Sex and sexuality

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

Painting of a man sitting, holding a crumpled letter while a black dog stands with its paw on his knee by a closed 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

A young woman and an older man at a poker table with colourful chips, the man wears a suit and lights a cigar, the woman wears jeans and a fluffy turquoise top.

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

Black-and-white photo of a group of children viewing a large bronze sculpture of two figures embracing in a museum setting.

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

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

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

A black-and-white photo of a man in a suit and tie smiling while a woman in a glittery dress and gloves laughs beside him. They are at a social gathering.

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

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

A dark, moody painting of a cloaked figure with a faint smile, partially illuminated, and a small, grimacing animal-like face on their shoulder.

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

Two bonobos embracing in a lush, green forest setting. Both have dark fur and are looking towards the camera.

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

A black and white photograph of two people, seen from behind, embracing with one’s hands draped around the other’s neck.

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

A smiling shirtless man with the outline of a child, as if cut out by scissors, sitting on his shoulders.

Parenting and families

film

No kidding! Inside one childless comedian’s choice to get a vasectomy

A film by Jordan Temple