Are Pretty Sex Toys A Thing? From Cute Butt Plugs To Stunning Glass Dildos

How often are we drawn to things just because they're pretty? A sex toy doesn't have to be pretty in order to be hot... But I cannot resist a stunning glass dildo that is a full-blown masterpiece, an elegant glass butt plug that is made with craftsmanship worthy of bohemian glass sculptures, or a silicone vibrator that is so flawless of form you'd want to display it rather than ride it. Let's explore the concept of pretty sex toys - is it a thing?

Sex with transmen.

Sex with a transman, what’s that like? They have a vagina, right? So it’s like a butch girl?

No.

There’s plenty of assumptions cisgender people tend to have about sex with transgender people, and of course there is no right answer. However, there are a lot of wrong answers.

The most important thing to note is that sex with a transman is not the same as sex with a ciswoman.

My Experience as a Cam Girl

Most people assume cam girls on sites like My Free Cams, Chaturbate, and Many Vids (among others),are easy anx live a lavish life. Sadly, that's not the case.

How to Write Smut

Whether it's an erotic story or a single sext, coming up with words that get you and your reader hot can be a challenge. Here's how to start.

Sexual Regret, Evolution vs. Emotional Pressures

Gather any group of 30-somethings and inquire about past sexual experiences they regret (namely in their twenty’s), and you will undoubtedly receive a plethora of varied answers. However,as a female I would likely wonder to myself “why did I sleep with THAT guy?” All the while a man would be more prone to kicking themselves in the ass because they DIDN'T sleep THAT woman. Recent studies suggest their may be more to these regrets than meets the eye.

Early Labels Have Lasting Effects

A comment to a young girl, whether a well-placed compliment or a spiteful insult, can have lasting effects on future personality and sexuality.

How “Teaching Men Not to Rape” Won't Prevent Another Steubenville

Last week, Trent Mays and Ma’Lik Richmond were sentenced for the rape of 16-year-old “Jane Doe” at an alcohol-fueled party in Steubenville, Ohio. In the aftermath of this horrific crime, pundits are calling on the country to “teach men not to rape” to prevent a repeat of this obscenity – but that message is utterly ridiculous.

Steubenville – the aftermath

The Steubenville rapists, Trent Mays and Ma’Lik Richmond, were sentenced yesterday for violating an unconscious teenager at an alcohol-fueled party. But while the cycle of justice is over; many are asking if justice has really been done.

To the Anti-Porn Brigade; it's Always 1984

The specter of porn legislation has raised its head again in Europe, and this time they mean it

Don't Rape Not "Don't Get Raped"!!

Women are told to avoid walking back home alone after dark, to avoid dressing provocatively, and to avoid getting too drunk in order to avoid getting raped. But is this the solution?

Not All Our Women Are in Refrigerators: Sex Positivism in American Comics

Comics have undergone a revolution in the last ten years. A new era of creativity is flourishing and with it, new ideas are flowing. Not only are all sorts of issues being tackled in refreshing ways, sexism and caricatured ideas about sex are being challenged.

A Cultivation of Sexual Myths

We've all heard our share of sex myths. The "you can't get pregnant the first time" myth, the "douching with Coke a Cola" myth, and the classic "you won't get pregnant with the girl on top" myth. But what about myths that go further? Myths that make you wonder if you're a bad person? Or if you really had sex? Myths that have been so pervasive in our cultures that they have lasted for literally centuries?

Erotic Fiction: A Sexual Evolution

Erotic fiction, whether in literature or art, has been around since the dawn of time. Men and women have always had fantasies pertaining to their sexual exploits, and have always enjoyed sharing them with others. In every culture, there are numerous examples of this in many different forms. So how did we go from crude cave paintings of large 'phallused' men and big breasted women, to the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and modern porn era of today?

Clutter vs Convenience: Books in the bedroom?

From the ubiquitous 70's offering of The Joy of Sex through Madonna's 'Sex' tome and almost every issue of Cosmopolitan, there was always a certain appeal in having 'coffee table' books & magazines that not only showed our open-mindedness to select friends, but also meant we could just grab a title and take it off to bed with us. But do we still need books for that, or can we get the same reading enjoyment out of our Kindles & Tablets?

Shame & Masturbation

Most of you would agree that masturbation is A-Okay! But did you have to overcome a self-imposed reluctance? Or worse, an idea of societal shame? This article looks at how two people, a male (Kenneth) and female (Michele), dealt with their insecurities (and those of others) and eventually became (mostly) comfortable with their self-lovin’.

My Story: Recognizing and Preventing Rape

This a bit heavy for a first article, but as someone who has been a victim, rape is a serious issue that men and women need to stay informed about. I admire the magazine Cosmopolitan for making a monthly article about the issue of campus rape and actually doing something to raise awareness of the problem. In this article you will learn about my experience and ways to be aware and safe.

A New Year For Eden Lit

Changes are the order of the day for 2013! Eden Lit is embracing the new year with passion and we are having a great time. We are 3 years old this year and it seems like time to make a few changes to the way we do things.

The Tale of the Survivor

Survivors of sexual assault are people made sensitive by not only the attack but also by the treatment they receive from society.

Porn For the Rest of Us: Top 5 Reasons to Read Fanfiction

The phrase “porn for women” is thrown around a lot these days, sometimes mockingly accompanied by a photo of a man doing the dishes, but you might be surprised to learn that there is a massive community of porn – real, explicit, kinky, delicious porn – created by women, for women. I'm talking about fanfiction.

He With the Clean Internet Profile May Cast the First Stone.

Sexting, package shots, World of Warcraft??? As politicians get blamed for more of their online activities, what happens to regular people who enjoy the same activities?

Everyone Is, In Fact, Sexy

Social media tries to tell us how to define what is sexy, but of course, most of us do not conform. Each and every one of us has our own preferences on who we think is sexy. Each and every one of us has our own kink. Kinking it up is just one of our ways we rebel against sexual conformity. Everyone is sexy.

No, You Can't Treat Breast Cancer by Squeezing Your Breasts

The headlines were unbelievable. Simply squeezing the breasts could treat cancer, or prevent it, depending on where you got your source. Hey, it's science! Men (and some women) had fantasies of going to work in the new field of therapeutic breast massage. But while the story is based in truth, you have to go to the source to find it.

Have You Been Naughty?

Are you dreaming of a naughty Christmas? You are not alone. Thanks to the "50 Shades of Grey" trilogy, 2012 has officially become the year of kink. Moreover, women seem to be the driving force behind this sexual explosion. LELO, a leading designer of personal pleasure objects, recently released their yearlong global survey. With 19,000 women respondents from 8 countries, the results may surprise you, unless you already have your grey silk tie.

Internet Safety Should Be For Everyone

There is no doubt that technology definitely has come a very, very long way since the internet's humble beginnings and the silly, almost cartoon-like sounds of dial-up connections. The internet is something that can be used for seemingly millions of things and should be enjoyed safely, no matter your age, gender, or sexuality.

Male Anal Stimulation Is Not Gay: An Inspection of the Stereotype

Learn why all male anal stimulation isn't gay and why it can be amazing!

Sex - the absolute and relative availability of information

Today we live in the age of sexual freedom as well as the age of information and the internet. Anything you might want to learn or know about is pretty much a click away. But is it, really?

Intimacy - You Can't Fake it

Bombarded by imagery of sex and death, politics and disaster, life - like the movies - sometimes feels like it's lost all grip on what matters. Some ruminations on the meaning of intimacy, seen through the lens of a forty-five year old subtitled Swedish movie.

Attention Skinny Women Bashers: You're Not Helping Self-Esteem Either

There is a lot of pressure in America to be skinny when you're a woman, but lately there have been campaigns that bash skinny women in a way that are just as unhelpful to women's self-esteem as calling larger women unattractive. This is a healthy skinny woman's response to internet campaigns to end the bashing of curvy women that in turn call skinny women unattractive and perpetuate the very beauty standards they seek to abolish.

Strange Sex?

I know you're going to look at the title for this and wonder what the hell I'm going to be writing about. But this isn't about things I've done or seen people do. It's about a TV show called Strange Sex.

Size does matter!

How big is yours? 6 inches? Maybe 10? What about how deep is mine? Have you ever thought of how much dick a girl can really take? No, of course not, so let's discuss.

Porn stars protest condom-only porn measure

They appreciate safe sex, just not in their industry.

Are We Being Overexposed to Sex?

