Science of Sex: The Complexities of Herpes

December 21st, 2019

Herpes

The last Science of Sex is about herpes and, more specifically the two viruses and why it’s been so difficult for us to find a vaccine for an STI that’s become increasingly common, perhaps because people do not realize that it can be spread even when there’s no outbreak. Herpes is spread through skin contact, which makes it easy to pass or contract, similar to HPV. And while there are medications to prevent and suppress breakouts, which come in the form of sores, a vaccine would go a long way to prevent that need in the first place.

Most people know about herpes but may not fully understand it. First, there are two viruses: Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and Herpes Simplex Virus 2. 6 million years ago, both viruses diverged from an ancestor.

While you may you may have been taught that HSV1 is “oral” herpes, that oversimplifies the subject. While HSV1 causes most cases of oral herpes, which 1 in 2 people have in the United States, those that give you cold sores, it can be transmitted to genitals through oral sex.

It’s possible for one person to have both viruses.

Furthermore, the two viruses like to mingle. It’s not uncommon for these viruses to mix, or recombine, and they’ve been doing this for some time. Most viruses of “genital” herpes contain DNA from oral herpes.

However, it’s possible for the two viruses to mix in new and unusual ways. A more recent study found a strain of HSV1 that contained ten times as much HSV2 DNA. The chunk was ten times larger than typically occurs. This particular mixture belonged to one patient who had genital infections of both HSV1 and HSV2 (known as co-infection) and the DNA mixed in that person specifically.

Interestingly, it always appears that genital herpes picks up chunks of data from oral herpes and not the other way around.

Aside from interesting, this could potentially be frustrating to researchers who want to create a vaccine for herpes. If they target HSV2 but the strain contains large chunks of HSV1 data or is able to swap out that DNA, the vaccine may not be effective.

Currently, we only have three antiviral medications available to treat existing herpes infections and no vaccine to prevent new infections. These medications enable people with herpes to live normal lives. However, there are times when herpes has led to recurrent keratitis, which can cause blindness, encephalitis, and other diseases, especially in people with compromised immune systems.

We may be closer to a vaccine than not, however. The company Excell Biotech is currently testing a herpes vaccine on animals with hopes to go into clinical trials next year. Another company, X-Vax, is looking into creating a herpes vaccine by altering the virus in an attempt to prompt the body to create a different type of antibody.

While one or both of these vaccines might prove dependable and come to market, it’s really too soon to tell. At least two previous attempts to make a herpes vaccine have failed. Last year, Genocea Biosciences abandoned their attempt at a herpes vaccine after a positive Phase II before heading to the next phase. Also in 2018, Vical gave up its attempt at a herpes vaccine after a failed trial.

Prior to that, a company attempting to create a vaccine against HSV2 actually found that the vaccine only protected against HSV1 in some cases. The way the two viruses mix could potentially explain that strange failure.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, especially when teens might be at greater risk of contracting herpes than prior generations.

Further Reading

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Categories: Science of Sex

Heavy Flow: Breaking the Curse of Menstruation

December 12th, 2019

Heavy Flow: Breaking the Curse of Menstruation
$20 physical/$10 digital from Amazon

I came across Heavy Flow when it was “reviewed” by another blogger. Her review piqued my interest, but I didn’t feel as though I had enough information on the book. Still, I know it’s a topic that deserves to be talked about and taught with information and no shame. I was lucky enough that the publisher sent me a digital copy.

You may already be familiar with the author, Amanda Laird, if you’ve heard her podcast of the same name. She’s a registered holistic nutritionist, which is apparent throughout the book. I must admit that I was surprised to learn a medical doctor didn’t write this book. It may be a bit elitist of me, and I know that doctors aren’t infallible and that other medical professionals have important experience, but Ms. Laird only adds to this skepticism at times when she refers to a holistic approach.

Readers should beware that Heavy Flow relies heavily on Laird’s professional experience and a bit less so on medical research. So while much of what she says seems factually correct, there are times when it may be wiser to take her advice with a grain of salt, at least, until science and medicine have evidence to back it up.

That’s not to say that the book or Laird’s experience are without value. There are times when her experience provides unique insight into the menstrual cycle. When Laird talks about how diet can affect the menstrual cycle, her experience as a registered holistic nutritionist shows. This is a concept that I’ve never really heard discussed before, and I think it’s worth thinking about. It certainly encouraged me to rethink my relationship with certain foods.

