On October 7, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar, the case challenging Colorado’s ban on counseling for gender dysphoria that does not seek to affirm gender transition as the best path forward for the patient. Much of the legal debate concerns whether psychotherapy is medical treatment (conduct that can be […]
Adolescent Sexual Fluidity
A study of 1,513 Swedish adolescents from age 14 to 17 reveals a surprising degree of variation in sexual orientation during this developmental phase. Most striking is the fluidity of those who at some point in their trajectory identify as lesbian or gay: only 17.6% of girls and 29.4% of boys who so identify did […]
Heteronormative Family Expectations
Heteronormativity is a cultural, social, and political framework that institutionalizes heterosexuality as the standard and preferred sexual orientation. Heteronormative familial discourses play a significant role in socializing children, and what makes them so influential is their ability to naturalize certain behaviors and desires. Children are taught that “this is how things are” or “how things should […]
Childhood “Nerds” Likely to be Lifelong Virgins?
A study of approximately 400,000 UK and Australian adults, mostly middle-aged and older, reveals that about 1% of the population goes through life without ever having experienced any form of sexual intercourse. The study found sexlessness is associated with a range of genetic, environmental, physical and mental factors – but much still remains unclear. Among […]
Sexual Violence On the Rise According to the UN
Sexual violence has long been used as a tactic of war in conflicts across the globe, disproportionately affecting women and girls. The United Nation’s annual Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence reveals a grim development: sexual violence increased by 25% in conflict zones in 2024. A glaring example is the eastern Democratic Republic […]
Men publicly punished in Indonesia for same-sex physical affection
Two young men aged 20 and 21 were recently whipped in the same park where they were caught kissing and hugging in a bathroom by police in April. This happened in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province – the only province in the country where Sharia law is still practiced. The men initiated contact with each other […]
It’s Raining…Green Dildos?
The surreal phenomenon of sex toys being thrown onto basketball courts during WNBA games as of late has a new plot twist: a cryptocurrency group has come forward and claimed responsibility for starting the trend as a protest of sorts against the state of things in the crypto world. I’ll admit that upon first glance […]
Sex Work: It Does a Body (Image) Good
A recent study published in the Sexuality and Culture explored sex workers’ relationship to body image. Although sex work can ofcourse lead to sexual objectification, the study found that sex work can also act as a productive enabler of body positivity. Participants in the study described experiences of receiving positive feedback about their bodies from […]
Sex toys: overpriced commodities or radical tools of resistance?
Pop star Harry Styles is not currently touring, but he has found a new way to monetize his sex appeal by marketing a double-sided vibrator (adapted for both external and internal use) and his designer lubricant. His “Pleasing” brand previously specialized in female lifestyle products such as cosmetics and candles, but has now opened a […]
Sextortion schemes target young men
Sextortion scams where victims are blackmailed via threats to make public sexual photographs or other explicit/intimate content that involves them is on the rise as a criminal activity across the world. This trending style of being an asshole is an interesting case study of sexual subjects taking advantage of each other in a world where […]