For how obsessed our culture is with sex, we are pretty terrible at talking about what good sex looks like, how to have it by talking with our partners about mutual and shared pleasure, how to ask for what we want, how to say what we don’t. We are especially really terrible at teaching our…
Gender is not the only rigidly defined structure that shapes our sense of self, our relationships, and our culture. Sexuality has also been constructed in a way that limits our potential for self-realization and connection to other people. In US America, patriarchy and rape culture has mandated the sexist, transphobic, and homophobic structure of heteronormativity.…
I recently met a very sweet and compassionate 83-year old woman who took a great interest in my work. Despite our age and generational differences, her social and political outlook was not that different than mine. In a few instances where our thoughts were not aligned, we were able to have respectful dialogue, and I…
Author’s Note: This editorial is rooted in my personal experience, and my interpretation of the television series, 13 Reasons Why. I am not a professional/expert on suicide or depression, nor am I a clinical psychologist, therapist, or psychiatrist. As a certified Advocate for victim/survivors of sexual violence, I have training and experience in trauma counseling.…
Domestic violence and sexual violence are ultimately acts of power and control, which can be embodied and enacted in a variety of ways. It can be difficult to see our own relationships as violent or abusive if our partner does not use physical force against us. In this article, Kristina Brandt tells the story of…
The internet is ripe with listicles and click-bait, but this article is the real deal. Examining dating through a feminist lens, author Nora Samaran, explores what it means–tangibly, realistically, practically–for cis-males to no simply call themselves a feminist, but to put that into action, to live their politics. With a focus on intersectional privilege and…
Society conditions us to think of sex in a very narrow fashion a penis goes into a vagina, moves back and forth a few times, ejaculates. Reina Gattuso isn’t buying that. Not only is this conditioning heterosexist, it is male-pleasure centric, resulting in women’s pleasure becoming an afterthought. What does feminist sex look like? Moving…
Love and compatibility do not necessarily go hand in hand. And our ability to love someone does not negate their capacity to hurt us. Relationships rooted in mutual respect, empathy, trust, and caring take more than just love to be healthy relationships. Mark Manson explores this dynamic in a powerful and heartfelt article on love…
