Best of
Sexuality

2021

The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You've Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended


Sheila Wray Gregoire - 2021
    Generations of women have grown up with messages about sex that make them feel dirty, used, or invisible, while men have been sold such a cheapened version of sex, they don't know what they're missing. The Great Sex Rescue hopes to turn all of that around, developing a truly biblical view of sex where mutuality, intimacy, and passion reign.The Great Sex Rescue pulls back the curtain on what is happening in Christian bedrooms and exposes the problematic teachings that wreck sex for so many couples--and the good teachings that leave others breathless. In the #metoo and #churchtoo era, not only is this book a long overdue corrective to church culture, it is poised to free thousands of couples from repressive and dissatisfying sex lives so that they can experience the kind of intimacy and wholeness God intended.

Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say


Preston M. Sprinkle - 2021
    This book fills the great need for Christians to speak into the confusing and emotionally charged questions surrounding the transgender conversation.     With careful research and an engaging style, Embodied explores:What it means to be transgender, nonbinary, and gender-queer, and how these identities relate to being male or femaleWhy most stereotypes about what it means to be a man and woman come from the culture and not the BibleWhat the Bible says about humans created in God’s image as male and female, and how this relates to transgender experiencesMoral questions surrounding medical interventions such as sex reassignment surgeryWhich pronouns to use and how to navigate the bathroom debateWhy more and more teens are questioning their gender

The Right to Sex: Feminism in the Twenty-First Century


Amia Srinivasan - 2021
    Yet consent is a blunt tool. To grasp sex in all its complexity—its deep ambivalences, its relationship to gender, class, race and power—we need to move beyond yes and no, wanted and unwanted.We do not know the future of sex—but perhaps we could imagine it. Amia Srinivasan’s stunning debut helps us do just that. She traces the meaning of sex in our world, animated by the hope of a different world. She reaches back into an older feminist tradition that was unafraid to think of sex as a political phenomenon. She discusses a range of fraught relationships—between discrimination and preference, pornography and freedom, rape and racial injustice, punishment and accountability, students and teachers, pleasure and power, capitalism and liberation.The Right to Sex: Feminism in the Twenty-First Century is a provocation and a promise, transforming many of our most urgent political debates and asking what it might mean to be free.

Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs


Ina Park - 2021
    . . Park uses science, compassion, humor, diverse stories and examples of her own shame-free living to take the stigma out of these infections." —The New York TimesWith curiosity and wit, Strange Bedfellows rips back the bedsheets to expose what really happens when STDs enter the sack.Sexually transmitted diseases have been hidden players in our lives for the whole of human history, with roles in everything from World War II to the growth of the Internet to The Bachelor. But despite their prominence, STDs have been shrouded in mystery and taboo for centuries, which begs the question: why do we know so little about them?Enter Ina Park, MD, who has been pushing boundaries to empower and inform others about sexual health for decades. With Strange Bedfellows, she ventures far beyond the bedroom to examine the hidden role and influence of these widely misunderstood infections and share their untold stories.Covering everything from AIDS to Zika, Park explores STDs on the cellular, individual, and population-level. She blends science and storytelling with historical tales, real life sexual escapades, and interviews with leading scientists—weaving in a healthy dose of hilarity along the way.The truth is, most of us are sexually active, yet we’re often unaware of the universe of microscopic bedfellows inside our pants. Park aims to change this by bringing knowledge to the masses in an accessible, no-nonsense, humorous way—helping readers understand the broad impact STDs have on our lives, while at the same time erasing the unfair stigmas attached to them.A departure from the cone of awkward silence and shame that so often surrounds sexual health, Strange Bedfellows is the straight-shooting book about the consequences of sex that all curious readers have been looking for.

Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again: Women and Desire in the Age of Consent


Katherine Angel - 2021
    They are told that in the name of sexual consent and feminist empowerment, they must proclaim their desires clearly and confidently. Sex researchers tell us that women don't know what they want. And men are on hand to persuade women that what they want is, in fact, exactly what men want. In this environment, how can women possibly know what they want—and how can they be expected to?In this elegantly written, searching book Katherine Angel surveys medical and psychoanalytic understandings of female desire, from Freud to Kinsey to present-day science; MeToo-era debates over consent, assault, and feminism; and popular culture, TV, and film to challenge our assumptions about female desire. Why, she asks, do we expect desire to be easily understood? Why is there not space for the unsure, the tentative, the maybe, the let's just see? In contrast to the endless exhortation to know what we want, Angel proposes that sex can be a conversation, requiring insight, interaction, and mutual vulnerability—a shared collaboration into the unknown.In this crucial moment of renewed attention to violence and power, Angel urges that we remake our thinking about sex, pleasure, and autonomy without any illusions of perfect self-knowledge. Only then will we bring about Michel Foucault's sardonic promise, in 1976, that "tomorrow sex will be good again."

Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality: Empowering Your Kids to Understand and Live Out God’s Design


Hillary Morgan Ferrer - 2021
    As a parent, it’s up to you to help your children understand God’s truth about these integral concepts in the face of the candy-coated lies that saturate today’s world. In the footsteps of the bestselling Mama Bear Apologetics comes this invaluable guide to training your kids to know and respect God’s design in a world that has rejected it. This book will equip you to…understand God’s design for gender, sex, marriage, and family as a beautiful portrait that reveals the nature of God Himselfidentify the tactics being used to trick children into adopting an unbiblical view of sexuality under the guise of Christian-sounding words like love, identity, tolerance, and justiceteach your kids to treat those who hold different beliefs with gentle, Christlike compassion without compromising biblical valuesAs society continues to blur the lines of what is good, true, and acceptable, God’s standards remain clear and unchanging. This book will give you the wisdom to confidently raise your children to understand sex and gender through a biblical lens.

Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human (A Graphic Novel)


Erika Moen - 2021
    Perfect for any teen starting to ask...Is what I'm feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I fix it when I make a mistake? Let's talk about it.Growing up is complicated. How do you find the answers to all the questions you have about yourself, about your identity, and about your body? Let's Talk About It provides a comprehensive, thoughtful, well-researched graphic novel guide to everything you need to know but might not know how to talk about. Covering relationships, friendships, gender, sexuality, anatomy, body image, safe sex, sexting, jealousy, rejection, sex education, and more, this is the go-to handbook for every teen navigating adolescence, and the first in graphic novel form.

We Too: Essays on Sex Work and Survival


Natalie West - 2021
    Responding to the resurgence of the #MeToo movement in 2017, sex workers from across the industry--hookers and prostitutes, strippers and dancers, porn stars, cam models, Dommes and subs alike--complicate narratives of sexual harassment and violence, and expand conversations often limited to normative workplaces.Writing across topics such as homelessness, motherhood, and toxic masculinity, We Too: Essays on Sex Work and Survival gives voice to the fight for agency and accountability across sex industries. With contributions by leading voices in the movement such as Melissa Gira Grant, Ceyenne Doroshow, Audacia Ray, femi babylon, April Flores, and Yin Q, this anthology explores sex work as work, and sex workers as laboring subjects in need of respect--not rescue.

Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church


Bridget Eileen Rivera - 2021
    Generations of LGBTQ people have felt alienated or condemned by the church. It's past time that Christians confronted the ongoing and devastating effects of this legacy.Many LGBTQ people face overwhelming challenges in navigating faith, gender, and sexuality. Christian communities that uphold the traditional sexual ethic often unwittingly make the path more difficult through unexamined attitudes and practices. Drawing on her sociological training and her leadership in the Side B/Revoice conversation, Bridget Eileen Rivera, who founded the popular website Meditations of a Traveling Nun, speaks to the pain of LGBTQ Christians and helps churches develop a better pastoral approach.Rivera calls to mind Jesus's woe to religious leaders: "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them" (Matt. 23:4). Heavy Burdens provides an honest account of seven ways LGBTQ people experience discrimination in the church, helping Christians grapple with hard realities and empowering churches across the theological spectrum to navigate better paths forward.

Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much


Jen Winston - 2021
    Perfect for fans of Lindy West, Samantha Irby, and Rebecca Solnit—and anyone who wants, and deserves, to be seen. If Jen Winston knows one thing for sure, it’s that she’s bisexual. Or wait—maybe she isn’t? Actually, she definitely is. Unless…she’s not? Jen’s provocative, laugh-out-loud debut takes us inside her journey of self-discovery, leading us through stories of a childhood “girl crush,” an onerous quest to have a threesome, and an enduring fear of being bad at sex. Greedy follows Jen’s attempts to make sense of herself as she explores the role of the male gaze, what it means to be “queer enough,” and how to overcome bi stereotypes when you’re the posterchild for all of them: greedy, slutty, and constantly confused. With her clever voice and clear-eyed insight, Jen draws on personal experiences with sexism and biphobia to understand how we all can and must do better. She sheds light on the reasons women, queer people, and other marginalized groups tend to make ourselves smaller, provoking the question: What would happen if we suddenly stopped?​​ Greedy shows us that being bisexual is about so much more than who you’re sleeping with—it’s about finding stability in a state of flux and defining yourself on your own terms. This book inspires us to rethink the world as we know it, reminding us that Greedy was a superpower all along.

It's Good to Be a Man: A Handbook for Godly Masculinity


Michael Foster - 2021
    They always have and always will. Nothing can change that. Nothing will. It is not a question of whether men will be ruling, but which ones and how.” ~From It's Good to Be a ManOur modern society has called for us to “smash the patriarchy,” and the church has not done much better.Instead of telling men how they can hone and refine their aggressive traits, the church has told men that they should aspire to be meek servant-leaders, and when a man shows any signs of independence, he is shown the door. This leaves most young men lost. They don’t know what to do or how to improve, so they watch Jordan Peterson videos on YouTube to learn how to grow in their masculinity and sense of mission.In this book, Michael Foster and Bnonn Tennant remind men that their natural aggressive instincts are gifts from God that are meant to be used for the kingdom. Men are supposed to found households, join brotherhoods, and work towards a mission.It's Good to Be A Man offers men a quick guide to where they are and how they can improve.God made men to be strong and aggressive risk-takers. This is a feature, not a bug. Foster and Tennant remind us that it’s good to be a man.

What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves


Sam Allberry - 2021
    We can't write off our physical life as spiritually irrelevant." --Sam AllberryThere's a danger in focusing too much on the body. There's also a danger in not valuing it enough. In fact, the Bible has lots to say about the body. With the coming of Jesus, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"--flesh that was pierced and crushed for the sins of the world.In What God Has to Say about Our Bodies, Sam Allberry explains that all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made, and should regard our physicality as a gift. He offers biblical guidance for living, including understanding gender, sexuality, and identity; dealing with aging, illness, and death; and considering the physical future hope that we have in Christ.In this powerfully written book, you'll gain a new understanding for the immeasurable value of our bodies and God's ultimate plan to redeem them.