Are we all becoming sex addicts or are we just really hung up on getting, having, and experiencing sex?

Response to “Enjoying Porn: It's for Ladies Too”

Ladies how do you like your porn?

Swallow

A word to make guys go weak at the knees... and some girls to go weak in the stomach. A look at the cultural and societal background to the power of seven little letters.

Friendship is Magic, or This Brony thing, is a sex thing isn't it?

I make custom BDSM, toys for a living, and My Little Pony ones are some of my highest requested items, True Story. I, like most people, assumed the whole Brony Culture was a sex thing, and my experiences pretty much prove me right. However, I've been on this whole internet deal a long time now so I know, maybe I'm just seeing the worst side of things, as is known to happen. Follow me on a journey as I discover how to be a Brony.

Women = Vaginas. Men = Pigs.

What limited sexual education communicates to our children.

Incest fantasy porn and legalities

I think this is an odd thing to be able to find on the internet and I do not understand why I like to search for it, especially when most of the people in these videos repulse me.

A beginner's guide to Sexting

Panic-stricken social commentators tell us it's the latest evil craze to be turning our children into sex-mad monsters. But not only has sexting always been with us, it doesn't care how old you are, either. So, a noobie's guide to getting it on in three or four characters, tops.

Why is it more acceptable to look at real porn than animated porn?

This article is mostly my experience with animated porn and a point of view from my side outward.

How Far is Too Far?

A recent French movie shattered mainstream cinematic expectations by incorporating scenes of real sex in place of the usual simulation. And a lot of people got very upset. Were you one of them? A few thoughts on a theme of the movie world’s final frontier.

You know your boyfriend's been watching porn when...

Kicking the cliche out of blowjobs

Top 8 Movie Sex Scenes of 2011

What were the sexiest flicks in 2011? Find out here.

The Young and The Sexless

Nowadays there are a lot of young and generally attractive men who have virtually little to no sex lives. What's the reason for this? Is it their looks, personalities, or is it both? For those who are labeled as unattractive or seemingly unworthy of a sex life, how do we change the perspective of billions who believe that tall, tan, and physically fit is the ideal looks of someone who is attractive?

To Make a (NSFW) Music Video

I have made various music videos, and all from porn clips.

Gays Can Breathe Easy - Porn is the New Threat to Marriage

Patrick Trueman, President of Morality in Media, claims that watching porn can re-map the brain of young males, causing them to be sexually dysfunctional later in life. And he aims to prevent that. What's worse? He's got the GOP on his side.

The T in LGBT

What do transgender and transsexual mean? What are appropriate terms to use when talking to someone who identifies as trans?

Sexy to the Undead

As odd as this concept might be. I have actually seen some sexy looking zombies. One was in Return Of The Living Dead. This one girl with a punk hair coloring job got turned into a zombie and in one scene is walking fast through some fog and then attacks a homeless guy.

Did I mention she is pretty much naked?

Purr-fection: Why I Love Catwoman

While the infamous Catwoman is no doubt a sex symbol, there's more to love about the femme fatale than just her sex appeal.

In Praise of Uncut Cocks

One girl, one fetish, and her quest for enlightenment. Am I alone in my love of uncircumcised penises?

Your favorite movie can be a great sex enhancer.

How can an action movie get you some action?

What exactly is Hentai?

If you've spent a decent amount of time on the internet, you've probably heard this word thrown around a bit, along with "AIYEE" and "Onii-chan." What does it all mean though? The answer lies within the heart of the cards.

Own Your Body—All of It

These days, a great number of people will probably say it takes a huge fool of a man to tell women what to do with their bodies. Ladies, I'm going to be just that kind of fool right now.

50 Shades of a Cam Whore in love with a Vampire?!?!?

Warning : This is more of a rant opposed to a stimulating article!

Is High School Sex Ed Going Too Far Or Not Far Enough?

With the rate of teen pregnancy escalating, I have to wonder... are high schools doing their part to prevent it?

It's Getting Harder to Tell the Girls from the Women...

The shorts are getting shorter, the tops getting lower. Boobs and butts are rounder and bigger. Heels and mascara and lip gloss abound. Nope, not talking about your girlfriend's girlfriend. I'm talking about the pre-teen next door!

The Game of Life: An unexpected teaching moment

A new game night selection prompts an unexpected discussion about marriage equality and freedom of choice.

To See Justice for the Raped, First they Must Be Seen.

Despite rape's prevalence in society, the unwillingness to even discuss it has prevented major progress and left innocent people feeling helpless. Instead of waiting for the politicians to discover the willingness to address the prevalence of rape, it's time to stand up, be counted and demand change.

Erotica in The Mainstream (Or how "50 Shades of Grey" Has Helped Loosen Us Up)

"50 Shades of Grey" is everywhere. No matter what you think of the writing, the books have brought erotica out from the shadows in the publishing world. With the way erotica is being viewed currently and the advent of E-readers, there has never been a better time to love erotica.

SexIs Subjective: Fit is the New...

How someone looks is a big deal in society. Different phrases and trends in body perception can play a large role in someone's life. Why one phrase is finally getting it right.

A Chicken Sandwich Vs. Marriage

I'm sure you've heard about the recent furor over the comments made by the president of Chick-Fil-A regarding gay marriage. I think his comments may be wrong, but it's not going to stop me from enjoying their chicken sandwiches.

The First Time

No one's first time is what everyone imagines it will be. We as a society put so much emphasis on the first time that it is nearly impossible to meet the expectations that accompany your first sexual experience.

Confessions of a Stripper

When you see her on the stage, she appears to be a sexual animal. She is the nameless face that you desire to make all your dreams come true. She knows how it is done and you are ready for her to teach you. Or can she? Do the girls who make their living by teasing men, making them believe they have all the sexual answers, really know what they like in the bed?

Guys, Gays, and Dildos (Not as gay as it sounds)

For about as long as sex toys have existed, there's always been the assumption (by the ignorant majority) that straight guys can't own a toy, specifically a dildo. If you're in the mood to read a rant, read on!

Virginity: Hold On To It or Give It Away?

Losing our virginity is a big deal to most of us. While some of us want to lose it as quickly as possible, others are willing to hold onto it until they find the perfect partner.

The Rules of Safety: D/s Relationships

Recently BDSM has been ushered into the mainstream. Let's take a look at the basic rules you should know about before engaging in play.

The Relationship Between Sexual Desire and Romantic Love

Sexual desire and romantic love have often been mistaken for two separate, opposing entities. While reading articles written by great philosophers such as Sartre, Blackburn, and Fromm, I noticed that they all use the two terms as if their meanings were like day and night. This article will explore the interconnecting relationship between desire and love, and consider the fact that Fromm’s writings may not be as accurate as his readers may have presumed.

SexIs Subjective: It's YOUR Body.

Controversial movements like ‘fat acceptance’ or ‘pro-ana’ leave me feeling confused. How can they ask for acceptance of their bodies while at the same time bringing others down because of theirs?

SexIs Subjective: Body Image vs. Conformity

Joining a group is all about finding individuals with similar thoughts to your own. When the group’s main subject is weight and body image, should the thoughts of others really be used to create your own?

So, You Read ‘Fifty Shades’, and Now You Want to be a Sub…

Yes, I get it. You read all three of the ‘Fifty Shades’ books in one weekend, you’ve looked up some stuff on the Internet about BDSM, and now, you’re DYING to be a sub, right? You even typed up a contract just like the one in the book, went and bought a pair of handcuffs, and put a wanted ad in the craigslist personals looking for a Dom. Right?

I'll have the cheeseburger, please.

Imagine a world where true, pure love was between two men, and two men only? Or if a man had genuine love for a woman, beyond reproduction, he was in some way seen as inferior? A world where the most sacred relationships were bonds between a teacher and his disciple, where these two men would be together in all ways: intellectually, spiritually, and sexually?

Why So Uptight?

I was recently on a business trip and had an afternoon to kill and went to a museum for a change of pace. As I was walking around all of the great pieces of art, I noticed something. Back in the Renaissance people were not afraid to have everything hanging out and on view to the world.

Isolation: It Comes With the Territory

Imagine you’re just meeting someone new. It could be in person at a party, someone you bump into while going about your daily business, on a first date, or it could be on an online dating or social networking site.

More Than Looks

The evening news comes on to report about the protests in New York – the 1% protests. The reporter clutches her microphone as she gestures with her other arm at the crowds behind her with a serious and solemn expression.

