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Given we all have more spare time because of lockdown, I’m sure I’m not alone in admitting that I’ve been reading some books with a few spicy scenes. Especially with the likes of Bridgerton being released on Netflix in January, a lot of the popular books have a steamy romance at the heart of their narrative. The intimate parts of any novel always walk a … Continue reading Steamy Scandals: Literary Representations of Sex
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A 30-year-old woman has been condemned for speaking about sex toys on her social media platform, highlighting only too vividly how female sexuality continues to incite alarm in society. Continue reading Zoella’s ‘Best Sex Toys’ Review: Why are we so Scared of Female Sexuality?
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Recently, I came across a post about domestic abuse on Instagram. One comment was posted by a woman who bravely opened up about her experience with rape and coercion in a past relationship. In response, another commenter bluntly told her that her experience ‘didn’t count’ as rape, because she was coerced, not violently forced. This basic lack of understanding, as well as respect for the survivor, astounded me. Not only did this commenter not understand that coercion can absolutely constitute rape, they also invalidated the woman’s experience. Even for a comment left by an anonymous Instagram account, this exchange struck me as hugely disheartening. Continue reading Consent Education in School: Where the Improvements Need to be Made
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Casual hook-ups, dating and late-night tinder encounters have become extinct practices due to COVID-19 and government regulations to control the virus. However, this is not to say that sex is not happening. Whilst it may feel strange to seek contraception in a time where physical contact is being so publicly discouraged, it is important to remember that every aspect of your health is valuable and should be taken care of. So, whether you are in lockdown with your significant other or just wanting to explore your contraceptive options, there are lots of resources still available to you. Continue reading Accessing Contraception During COVID-19
Intimacy onscreen has been an ever-evolving phenomenon. Starting out as a somewhat taboo aspect of narrative, intimate scenes were often avoided by swift cuts or cameras panning urgently away. But all this did was rob us of sentimental moments. There was even a time, and I think this is still the case for some people’s perspectives, when anything of an intimate nature was flippantly labelled … Continue reading Intimacy and Isolation: Coordinating Intimate Scenes on Production Sets
I don’t know about you or whether it’s just the condition of my friends (myself included) but there seems to be a prolific obsession with online dating at the moment. Every time I see my friends they are either telling me about the Hinge date they went on last night, showing me outfits for their Tinder date tonight or aggressively breaching privacy laws with an immensely deep Facebook stalk of their new match. Continue reading Mourning through Online Dating
The first time I watched porn I was fourteen. I remember being squished in with friends, staring at a small laptop and feeling pretty unconvinced by what I saw. It was violent and certainly didn’t look enjoyable for the woman. It wasn’t until I came across Dipsea that I felt I had found erotica that catered to what I wanted. Founded in 2018 by Gina Gutierrez and Faye Keegan, the app is designed by women, for women and offers advice, self-pleasure sessions and audio stories. Continue reading Dipsea: Closing the Orgasm Gap
Julia Ducournau’s directorial debut Raw follows 16-year-old Justine as she attempts to navigate the complexities of becoming a woman alongside her newfound and unconventional desires. Coming from a high-achieving family of entirely vets and vegetarians, Justine is ready to start her first year at vet school, where her older sister, Alexia, also studies. During some time-honoured and intense hazing rituals, the ‘rookies’ are drenched in pigs’ blood (Carrie, anyone?) and forced to eat raw rabbit kidneys as a form of initiation. After eating meat for the first time, unexpected consequences emerge as Justine is overcome with an all-consuming craving for human flesh. Continue reading Flesh and Femininity: How Body Horror in Raw Externalises Female Sexual Awakening
Princess Cyd is available to watch for free on Kanopy. It is a common trope in a lot of media that women’s self-worth is tied to their sexuality. They are judged for how old they are; how often they have sex, and whether they have sex with men, women or both. Furthermore, all too often female characters are punished for their exploits in contradictory ways. … Continue reading Why Princess Cyd Is So Refreshing in Exploring Female Sexuality
With lockdown seeming to stretch on indefinitely, the nation has been coming together in common interests and activities, as everybody but key workers have been confined to their homes. Amongst this, a few key activities have stood out, from sharing instagrams of home baking to taking part in Joe Wick’s PE classes and, less wholesomely, pornography. Isolated from partners and dates, it’s no surprise that an increase in consumption of pornography has occurred. According to Pornhub’s own analytics, traffic increased by 18.5% on the 24th of March “when it was announced that Pornhub’s Premium service would be free to all visitors worldwide for one month to encourage people to stay at home and help flatten the curve of new Covid-19 cases.” Continue reading Self-Isolation, Sex Work, and Stigma
