Foreplay

Foreplay is a term that is generally used to describe any sexual activity that occurs prior to sexual intercourse.¹ However, foreplay does not always have to lead to sex. Unfortunately, foreplay is something that many either rush through or ignore altogether. In doing so, many individuals are missing out on the opportunity to develop a…

Female Genital Self-Exam (Teen Corner)

Performing regular genital exams can help you better understand your body and learn what is normal for it. These exams can show you the physical changes that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. Regular self-exams are important because they increase the likelihood of discovering physical changes and abnormalities. This is important so that any changes can be…

Defining Intersex

“Intersex” is a general term used to describe people who are born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not fit the typical definitions of female or male. For example, a person might appear to be female on the outside at birth, but have mostly male-typical reproductive organs inside. In another case, a person may…

Erogenous Zones

What Are Erogenous Zones? The word erogenous comes from the Greek word “eros” which means love. Erogenous zones are parts of the body which are highly sensitive and when stimulated, cause arousal. The most common erogenous zones include the breasts (including the nipple and areola), clitoris, anus, the g-spot, and the penis. Other less obvious erogenous zones include the…

How to Give a Sensual Massage

A sensual massage is a massage that focuses on the partner’s erogenous zones to provide both stress relief and increased intimacy between both partners. This is a very unique activity that provides both partners with the opportunity to build intimacy and trust. Sensual massages are unique because the goal of the sensual massage is not…

Female Masturbation

Masturbation is the self-stimulation of the genitals with a hand, sex toy, vibrator, or other object for sexual pleasure. Masturbation can be done alone (solo masturbation) or at the same time as a partner (mutual masturbation). There are many methods of masturbating, as well as methods of arousal while masturbating. Some individuals enjoy fantasizing while…

The Clitoris

The clitoris is a female sexual organ located at the top part of the vulva, or external female genitalia. The clitoris is an erogenous, highly sensitive zone that contains more nerve endings than any other body part. During sexual arousal, the clitoris becomes larger and firmer due to erection. Although stimulation of the clitoris is…

Overview of the Reproductive System: People with Vaginas

Note: This article was previously titled ‘An Overview of the Female Reproductive System.’ We have changed the language from ‘female’ to ‘people with vaginas’ in the title and throughout the article to be more inclusive, as not all people who identify as women or female have vaginas and not all people with vaginas identify as…