sexuality
Can I Get Pregnant, or Get or Pass On an STI From That?
Want a quick way to sort out what sexual activities pose what kinds of risks of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections? We've taken the temperature for you here.
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
Most of us understand being in transit means there's a possibility of getting hurt, hurting others, having a good time turn into a bad one or just not getting to where we intended, and to try and prevent those outcomes, we need to follow basic rules of the road like being attentive to and actively giving clear signs and signals. Just like it's important on the road, it's important between the sheets.
What's Sex?
It's obviously important if you're here for information that you know what we mean when we talk about sex, so we thought we'd make it clear.
With Pleasure: A View of Whole Sexual Anatomy for Every Body
Usually sexual anatomy is taught through the lens of reproduction, so it’s all about penises and vaginas, testes and uteri. But through the lens of of pleasure and sexual response, sexual anatomy looks a lot different.
Birth Control Bingo
Click through a series of detailed questions to narrow down your own best methods, become a pro on what method your partner is using, or windowshop in-depth info pages on each contraceptive option. With 25 integrated pages of teen and twentysomething-specific information, plenty of links, questions and answers, we've done our very best to help you protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy.
All About S.E.X.: The Scarleteen Book!
Get your hands on S.E.X.: the in-depth and inclusive young adult sexuality guide by Heather Corinna! Check out reviews, the table of contents and a myriad of places you can get your very own copy of the sexuality primer for every body.
Ready or Not? The Scarleteen Sex Readiness Checklist
Thinking about partnered sex? Do yourself a favor and look through our checklist to get a good idea about the readiness of you and your partner -- it's more complicated and demanding than many people think, and knowing what you need to get ready can help assure that your sexual experiences with a partner will be as great for both of you as possible.
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.
Left Foot, Red, Right Hand, Green: The Deal on Sex Positions
What positions are there for sex? How do you do them? Which is the best one? And why does everyone seem to think positioning is so complicated, and the secret for everything, when it's really no different than playing Twister™?
When Sex "Just Happened" (And How to Make It Happen Instead)
Has sex felt like it's "just happening" to you, rather than something where you're really an active participant? Check out some common scenarios we see where with this dynamic, and learn some fixes so any sex you're part of really feels like, and is, sex you're a real, whole part of.
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.
Risky Business: Learning to Consider Risk and Make Sound Sexual Choices
Choices about sex and intimacy will always involve some risks, and making sound choices when risks, emotions and social high stakes are involved isn't something anyone is magically expert at. How can we learn to do it well, and what are some common things that trip us up?
Rescripting Sex
Life has scripts. Little socially-agreed plays that we enact rather than trying to figure out all our interactions from scratch every time. Many of them are very simple. There's also scripts for sex. Unfortunately, the most common script out there is terrible.
This is About Genital Herpes
I realized that I was uncomfortable associating myself with genital herpes. Will people think I have it? Why else would someone write about genital herpes and risk that association if they didn’t have it, right? So I pressed on, putting myself at the center of an itty-bitty social experiment that resulted in some pretty big stuff.
Sp[ace] Exploration: What Sexual People Can Learn from Asexual Communities
Asexuality saved my sex life. No, seriously -- I mean that. I will declare it from the middle of a courtroom, with one hand on Our Bodies, Ourselves. Asexuality, as much as sex-positive feminism and far more than any amount of "hon, you just need to get laid already," helped me to access a confident, positive, and excited relationship with my sexual self.
The Scarleteen Do-It
Feeling low about your body and how it looks? Thinking about, or already doing, some drastic things to try and change it? You're not alone. But you can get to a better place with your body and how you feel about it without doing anything that keeps you feeling just as bad, or puts your physical or mental health at risk. Here's some ways to ditch the die(t)s and go for the happy, healthy do's.
Sorting Maybe from Can't-Be: Reality Checking Partnered Sex Wants & Ideals
Is what you want and need from sex with a partner likely and realistic, or is it impossible, unlikely or out-to-lunch? Take a look at some of the most common unrealistic wants and expectations we've heard from our users, and check in with us as we visit our pal reality.
Whoa, There! How to Slow Down When You're Moving Too Fast
Is your sex life or sexual relationship feeling like someone pressed the fast-forward button and now it's spinning out of control? Evaluate whether things are moving too fast for you or a partner, and then get some help on pulling back the reins and slowing things down to a more comfortable pace.
Misconception Mayhem: Separating Myths from Facts
Ever wonder if what you've heard is fact or fiction? Have trouble finding the truth in statements? Then put your finger to your mouse and start clicking through some of the most common misconceptions surrounding sex and sexuality education.
Yes, No, Maybe So: A Sexual Inventory Stocklist
What do or might you want to do, not want to do or aren't sure about when it comes to sex with a partner? What about your partner? You can use this evaluation tool to help you find out and more clearly communicate answers about physical boundaries, language, relationships, sexual activities and responses, sex safety and reproductive choices.
Disability Dharma: What Including & Learning From Disability Can Teach (Everyone) About Sex
Being inclusive of disabled people in sex education and sexuality as a whole benefits those of us who are disabled and is something we strongly need. But it also can benefit everybody, in ways you might not expect.
What Safer Sex Isn't
Maybe you know what safer sex is. But do you also know what it isn't? Take a minute and fact-check your ideas about what can protect you from STIs and what cannot.
My Corona: The Anatomy Formerly Known as 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.
Love the Glove: 10 Reasons to Use Condoms You Might Not Have Heard Yet
You've probably heard or thought some things about condom use that might be keeping you or others from using them or from using them consistently, and I'm willing to bet you haven't heard everything I'm about to say. Even if you're already using condoms and using them every single time properly, I bet you know someone -- a sibling, a friend, a sexual partner -- who could stand to hear ten great reasons to use condoms.
Please notify us of any inappropriate ads