Sex and sexuality

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Painting of a seated man looking at a small dog, which has its paw on his knee in a room with a decorated door.

Social history

idea

How the law soothed broken hearts in 19th-century America

What does a deep dive into the transcripts of historical seduction trials reveal about how we account for hurt feelings?

by Jinal Dadiya

Photo of a casino scene with people, poker chips on a table, and a man lighting a cigar. A woman in a blue top smiles.

Work and vocation

idea

The ways Sugar Babies navigate two roles: lover and employee

‘Sugaring’ involves the commodification of romance – presenting a puzzle of love, labour and autonomy for those involved

by Brynn Valentine

Photo of children observing a large sculpture of a couple embracing in a museum setting with paintings in the background.

Parenting and families

guide

How to talk to your children about sex

It’s not about one embarrassing ‘big talk’. Prepare and protect them by applying these basic principles early and often

by Eva Goldfarb

Illustration of two female anthropomorphic bears in a romantic embrace sitting on a window sill, with trees in the background and a red bird beside them.

Sex and sexuality

film

Sweet illustrations capture women’s stories of first-time queer attraction

A film by Diane Obomsawin

Music

idea

Courtly love songs are a window into medieval sex lives

Song lyrics acted as a sexual script for aristocrats, revealing some edgy practices that ignited their imaginations

by Elizabeth Eva Leach

Black and white photo of a man smiling next to a woman laughing at a formal event. Other guests visible in the background.

Sex and sexuality

idea

Everything I know about flirting, I learned from the Cold War

The rewards of flirtation go beyond sex or romance. But, as in other exchanges, you have to know where the red line is

by Youngbin Yoon

A couple sitting on grass, kissing in a park with deck chairs and people relaxing in the background.

Sex and sexuality

guide

How to get the excitement back

Long-term sexual boredom is common but not inevitable. Use these five focused strategies to rekindle your sex life together

by Ian Kerner

A Chinese middle-aged woman tending plants on a rooftop garden with residential buildings and a blue sky in the background.

Sex and sexuality

film

Shuli’s mother has known he was gay for years. Can they finally talk about it?

A film by Shuli Huang

Painting of a mysterious woman with long dark hair and a snake, set against an orange and black background.

Sex and sexuality

idea

My take on ‘Venus in Furs’ as a modern-day dominatrix

My experiences as a 21st-century femdom echo the gendered themes that feature in Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s 1870 novel

by Gia Marcos

Photo of two bonobos hugging standing on grass with leafy jungle background.

Animals

idea

Same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals evolved to keep the peace

Although these new findings can’t tell us much about human sexuality, they could help to solve an evolutionary paradox

by Shayla Love

Black and white photo of a couple embracing with their hands intertwined behind one person’s head, set in a dimly lit space.

Sex and sexuality

guide

How to explore ethical non-monogamy

Before enjoying the freedoms of a more open relationship, get a handle on the practical and emotional complexities ahead

by Meg Wilson

Abstract blue and white line drawing of multiple nude female figures, seen from various angles, arranged in a pattern.

Artists and art history

film

A minotaur shifts shapes and sexes in this ferociously original animation

A film by Chaerin Im