Hurts So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose


Leigh Cowart - 2021
    Deliberate and consensual pain has been with us for millennia, encompassing everyone from Black Plague flagellants to ballerinas dancing on broken bones to competitive eaters choking down hot peppers while they cry. Masochism is a part of us. It lives inside workaholics, tattoo enthusiasts, and all manner of garden variety pain-seekers. At its core, masochism is about feeling bad, then better—a phenomenon that is long overdue for a heartfelt and hilarious investigation. And Leigh Cowart would know: they are not just a researcher and science writer—they’re an inveterate, high-sensation seeking masochist. And they have a few questions: Why do people engage in masochism? What are the benefits and the costs? And what does masochism have to say about the human experience? By participating in many of these activities themselves, and through conversations with psychologists, fellow scientists, and people who seek pain for pleasure, Cowart unveils how our minds and bodies find meaning and relief in pain—a quirk in our programming that drives discipline and innovation even as it threatens to swallow us whole.

Sexuality: A Graphic Guide


Meg-John Barker - 2021
    We often live with fear, shame and frustration when it comes to our own sexuality, and with judgement when it comes to others’. Sex advice manuals, debates over sex work and stories of sexual ‘dysfunction’ add to our anxiety. With compassion, humour, erudition and a touch of the erotic, Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele shine a light through the darkness and unmask the monsters in this illustrated guide. From sexual identities to having sex, to desire, consent and relationships, we’ll explore the invention of sex as we know it and imagine sex as it could be. Along the way, we’ll move past thinking of sex as meaning just one thing, defined by the genders of those doing it, instead making space for lots of different types of attraction, desire, relationship and act.

The Sweetness of Venus: A History of the Clitoris


Sarah Chadwick - 2021
    The Sweetness of Venus is a provocative, straight-talking history that exposes the denial, misunderstanding, brutality, and lies endured by this taboo part of human anatomy.Much of the story of the clitoris has been defined by those who discovered and mapped her. However, even after the true anatomy of the clitoris was finally fully mapped with 3D imaging in 2005, it still hardly gets a mention in America's bestselling teen sex education book for girls, and no mention at all in the parallel book for boys. Equality when it comes to sex has not been achieved.This book challenges Western culture's definition of female sexuality and will have you laughing out loud, shouting "clitoris!" with abandon, and championing sex equality and pleasure for all.

When Men Behave Badly: The Hidden Roots of Sexual Deception, Harassment, and Assault


David M. Buss - 2021
    It is etched in written laws that dictate who can and cannot have sex with whom. Its manifestations shape our sexual morality, evoking approving accolades or contemptuous condemnation. It produces sexual double standards that flourish even in the most sexually egalitarian cultures on earth. And although every person alive struggles with sexual conflict, most of us see only the tip of the iceberg: dating deception, a politician's unsavory sexual grab, the slow crumbling of a once-happy marriage, a romantic breakup that turns nasty.When Men Behave Badly shows that this "battle of the sexes" is deeper and far more pervasive than anyone has recognized, revealing the hidden roots of sexual conflict—roots that originated over deep evolutionary time—which define the sexual psychology we currently carry around in our 3.5-pound brains. Providing novel insights into our minds and behaviors, When Men Behave Badly presents a unifying new theory of sexual conflict, and offers practical advice for men and women seeking to avoid it.

Women on Top of the World: What Women Think About When They're Having Sex


Lucy-Anne Holmes - 2021
    The result is an incredible compendium of true disclosures that are funny and sad, shocking and tender.Fully illustrated throughout by a range of cutting-edge artists who have interpreted the intimate revelations in their unique ways, Women on Top of the World is collection of female voices. It is a contribution to the changing way women are now talking about their sexuality, and their journeys toward self-discovery.

Love That Journey for Me: The Queer Revolution of Schitt's Creek


Emily Garside - 2021
    Considering the fusion of existing sitcom traditions, references and tropes, this Inkling analyses the nuance of the show and its surrounding cultural and societal impact as a queer revolution.By discussing how the show reshapes LGBTQ+ narratives from the crafting of the town itself, and celebratory influences including Cabaret, to how writer-creator Dan Levy utilised and subverted expectations throughout his work, Emily Garside will showcase how one TV show became a watershed moment in queer representation and gay relationships on screen.Part analysis of Schitt’s Creek’s importance, part homage to a cultural landmark, this is a show that – in the words of David Rose himself – needs to be celebrated. This book is that celebration.This book is unofficial, and unaffiliated with Schitt’s Creek and its brand.

Still Time to Care: What We Can Learn from the Church’s Failed Attempt to Cure Homosexuality


Greg Johnson - 2021
    It was C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, Francis Schaeffer and John Stott who were among the most respected leaders within theologically orthodox Protestantism. We see with them a positive pastoral approach toward gay people, an approach that viewed homosexuality as a fallen condition experienced by some Christians who needed care more than cure.With the birth and rise of the ex-gay movement, the focus shifted from care to cure. As a result, there are an estimated 700,000 people alive today who underwent conversion therapy in the United States alone. Many of these patients were treated by faith-based, testimony-driven parachurch ministries centered on the ex-gay script. Despite the best of intentions, the movement ended with very troubling results. Yet the ex-gay movement died not because it had the wrong sex ethic. It died because it was founded on a practice that diminished the beauty of the gospel.Yet even after the closure of the ex-gay umbrella organization Exodus International in 2013, the ex-gay script continues to walk about as the undead among us, pressuring people like me to say, "I used to be gay, but I'm not gay anymore. Now I'm just same-sex attracted."For orthodox Christians, the way forward is a path back to where we were forty years ago. It is time again to focus with our Neo-Evangelical fathers on care--not cure--for our non-straight sisters and brothers who are living lives of costly obedience to Jesus.With warmth and humor as well as original research, Still Time to Care will chart the path forward for our churches and ministries in providing care. It will provide guidance for the gay person who hears the gospel and finds themselves smitten by the life-giving call of Jesus. Woven throughout the book will be Richard Lovelace’s 1978 call for a "double repentance" in which gay Christians repent of their homosexual sins and the church repents of its homophobia--putting on display for all the power of the gospel.