From Gunsmoke to Game of Thrones: A Brief History of Prostitution on TV

As we’ve covered in past articles, Game of Thrones is a TV show rich with sex scenes, many of them involving prostitution. But Thrones isn’t the first TV series to showcase characters in the world's oldest profession. In fact, prostitutes have been portrayed on television since at least the 1950s.

You say tomato, I say designer toy fetish.

Are designer sex toys the new designer stilettos?

Scary Monsters You’d Super Freak

Call me crazy, but I like my monsters monstrous.

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Twelve

We made it! After twelve episodes of fighting, literal head-banging, drinking and cooka-baring, the fourth season of Jersey Shore has come to a close, which means the show’s cast members can finally, FINALLY escape from the cesspool of Florence, Italy, back to the bastion of culture and sophistication that is Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Eleven

It’s the penultimate episode of Jersey Shore, which means there’s only one week left to watch the Situation, Snooki, et. al. embarrass themselves and America as a whole in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. So before the cast makes it’s triumphant return to Jersey next season, let’s take a look at some of this week’s most fascinating moments, shall we?

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Ten

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Nine

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Eight

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Seven

Jersey Shore just gets better and better, doesn’t it? We honestly thought the show had peaked a couple seasons back, and that the cast’s trip to Florence was just a last-ditch gimmicky effort to become fun and shocking again.

True Blood: Why Not Have Both?

After 12 blood-drenched, nudity-heavy episodes, the fourth season of HBO’s True Blood has drawn to a close. The season finale brought most, if not all of the show’s lingering subplots (Hotshot werepanthers? Andy’s fairy hook-up? Pam’s decay?) to some kind of conclusion, but one in particular holds more importance for the future of the show than any other: Sookie’s relationship status.

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Six

Summer may have ended, but the cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore is still going hard, doing them and just killing it on the dance floor – sometimes so hard that they hurt their knee. But just like Ronnie dancing on one leg, there’s no stopping us from listing the top five most bizarre, intriguing and ridiculous things about our favorite reality show.

True Blood: Queer Mystics

In the dominant Western culture, the roles of transgendered, extremely feminine and homosexual men have been downplayed and marginalized, but in many cultures, those men who did not conform to traditionally masculine archetypes were actually treasured as a magical link to the spirit world.

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Five

Real Person Slash — Does It Cross The Line?

By now, slash is practically a household word in fandom, and a “slasher” isn’t just a gory movie anymore. But the kind of slash that’s about Frodo and Sam or Kirk and Spock has a redheaded stepchild: real person slash (RPS). Is writing slash about real people so different? Does it remain a fantasy, or does it have a greater impact?

True Blood: Bros Before Vampire Hos?

Plot and character development-wise, the fourth season of HBO’s True Blood has been more than a little disappointing. Fortunately, even at its weakest, True Blood retains one of its most interesting aspects: The way it uses the hyper-reality of supernatural creatures to explore human relationships.

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Four

True Blood: Are Stereotypes Always Offensive?

The True Blood characters of Lafayette and Jesus both appear to be extreme examples of gay characters, with Lafayette embracing stereotypes while Jesus rejects them. It’s common knowledge that True Blood’s creator and producer Alan Ball is openly gay, but does his sexual identity give him free license to traffic in stereotypes?

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Three

And we’re back! Another episode of Jersey Shore down and another slew of disgusting, creepy, psychotic and just plain fascinating things to talk about from a sex and gender perspective.

True Blood: Getting High on Each Other

This week, romance flourishes between Sookie and Eric while they experience much more than the usual high of new relationship energy.

The Top Five Most Fascinating Things About Jersey Shore – Week Two

We expect there to be sex and drama on Jersey Shore. It's Jersey Shore! But sometimes they come up with stuff we just can't quite believe, that we just can't stop watching...and just can't stop talking about.

True Blood: Controlling Witches

The witches on True Blood take distinctively different role than the vampires on the show, expressing an historically feminine mythical power: mind control.

True Blood: Castrating Your Favorite Heel

True Blood’s Sexual Conservatism

True Blood: Witchy Women (and Men)

True Blood: It’s a Metaphor, but Does It Mean Anything?

True Blood: Human & Fairy, Virgin & Vamp

Hard Cell: Does She Really Want to See That Pic of Your Dick?

If we didn't know before, we know now that men are sending pics of their dicks over email, cell phone, even Twitter. And really, are we surprised? No, of course not. The real question is: Does she wanna see it or doesn't she?

The Scarlet Letters: “SE” for Sex Ed

In a perfect world, every child-guardian relationship would be punctuated with down-to-earth, all-your-questions-answered talk about the young person’s emerging sexuality.

True Blood: Not Just a Lesbian, a Cagefighting Lesbian

True Blood is back on HBO this summer for a fourth season — Join SexIs as we take deeper look at the sexual and erotic themes of this blood-thirsty vampire series.

Game of Thrones: Cersei & Daenerys, A Tale of Two Mothers

As the first Game of Thrones season comes to a close, two of its most powerful women, Cersei Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen, are found to be seeking power in their respective roles as queens, in vastly different ways.

Game of Thrones: Marriage Holds the Realm Together

In today's world, marriage for political reasons is pretty uncommon. But just a few centuries into the past, arranged marriages were a vital part of government and politics. In the medieval fantasy-world of Game of Thones, marriage within the ruling families is almost entirely political and critical to the stability of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

Game of Thrones: Varys Serves Everyone

Author George R.R. Martin continues to challenge stereotypical representations of sexuality in service to his character-based narrative in Game of Thrones — In Varys, Master of Westeros, he melds characteristics from differing camps to create an ambiguous, complex character.

The Queering of Renly and Loras in Game of Thrones

At first glance, the depiction of Renly and Loras as a homosexual couple in the Game of Thrones appears to be a radical departure from the novels on which the televised version is based, but upon closer inspection, it was there, it just wasn't so...outthere.

Standing Out From the Crowd: The Porn Actor’s Guide to Becoming a Star

We’re so lucky to live in the 21st century, surrounded by an embarrassment of pornographic riches. It’s never been so easy to find porn — the other side of that coin is there is simply too much pornography to ever watch it all, and tons of actors competing for a share of the audience. If you’re just starting out, trying to make a name for yourself, how do you get anybody to notice you?

Prostitution in Game of Thrones – Who’s Fucking Who?

While it’s true that prostitution is seen as a vice in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, it’s a legal and even acceptable one, with brothels spread throughout the kingdom of Westeros — from Mole’s Town near the Wall in the north, all the way down south to King’s Landing. What’s most interesting about the sex trade in Game of Thrones, however, is who it ultimately exploits and weakens.

Pornography in the UK!!

Have you heard of JoyBear Pictures, the self-described “definitive raunchy film production company for her and him?”

Well, if you’re from the US and a consumer of adult content, the answer is likely “No.”

Powerfully Feminine: Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj has found a way to push forth a strong feminist agenda, while dressing like a doll that many say encourages women to think that the skinny, plastic, large breast look is what we should all strive for to get male attention.

The Principle Of Exaggeration: Why We're Obsessed With Big Tits and Bodacious Booty

When it comes to attraction, we seldom hold up “average” as “ideal” — if we did we wouldn’t need the two different words, would we? So, why do we so consistently seem to glorify extremes — the most ginormous breasts, the most chiseled abs, the fullest head of hair? Are we just shallow jerks? Or are we actually wired for extremes?

Why the Mosaic? — The Origins of Censorship in Japanese Pornography

It may surprise you to know that Japan, home to hentai, tentacle porn and bukakke, has had strict laws censoring its pornographic films for decades. In spite of easy access to uncensored images, thanks to the Internet, usage of the ubiquitous mosaic to blur images of genitals still persists.

GLAAD Honors Supportive Media

Awards given to Ricky Martin, "30 Rock," and "True Blood"

FCC You! —Language Restrictions on Sitcoms Lighten Up

Recent court decisions and a relaxation of what's acceptable in American Culture has led to fewer restrictions on what we see on network TV. Polls say Americans want the FCC to more strictly control sex and violence on TV, but ratings show few are changing the channel to avoid racy or violent content.

Agents of Fantasy: The Ageless Appeal of the Male Spy

Why we want the spies we love to love us back.

Women Undercover: The Enduring Sex Appeal of the Female Spy

More people may know Pussy Galore than Mata Hari, but is Hari’s lasting legacy even based on fact? What’s the actual female “intelligence” quotient in our favorite femme fatales?

AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2011

Supporters Rally for Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Healthcare in Manhattan

The chants and speeches could be heard from several blocks away. The Planned Parenthood rally in Foley Square outside of the courthouse in Manhattan on Saturday afternoon attracted more than 5,000 men and women who came together in peace on the brisk sunny day to demonstrate the importance of healthcare, and reproductive healthcare, for women.

“Have you ever been to the Mansion?”

Online Hook-ups: Part 2—Newspaper Classifieds

Las Vegas Renaissance: Putting the Sin Back Into Sin City

When we heard Sin City had been “saved” a while back, we were skeptical. Like a full-on Disney experiment, when the town was invaded by a troupe of G-rated “Marketeers” who left in their wake a trail of daycare centers, Barney in-room TV marathons, and other sundry kid-friendly attractions, we shuddered.

Female Strength: Fashion Week closes with Strong Womanly Looks

Closing out Fashion Week, someone who knows a thing or two about living in a boy’s world showed off female looks comprised mostly of menswear. Gwen Stefani, the lead female singer and breakout star of the ’90s band, No Doubt, showcased her Fall L.A.M.B. collection with men’s ties, trousers, and dark patterns.

Online Hook-ups: Part 1—Casual Encounters

New York Fashion Week: Ice, Glitter, and Some Famous Moms

Pushing Buttons and Boundaries in Film: Quad Cinema in New York presents Unrated: A Week of Sex in Cinema

To explore the edgier side of relationships in film, Cinema Libre Studio has teamed up with filmmaker and producer Philippe Diaz to curate a retrospective of six films that spiked controversy when they were released, and continue to do so now.

A Sense of Belonging: An Interview with “Into The Neon” Artist Niknaz Tavakolian

Niknaz Tavakolian, an Iranian-born, American woman who has made a name for herself in both the art community, and the gay community, talks to contributor Renee Lucas about collaboration, inspiration and the thriving queer community.

Into The Neon: New LGBTQ Art Exhibit Takes Manhattan

April Flores: More Artcore, Less Hardcore

Alternative porn is getting bigger and better than ever. Director Carlos Batts and April Flores talk about their labor of love, Artcore.

The FDNY 2011 City of the Brave Calendar Event: Hot, Hot, Hot!

New York City Firefighters Enflame the Crowd for a Good Cause

Devil's Advocate: Is Blogging Worth the Risk? Part 2

In the early days of blogging, writers only had to “self censor” if they thought their mother or pastor might be reading their ramblings. Now, it’s all too common to find employers perusing your posts, too…and taking notes—which is why many bloggers have decided the only way to be secure expressing opinions is behind the mask of anonymity.

MoSex Celebrates The Carnal Cartoon Age with New “Comics Stripped” Exhibit in NYC

The crowd at the “Comic Stripped” exhibition at the Museum of Sex was extremely—animated.

Farewell to “In The Flesh”

Rachel Kramer Bussel's landmark NYC erotic reading series turns the final page.

Andy Warhol in Motion at New MoMA Exhibit

Eat, sleep and get blowjobs. Some men might say that’s all you really need in life—and going by some of his film titles, it seems that Andy Warhol might have agreed with them.

Sissy Bounce Nation

New Orleans’ rapper Big Freedia's pussy poppin' power takes the homophobia out of Hip-Hop.

SexIs Goes Haute with Art Basel Miami Beach and Jean Paul Gaultier

It was clear to visitors who set their eyes on the Exhale Pavilion at Art Basel Miami Beach that it was going to be am amazing weekend. This center of all activities surrounding the four-day festival lit up the waterfront and provided a space for exhibitors and performance artists to take the stage.

SexIs on the Scene: EXXXOTICA 2010, Part 2

More from the floor of one of the hottest sex conventions anywhere.

SexIs on the Scene: EXXXOTICA 2010

Pornutopia: Indie Film Fest Finds Trouble In Paradise

When an adult cinema festival runs afoul of dubious zoning ordinances in New Mexico, freedom of speech is put to the test.

Dian Hanson: To Boldly Go Where No Pornographer Has Gone Before, Part 2

Dian Hanson: To Boldly Go Where No Pornographer Has Gone Before

Is the iPod Touch One “Bad” Apple?

For the past three years, Apple’s iPod Touch has been the company’s biggest success with consumers under 18. Now that the device’s newest upgrades include the same video chat feature in the iPhone that was immediately adopted by the phone sex industry, what does this mean for the “kid-friendly” entry in the Apple empire—and for the ubiquitousness of tech and sex, no matter what your age?

Reviving the Runaways: Who Should Rule When Law, Psychology and Teenage Hormones Collide?

Mirror, Mirror: When Pictures Lie

Every picture tells a story, but a lot of the time, what's being sold as the truth is a fairy tale. When does fashion become a weapon and just how dangerous is altering reality to sell advertising?

Dark and Sexy: The New Face of Bengali Cinema

No Sex Please, We're Women: Advertisers Dis the Feminine Libido

Last week, word broke that women don't have sex... at least not according to TV ads, that is. As reported, the makers of Zestra got the bum's rush when seeking air time to peddle their—gasp!—female enhancement product. Smiling Bob could not be reached for comment.

Talking Dirty: Gillian Telling Comes Clean with Dirty Girls

In public, most women try to be well mannered, look pretty and smell nice. But once a single gal gets home at the end of the evening? She’s just plain dirty.

Tormented Sugar & Spice

How a personal journey toward bondage unleashed the artist within.

Bombshells, Broadway and Behinds—Fashion Week Comes to an End

New York Fashion Week Continues: Sophisticated, Riské—and Everything In Between

Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Monique Lhuillier and Carolina Herrera all showed their new chic and elegant collections over the last three days in New York. As one would expect, they were perfectly executed, beautifully tailored and highly praised.

SexIs at NY Fashion Week 2010

Day One: Ellen, Bondage and Animal Magnetism

Cannabis XXX

Marijuana, long considered a dangerous and highly addictive substance, is quickly becoming the easiest score on the West Coast.

The Man Project: Zak Smith

Got MILF? How the Trend in Mommy Porn Continues to be a Thriving Trade

Gay Bollywood: Queer Eye for the Desi Guy (or Gal)

What Dreams May Come? A Talk with Museum of Sex Curator Sarah Forbes

TV, or Not TV...What's So Funny About Idiots?

It's a given that sitcoms aren't meant to be taken literally. But if humor is based on the familiar, what does it say about us as a society when in order to be funny, comedic heroes are most often portrayed as bumbling boors, while their female counterparts are relegated to the ranks of a more infamous “B” word?

Eat Your Heart Out: The Sexualization of Food and Food Culture

They say you never forget your first: That initial surge of blood as your heart begins to hammer, those small moans of pleasure, your mouth actually watering as your lips embrace the object of your desire.

Hef's Private Side, Reality Kings Sued, Naked Mannequin Terrorizes Nebraska Town

After functioning as a public company for more than 39 years, majority stockholder Hugh Hefner—ironically, a man best known for making privates public—announced hopes of taking Playboy Enterprises private.

Deconstructing Sasha Grey: From XXX-treme to Mainstream

Our Porn, Ourselves: Erika Lust on the Future of Porn

The Savanna Samson Interview: Part 2

Everyone knows that adult film star Savanna Samson has a smokin' hot body. Yesterday we learned that she also has a pretty impressive worldview to go along with it. Today, Savanna talks about her favorite co-stars, what's in store for her future, and advises anyone who wants to follow in her X-rated footsteps about the things that truly matter if you're considering a career in the porn industry.

The SexIs Interview: Savanna Samson, Part 1

Adult film star Savanna Samson is a woman of many talents. In addition to her career in front of the camera, she's also a mom who has her own wine label, and is an avid supporter of ASCNY. We caught up with her to get the skinny on what makes Savanna such a well-rounded woman of the world. Whichever way you prefer your adult star—text or video—we've got it covered.

Some Girls: An Interview with Jillian Lauren

Keith Haring: Pop-culture Prince, Art World Antihero, Enduring Activist

It's been 20 years since artist provacatuer Keith Haring passed away; a pioneer for AIDS activism, who himself succumbed to the disease. The imagery he left behind is a catalog of both innocent delight and quirky, carnal wit. The world was his canvas: From the sidewalks of New York City to the human body, nothing was safe and everything was sacred.

Eating Out in Tokyo

Exploring the Intersections of Food, Sex, and Culture in the Land of the Rising Sun

April Fresh, Part 2

Last week, we met Alt Porn star April Flores. Teased in her youth for being overweight, this modern-day XXX Mae West learned to embrace her curves, find happiness and the courage to show her big, beautiful wares to the world at large.

