Gender
Sexuality: WTF Is It, Anyway?
The term "sexuality" can be used a lot like the word "sex." They're both terms we say and hear a lot, but which often aren't clearly defined. We take for granted everyone knows what sexuality means, a heck of an assumption to make with something that covers so many important things and can feel as murky as Lake Erie. So: what's it all about?
Driver's Ed for the Sexual Superhighway: Navigating Consent
As it is on the road, being attentive to and giving clear signs and signals is a big deal between the sheets. If consenting feels complicated or confusing, here's a guide to clear it up.
With Pleasure: A View of Whole Sexual Anatomy for Every Body
Usually sexual anatomy is taught through the lens of reproduction, so it’s only about penises and vaginas, testes and uteri. Seen through the lens of of pleasure, sexual anatomy looks different.
Innies & Outies: The Penis, Testes and More
There's a whole lot more to this anatomy than meets the eye. Sure, you may know where the penis is... but what about the rest of it? This simple guide walks you through the external and internal reproductive and urinary anatomy for most penis-bearing folks.
Innies & Outies: The Vagina, Clitoris, Uterus and More
A lot of questions about how to have intercourse, how to masturbate, and worries about what's all going on down there can be solved by simply getting to know your own body. In fact, I'd gander to say that before you let anyone else get to know it, you'd best know it yourself as well as you know your own face.
Welcome to Trans Summer School!
Experiencing a little gender confusion? We know the feeling. In Trans Summer School, we'll give you the big scoop about trans and otherwise gender nonconforming people, and answer your questions about the wide world of gender.
Gender Confusion: Being Unsure Doesn't Have to Be a Bummer
Gender identity can be complicated, and often people who are questioning aren't comfortable in that space - but it's a totally valid place to be.
Dating and Gender Roles when One Partner is Trans
What do you do in dating when one person is trans and one is cisgender?
The Sex Goddess Blues: Building Sexual Confidence, Busting Perfectionism
Many women and girls feel insecure about sex, especially when it's new. How can we build some sexual confidence?
Wild and Untamed Things: Why a Cult Classic Still Resonates After All These Years
Scarleteen volunteer Sam reflects on the significance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and how it relates to sexuality, identity, and her middle school experience.
Five Things I Learned Dating a Girl
Dating this wonderful person pushed me to think about some things in new and challenging ways. Here are some of my favorite lessons that I learned when I dated a woman.
Figuring Out How to be a Lesbian Safer Sexpert
When I started having sex with girls, there was no one cheering, especially not encouraging me to have safer sex. But over the last few years, I’ve finally begun to feel confident with safer sex, and it’s improved my sex life a million percent. I wish I’d gotten comfortable with it sooner.
How to Understand, Identify and Make Choices About Desire
What does desire feel like, and how does feeling desire -- or not feeling it -- have an impact on sex or masturbation? Is it okay to feel strong desire, low levels of desire, or even no desire? We aim to answer your most pressing questions on sexual or erotic desire.
Lube 101: A Slick Little Primer
Meet our good friend, Lube. It can't create world peace, but it can make some kinds of sex more comfortable, masturbation or other sex you already enjoy even better, help prevent condoms from breaking and more.
The Rainbow Connection: Orientation for Everyone
Everyone has a sexual orientation and a sexual identity. Here are some basics and not-so-basics about what orientation is, some of the ways we can talk about it, how to figure yours out, and finding support.
My Corona: The Hymen & the Myths That Surround It
The mythical status of the hymen has caused far too much harm for far too long. RFSU shares their fantastic information booklet intended to dispel some of the myths surrounding the hymen and virginity, including a new, improved term for that anatomy, the vaginal corona.
An Immodest Proposal
Just last Tuesday, right down the street from you, or perhaps even right where you live, two teenagers had sex for the very first time, and it was exactly as we all wish those first experiences to be. Or was it?
Let's Get Metaphysical: The Etiquette of Entry
From both our personal experiences of our own varied sex lives, and in our work in sexuality with many other people, it seems pretty clear that really letting someone into an internal space in your body, or going into someone else's insides -- which we know might sound a little gross, but that is what's going on with this stuff -- is a fairly big deal for many people. So, what might make sexual entry different from other sexual activities?
Abreast: The Basics of Boobies
What are breasts made of? What's normal for nipples? Is something wrong with me if my breasts aren't sensitive? Can someone who isn't pregnant lactate? Do I need a bra? Why aren't my boobs bigger? Sit back, take a load off and have a read for these answers and more.
Give'em Some Lip: Labia That Clearly Ain't Minor
Freaking out because you think something must be wrong with your labia? Think again!
How Do You Masturbate?
The problem with asking someone else how to do something that's just for and about yourself is that you know better than anyone else what's best. But we can certainly fill you in on some basics. Includes the skinny on masturbation and UTIs, bleeding during masturbation and on finding masturbation just isn't doing the trick.
I, Being Born Woman and Suppressed
Menstrual suppression is becoming increasingly popular, and has been widely promoted for women. For some, especially women with reproductive health issues which are helped by suppressing periods, it's an obvious boon, and some using it electively also report it to be a blessing. But what about the health risks? What about the attitudes informing that choice which cheerlead suppression by maligning menstruation? What about the benefits, emotional and physical, our periods can offer us? An opinionated, no-holds-barred look at the whole works and a paean to the period, no matter what a woman chooses to do with it.
Shown Actual Size: A Penis Shape & Size Lowdown
Throw a rock at any sex education site or service, ask what the most common question we get is from men and we'll all tell you that it's about penis size. We don't imagine with this piece we'll never get asked again, but we're hoping these answers get you guys better filled in so you can feel good about yourselves, your penises and whatever you do (or don't) do with them.
Blinders Off: Getting a Good Look at Abuse and Assault
A basic lowdown on interpersonal abuse and assault: what all the terms mean, why strangers are the least of our worries, what a cycle of abuse looks like, how you can start seeing abuse for what it is, where it is, and how to protect yourself and others and make abuse stop.
Genderpalooza! A Sex & Gender Primer
It’s typically assumed that sex and gender are the same. They’re not. What's gender all about, then? What is the range of gender and gender identity, and how does gender impact our lives and how we live them?