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Love+Sex

How the Overturn of Roe v. Wade Will Impact LGBTQIA+ Couples in the South

Posted on September 23, 2022
A photo of protests surrounding the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022. In doing so, the Supreme Court gave states the right to outlaw abortion. Several states, many of them in the South, have trigger laws, which state legislators have already approved, that went into effect immediately or almost immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A perhaps unforeseen result of the overturn is that the ruling may also make it more difficult for LGBTQIA+ couples in the South to adopt…

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A Surprise Love: My Queer Journey from Committed Singlehood to Marriage

Posted on February 26, 2021
A photo of queer love.

I hate surprises—always have, always will. I remember making the terrible mistake of asking for a surprise party in elementary school. One peaceful Sunday afternoon, I came home from church thinking about how much I was looking forward to a nap, and instead found a house full of people screaming “Happy Birthday!” I immediately turned around and burst into a fountain of tears. I wasn’t emotionally prepared, I had other plans set in my mind, and I wasn’t ready to…

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Let’s Talk About Sex: Navigating Conversations Around Pleasure in the Black Queer Community

Posted on February 14, 2021
A photo of queer pleasure.

Most people have memories of getting the talk. Yes, the talk about S-E-X. Now how this talk happened and what was included can differ greatly. Being Black, queer, and growing up in the Bible Belt, conversations about sex were the definition of “hush hush.” To learn about sex, you had to turn to your friends—which meant conversations were mostly heteronormative and filled with misinformation.…

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Quintessentially Queer: Helping My Ex Find Love

Posted on September 17, 2020
A photo of queer women.

Queer women are famous for staying friends for life. Our exes are often our besties, business partners, and extended family. While straight people debate if exes can ever stay friends, queer women have made it a cultural norm. I loved you once as my lover and forever as my friend—even if we aren’t a match for lifelong romantic entanglement, I still want to be around you because I enjoy and value our connection. It seems pretty simple in the dyke…

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Beyond the Visual: The Radical Feminism of Audio Erotica

Posted on July 21, 2020
A photo of audio erotica.

Porn can be divisive—and, often, whether you view the erotic subject as good, bad, or neutral depends largely on the lens and framework of your gaze. On one side is the camp that sees almost all porn, as long as it's between consenting adults, as fun and fine. On the other side are the folks who equalize all types of porn and generalize them all as bad. This latter group is an interesting mix of liberal feminists, violence prevention advocates,…

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Is Dating Actually Worth It?

Posted on April 9, 2020
A photo of the cons of dating.

Growing up, we’re all fed the same fairytale ending: We’ll find our person, they’ll offer us love and devotion, they’ll complete us, and together, we’ll settle into a life of fulfillment. From story books, to romantic comedies, to the arc of almost every book, romantic partnering is presented as the ideal. Surprise, things aren’t that easy.…

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No, Drug-Testing Gadgets Aren’t Solving Sexual Assault

Posted on March 19, 2020
A photo of a drink with sexual assault preventing tools.

Every few weeks, advertising for a new “date rape prevention” product pops up in my news feed—nail polish, coasters, and straws, all claiming to be able to detect rape-facilitating drugs in your drink and, therefore, to be effective tools in preventing sexual assault. The comments section is always lit up with remarks such as “What a great idea!,” or “So needed!” But few are willing to point out the many flaws with risk-prevention efforts like drug-testing tools and the negative…

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#TheKamahAndKelseyShow: Couple Kamah Asha Wilson and Kelsey Reynolds on Love Languages, Communication, and Finding Forever Love

Posted on March 3, 2020
A photo of couple Kamah Asha Wilson and Kelsey Reynolds.

While there are many cute LGBTQ couples in the world, not many can compare with #TheKamahAndKelseyShow. That hashtag has come to summarize the relationship of Kamah Asha Wilson and Kelsey Reynolds, two Houston transplants who found their forever love in one another. When I first met Wilson and Reynolds, I was still discovering myself and my identity, and seeing them thrive within the LGBTQ community as a couple both inspired me and gave me hope for my own romantic future.…

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