My Broken Vagina: One Woman's Quest to Fix Her Sex Life, and Yours


Fran Bushe - 2021
    Unsurprisingly, neither worked.After a visit to Sex Camp and many attempts to fix her 'broken' vagina, Fran decided to share her own hilarious, excruciating, and sometimes upsetting experiences. With the help of her 16 year old self's diary, expert advice,  candid and enlightening interviews with others about sex,  and some self-care exercises, Fran sets about trying to make herself, and other people, feel like they're not being gaslit by their own vaginas.

Love Never Forgets


Tristen Rowen - 2021
    The last thing he ever wants to do is spend the entire summer of his eighteenth year in the boonies of Vermont, all because of some silly promise his dad made to his best friend when they were kids.Stuck out in a country inn, missing his home in Boston, Scott is determined to be miserable until he catches the eye of Terry Lachance, the inn owner's twenty-year-old son. Outgoing, eternally optimistic and tenacious, Terry is driven to break through Scott's walls, and he succeeds in only a day.Faced with personal and societal challenges of the time, Terry is nevertheless convinced Scott will make the "right decision." there is no telling if their love is strong enough to withstand it all.Inspired by Tristen Rowen’s personal experiences, Love Never Forgets is the unforgettable love story between two men whose love spans an eternity. Not only is it a love story between two men, it’s a testament to the strength of family in a time of crisis.

Sex Points: Reclaim Your Sex Life with the Revolutionary Multi-point System


Bat Sheva Marcus - 2021
    Like exercise or eating right, it also takes practice and know-how.“Queen of Vibrators” Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus believes a healthy, robust, fulfilling sex life is a right for all women. And after twenty years as a sex therapist, Dr. Bat Sheva knows that there’s more to sex than lingerie and beach vacations. Sex Points is the first book that helps you identify and analyze for yourself what factors are affecting your sex life. Using Dr. Bat Sheva’s revolutionary Sex Points Assessment, you can pinpoint what’s keeping you from the great sex you deserve by looking at where you’re scoring low in four key areas: pain, arousal, libido, and orgasm. And then she’ll help you get points back in each of those areas! Your sex life is complex, unique to you, and affected by psychological, medical, and emotional variables. If you think that a diminished sex drive is natural, pain is expected, and no orgasms is no problem—prepare to have your world rocked. Covering everything from how to choose a vibrator to recapturing orgasms, understanding hormones, to rekindling lust, embracing taboo fantasies, and parsing complicated relationships, to what sex really means (hint: it's not just intercourse), Sex Points is a comprehensive, revelatory, I-didn’t-know-it-could-be-this-good guide for every woman, at every age, in every situation. A Fun, Healthy, Fulfilling Sex Life is Your Right!And Sex Points will get you there.

This Is My Real Name: A Stripper's Memoir


Cid V. Brunet - 2021
    From her very first lap dance in a small-town bar to her work at high-end clubs, Michelle learns she must follow the unspoken rules that will allow her to succeed in the competitive industry. Along the way, she and her co-workers encounter compelling clients and unreasonable bosses and navigate their own relationships to drugs and alcohol. Michelle and her friends rely on each other's camaraderie and strength in an industry that can be both toxic and deeply rewarding.Intensely personal, This Is My Real Name demystifies stripping as a career with great respect and candour, while at the same time exploring the complex, sex-positive relationships (queer and otherwise) that make it meaningful.

The Art of Receiving and Giving: The Wheel of Consent


Betty Martin - 2021
    

Bought with a Price


Aaron Crowley - 2021
    The porn industry promised to empower him, but Aaron wondered if he was actually being degraded and exploited. After seeking refuge in the Church, he found that many Christians do not include gay people, like himself, in their worship. Even if they did, many churches didn't have clear teachings on sexual morality, which left Aaron's past vulnerable to exploitation. While wrestling with his past and new faith, Aaron not only finds the strength to overcome trauma through God's power, but he also finds meaningful, romantic love. He now wields his testimony as a weapon against the enemy who once held him in bondage. This bold memoir offers a raw perspective on God's grace to enable all believers to walk in the victory to which they have been called.

Porn Work: Sex, Labor, and Late Capitalism


Heather Berg - 2021
    But on-camera labor is only the beginning of the story. Porn Work takes readers behind the scenes to explore what porn performers think of their work and how they intervene to hack it. Blending extensive fieldwork with feminist and antiwork theorizing, Porn Work details entrepreneurial labor on the boundaries between pleasure and tedium. Rejecting any notion that sex work is an aberration from straight work, it reveals porn workers' creative strategies as prophetic of a working landscape in crisis. In the end, it looks to what porn has to tell us about what's wrong with work, and what it might look like to build something better.