Laird does rely on science and medicine in the first section of the book, wherein she introduces the reader to the biology of the menstrual cycle and goes well beyond what we may have learned in health class. Specifically, she describes the complex role that hormones play during the menstrual cycle and its phases. It’s often not represented as complicated as it is.

It is here that Laird introduces the idea of the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. My familiarity with the phrase is limited to TV shows, where they use vital signs to check if a person is alive or dead, so this usage expanded my definition. But it sometimes seems a bit heavy-handed, especially when considering how vital signs such as pulse, blood pressure, or breathing provide such immediate and actional information. Still, there isn’t a ton of consensus on just what counts as a vital sign: organizations recognize between four and eight vital signs. This lends some credence to Laird’s suggestion that the state of the menstrual cycle could be one.

One of the more helpful ideas that Laird presents to the reader is that of finding their own normal and tracking their cycle. The length of your menstrual cycle, for example, may not be the average. She discusses how birth control affects the menstrual cycle and while the “period” experienced by most people who take birth control is not really a period at all. This is something that is often overlooked. Laird also explains how life changes, such as pregnancy and menopause, can affect your cycle.

As she rounds out the biology section, Laird discusses unpleasant side effects of menstruation as well as outlining some abnormalities/conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS, which can impact menstrual cycle. She then takes the time to bust some myths and answer some crucial questions about the menstrual cycle, including:

  • Why does my period mess with my skin?
  • Do menstrual cycles sync up?
  • Can you get pregnant on your period?
  • What’s the deal with period poops?

You know, the sort of things we might have better knowledge about if we talked about periods less shamefully.

Laird’s good advice continues as she teaches readers how to advocate for themselves when dealing with doctors and read test results. In the second section. It is here where she recommends alternative medical professionals, and I had to roll my eyes a bit. However, the power of placebo is strong, and these approaches may be helpful.

The chapter about nutrition follows, and it includes helpful advice about topics such as reducing inflammation, which can be an issue at certain points of the menstrual cycle. There is an entire chapter dedicated to foods that support hormonal health, which includes information about vitamin deficiencies. However, I think it may be easy to overlook this chapter, especially if the reader simply wants to know more about how their cycle works and not change it. The author introduces readers to the concept or seed cycling or adding specific seeds to their diet during particular phases of their cycle. This was one of those sections that seemed a bit too “crunchie” for me, no pun intended.

However, the advice in the following chapter about stress and your cycle is important. I think most of us understand that stress can impact our cycle but not necessarily how. Heavy Flow continues in its goal to educate readers and empower them to make choices about how they view and deal with their cycles. Laird advises against endocrine-disrupting chemicals and makes suggestions for menstrual products, including the suggestion for using natural sea sponges to absorb menstrual blood. This was the first time I’d heard of that option; although, they seem relatively easy to buy. Again, this chapter jumps between alternative methods and those that are more traditional/accepted by science. Laird recommends getting enough sleep just pages before discussing vaginal steaming.

After spending the first two sections educating the reader, Laird dedicates the last to helping them embrace their cycles. The third section lacks in cohesion but makes up for it with information. The first chapter in this section revolves around working with your hormones rather than against them. As the book comes to its conclusion, Laird also has words for parents and people who may have to discuss periods with adolescents.

Laird leaves the reader with hopeful words about understanding and embracing their menstrual cycles to break the societal taboo about menstruation. Heavy Flow can certainly be part of those efforts. For most people, the information in these pages will expand their knowledge of menstruation and the menstrual cycle exponentially, even if some of the author’s words and experience teeter a bit too far to the alternative for my tastes.

And since I haven’t managed to work it into this post before now, Laird uses mostly inclusive language in Heavy Flow to acknowledge that not everyone with a menstrual cycle is a woman. In her introduction, she warns that she may use binary terminology in places when comparing the experience of men and women.

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Categories: Books, Reviews

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Cyber Monday 2019 Sales

December 2nd, 2019

Black Friday has, over time, crept earlier in the week. This week, I saw Black Friday sales announced as early as Monday, and many stores advertise pre-Black Friday sales. As a consumer, this is confusing. However, I am here to remove any confusion for my readers who want to know how to score the best deals on sex toys, books, and BDSM gear!