April Fresh, Part One

Voluptuous April Flores is making serious waves in the world of alt-porn with dangerous curves cultivated by confidence, courage and—lo and behold—carbs.

SexFeed:Gay Surrogacy, Feature Film Amid Attacks in Israel

Feminist Feat: Leora Tanenbaum Talks about Bad Shoes

SexFeed: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal Possible in Washington

The Naked Reader Book Club: That is So NOT Sexy!

There is good erotica, and there is bad erotica. When it's good, it's very, very good. When it's bad...it's almost always usually good for a laugh. But why is it so hard to write the good stuff? Here's one man's theory.

Midori’s Postcards from a Sex Nerd: Travels With my Anus, or Things They Won’t Let Me Say on TV

SexFeed: So Many Political Sex Scandals, So Little Time

SexFeed: Facebook Tightens Security, May Kick Out Streakers

Private Lives, Public Candor

The Internet has done what all great tools of communication do: fundamentally transformed the way we interact with one another—and that’s just as true of our discussion about sex as it is anything else. The games we play haven’t changed, but how we play them has.

I Got Fired for Writing About Sex

SexFeed: Elena Kagan Possibly First Lesbian Supreme Court Nominee?

SexFeed: Erotica Rushes in to Save the Publishing Industry

Plugged In: iPorn—Is the Sin in the App or the Apple?

Technology and porn have always been butt buddies, but the most prudish mobile device out there is the one in everyone’s pocket. The iPhone acts like your paranoid Aunt Marge when it comes to sexy apps, even though its own browser puts the World Wide Wank at your fingertips. How did we get here, and what does it mean for the future of digital sex?

Happy First Year Anniversary, Bloggess!

The Naked Reader Book Club: The Subversive Universe According to Krassner

Paul Krassner is a writer, agitator, humorist and social watchdog extraordinaire. Where the establishment is matter, Krassner is antimatter. He speaks with the voice and the conscience of a generation who knew better than to trust the status quo. His message of thoughtful rebellion is as timely now as it was in the ’60s… perhaps even more.

The Naked Reader Book Club: Cleis Press Co-founder/Publisher, Felice Newman

Today, expressions of sex positivity, acceptance, and celebration of every gender and lifestyle are part of the fabric of modern society, but it wasn’t all that long ago being different often meant not having a voice to speak in public, much less sing. Pioneering publisher Felice Newman looks back from then to now and beyond.

The Ethics of Bareback

Condom-less porn (or bareback) is on the rise in gay outlets, and as popularity creates a demand for more and more, studios and performers are leaving the protection in the nightstand.

Junk-Food Science

Most science reporters aren’t scientists; they’re talking heads hungry for site hits, ratings, readership and ad revenue. Even reputable journalists sometimes jump the gun when groundbreaking developments fall into their laps. How the media’s rush to scoop the competition promotes dangerously incomplete data as truth, and puts the public at risk.

Capturing the Face of Orgasm: In & Out with Richard Lawrence, Founder of Beautiful Agony

Overexposed: An Executive Pornographer Gets in Too Deep

Maybe you know me. I’m the one who stays quiet, simply listening, as other women discuss the evils of pornography. At risk of outing myself, I choose not to share my opinions. But I have quite a few. After all, I spent three years working behind the scenes for a company publishing porn websites and DVDs.

Queer Print: Keeping the Counterculture Coming

Unsatisfied with the fare dished out by mainstream media, many gay voices are seeking out and creating their own vehicles of self-expression—and in the process, re-inventing print in their own image.

How Nina Hartley Became My New Best Friend

Nina Hartley is an icon. She’s an author, an actress, a feminist, a registered nurse, an activist and a columnist. She also happens to be a really famous porn star and she agreed to be interviewed by me. Probably because she’s never read any of my interviews before.

Shoot: The Education and Evolution of a Pornographer

For more than five years, my working life revolved around framing acts of public copulation. I’ve pushed cameras and microphones into dwellings no machines should ever go. I’ve been granted a front-row seat to scenes of startling intimacy. I’ve helped pick up thousands of used baby-wipes. And somewhere along the line, I learned a lot about how men and women perceive each other.

Pornocracy: From Indie to Next-Gen Porn

I may eat Hamburger Helper, wear jeans from Costco, and drink water straight from the tap, but when it comes to porn, I’m quite the snob. In fact, I prefer “porn connoisseur,” because it makes me sound classy! (And nothing is classier than a woman who likes to watch people fuck.)

Do Not Make a Sex Tape, You Idiot.

This month I’m writing my column based on Cosmo Magazine titles to prove to my grandmother that this column is just as socially acceptable as Cosmo and that she should really stop telling her friends that I'm doing missionary work in Zimbabwe for a living. I don’t even know where Zimbabwe is, granny. So, onto today’s subject…

The Second Coming of Burlesque

Back in the antediluvian days before the modern archetype of strippers we’ve come to know and yawn at—naked chicks sporting eight-inch Lucite stiletto pumps and bored expressions, humping firehouse poles for the likes of Tony Soprano e famiglia at Bada Bing—those who shed their clothes onstage for a living were part of a glorious, albeit infamous, tradition known as Burlesque.

Amateur XXX: Homemade Porn Gives Mainstream a Run For Your Money

Big budgets, top names and sleek production values aside, in its never ending quest to be hot, hotter, hottest, traditional adult movies have become predictable, thus leaving the door wide open for a new breed of amateur auteurs to infiltrate the market with reality-based fare many viewers say they can’t get enough of.

Apps vs. Anticipation: Redefining Desire in the Digital Age

In Gilda (1946), Rita Hayworth slowly peeled off a single elbow-length black glove to evoke all the magic and sensuality of the striptease, to the delight of viewers and the press. Roughly sixty years later, hardcore pornography lurks in every corner of our Web browsers. But are our lightning-fast Internet connections really helping us do sex better, faster, and more efficiently?

The Bloggess: Magic Words That Make Him Tell You the Truth About Where Your Socks Are

This month I’m doing a series of articles to prove to my grandmother that my sex column is just as good as anything from Cosmo by writing my own stories inspired by actual Cosmo titles. This morning I was supposed to tackle…

The Original Ambiguously Gay Duo?

When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle penned the first Sherlock Holmes story in 1887, he had no idea he was breathing life into what would eventually become the greatest crime-fighting franchise in history. Neither did Doyle realize he’d inadvertently sparked one of the most enduring debates of modern literature—the question of the Great Detective’s sexuality.

Me and Tina Fey: A Ballad of Strippers, Sweat and Glitter

I love strippers. I love their well-fitted bikinis. I love the way the move in high heels. I love the their upper body strength and flexibility. (Oh, the flexibility.) I love the bravery and unfettered sensuality. Showmanship turns me on. Tina Fey would never approve of me.

The Bloggess: Four things to never joke about with your man.

My grandmother does not read this column. This is unsurprising, given the fact that this is a sex column and she’s my grandmother, but I recently tried to explain to her that there’s really nothing different about my column than anything you’d read in Cosmo Magazine.

Porn in Recession: America in Decline

The recession is upon us; no one sane would dare doubt it. The auto industry’s long since moved overseas, and despite government bailouts, no one in their right mind would buy a Ford. Pilots are working longer hours for 50% pay; 127 banks have failed. But are industries we previously thought to be recession-proof feeling the punch too? If porno fails, says the soothsayer, the nation fails…

From Pixilated to X-Rated: Video Game Girlz Grow Up

From the time gaming graphics evolved from pong sprits that live on in 8-bit theater, video chicks have enhanced our digital merriment. For the majority of their tenure, the females who inhabited games have fallen into four basic archetypes. So grab a controller and a comfy chair as we take a nerdy stroll though life and growth of the video game vixens who’ve helped shape our gaming world.

The Bloggess: The 10 weirdest things people sent me this month

Hi. My name is Jenny and people email me weird-ass shit. Almost all of emails begin “You don’t know me but I saw this and thought of you”. Then I feel a little bit sad at the direction my life has taken. But then I look at the links and it makes it all worthwhile. Except for the ones that make me question humanity. And then I share the links here. Then we all suffer and rejoice together.

Grading on the Curves: A Report Card on Women’s Healthcare

It’s fair to say that healthcare and women have a complicated history. Let’s take a look at why.