So Tell Me About the Last Time You Had Sex: Laying Bare and Learning to Repair Our Love Lives


Ian Kerner - 2021
    Ian Kerner is a Sherlock Holmes of the bedroom—a sexual detective helping individuals and couples solve the mystery of their sexual distress. His secret weapon? Anaylzing your “sex script.”Kerner takes a magnifying glass to a recent sexual event, examining the entire sequence of interactions—beginning, middle, and end—from multiple angles. In those details—the what, where, when, and why of the last time you had sex—all the clues of what went wrong are revealed and the mystery of how to create mutual pleasure can be solved. When our sex scripts work, we lose ourselves in mutual pleasure; but when they fail, it’s all we can do not to ruminate over the details. What can be learned by looking at your sex life in action?With wit and warmth, the nationally recognized sex therapist and author of the smash hit She Comes First shows readers how to tap into their erotic personalities and realize their sexual potential. Dr. Kerner provides the tools and techniques you need to assess, fix, and expand your sex scripts, as well as discuss many common sexual problems that get in the way of happy endings. With the help of decades of clinical insight, the latest sexual science and research, valuable homework assignments, case studies, and more, this insightful and original book strips away discomfort and offers couples not just the ability to talk about sex, but the ability to actually do something about it.

Rough: How violence has found its way into the bedroom and what we can do about it


Rachel Thompson - 2021
    Through powerful testimony from 50 women and non-binary people, this book shines a light on the sexual violence that takes place in our bedrooms and beyond, sometimes at the hands of people we know, trust, or even love. Rough investigates violations such as 'stealthing,' non-consensual choking, and non-consensual rough sex acts that our culture is only starting to recognise as sexual violence.The book explores the ways in which systems of oppression manifest in our sexual culture - from racist microaggressions, to fatphobic acts of aggression, and ableist dehumanising behaviour. An intersectional, sex-positive, kink-positive work, the book also examines how white supremacy, transphobia, biphobia, homophobia, and misogyny are driving forces behind sexual violence.

Bow Down: Lessons from Dominatrixes on How to Be a Boss in Life, Love, and Work


Lindsay Goldwert - 2021
    Where women not only stop apologizing, but seize—and enjoy—control. This is the quickly mainstreaming world of BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism)—and it has a lot to teach women about empowerment, negotiation, open-mindedness, and more. Journalist Lindsay Goldwert, intrigued by this seismic cultural shift, traveled across the United States to meet the stars of the subculture, who spoke frankly with her about their lives and work. In this “lively, funny, thoughtful channeling of wisdom” (Sara Benincasa, author of Real Artists Have Day Jobs), these Alpha women show you how you can reset the power dynamic in any situation to get what you want—whether it’s from a husband, a boss, or partner. They share strategies for revolutionizing not only your sex life, but your career, your relationships, and most importantly, your inner foundations. With bondage gear popping up on the big screen, the runway, the red carpet, and in celebrity lingerie lines, BDSM is officially moving out of the dungeon and into the sun. Let Bow Down help you learn how to use it. “Whether your fantasies lie in the bedroom or the boardroom, Lindsay will give you the courage to go forth and dominate.” (Sarah Cooper, author of How to Be Successful without Hurting Men’s Feelings).

Rescue Plan: Charting a Course to Restore Prisoners of Pornography


Deepak Reju - 2021
    

Crazy for You: Breaking the Spell of Sex and Love Addiction


Kerry Cohen - 2021
    Even though sex and love are some of the most universal, sought-after experiences we have, many of us lack the tools and understanding to approach them in a healthy way. Without knowing it, many people struggling with sex and love actually fall somewhere on the spectrum of sex and love addiction (SLA). Sex and love addiction is still wildly misunderstood. It’s shrouded in secrecy and shame, and many counselors lack the training to address it—leaving people who need help without resources. Yet SLA isn’t a binary of you are or you aren’t, rather, it’s a spectrum. Kerry Cohen knows this all too well as both a therapist and someone who identifies on the SLA spectrum. Based on research and her own clinical experience, Crazy for You dives into SLA and provides an inclusive framework for understanding relationships, along with practical exercises and advice for self-assessment, discovery, and healing:Part one explains the sex and love addiction spectrum, helping you determine where you fall on it and how you got therePart two introduces strategies for breaking the spell of sex and love addiction, like behavior modifications and self-awareness techniquesPart three teaches you how to navigate healthy, safe, and fulfilling relationships

Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome


L.J. Trafford - 2021
    None more so than around the subject of sex and sexuality. The image of Ancient Rome that has come down to us is one of sexual excess: emperors gripped by perversion partaking in pleasure with whomever and whatever they fancied during week long orgies. But how true are these tales of depravity? Was it really a sexual free for all? What were the laws surrounding sexual engagement? How did these vary according to gender and class? And what happened to those who transgressed the rules?We invite you to climb into bed with the Romans to discover some very odd contraceptive devices, gather top tips on how to attract a partner and learn why you should avoid poets as lovers at all costs. Along the way we'll stumble across potions and spells, emperors and their favourites and some truly eye-popping interior decor choices.

Nectar: Trans Femme & Non Binary Erotic Comics Anthology


Tab Kimpton - 2021
    Refreshing interpretations of sublime spirits, indulgence in heavenly hedonism, and tales of frisky folklore and femmelore from the world over.With content warnings before each story and at least one Own Voice contributor on each team, this smutty cocktail is perfect for those thirsty for their own resplendent romances.