Store.OfSexandLove.com

Use code BF2019 to save 20% off no minimum until 12/5

Babeland

Spend $99 and save 30$ off your order

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Fredericks of Hollywood

Right now get Free Ground Shipping and 40% off sitewide! Plus:

Kiroo

Save up to 60% on toys including the Onyx 2, Fleshlight Launch, Titan, Cliona, and VR porn media.

Vibrators.com

Free shipping on every order. Try the Kink Fuckery Kit for less than $30.

Ella Paradis

Plus, use code CYBER45 to save up to 45% off. Get the Ur Pleasure Gift Box – Hers, which includes the s We-vibe Tango!, for $61. Check out 50% off items in your cart, too.

We-Vibe and Womanizer

Save 20% off through December 6th. This includes:

Stockroom

All Fun Factory toys are 25% off! Get the Stronic G, Stronic Real, or Stronic Surf for under $130. Bootie is only $26.

Lovehoney

Up to 50% off Black Friday items. Plus, save an extra 20% off everything through 12/4.

Lovehoney Black Friday

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Categories: Shopping

Science of Sex: Sex Chromosomes Aren’t Binary

December 1st, 2019

Sex Chromosomes Aren't Binary

More than once, people have suggested that I cover biological sex in the Science of Sex feature. I have shied away from it because it seemed controversial. However, the more I know, the more I understand that some science isn’t at all controversial. In fact, understanding it can lend to our understanding of sex and gender and why it’s never been black-and-white.

One of the transphobic arguments often made is that two pairs of chromosomes determine if a person has the biological sex of a male or female: XY and XX, respectively.  Each cell contains each of these chromosomes, which each come from one of our parents. Most of us learned this in a science class, and many of us haven’t learned anything more since then.

However, there are actually more than two chromosomal possibilities, including

  • XX
  • XY
  • X
  • XXY and XXXY
  • XXX, XXXX, XXXXX
  • XYY
  • XX with translocation (XX male)
  • XY with deletion (Swyer syndrome)

With this in mind, sex seems much more of a spectrum than a binary.

Some of these variations have their own names. For example, a single X chromosome is Turner Syndrome, which is accompanied by several abnormal growth patterns. On the other hand, having three or more X chromosomes is labeled Triple-X syndrome or trisomy X, and these people have the nickname “super-female”. A “super-male,” on the other hand,  has an extra Y chromosome and will tend to be quite tall with extra testosterone. A person with Triple-X syndrome may be slightly taller and thinner than the typical XX woman, but may not be noticeably different. An assumed male who inherits an extra X chromosome or two has Klinefelter syndrome and may have stereotypically female traits and be unable to reproduce.

The latter two examples represent instances in which person’s sexual organs do not align with their karyotype. For example, a person may have the “male” sex chromosomes with female reproductive organs, which are typically not functional. This is known as Swyer syndrome/XY gonadal dysgenesis. These people are usually raised and treated as women while the counterpart is an XX “male,” who is viewed by the world as a boy. Those with this syndrome may not have a detectable SRY gene, which is responsible for an embryo turning male.

Discrepancies between chromosomes and genitals is sometimes known as being “intersex.” This term can also refer more broadly to anyone whose sexual anatomy doesn’t align with the binary (male or female) or whose internal and external genitals do not match. In the past, this has been confused hermaphroditism; however, many prefer the term “intersex” as a less offensive alternative. The World Health Organization explains how true hermaphroditism occurs when a person has mature testicle and ovary tissues. The term “intersex” is not accepted by everyone, however, because of the implication that something is wrong with someone who has these chromosomal differences.

Surgical interventions can be used on young children to “correct” these things, and those children may never realize that they do not conform to the binary. However, these surgeries. which are intended to allow a person to live normally and prevent or reduce psychosocial outcomes may not work as intended. Many surgeries were performed to feminize an intersex person, but this can affect adult sexual function. Furthermore, people may continue to develop with more typical male patterns.

And sometimes that discrepancy can exist but a person with XX chromosomes can have functional sperm while a person with XY chromosomes may have functional ovaries. So it’s possible for a person not to realize that there is a discrepancy if their sex organs are functional — to be “invisibly” intersex. While current estimates vary — some put the intersex population at about 1 out of 100 people in the US and others at 1 in 2000 — the real number could be higher because of these people.

The final nail in the coffin about chromosomes defining sex and, by association, gender, as binary might be the fact that it doesn’t take into consideration at all the role of hormones, which may not respond as expected, either. A person with XY chromosomes who has androgen sensitivity syndrome will develop female-typical sex organs because their body doesn’t respond to androgens, for instance.

