Sex | WUNC

An antique illustration of three men with facial hair out of the 1800s. The man on the left is sitting in a chair, holding a box in his lap and turning a crank on the box's side. On the righthand side of the illustration, one man is sitting in a fabric chair, leaning back with his eyes closed and his feet resting on a table in front of him with his knees bent at a 90 degree angle. The third man is holding a metal tube on the seated man's abdomen. The metal tube is connected by a wire to the box that the man on the left is cranking.

Unpacking the past and discovering the future of vibrators

Kaia Findlay

Vibrators have been around since the 19th century. Before they were marketed primarily as sex toys, they were sold as general health devices … and now they’ve become a tool for sexual health research.

An illustration featuring the word "Stimulated" in the center surrounded by different kinds and colors of vibrators. There is an orange dot pattern around the edges of the illustration.

Stimulated: How Vibrators Became America's Favorite Sex Toy (Revisited)

Kaia Findlay

True or false? Victorian doctors invented the vibrator to cure women's "hysteria" by bringing them to sexual climax. The answer may surprise you ... as it did Anita! She gets the truth about vibrator history from journalist Hallie Lieberman and meets Anna Lee, the engineer behind the first-ever “smart” vibrator that can help you better understand your arousal patterns.

An illustration of two people in bed. The person on the left has light skin, more feminine features, no hair and bits of metal and wires showing, suggesting a robot. That person is sitting up in bed reading a book with rockets and space ships on the cover. The person on the right has skin that is a little darker, short dark hair and more masculine features. That person is lying down on their side turned toward the robot with their arm over the robot.

[Simulated Part Two] In bed with machines: a real-life and sci-fi exploration of sex robots

Gabriela Glueck

Sex robots have been a sci-fi staple since the genre’s birth. Now that more advancements in technology are bringing early generation bots to life, how will they impact our human to human relationships?

An illustration of two people sitting face-to-face on a purple carpet from the elbows down. One person is sitting with their legs crossed inside of the other person's legs around them, and they are holding hands.

What Surrogate Partner Therapy Is And Is Not, Directly From The Experts

Paige Perez

In surrogate partner therapy, a therapist, a surrogate partner and a client work together to understand and help resolve the client’s challenges with physical and emotional intimacy. What helps provide a safe space for clients to explore their sexuality?

Guided: Practicing Intimacy & Sex With A Surrogate

Paige Perez

Anita first learned about surrogate partner therapy from the 2012 movie "The Sessions," and her curiosity was piqued. It's a widely misunderstood and stigmatized type of therapy work in which touch is a mechanism for healing. Two surrogate partners take her inside the day-to-day of their jobs, and a certified sex therapist shares why she hopes others in her industry will be more welcoming to the practice.

An illustration featuring four people who are participating in the BDSM lifestyle. The person on the very left has light brown skin and a brown afro and is wearing a fishnet top with long sleeves over a purple tank top. They have leather straps around the upper half of their body and are wearing a leather cuff around their neck with a leash attached. Next to them is a person with darker brown skin with a larger black afro, wearing sunglasses and a fishnet tank top over a purple bra, with leather straps and chains on it. They're smiling and wearing a leather cuff necklace. On the right is a person wearing a leather mask that covers all of their face except for their eyes with pointy ears on top. They're wearing a black tank top and a leather collar around their neck with a leash attached. In the background is a masculine-presenting person wearing a black driving cap and sunglasses with some leather straps on the upper half of their body.

What BDSM Can Teach Us About Community, Safety and Consent

Kaia Findlay

It’s time to put down “Fifty Shades of Grey” … and learn about BDSM that’s rooted in community, healing and self-exploration.

Dominated: Getting Kinky With BDSM

Kaia Findlay

Anita discovers just how wrong “Fifty Shades of Grey” was about BDSM. A dominatrix and community leader introduce her to kink spaces rooted in community and healing. Plus, a scholar talks about the long history behind our understanding of masochism.

Hooked Up: The Myth Of Sex With No Strings Attached (Revisited)

Anita Rao

Anita is confused about hook up culture. Is it a thing, and if so, who makes the rules? She talks to a recent college grad about her research on the sex lives of her peers, plus a therapist who shares her take on why it doesn't feel as liberating as we think it should. Then she dives into Celibacy TikTok — a space where Gen Zers are committing to being sex-free.

An illustration featuring several different phones floating on a multicolor background. Out of one phone screen is a giant eggplant emoji. Out of another is a peach emoji. And out of a third is a femme-presenting person in a larger body in a bikini top from the waist up, taking a picture of herself on her phone.

The Art of Safer Sexting with Confidence and Consent

Paige Perez

Sexting is the sharing of sexual images or messages digitally. Though people of all ages sext, society is hyperfixated on women and girls. In the age of data privacy, how can people sext safely and in ways that empower their sexuality?

Sexted: Authoring Your Own Erotica

Paige Perez

Anita is a bashful sexter, and she's ready to get over her insecurities. A pleasure enthusiast advises her on the art of a good sext; a sexting expert traces the short and spicy history of sexting in this country; and a high schooler breaks down the relationship between sexting and consent.