The Fire Within: Desire, Sexuality, Longing, and God


Ronald Rolheiser - 2021
      God is conceived of as holy, pure, sexless, and as morally above the raw desires that so powerfully beset us. Sex, on the other hand, is conceived of as earthy and unholy, something we must snatch, and not without guilt, from the gods. Christianity has struggled mightily with sex; so too have most other religions. And yet when we look at sexual desire and ask where it comes from, there can be only one answer. It comes from God.   This is a book on desire, its experience, its origins, its meaning, and how it might be generatively channeled. Sexuality is inside us to help lure us back to God, but dealing with this fire inside us is a lifelong struggle. Ron Rolheiser sheds light on this mystery and the journey it takes us on in these tantalizing fragments that help give us permission to feel what we feel and know that God is still smiling on us.

The Freedom to Choose


Masha Halevi - 2021
    

Trans Sex: Clinical Approaches to Trans Sexualities and Erotic Embodiments


Lucie Fielding - 2021
    The aim of this book is to equip providers with both conceptual frameworks and concrete tools for better engaging their trans, non-binary, and gender expansive clients in pleasure-centered discussions of sexual health.Challenging the dominant images of trans sexualities that appear in the existing literature, such as an emphasis on avoiding gender dysphoria, the preservation of sexual function, or on sexual losses that may arise as a result of transition pathways, Trans Sex offers a pleasure-positive approach to working with trans clients. Providing concrete clinical practices and practical activities that utilize social justice, intersectional trans feminism, and radical queer theory as key conceptual frameworks, this groundbreaking text is designed to be accessible to a wide range of providers. This book draws on Fielding's experiences as both a trans client/patient and as a therapist to shift and expand the conversation and includes contributions from other trans and non-binary providers working at the intersection of gender-affirmative care and sexuality.Trans Sex seeks to move trans sexualities from the margins of gender-affirmative clinical practice, to center pleasure, and to spark creativity and empathic attunement within the client-provider relationship. Whether they be mental health or medical providers, trainees, or seasoned practitioners in gender-affirmative work or sexualities, readers will be able harness creative strategies to enhance their practice and become more imaginative providers.

Sex, Love, and Marriage from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment


Jennifer McNabb - 2021
    But the boundaries of matrimony, sexuality, and romantic relationships have always been complicated, and the rules surrounding them are forever changing.Throughout the 10 lectures of Sex, Love, and Marriage from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, you will find that looking closer at marriage and sexuality in this period reveals a vibrant history of flexibility, of questioning and adaptation, and of evolutionary - and sometimes even revolutionary - change. With Professor Jennifer McNabb, you will explore these crucial aspects of the human experience as they were formed and transformed in the centuries that stretched between the Roman adoption of Christianity and the emergence of the Enlightenment. Along with the more traditional aspects of sex and marriage, you will also examine:The Christian church’s complex relationship with sex and celibacyThe experience of the unmarried or formerly married in a marriage-driven societyProstitution and commercialized sexThe realities vs. the fiction of forbidden love and unrecognized unionsThe rise of companionate marriageHow the Protestant Reformation altered the sexual and matrimonial landscapeAnd moreAs you look closely at these and other dimensions of love and sex across a millennium of change and resistance, you will get a more nuanced and honest view of the complexity of our past and how medieval and early modern perspectives on sex, love, and marriage continue to influence the way we think about and experience them today.

God Made Me in His Image: Helping Children Appreciate Their Bodies


Justin S. Holcomb - 2021
    But with this simply told, beautifully illustrated children's book by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb, Christian parents can teach kids the truth about how God made their bodies in his image and the human body is good.One day, a group of students and their teacher travel to a zoo safari park to learn all about the different animals. During a fun jeep ride around the park, the guide shares fascinating information about lions, rhinoceroses, elephants, buffalo, and more, pointing out distinctive characteristics and information about each animal's body and how those qualities make the animals special. The teacher helps the children reflect on their own body image and how they were created uniquely in God's image.A part of the God Made Me series, God Made Me in His Image invites young children to ponder the doctrine of creation, learning how God made them in his image and how truth influences the ways they think and feel about their bodies.This powerful, colorful book addresses the topic of body image from a Christian perspective, to help children understand their feelings, provide information about the topic, and offer extensive, practical strategies to Christian parents. Letters and notes to parents or caregivers are included in the back of the book to help facilitate discussion.

The Handi Book of Love, Lust & Disability


Handi - 2021
    

Polyamory: A Clinical Toolkit for Therapists (and Their Clients)


Martha Kauppi - 2021
    Are you ready to help them?This groundbreaking guide to consensual nonmonogamy offers a reading experience that feels like consulting with a trusted advisor. Martha Kauppi equips you with the skills to be a true ally to clients who want to explore polyamory. Learn from the expert who trains experts as she debunks myths and shares the exact tools she uses with her own clients.Flip to any chapter for an understanding of what is possible, where things break down and why, and how to help. You'll learn how to conceptualize complicated relational dynamics in a way that leads to effective treatment, and how to identify and disrupt maladaptive relational patterns without perpetuating negative cultural bias. A must-read for anyone looking for a framework to simplify the complexities of polyamory.

The Spark Between Us (L.A. Fire Book 2)


I.M. Flippy - 2021
    Fire, TV’s hottest new show, I’ve learned to know my place.I’m not one of the young hotties who gets paid to light up the screen with my smile and take off my shirt.I’m around to help ground the cast. After half a lifetime in Hollywood and one big mistake that almost destroyed me, I know how to do my job.And just as importantly, I know how to avoid mixing The Business with pleasure.But my co-star Emilio doesn’t make it easy.Emilio is young, talented, beautiful, and every time we’re near each other, I feel myself wanting to get closer. Sometimes, I even think we’ve got a lot more in common than I’d like to admit.There’s definitely a spark between us.But is Emilio worth risking everything I’ve worked so hard to build?