There are cases of female-typical bodies and chromosomes responding in male-typical ways in limited situations. And people with similar chromosomes or bodies can still respond uniquely to different hormones and systems. Understanding these very specific differences has revealed the myriad ways that the sex binary fails us and the important things we must note to provide adequate medical care.

This messiness indicates why viewing male and female as the only two sex options is limiting and confusing. While simplifying these ideas has been helpful in some instances, it has been harmful in others. It’s not scientifically sound and can lead to social stigma for those people who do not fit within the binary.

This is all pretty basic stuff that has been researched, even if the general public hasn’t learned about it. When contrasted with gender identities, which have been conflated with sex and similarly viewed as binary, we see that there should be a lot more room for expression. It may very well be that there is overlap with people whose biology falls more toward the middle and those who identify as nonbinary or transgender (at least one study finds that the brains of trans kids match their gender identity). But these things aren’t mutually inclusive.

Further Reading

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Categories: Science of Sex

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November 2019 Media Recommendations

November 29th, 2019

Another month has passed. Another spate of podcasts has graced my ears. Between work, holidays, and reviews, I managed to enjoy some awesome media related to sex, gender, and orientation. You’ll see my particular brand of nerdiness in this month’s recommendations.

Watch
Sex educator Emily Nagoski discusses the two things couples can do to sustain a sexual connection in the longterm in her recent TED talk.

I’ve also been rewatching Stargate SG-1, which I never don’t recommend. Ha!

Listen

Cristen and Caroline of Unladylike interview Ilene Chaiken, creator and showrunner of the original L Word, to discuss how the show broke ground, the inspiration for the show, being a woman in Hollywood, and the upcoming continuation of it. I was a late fan of The L Word, and 15 years later, it’s impossible to deny some of the things it got wrong. Still, I’ll check out the new one, and this interview was enlightening.

On a recent episode of Sluts & Scholars, Simone welcomed to the show former sex worker Juniper Fitzgerald to talk about the stigma of sex work even after a person has left the industry. Juniper, who is now a professor, talks about balancing her sex persona and real life, and how that doesn’t always work out. The interview isn’t polished as Simone has a lot of energy and is very distractable when not kept in check by Nicoletta, but it’s worth a listen.

While not detailing sex specifically, the recent Freakonomics episode about Hollywood’s “princess problem” welcomes veteran actor and feminist Geena Davis who was more than happy to discuss gender inequality in the world and in Hollywood and what she’s doing about it. Hint: she’s making the research happen.

In the most recent episode of Outward, the hosts and their guest discuss the way that kids learn about queerness and sexuality and the ways in which adults can respond that can be beneficial or harmful, especially when those parents might be cis and straight. Christina makes a great point about how teaching kids about queerness isn’t necessarily about sex and how important community is to queerness. They also bust the idea that there is one “sex talk,” and that parents must keep having these conversations with their kids. In the second half of the show, clinical psychologist Dr. Laura Edwards-Leeper joins to discuss how healthcare is handled for trans kids who haven’t reached puberty or age of majority.

A Peepshow podcast from September invites Ricci from Woodhull to discuss the organization’s legal case against the US over SESTA/FOSTA. The hosts were then joined by one of Woodhull’s attorneys, Larry Walters. This episode reveals why this is such an important case and what’s next.

Finally, this episode of American Sex featuring Shanna Germain, who writes erotica and makes games, looks at the intersection of kink and gaming (RPG/tabletop) and how the lessons we learn about consent through kink can be applied to ensure everyone at the table is comfortable. It might be my favorite podcast of the entire year, and so little of it is about sex. Shanna seems like a super cool person, and it definitely made me want to check out Monte Cook games more closely.

I don’t have any traditional book recommendations because I spent the last two months enjoying the unabridged audiobooks of The Lord of the Rings as read by Ron Inglis. They were so very charming, and I’m sad that the journey has ended. I actually signed up for Audible just to listen to the last two. I’m over my 60-book goal for the year, so I’ll probably take December easy and focus on comics unless something interesting comes up for me to review. I do still have two book reviews before the end of the year, so keep an eye out for those!

