Despite its bad reputation, gossip plays an important role in communicating and policing the social norms, morals, and values of a community. People are likely to be particularly attuned to gossip that helps solve recurrent adaptive challenges. Among women, sexual assault is a pervasive threat to reproductive choice that exacts serious costs on women’s reproductive fitness. Research has demonstrated

People with intellectual disability face a variety of epistemic injustices—systems of knowledge and educational inequality—related to their access to sex education and perceptions of their sexuality. Sex educators are in a position to address these injustices; however, they may not be fully aware of their own epistemic ethics. Furthermore, there is little theoretical understanding of how sex educators

High sexual quality and activity predict psychological well-being in heterosexual middle-aged and older adults; however, these associations have not been documented in sexual minorities, who have faced lifelong stigma concerning their sexuality. This paper presents data from two secondary studies that explored the benefits of being sexually active and satisfied and the role of internalized homonegativity

There is increasing interest in the interpersonal factors that shape the development of asexual individual’s sexual identity, including age, gender, and romantic orientation. In this study, we examined variability in timing and pacing of asexual identity development milestones, with a focus on the diversity present in the asexual population. Among a sample of 317 participants aged 18–59 from three

This study examined the association between self-identification as a sex worker (SW) and perceived access to pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic HIV prevention methods among MSM in France, Russia, and Türkiye amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, 17,250 MSM recruited through a geosocial networking smartphone application completed the COVID-19 disparities survey, which was administered between October

Male sexual functioning is a prerequisite for conception and consequently for reproduction and is thus a crucial mechanism from an evolutionary and social perspective. Previous studies reported better sexual functioning in coupled compared to single individuals. However, it is not clear whether sexual functioning increases or decreases with a short-term casual sexual strategy, which is another possibility

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals represent a population with a heavy burden of HIV. Multi-level stigma encountered by TGD individuals can create significant barriers to discussing topics related to HIV prevention; however, research on communication between TGD patients and primary care providers (PCPs) about HIV vulnerability and prevention remains limited. This study used in-depth

Sexual economic exchanges, including sex work and transactional sex, have been consistently associated with HIV acquisition among young women in sub-Saharan Africa. Heterogeneity in HIV vulnerability across overlapping types of sexual economic exchange has not been sufficiently explored, limiting appropriate and effective linkage to prevention interventions. From January 2017 to May 2018, cross-sectional

Labial hypertrophy, which lacks an accepted definition, is generally understood to refer to morphological and aesthetic characteristics of the labia believed to deviate from a perceived norm. Such ostensive deviation has the potential to affect many domains of a person’s well-being, as does its surgical treatment, labiaplasty. Nearly 24,000 labiaplasty procedures were performed in the United States

A dominant view among researchers is that boys’ sexual interactions with adult men are traumatizing. In contrast, many gay men recall childhood sexual experiences with adult males as positive. The current study tested for both of these outcomes by examining recalled boyhood sexual experiences of older gay men. Interviews were conducted in the 1970–1980s, and thus, before the public view became popular

Problematic pornography use (PPU) shares characteristics with behavioral addictions, such as gambling disorder (GD), and PPU and GD may frequently co-occur. In order to fill existing gaps in screening instruments for PPU validated in GD, the study examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) within a clinical sample of individuals with GD. A total

When people raise concerns about pornography, they most often are focused on whether pornography increases violence toward women and/or whether it degrades women. While a substantial amount of cross-cultural data suggests that there is no direct link between adult consumption and violence, the question of whether pornography is inherently degrading to women lacks clear answers. As does the question

Sexual violence is a public health threat in the USA and past research has found that survivors who seek support and disclose their experiences tend to have greater positive outcomes, such as positive life changes, reduced post-traumatic stress disorder, and fewer depressive symptoms. While social media have become an important site of disclosure, over-moderation of sex and sexuality on social media

High rates of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy continue to plague young adults in the USA with low condom use a contributing factor. To better understand condom acquisition, errors, and breakage among US cisgender college students, a survey was conducted across six structurally diverse institutions of higher education in 2019–2020 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students who

Recent evidence shows that consensual anal penetrative intercourse has become more prevalent, not only limited to gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men but also for women who are in a sexual relationship with men. The aim of this review was to study the influence of consensual anal intercourse on pelvic floor function and the role of pelvic floor physical therapy treatment in preventing

In the present study, relations between same-sex sexual behavior (SSB), age-class, and coalitional behavior in male rhesus macaques were examined in a re-analysis of data first analyzed and reported by Clive et al. (2023). Age-class as a focal variable was indicated in an extensive literature review, which showed that male non-adult (juvenile, adolescent) participation in SSB is extensive in this and

This study examined associations between sexualized media consumption, sexual double standard (SDS) norms, and sexual coercion perpetration and victimization in late adolescence and whether these associations were moderated by gender. Participants were sexually active Dutch secondary school students aged 16–20 years (N = 255, 58.4% girls). Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire at a

Sexting is associated with a range of negative outcomes among youth. While parents and caregivers can play a critical role in the prevention of youth risk behaviors, nationally representative research has yet to examine U.S. caregivers’ perceptions of youth’s sexting motivations to help inform sexting risk prevention efforts. Using 2018 and 2019 Fall ConsumerStyles online panel survey data (N = 1,034)

A great deal of research has linked aspects of couples’ sex lives to the quality of their relationships. Yet most of this work is with younger couples. Although sexual frequency is associated with positive marital quality, less is known regarding how sexual expression—sexual attitudes, desires, and behaviors—influences later positive and negative marital quality, particularly in older couples. Using

In recent years, an increasing number of ultra-Orthodox Jews have left their insular communities, choosing instead to lead a secular life. This article illuminates their perceptions and experiences related to sexuality, sexual behavior, and sexual health. Based on thematic analysis of 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ultra-Orthodox disaffiliates, we found that sexual experiences have played

Low sexual desire in women partnered with men has been the subject of controversy and research over the past decades, including both as construct and diagnosis. Despite discussion surrounding the causes of low desire, there is a gap in research about how women themselves understand the causes of their low desire and the potential consequences of these causal attributions. In the current study, we investigated

Substance use is a significant risk factor for HIV infection among adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM). Substance use may reduce the use of HIV prevention measures or increase the likelihood of engaging in activities with a higher risk of HIV transmission, but there is a lack of studies dedicated to analyzing these mechanisms in adolescents and young MSM. This study aimed to explore the impact

Cognitive models of sexual dysfunction situate distraction as a core mechanism underlying difficulties with sexual function. It follows that individuals who have difficulties with inattention and distractibility (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ADHD) may be at increased risk of problems with their sexual function, though previous research is mixed, and no research has examined links