Family of Origin, Family of Choice: Stories of Queer Christians


Katie Hays - 2021
    The resulting stories, crafted from interviews with fifteen queer Christians and family members, kept anonymous at their request, are as varied as the colors of the rainbow. Over the years, some grew closer to their families of origin; others grew more distant. Some were surprised by the hardness of heart they encountered; others were amazed by the breadth of their family’s love. Most all describe a trajectory, a journey, from the coming-out moment till now and beyond, as their families of origin, like all families, remain a work in progress.

The Fires of Lust: Sex in the Middle Ages


Katherine Harvey - 2021
      The medieval humoral system of medicine suggested that it was possible to die from having too much—or too little—sex, while the Roman Catholic Church taught that virginity was the ideal state. Holy men and women committed themselves to lifelong abstinence in the name of religion. Everyone was forced to conform to restrictive rules about who they could have sex with, in what way, how often, and even when, and could be harshly punished for getting it wrong. Other experiences are more familiar. Like us, medieval people faced challenges in finding a suitable partner or trying to get pregnant (or trying not to). They also struggled with many of the same social issues, such as whether prostitution should be legalized. Above all, they shared our fondness for dirty jokes and erotic images. By exploring their sex lives, the book brings ordinary medieval people to life and reveals details of their most personal thoughts and experiences. Ultimately, it provides us with an important and intimate connection to the past.

Accelerate


honkdaddyy - 2021
    “I don’t think I’ve seen you race that well before.”Dream looked over to him, raising an eyebrow amidst his prideful grin. “You’ve come to my races before?”Dream likes to race for the rush of adrenaline, and George looks so pretty when he waves the starting flags. (a Dream SMP Speedracing AU, written by honkdaddyy and isntitcrazy on archiveofourown.org)

Supporting Transgender Students: Understanding Gender Identity and Reshaping School Culture


Alex Myers - 2021
    Drawing on the author's 25 years of experience working with schools and transgender students, this book considers how transgender and gender non-conforming youth experience the classroom, the playing field, and other school contexts. Supporting Transgender Students provides a clear roadmap and practical examples for how to take action in your school to effect change and create a gender inclusive community.

Philosophy for Spiders: On the Low Theory of Kathy Acker


McKenzie Wark - 2021
    Over the decades readers have found a punk Acker, a feminist Acker, a queer Acker, a kink Acker, and an avant-garde Acker. In Philosophy for Spiders, McKenzie Wark adds a trans Acker. Wark recounts her memories of Acker (with whom she had a passionate affair) and gives a comprehensive reading of her published and archived works. Wark finds not just an inventive writer of fiction who pressed against the boundaries of gender but a theorist whose comprehensive philosophy of life brings a conceptual intelligence to the everyday life of those usually excluded from philosophy's purview. As Wark shows, Acker's engagement with topics such as masturbation, sadism, body-building, and penetrative sex are central to her distinct phenomenology of the body that theorizes the body's relation to others, the city, and technology.

Reclaiming Pleasure: A Sex Positive Guide for Moving Past Sexual Trauma and Living a Passionate Life


Holly Richmond - 2021
    You are a survivor; but surviving is just the beginning. This book explores what comes next.Written by a psychotherapist and grounded in cutting-edge research, Reclaiming Pleasure picks up where other sexual trauma recovery books leave off. It offers practical tools to help you cultivate a sense of safety, security and trust in order to reclaim the vitality, pleasure and great sex you deserve. The book will also serve as your compass on a journey toward the rediscovery of desire, letting you explore what you want from others and for yourself.This groundbreaking book will help you:Understand the lasting mental, physical, sexual, and relational impacts of sexual traumaMove beyond feelings of shameReclaim pleasure and reignite passion in your life  Surviving is merely the first step in the process of recovery from sexual trauma. With this sex-positive and empowering guide, you are invited to take your recovery to the next level. You’ll feel emboldened by the desire for better sex, healthier relationships, and a more connected, pleasurable life.

Great Sex Starts at 50: Age-Proof Your Libido Transform Your Sex Life


Tracey Cox - 2021
    There's no denying that something happens to us sexually at 50. From menopause to the mixed blessing of Viagra to other challenges that go beyond the physical: How do you ignite desire after decades with the same person?Thankfully, information and enthusiasm can help you reclaim a robust sex life—and greater health, as a result. In this easy-to-follow guide, Tracey Cox uses a blend of research, case studies, practical techniques, and personal anecdotes to show you how to arouse yourself and your partner, regain your passion, navigate relationship issues, and create the perfect conditions for sex. Tracey's authentic, trustworthy, and relatable approach will give you everything you need to do it!The perfect book for:• The growing demographic of Gen X and Boomers who want to live well and are leading a new dating and sexual revolution for the over-50s• Fans of Hot Sex: How to Do It• Milestone birthday gift seekers (40th, 50th)• Premenopausal, perimenopausal, and menopausal women looking for a sexual health resource• Medical professionals

No Other Foundation: Essays on Women's Ordination in the Anglican Church


Ben Jeffries - 2021
    The collection of these essays is intended to be a “text-book” of sorts, to keep these arguments before the eyes of the present generation of Anglicans.

