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…

Evolutionary Reasons for Incest Taboos

Why do Incest Taboos Exist? Incest is defined as sexual relations occurring between people so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry each other.1 Throughout history, human societies have demonstrated an aversion towards incest. Even those living in societies without explicit legal systems exhibit a negative reaction to the idea of incest. The…

The Benefits of Sex

Disclaimer: This article discusses the various benefits of having sex, which, for the sake of simplicity and consistency, will be defined here as both consensual and pleasurable for both partners. Additionally, many of the benefits listed in this article are associated with sex resulting in an orgasm, as opposed to sex that does not result…

Sex on Your Period

It is common for people to avoid engaging in sexual activities during menstruation. Menstrual blood, tampons, sanitary pads, or other menstrual products can potentially make partners feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. There are also certain religions and beliefs that during menstruation, females are “unclean.”  However, there can be benefits to having sex during menstruation and many…

HIV Treatment

Treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) consists of taking a combination of medicines daily to suppress viral activity and slow the progression of the virus.1 HIV is classified as a retrovirus, a class of virus using RNA as genetic material and replicates through integrating to the host DNA. While there is no current cure for HIV, there is…

Sex and Ecstasy

There are many reasons why one might seek out illegal drugs. For many people, taking illegal drugs is a method of escaping reality; of seeing, feeling, and thinking differently; and of exploring the world they know from an altered perspective. Some take drugs for the purpose of fitting into social settings, some to cope with…

Genital Warts

Genital warts are a sexually transmitted infection (STI).1 They can be transmitted through sexual contact such as oral, penile/vaginal, and anal sex.1 However, transmission can also occur merely through skin to skin contact with someone who is already infected.1 Typically, genital warts appear on the skin in the genital or anal area.1 They are treatable…

Penile – Vaginal Sex

Sexual intercourse refers to the penetrative sexual act in which a male’s penis enters a female’s vagina. Sexual intercourse can also be called coitus, copulation, penile/vaginal sex, or P/V sex. Sexual intercourse can only occur if both partners have clearly consented to the act. If penetration occurs with a non-consenting person, it is called rape….

Sexual Headaches

Overview  Sexual headaches are severe headaches that develop in the midst of sexual activity, including during masturbation and orgasm. Other names for this condition are benign sex headache, benign vascular sexual headache, coital cephalalgia, coital headache, orgasmic cephalalgia, and orgasmic headache.1 Although sexual headaches are usually benign, they may be an indicator of a more serious…