Sexual Fluidity

My first real girl crush didn’t occur until I was well into my 20s. Sure, I’d had my share of the typical and varied female relationships—female friends whom I loved like sisters, female rock stars I’d idolized, girls I deeply admired for their beauty, wit, charm, or intelligence—I’d loved many, many women in my life. But I’d never actually been turned on by one. Until recently...

Stop with all the semen

“No, really. You shouldn’t have.”

2009: A Sex-Infused Round-Up

2009. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Especially for Tiger Woods.

All in the Family

According to John 4:8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Proponents of the Westboro Baptist Church, however, preach that God is hate—if you’re gay, that is. See how one community’s protest united people from all walks of life to baptize these divisive miscreants with the waters of truthiness, and banish evil from their midst.

The Bloggess: 10 non-returnable gifts that are probably worse than anything you’ll get this Christmas

If you bought any of these things as a present for someone, you owe them an apology.

The Touching Trains

When faced with the task of investigating what goes on it the Japanese sex clubs, I never for a moment thought that it would be easy. But who’d have thought that it’d be so hard to catch a ride on ‘the touching trains’?

The Sexis Interview: Tristan Taormino, Part 4

In this final installment of our interview with the one and only Tristan Taormino, she speaks at length about open relationships, nonmonogamy, and trying to shatter the preconceived notions of what relationships are.

The Sexis Interview: Tristan Taormino, Part 3

Adult entertainment succeeds when the audience truly connects to the material. Tristan dishes on what performers need to bring to the table to ensure her fans are truly satisfied.

The Bloggess: (Don’t) make your own sex toys

Wow. Just…wow.

The Sexis Interview: Tristan Taormino, Part 2

In the second installment of this four-part interview, Tristan discusses the making of Rough Sex, as well as the differences between rough sex and anger.

The Sexis Interview: Tristan Taormino, Part 1

Author, director and educator Tristan Taormino has been breaking boundaries for years. In the first installment of this four-part interview, Tristan discusses porn, feminism, and reconciling the two.

Dr. Dick on Demand: The Open Relationship Model

Deviating from conventional model. Is it worth it?

The Pornotopia Erotic Film Festival

As a working woman raising two sons with her husband in South Carolina, the idea of attending a porn festival in the Southwest seemed impossible; logistically, geographically, and culturally. Until I got there, that is...

Tuesdays with Nina

The old saying goes, “Them that can, do; them that can’t, teach,” but sometimes there’s that one in a million who can do both—and SexIs has her. Each week, adult actress, activist, auteur and legend Nina Hartley answers your questions on all things sexual. Vlogging will never be the same.

The World AIDS Day Project: No Dominion

When a novice swimmer dives head-first into the deep end of gay culture and emerges illuminated, her path to sexual emancipation via safer means becomes stunningly clear.

The World AIDS Day Project: Live Through This

The July 2, 2009 ruling of Naz Foundation v. Government of NCT Delhi decriminalized homosexuality in India, and the world declared this a groundbreaking victory for the Indian gay rights movement. While India going gay made for sensational news, the issue that caught the world’s attention wasn’t actually the primary focus of the ruling. The issue at its heart of was HIV/AIDS.

The Bloggess: AIDS isn’t really that funny

A Poly Lexicon

Or, how not to get chewed up in the parlance of polyamory.

A Sexual Feast: Five Things to be Grateful for This Thanksgiving

In my family, there are three topics of conversation that are off-limits on Thanksgiving: The plight of factory-farmed turkeys, how the “First Thanksgiving” didn’t turn out all that well for the Native Americans, and, most verboten of all, anything to do with sex.

The Bloggess: Inappropriate thoughts that haunt me about Twilight:

Here there be spoilers, by the way.

Dr. Dick on Demand: The Sex Positive Doctrine

Have you ever wondered about the term sex positive? If you’re like me, you see it all over the place, especially on sex-related sites. I confess I use it way more often than I should. It’s become one of those industry buzzwords that has, over time, become so fuzzy around the edges that to some, it’s now virtually meaningless.

The High Artifice of Girl Watching

Dolly Parton has said that it takes a lot of money to look cheap. And it’s true. Women spend a fortune on all manner of things to look younger, thinner, taller, bustier—to get noticed. It’s no secret. We want you to look. That said, there are right ways and there are wrong ways.

How I Grew Up to Be a Sex Journalist

There are not many writers who actually plan on writing about sex as a career. You might say it’s something that just kind of falls into our laps (pardon the pun). Some of us are well-studied counselors and professionals; others are ex-porn personalities looking for life after the performance. So, how was it that I ended up in this particular field?

The Runner-Up Smile and Other Tales of Sexual Irony

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones… or make sex tapes that may someday show up on the Internet.

The Bloggess: We have a winner!

And a lot of very strange people who read this as well.
("Strange" in a good way though.)

With Love, From Tia Tania

Preparation for my boyfriend’s long-awaited visit to the Dominican Republic required more than just a pedicure and bikini wax. He was traveling with friends and there was no way I could sneak him into my host family’s home, so I had to find a place for us to reunite properly. This was the perfect opportunity to investigate the possibilities of the Dominican's many clandestine sex cabañas.

Dr. Dick on Demand: The Dark Heart of Homophobia

Institutionalized homophobia is rooted in a fear and hatred of women. The dominant culture enshrines male privilege and punishes anyone who attempts to undercut the paradigm. Discrimination is so widespread, ingrained—and sometimes so subtle—that many non-gay people don’t even notice most of it. But those of us on the receiving end of the bigotry are keenly aware.

The Disillusionment of a Young Gay Democrat

This is a familiar story, like every other story about a broken heart.

The Bloggess Does Japan: It’s not what you think it is.

Things in Japan that will make you look twice.

The 7 Year Itch: A Look Back at Secretary

“The sweetest romantic comedy about S&M since, well...ever,” says Blackbook of the then-quirky, now-seminal film Secretary. Was it a massive step toward the mainstreaming of kinky culture or a lopsided portrayal that did more harm than good? Seven years later, people’s opinions remain sharply divided.

The Bloggess Does Japan: Rearranging furniture in a sex dungeon in Tokyo.

I have a very weird life.

The Talk

Why is talking to our progeny about sex so awkward? Does it have to be?

The Bloggess Does Japan: Memoirs of a Geisha. (Sort of.)

It’s technically more like “Memoirs of an Oiran” but people don’t know what that word means so I dumbed it down a bit.

Clubbing and Coupling: Couples-Friendly is the New Gentlemen’s-Only

Once the realm of just dudes, strip clubs are now increasingly the domain of frisky couples with a hankering for a bit of harmless naughtiness.

The Bloggess: The ten most fucked-up things people sent me this month

Do you have something fucked up that you think I need to see? Of course you do.

The Bloggess Does Japan: Best snack-pack ever?

As you all probably know, I'm spending this week in Japan as an "International Sex Correspondent". I'll probably drop the "sex" part from my resume but it doesn't change the fact that this is my very first international writing assignment.

The Bloggess Does Japan: Sue me. I’m awesome.

The Bloggess's long-awaited trip to Japan is set to begin in style, with dignity, aplomb, and...cheeseburgers??? (We're hoping she has diplomatic immunity.)

The Bloggess Does Japan

In all honesty, you’d probably be better off skipping this post.

Lust for Blood

I’m not just a sex writer. I’m a horror movie enthusiast. Which I suppose makes me an exceptionally bad girl. So figure if this story were a slasher flick, I’d be dead about 750 words in.

Just Looking 101: How to Scope Out Guys without Being Creepy or Getting Caught

Guys love it when people look. It’s the kind of shock and awe that leaves us riding high on dopamine and suddenly increased self-worth, even if secretly so. But let’s be honest. In a very practical sense, there’s clearly a right way and wrong to way to scope out guys. The right way is flirty and fun. The wrong way? Well, it might just necessitate a visit from Nancy Grace.

The Bloggess: Honestly, I feel a little guilty.

But not really guilty enough to correct him.

Geeky Love’s Guide to Cybersex

Gamers and sex. I know these two words aren’t often paired in popular lexicon. Nonetheless, I feel it is my duty to inform you that gamers are having sex, lots of sex. While there are many things to be learned from the Gamer Sutra, today I’d like to focus on cybersex.

Cyrano in 140 Characters or Less: The Art of the Love Letter—and Email

These days, not even poets are squeezing their hearts into love letters. We live in a fast-food world. And while love still isn’t something you can order from the drive-through, modern courtship is a reflection of the way we live: fast, easy, and a little out of control—like a quick email, an instant message—or a throng of twenty-first century Cyranos Twittering their love...in 140 characters.