Folks, let me know what you loved this month that’s related to sex. Or even if it’s not!I

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Categories: media recommendations

Vibease Remote Control Vibrator

November 23rd, 2019

Vibease Remote Control Vibrator
$94 from Vibease

The next time I agree to review an app-based toy? Don’t let me. Whatever you do, don’t let me.  I’ve had more than my fair amount of frustrations trying to connect smart toys to apps. Either they won’t pair, or they won’t stay paired.

And maybe warn me against a toy whose name reminds us of something intended to help make a bowel movement easier. But I digress.

Vibease, at least, seems to have removed some of the frustration from the Bluetooth process. Connecting the toy to my phone was easy. Open the app, click the vibe icon, and follow the on-screen instructions. But while the connection was easy enough, the company struggles to figure out how to make it work best. Vibease tries to revolutionize smart toys with their clitoral vibrator, but does it work?

First, the not-so-new feature: you can see a handful of preset vibration settings or edit them. It reminded me of the MysteryVibe Crescendo quite a bit. Like that vibe, it’s so much more intuitive and easier to use the buttons on the toy (one is a power button, and the other cycles through the five default modes) rather than to open an app and get to the right menu.

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Make no mistake, however, the main focus of the Vibease app seems to be the erotica library. I guess it makes sense to add another function to the app that you’re already using. And if you’re a sex toy company and want to expand to related sexual markets, erotica also makes sense.

But all of this ignores the fact that many people don’t want to use apps, not when one hand is full of lube or both are busy. It detracts from the moment, and the idea of cross-contamination makes my skin crawl.

With the Vibease toy, I’d prefer to just use the buttons. And with the app? I find that I wish the stories could be downloaded via browser, whether I’m on my laptop or phone. This would make the content accessible from a wider variety of devices, but it also means that you wouldn’t need to waste space for the app itself. Plus, I think it’s easier to keep prying eyes away from files than an app.

Furthermore, browsing the library varies depending on your device. I can see new, top, and featured stories on my phone or in my browser. But there’s only a link to see more in my browser, and on my phone, premium stories seem to be prioritized. While I think the browser-based erotica “store” is well organized to help users find something they might like, the app library is much more difficult to use. You can listen to samples before you download, which I find incredibly useful, but recent use comments on show up on the browser. In the browser, you can easily follow an author that you like or look at tags, which include whether a story is read by a male or female voice (some stories are notated but lack a clickable tag). I cannot locate a way to search tags or look at more stories in the categories in the app.

It seems like you pretty much have to use the browser version to find stories and authors you like and then like/fav them to access in the app. While you can like stories in the app, they’re much harder to find, and you must download them first. It doesn’t appear that you can remove likes from the app, either. It’s very frustrating.

I listened to about over a dozen samples, and none of them really worked for me save for one, but it wasn’t free. I wasn’t interested enough to download them ket alone pay for any of them. That’s right, some of these cost credits, which costs 10 for $1! Most of the premium stories cost 20 or 25 credits as far as I can tell, but some cost 50 or more credits.

As I was sampling, I physically cringed when one narrator began making weird noises with his mouth to imitate going down on a woman. Many of the stories are the narrator talking to the listener, which seems cheesy. The writing really varies in quality, as well. It just all seemed.. so bad.

Now, I am not super experienced with audio erotica, so it’s really hard for me to say if this is low-quality and everyone should skip it, perhaps heading to their favorite sources for high-quality audio erotica, or if it’s just not my thing.  I guess if my readers like the genre, they should check it out and see if anything piques their interest. And if they do? Leave me a comment so I can know if I am wrong.

For the sake of this review, I downloaded a free tory. It took much longer than I expect compared to streaming audio or video content on my phone. Honestly, that would be pretty offputting if I wanted to get off. The download tracker doesn’t estimate how much time is remaining, nor does it allow you to download in the background. Backing out cancels the download entirely. Eventually, you’ll get the story downloaded and will judge if the preview leads you astray or not.

Once you get something downloaded, the toy will vibrate with the story. The Vibease site describes it this way:

When the audiobook says “I’m touching you softly”, Vibease vibrates slowly.
When the audiobook says “I’m touching you roughly”, Vibease vibrates hard.

So every story will feel different. But I don’t think I am alone when I suggest that variety isn’t really the spice of life here. I want dependable, and Vibease isn’t. “Anticipations and surprises” aren’t a positive here.

At first, this paired vibration function didn’t even work. Manual buttons are supposed to deactivate when the toy is paired, but I was able to control it despite the app telling me it was paid. I don’t know why. I had to restart the vibrator.

