling Lazy Yet Aroused? Try One of These 7 Easy Sex Positions
Our bodies are capable of all sorts of magic. We could be entirely exhausted, tired, or sleepy, but our nether regions are totally ready for action. And that’s why there are several different easy sex positions that are completely do-able for those stay-in-bed, lazy days. Sunday afternoon? Monday night? Heck, a Friday evening even…here’s how…
Practical Advice for Making a Modern Sex Tape
Making a sex tape these days is a radical act. Between the threat of accidentally uploading your video to the cloud, having a partner post it publicly as revenge porn post-break-up, or forgetting that you’ve saved it to the save thumb drive as your school or work presentations, there’s a lot of reasons to be…
Stop the Bus – An Erotic Story
Last night, Simone had a pounding urge to play with her vibrator, but her best friend, Lauren, called to talk about her rocky relationship with Jacob. By the time Lauren was done venting, Simone was too drained and dispirited to play. This morning, the desire for release lingered inside of her. And lasted throughout the…
Learning to Love My Feet – An Erotic Story by Venus O’Hara
When I look down at my feet, I don’t see beauty. I see a wide foot with short, fat, pink toes. Finding the right pair of sandals to wear in summer is always a nightmare. My feet sweat a lot and I can’t do heels. I’ve learned that comfort, beauty and fashion don’t always go…
A How-To Guide on Doing a Breast Exam at Home
While many medical establishments advise that you should go for an annual mammogram from the age of 50, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t any risks involved for those who are younger than 50. And for that reason, at-home breast exams are an absolute must for women of nearly any age. In fact, it’s recommended…
8 Habits of Couples Who Are Having Amazing Sex
Sex, nay, amazing sex, is something we all deserve. And if you’ve ever been in a relationship, you can probably attest to the fact that the first few months are pure bliss. That honeymoon phase where you just can’t keep your hands off of each other, and life is but a dream. But if said-relationship…
Do You Have Post-Pandemic Libido Loss? You’re Not the Only One
Two years on, from the COVID-19 global pandemic, and so much of our lives have changed. Even the things that haven’t changed are charged—charged with feelings of danger, or the feeling that the veneer of ‘normal’ has been cracked (what even was normal, anyway?). As much as we pretend otherwise, things are definitely not the…
How To Use a Cock Ring: LELO’s Ultimate Guide
If you ever wanted to learn how to use a cock ring, you’ve come to the right place! Cock rings are an amazing addition to every single’s and couple’s sex toy collection. They can be an easy way to enhance orgasms for both partners and barely take up any space. So, let’s dive deeper into…
One. Last. Time. – An Erotic Story by Venus O’Hara
I felt guilty when I paid for my train ticket to London with the exact same twenty-pound note my parents had given me for food. They were aware that I had been having problems with my first boyfriend and my first lover. Everyone was aware of it. My Uni flatmates were sick of the sleepless…
The Role of Social Media for LGBTQI+ Young Adults and Teens
Regardless of who is using it, social media can have positive and negative effects. The Internet itself gives us the power to do good, to connect, and to stay informed, but it also gives us the ability to bully, harm, harass, or worse. In other words, the way in which we use social media, the…
How To Become a Porn Star & Maintain Mental Health – Q&A with Lumi Ray
The sex industry is evolving rapidly thanks to the hardworking creatives that push the envelope while creating opportunities for more people. One of those creatives is Lumi Ray. An upcoming star in the porn industry, who we sat down with (virtually) to chat about how to take care of yourself mentally and physically as a…
Operations and Lawsuits – An Erotic Story
“It goes like this,” Cindy said. “Do the operation successfully, make money. Simple, right?” She then tapped the tweezers against an edge of the board game, and Cavity Sam’s nose turned red and the game buzzed. A rogue smile stretched Cindy’s red lips. “Screw up the operation, and be prepared to pay big insurance claims.”…
Male Turn-Offs You Definitely Didn’t Know About
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…
Unexpected Places To Find Love This Summer
The internet and dating apps are the most popular places to find love for the younger generations. And we have to admit – scrolling left and right looking for your Prince (or Princess) Charming while lounging comfortably on your sofa is convenient. But saying “we met on Tinder” when someone asks where you met your…