Lust and Luggage: Sex Toy Etiquette on the Road

Or, for you Italo Calvino fans, if on a winter’s night a traveler...with a carry-on full of sex toys...

The Bloggess: Super-Star April Flores Unintentionally Makes Me Feel Bad About Myself

Also, she has an incredibly expensive vagina. It’s probably worth it though. Maybe look into lay-away.

The Nylon Underground

It’s a tradition as old as the internet itself—the act of selling one’s own used undergarments online for a quick infusion of cash. Yvette Safire recently found herself in a bit of a financial bind, and thus began to contemplate the possibilities...

The Strange, True History and Evolution of the Personal Ad

Contrary to popular belief, the personal ad is not yet another invention of the internet. It’s been around for centuries, continuing to evolve with each generation’s needs, desires, and fetishistic frenzies—from the earnest days of ‘matrimony papers’ to today’s user-friendly searches on websites such as Craigslist.

Smoke After Sex? (You’re probably just doing it too fast.)

And certainly these days, since almost no one smokes anymore. For years, smoking and sex have been tied together. Literature, cinema and television have celebrated the post-coital cigarette to the point of cliché for eons. And now, unless you’re French or Quentin Tarantino, smoking is outré—in a big way. Is the image, moreover the act, even relevant anymore?

The Bloggess: The Cherry Torn Un-Interviews

This month I’m doing a series of interviews with sex workers but my friend, Cherry, (fetish/bondage model/starlet/submissive) who I’d lined up for an interview this week is not answering the questions I’d emailed her. I can only assume it’s because she’s scared of me.

That Was Then, This is Now

Every era has had its rules for acceptable standards for clothing, communications, relationships, etc. There were also consequences for stepping outside that behavior. Here’s a look at quid pro quo—then and now—highlighting different eras in history to trace the trajectory of passion, fashion and culture.

The Bloggess: Mominatrix interview

The Bloggess interviews the Mominatrix, where they talk about tantric knitting, discount booksellers, and better sex for moms.

The Droppin’ Loads Phenomenon

In this excerpt from the upcoming book “Droppin’ Loads”: Conversations of a Porn Star and an 8th Grade Teacher, Maureen St. Charles takes an unconventional look into the unconventional life and catchphrase of her subject, one Nick Manning...

The Color of Harlotry: Sex in Kolkata

Mandy Van Deven provides a small glimpse into how government control in India turns Western women into whores and Indian women into prudes.

The Bloggess: Top 10 Fucked-Up Links People Sent Me This Month

There’s nothing terribly NSFW here but you should probably wait until you get home so you aren’t tempted to show it to your coworkers because they’re totally going to judge you.

A Lexicon of LGBT Slang

In our melting pot of a world, it’s not uncommon for individuals to speak more than one language—Spanish, Italian, Chinese…Gay? Yep, like most subcultures, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community has created its own dialect over the years. No, it’s not a full-fledged alien language; more like ‘street’ talk that intermingles with everyday speak.

The Bloggess: The Most Unsexy Male Lingerie Ever

No really, it’s just awful.

Between the Notes

The subtle and not so subtle interplay of sex-speak and music.

Sex v. FCC: Epilogue and Backstory

The wacky, super-true tale of the FCC—how it came to power, and why it fears boobs.

Humbert Hearts Lolita . . . Still—Can you really blame him?

There’s a lot to appreciate about Lolita, even today. Most classic books have a good deal of social commentary, and this emotional, lyrical, mocking, ironic number does that in spades. Let’s take a look at Nabokov’s novel and see what matches up today.

The Bloggess: Autoerotic Asphyxiation

Why stop there?

To Wong Fu, and Thanks for Everything Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze took Baby out of the corner and created a sex symbol straight out of the closet.

Sex and the Suburbs: I Promise to Love, Cherish and Not Get Caught?

Cheating on one’s spouse has become big business—just ask Ashley Madison.

Sex v. FCC: Act III

What is sex itself were hauled before the FCC and forced to defend itself? G.L. Morrison considers the twists, turns, and inherent satire of such an eventuality, in Act III of this three-part satirical (we hope!) look at freedom of speech.

The Bloggess: The internet is entertaining/terrifying

There’s no real nudity here but you’re still going to feel dirty and confused after reading this.

Sex and the Suburbs: The Booby Trap

I have breasts. You have breasts. Women have breasts. What we do with them on the other hand is our decision.

Oh, the Agony! The Perils of Advice Column Addiction

I have a dirty little secret: I used to work as an advice columnist. Here’s another dirty little secret: Most of the advice columnists aren’t any more qualified to tell you what to do with your life than I was. Some of them are even less.

Sex v. FCC: Act II

What is sex itself were hauled before the FCC and forced to defend itself? G.L. Morrison considers the twists, turns, and inherent satire of such an eventuality, in Act II of this three-part satirical (we hope!) look at freedom of speech.

Pondering the Penis

Even today, when we men are encouraged, seemingly mandated, to embrace sensitivity and nurture our feminine sides, the penis defines in large part what it means to be a man. It defines our masculinity biologically...right?

The Bloggess: Vampire. Dildo.

Yeah. We just went there.

Sex v. FCC: Act I

What is sex itself were hauled before the FCC and forced to defend itself? G.L. Morrison considers the twists, turns, and inherent satire of such an eventuality.

Observations of a Sex Positive Gypsy: Porn for the Jaded

One of the hazards of being a traveling sex educator is the creeping case of the hornies that just can’t be quelled, pilled, potioned, pricked, or new-aged away...which inevitably leads me to porn. Problem is, I think I qualify as “porn-jaded”, which makes it harder to find the stuff that gets my panties in a twist. What to do?

Interview with Courtney Trouble, Director of Roulette

Courtney Trouble, already well known in queer porn circles for her 6-year-running queer porn website, nofauxxx.com, has recently gained additional notoriety for her new film Roulette. In April she received the Feminist Porn Award for Most Deliciously Diverse Cast, and recently NoFauxxx was named The Best Queer Porn of the Bay by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

The Bloggess: Is your man gay?

A Very Special Quiz

Why Porn is Good for the Married Man’s Soul…Seriously!

You might hear people make outrageous claims such as “Porn destroys more marriages than crack cocaine!” “Porn drives married couples apart!” I hate to break it to you, but that’s hogwash. Porn is the glue that holds families together. Porn is good. Porn is the bread and butter of any married person’s sexual existence. Porn is an integral part of 21st century living.

Sex and the Suburbs: To Watch or Not to Watch, That is The Question

Many men already know the joys of pornography, whether it be a raunchy movie or some strategically shot photos on the internet—and aren’t afraid to sing their praises. However, most women I have spoken to regarding porn either love it or hate it, and there isn’t much middle ground.

Bettie Page: Posed for Our Sins

The pinup model who wanted to be a missionary...

The Sexis Interview: Sabrina Wolf on Her First Porn Shoot and Trust

It’s one thing to talk about porn from a professional’s point of view—but what about someone’s first time? Meet Sabrina Wolf, who recently made her porn debut, for Kink.com’s Hogtied.

Dr. Dick on Demand! Prescription for a Porn-Positive World

One of the enduring hot-button issues in our culture (and every other culture) is sexually explicit material. Everyone has an opinion on what we, as a society, ought to allow—and what should be prohibited.

The Bloggess: So you decided not to listen to me and had sex anyway…

Surprisingly, I totally know what I’m talking about.

Sex and the Suburbs: Why Celebumoms Make Us Feel Bad—And Why We Allow It

Why has the once-cherished mom-bod become something to be looked upon with disgust and disdain, rather than revered as the happy result of something natural and beautiful?

The Bloggess: Tips for Virgins

So you think you’re ready to have sex, huh?

What Hollywood Teaches Us about Being a Daddy

Or, how to successfully combine parenting, fatherhood, and sex...

I don’t even have a title for this. That’s how disturbing it is.

Nope. Totally speechless over here.

There are many people who like to masturbate with a vacuum cleaner

This video is relatively safe for work but take care because once you see it you can’t un-see it. Especially since you’ll watch it over and over and send it to everyone you’ve ever met, because what-the-fuck, Japan?

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part 10

Parting thoughts: What comes around goes around, what goes around comes around...