Then, it was, as expected, vibrating in a way that was not at all dependable — or strong enough. The app has a weird visualizer that you can use to adjust the speed and strength of the current setting as created by the story; what I saw was different than the provided screenshot. Perhaps that explains why it was so confusing to use. There was no tutorial to use the app to make this easier.

Because you can change these settings (and precisely adjust speed and strength, which I’ll touch on later), Vibease doesn’t really have specific strength levels. Regardless, Vibease is still weak and make-your-hands-tickle buzzy even at its highest setting. I would almost rather turn the toy off and grind it against myself. But what’s the point of it being a vibrator, then? And the lackluster vibrations mean that all of the presets are pretty forgettable. Besides, I’d almost always rather have steady vibrations.

And, as also expected, the vibes changed at the most inopportune of time. The narration was poorly timed for me, as well.

I tried so very hard. I gave it more than my all in order to write a comprehensive review. In the end, I grabbed another toy and eeked out a less-than-impressive orgasm. I was more than giddy to shut off the toy and delete the app from my phone — forever.

Now, you might think you can avoid this by using the app as a remote without the story-guided vibrations. But you’d be wrong. I honestly couldn’t find a way to do this. Without this function, I wouldn’t even call Vibease a “remote control vibrator.”

I guess this argument works because you can connect with a partner who can control your toy, which seems to require that they also have the app. I wasn’t able to test this out, but Vibease functions as a sort of weird chat app if you connect it to you other apps, so you can ostensibly call, text, or cam with someone while you masturbate.

App aside, Vibease is yet another clitoral vibrator. Its strongest point is the shape. I like clitoral toys that are less of a gradual curve and are more angular or have a pronounced protrusion for clitoral stimulation. That’s part of the reason I have loved Laya since I first laid my hands on it a decade ago, and while Lelo’s Lily, for example, never did much for me. Siri has enough of a nub to work for me, but I wish it were more drastic.

Vibease has a more defined shape, which allows me to get a lot of pressure when using the vibe. But I wish it was bigger and wider. The vibe is still too small to for my hands to comfortably use without cramping.

The company may be onto something with its plan to pair erotica with a vibrator, but it all seems too premature to be released to the public. The app needs to incorporate desktop features that enable the user to more easily find stories and actually work as a remote. Then, it needs to have some sort of tutorial or, at the very least, a help center that explains how the hell to work it. It was so frustrating to even get to the point where I could listen to the damned story. I had to force myself to listen.

On top of that, the vibrator needs to be refined and the motor needs to be much stronger. Who cares if the toy is smart, waterproof, made from body-safe silicone, or USB rechargeable if it can’t meet that basic criteria?

With those changes, people might find it easier to use Vibease and want to use it over other toys. But I would hesitate to recommend this vibe, at just shy of $100, when I know there are vibrators out there that are cheaper and better.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

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October 2019 Media Recommendations

October 31st, 2019

I don’t have very many media recommendations because I finished up a bunch of books for review that I have previously mentioned. I was also working on hobby reading before my Kindle Unlimited subscription expired. Sadly, I started a handful of podcasts that just didn’t do it for me.

Read

Although it’s not entirely related to sex, Emily Nagoski’s newest book, Burnout, expands on upon ideas that Nagoski first introduced in her book about female desire, Come As You Are. I recommend that book more than any other, and it pretty much changed my life. Burnout is aimed specifically at women and offers concrete suggestions to deal with stress and the burnout is can cause.

Another non-sex read is The Fellowship of the Ring, which I enjoyed for the first time as an audiobook. The narration by Rob Inglis was top-notch, and I am actually going to sign up for the free trial of Audible to finish the other two titles.

Watch

In this episode of Sexplanations, Dr. Doe tests various methods of cleaning sex toys. It’s obviously sponsored, but I want to see more content like this.

Listen

There were a couple of good episodes of Sluts and Scholars, but I especially liked the interview with Dr. Ari Tuckman who recently wrote a book about ADHD and sex/relationships. Their conversation with Cameron Glover about people of color in sex ed was also good.

Nicoletta from S&S was on Sex Out Loud. She discussed her work as a therapist and dealing with nonoffending pedophiles.

Tristan also did a great interview with physician’s assistant Kerin Berger about LGBTQ health and STIs.

After I catch up, I hope to get back to more sex-oriented media. If you have any suggestions or want me to check something out, let me know in the comments!

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Categories: media recommendations

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