The Book on Sex
Articles
Topics
Books
About
The Library
The library
All articles
Fifty pieces of writing, organized into ten topics. Read in any order.
Anatomy & Body
Topic page →
A Plain-Language Guide to Sexual Anatomy
6 min
The Clitoris, Fully Explained
5 min
How Erections Actually Work
4 min
What an Orgasm Actually Is
5 min
The Refractory Period, Explained
3 min
Pelvic Floor Health for Everyone
4 min
Health & Safety
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STIs: What You Need to Know
6 min
How to Use a Condom (Properly)
4 min
A Plain Guide to Birth Control Options
7 min
PrEP and PEP: HIV Prevention Tools
4 min
HPV: What It Is and Why the Vaccine Matters
4 min
Genital Hygiene, Without the Marketing
4 min
Yeast Infections and BV: Common, Not Catastrophic
3 min
Communication
Topic page →
How to Talk About Sex With a Partner
6 min
How to Ask for What You Want in Bed
4 min
Dirty Talk for People Who Find It Awkward
3 min
Aftercare Is Not Just for Kink
3 min
Consent
Topic page →
Consent: The Working Definition
5 min
Consent and Alcohol
4 min
Consent Inside a Long-Term Relationship
4 min
Relationships
Topic page →
What Makes a Good Sexual Partner
4 min
When Two Partners Want Sex Different Amounts
7 min
Spontaneous vs. Responsive Desire
5 min
Sex After Kids
5 min
Keeping Sex Alive in a Long-Term Relationship
6 min
Sex After a Breakup
4 min
Pleasure
Topic page →
The Arousal Process, Step by Step
5 min
The Word 'Foreplay' Is Misleading
4 min
Oral Sex, Done Thoughtfully
5 min
Masturbation, Without the Awkwardness
3 min
Lubricant: Why Almost Everyone Should Use It
3 min
Sex Toys: A Beginner's Guide
4 min
Kink, for the Curious
6 min
Identity & Orientation
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Sex Education That Includes Everyone
4 min
Sexual Orientation: A Working Vocabulary
4 min
Gender Identity, Briefly
4 min
Asexuality: A Real Orientation
4 min
Polyamory and Ethical Non-Monogamy
5 min
Reproductive Health
Topic page →
How Fertility Actually Works
5 min
If You're Trying to Conceive
5 min
Sex During Pregnancy
4 min
Sex After Birth
5 min
Sex Through Menopause
5 min
Sex in the Later Decades
4 min
Mental & Emotional
Topic page →
Sex and Anxiety
5 min
Body Image in the Bedroom
5 min
Sex After Trauma
5 min
Medications That Affect Sex
4 min
Porn Literacy for Adults
5 min
Myths & Misconceptions
Topic page →
Ten Sex Myths That Refuse to Die
6 min