The Top 40 Completely Fucked-Up Things People Are Thinking While They’re Having Sex With You

Last week there was a buzz on Twitter when everyone started sharing the thoughts they have most often during sex. It was bizarre and completely unsettling. And also very educational in that you should make your teenagers read it so they don’t get pregnant because honestly after reading this I’m not sure *I* ever want to have sex again.

Carnality in Comics II: The Medium’s Awkward Growing Pains

The mid-1980’s: while movement toward intelligent storytelling and mature treatment of sexuality was proceeding at a satisfying pace from independent creators, the mainstream’s efforts were typically ham-handed and mawkish. Let’s see what happened when the big publishers introduced sexual diversity into their imaginary worlds.

The Bloggess: Porn for the Blind

What’s really sad is that the very people who could benefit most from reading this article can’t read it. Because they’re blind. That’s irony.

Carnality in Comics: A Whirlwind History of Sex in the Medium

Comic books—they’ve graced us with mind-bending sagas to send the imagination soaring and sub-literate crapfests that assault the aesthetic sensibility with unfettered brutality. Conceived as dirt cheap entertainment for the kidlings, comics have nonetheless been an outlet for sexual fantasy throughout their existence.

The Bloggess: Just my personal opinion? Unicorns shouldn’t fuck anybody.

Robot Sex

For as long as robots have been a concept in the human imagination, we have been plagued by questions: Is advanced artificial intelligence possible? Can machines devoid of emotion truly understand the human condition? And...how awesome would robots be in bed?

The Power and Protest of Public Sexuality in India

Trouble, thy name is woman. India is a country in the throes of a sexual revolution, and young women are firmly planted at the center of the controversy.

HIV and the Porn Industry: Testing, Condoms and Trust

On June 4, Patient Zero was tested for HIV. She worked on June 5, and her results came in positive for HIV presence in the bloodstream on June 6. At that point, all hell began to break loose.

The Bloggess: Stuff I wonder about porn stars

This week, the Bloggess shares with the world her deep thoughts about the adult industry...

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Nine: The New Millennium

It’s the (tr)end of the world as we know it, and we feel fine...

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Eight: The ’90s

The rise of the Internet, the fall of morality. Greed gets an overhaul. Grunge is good. Goth rules. BDSM goes mainstream—and a Presidential pop shot makes the ultimate fashion statement.

Rhythm of Sin: The War on Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll

Music is sexy. Dangerous sexy. Back in the annals of history, some caveman Casanova figured out smacking out a rhythm on a rock with your club was more conducive to lovemaking than clubbing her over the head. Women have loved drummers ever since.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part 7

Hubris in Neon: SEXIS sits down for a one-on-one with the ’80s, and, as usual, “The Me Decade” speaks for itself, or in this case, himself…

SexVoxing: Sex & Cinema

Today on Sexis, we’re pleased to launch a new running column, SexVoxing. SexVoxing will feature Sexis contributors and staff sounding off on a varia of issues, from the pointed to mundane. To kick it off, we thought we’d start with something everyone has their own list for: What is your favorite sex scene in mainstream cinema?

If sex toys were like video games it would be awesome.

Wait. No it wouldn’t.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Six

The ’70s: The most odious decade ever. No kidding. It was beyond bad. I mean, Roger Moore as James Bond? Puh-lease! Well, at least everyone was fucking.

Exes & Sexes: The Twits of Splitsville

From Facebook to Twitter to Myspace to AIM, YIM, and Skype, our love lives have transitioned seamlessly into the constantly evolving fabric of Web 2.0. But what do you, a savvy social networker, do when your love live goes awry? Kal Cobalt sorts through the tweets, status updates, and Skype logs to find out.

A Short, Torrid History of Sex on the Internet

From the early days of Usenet to the vivid pornscapes of today, sex and the internet have always been a union of perfect harmony. Today, Sexis traces back sex’s brief yet torrid affair with the internet.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Five

From white kid gloves to a roll in the mud, ladies and gentlemen, we bring you the rise and fall of the Madonna/whore decade!

Everything weird I know about sex I learned from Twitter

Why I will never get divorced

Eroticism & the Executive Branch: Sex Lives of the Presidents

So everyone's all atwitter about the hotness of our new First Couple, right? But we've been obsessing on the sexayness of our Commanders in Briefs since, well...as long as we've had presidents. From the rumors of Lincoln's homosexuality to the derrings do and don't of FDR, to the inherent weirdness of Garfield—Wise Young Mommy takes a fond look back at the sex lives of a few of our presidents.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Four

The Fifties! The Pelvis. Poodle skirts. Pat Boone. Nat King Cole. Hugh Hefner. James Dean. Ozzie and Harriet. Is it Safe to Come Out of the Bomb Shelter Yet?

The Sexis Pulse: Coitus Interruptus Edition

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one sexted-up acronym at a time.

The chicks your guy does NOT want to bone. I know, I was surprised too.

Turnabout is grounds for divorce.

Ragged Glory: The Rise and Fall of the Noble Stag

Today, we know porn as a mainstream product which pervades nearly every facet of our social fabric. It wasn't always that way--a century ago, pornography was a strictly underground affair, rearing its head up in men's lodges and dance bars as the stag film. Bob Modern takes a look back at the glory days of the stag, from meat shots to Apple Knockers and all the way to Marilyn Monroe herself.

When Kirk Met Spock: Sex and Fan-Fiction

Slash is more than a figure of grammar; it's more than Guns n' Roses ex-guitarist: it's a whole 'nother thing entirely. It may be about the men...but it's all for and by the women.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Three: Supply, Demand, Gender-Bending and Nuclear Cheesecake

Springtime for Hitler on the Paris Runways. Pin-Up Girls Pump More than Morale. Plus our 21-Gun Salute to Gender Bending in the Military.

The Sexis Pulse: Busts 4 Justice Edition

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one porn bailout at a time.

An open letter to husbands and boyfriends about the guys we (surprisingly) DO and DON’T want to have sex with

This week, the Bloggess makes us hip to all the celebs that women want to get down with...that the guys didn't know about.

eDiscord: Love & Sex on the Intertubes

There are few places better suited to prove and reprove the preposterousness of human sexuality than the annals of the online dating scene.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century, Part Two: A Rumination on Tomatoes, Platinum Blondes and the Rise of Butch Chic

Warning! Dangerous curves ahead. Blonde ambition conquers all…and we ain’t talkin’ Madonna.

The Sexis Pulse: ED on the TV Edition

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one leaked semi-nude beauty queen photo at a time.

Clown porn is not as funny as you think it’s going to be

Warning—no clowns were penetrated, cajoled, or agitated in the making of this article. We will studiously deny any approval of it. We will not pay for your emotional trauma. Or a tongue-graft, so that you may regrow your sense of good taste. And thus, without further ado, we present...the Bloggess.

Seminal Styles of the 20th Century: Designers, Divas and Fashion Firsts That Shook the World--Part One: From the Gilded Age to the Flapper

Does sex influence fashion, or does fashion influence sex?

Mondo Sexo: The Heady Days of Sexploitation Sinema

Are you curious? And if you are, are you curious-yellow, or blue? Before blue movies were legal, there was a decades-long movement of filmmakers pushing sexual boundaries--a genre known affectionately as sexploitation. Bob Modern takes a fond look back at film's most lurid and eccentric genre.

The Sexis Pulse: In Maude We Trust Edition

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one dirty, smelly brassiere at a time.

The Sexis Pulse: Half-Price Edition

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one Casual Encounter at a time.

Veruca Salt Gets Laid

On Craigslist, the user can find anything their heart (or other organ) desires. Is this a healthy thing - and who's doing it? Cherry Trifle finds out.

Paparazzi, Pop Culture, Sex, & A Modest Proposal

How do we perceive sex through the sometimes-jaundiced lens of the media? How does something like TMZ affect our perception of sex?

The Sexis Pulse: Post-Easter Spanking Edition

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one teabag at a time.

The Sexis Pulse: Week in Review

Taking the pulse of our cultural sex drive, one bad PR move at a time.

Hair: The Dawning of the Age of Gay Porn

“I know it when I see it.” That was former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, on his decidedly un-scientific approach to discerning what pornography might be, back in 1964. Gay porn on the other hand was not always so blatant during its years of gestation, ranging from beefcake fitness mags to steamy pulp novels, before hardbodies went finally went hardcore.

Anatomy of Sexual Humor (and Yes, You Can Touch Those Bits Down There)

We’ve been laughing at sex for as long as we’ve been having it – for reasons puritanical, repressive, regressive, or the fact that we just like laughing at our own naughty bits.