Open Monogamy: A Guide to Co-Creating Your Ideal Relationship Agreement


Tammy Nelson - 2021
    Tammy Nelson is a relationship revolutionary. Her rethinking of monogamy—as a practice, a continuum, and a flexible concept—is on point, actionable, and nothing less than a significant cultural shift.—Wednesday Martin, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Primates of Park Avenue and UntrueLove is eternal—but in an age when we live longer, communicate differently, and value gender equality, is it any wonder so many people are looking for new ways to support lasting, loving partnerships? “Monogamy is no longer a simple concept,” says Dr. Tammy Nelson. “More couples every year are experimenting with open relationships and newer, more flexible versions of commitment … yet few of us have been prepared with the skills we need to make those agreements work.”Open Monogamy is a practical guide for people who wish to explore new directions in their relationships—to bring in excitement, variety, and fresh experiences without sacrificing trust, security, and respect. Through solo and partner exercises and real-life stories from people across the spectrum of relationship styles, you’ll explore: • The changing face of relationships—why the time to explore new visions of love has arrived• Can open monogamy work for you? Self-assessment tools to find your place on the “monogamy continuum” • Essential skills for having honest conversations about attraction and desire• Exercises to remove shame and suspicion about open relationships • How to create agreements—traditional or otherwise—that are fulfilling, exhilarating, and built to last Dr. Nelson’s 30 years of experience as a relationship and sex therapist have shown her that relationships can flourish even when the old idea of monogamy fails. “You want to love each other with fairness and integrity because that’s what you signed up for, and honesty aligns with your shared values … But you also want more. You want answers. The bad news? There is no one right way to do this. The good news? You can have anything you want.” If you’ve ever wondered how to try an open relationship or polyamory, Open Monogamy gives you the tools you need to create a commitment agreement as unique as your love.

The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom


Alfred L. Martin, Jr. - 2021
    Alfred L. Martin, Jr., argues that the Black community is considered to be antigay due to misrepresentation by shows that aired during the family viewing hour and that were written for the imagined, "traditional" Black family. Martin considers audience reception, industrial production practices, and authorship to unpack the claim that Black gay characters are written into Black-cast sitcoms such as Moesha, Good News, and Let's Stay Together in order to closet Black gayness.By exploring how systems of power produce ideologies about Black gayness, The Generic Closet deconstructs the concept of a monolithic Black audience and investigates whether this generic closet still exists.

Bang! Masturbation for People of All Genders and Abilities


Vic Liu - 2021
    Whether you’re jerking the gherkin, flicking the bean, or something in between, masturbation doesn’t have to be a taboo topic. This straightforward, unapologetic illustrated guide to self-pleasure will teach you what you need to know to get to know your own body. This inclusive manual covers basic anatomy, techniques, mindsets, orgasms, troubleshooting, and a wide range of the tools and toys. There are sections on debunking myths, exploring your body for the first time, sex toys, tips from trans people for trans people, and a section on masturbating when you have a physical disability and a caretaker that’s written by disabled folks. You’ll also learn about the history of anti-masturbation stigma, some thought-provoking data, and how to teach your kids healthy attitudes toward masturbation. Perfect for the pent-up teens and adults of all ages alike! Overcome physical and emotional obstacles to discover the stress-relieving potential and joy of unpartnered sex.Includes writing and illustrations by Vic Liu, Nina Chausow, Alex Tait, Clare Edgeman, Leah Holmes, Sam Dusing, Patrick Wiedeman, Rebecca Bedell, Lafayette Matthews, Andrew Gurza, and Angus Andrews.

Not Over You (Sons of Cape Cod)


Jodi Payne - 2021
    Scott barely gave Falmouth a second thought once he was in California, but he’s never been able to get Jarlath completely out of his mind.Jarlath O’Connolly now owns his late father’s pub in Falmouth Heights. O’Connolly’s pub is part of the heartbeat of his hometown and its walls hold the memories of everything he’s ever loved. Everything except his best friend, Scott. Scott was easy to replace with a new bartender, but there was no replacing Scott in Jarlath’s heart.The summer is ending, there’s a hurricane in the forecast, and Scott’s finally come home, but Jarlath isn’t sure he’s ready for the reunion. A lot has changed, including Jarlath’s understanding of who Scott really was to him. Will they still find each other hard to get over once they’re face to face?

An Open Secret: The Family Story of Robert and John Gregg Allerton


Nicholas L. Syrett - 2021
    Virtually inseparable from then on, they began publicly referring to one another as father and son within a couple years of meeting. In 1960, after nearly four decades together, and with Robert Allerton nearing ninety, they embarked on a daringly nonconformist move: Allerton legally adopted the sixty-year-old Gregg as his son, the first such adoption of an adult in Illinois history.An Open Secret tells the striking story of these two iconoclasts, locating them among their queer contemporaries and exploring why becoming father and son made a surprising kind of sense for a twentieth-century couple who had every monetary advantage but one glaring problem: they wanted to be together publicly in a society that did not tolerate their love. Deftly exploring the nature of their design, domestic, and philanthropic projects, Nicholas L. Syrett illuminates how viewing the Allertons as both a same-sex couple and an adopted family is crucial to understanding their relationship’s profound queerness. By digging deep into the lives of two men who operated largely as ciphers in their own time, he opens up provocative new lanes to consider the diversity of kinship ties in modern US history.

How to Understand Your Sexuality: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are


Meg-John Barker - 2021
    Written by two internationally renowned authors and therapists, the book explains how sexuality works in terms of our identities, attractions, desires and practices, and explores how it intersects with our personal experiences and the world around us.With activities and reflection points throughout, it offers space to tune into yourself and think deeply about your own sexuality. You'll hear from people across the sexuality spectrum and in different relationship set-ups, and be inspired by the ideas of scholars, activists and practitioners. Sexuality is a vast and wonderful landscape - let this book guide you on your journey!