ColumnSex and love made the headlines again and again in 2013 (as they do most years), but this one was a little different – leading me to believe that we’re finally getting somewhere with that whole Sexual Revolution thing. This installment of Sexual Healing looks at some of the (good, bad, and ugly) stories that gripped us, in no particular order:
- Eight states approved marriage equality, DOMA was struck down, and the Prez said “our gay brothers and sisters” in his inaugural address, leading Fred Sainz of the Human Rights Campaign to call 2013 “the gayest year in gay history”.
- Miley got slut-shamed for twerking at the VMA’s; “slut-shaming” grew into a meme, leading it to become a far less useful term; no one realized that twerking was appropriated from the transgender club scene of New Orleans.
- A brutal gang rape in India led to a global uprising against misogyny.
- But then India turned back the clock with a gay sex ban.
- “Masters of Sex.” MASTERS OF SEX. If you’re not watching yet, go stream some Showtime posthaste.
- “Reign” cut out a scene depicting female masturbation because it was too scandalous.
- Daniel Bergner’s “What Do Women Want? Adventures in the Science of Female Desire” opened our eyes. About time!
- Naomi Wolf’s “Vagina” came out in paperback, with an apologia/explanation to the feminists that called out the first edition for being essentialist and heteronormative.
- MakeLoveNotPorn launched.
- Adult Magazine launched.
- Tindr made hookups easier.
- “Blue is the Warmest Color” and “Lovelace” brought lesbian sex and blowjobs to the big screen.
- Anthony Weiner (sorry).
- What we believed was settled law turned out not to be, with Roe v. Wade at risk. Shutting down of abortion clinics. Frightening setbacks in reproductive rights. Personhood laws.
- We began having a dialogue about sex workers as something more than just victims.
- The Child-free movement was on the cover of Time Magazine.
But enough about the world, what about YOU? Did you have a pleasurable year in sex? Did you explore, smash your own hang-ups, develop your communication skills? Did you experiment? Did you learn to love your own body? Did you fantasize enough? Did you have an orgasm a day?
If not, you best get to work on your Sexual Resolution list for 2014. Don’t let another year go to waste.
Got a question for Stefanie? Email stefanie at ecosalon dot com and she’ll answer it in the next Sexual Healing column.
Keep in touch with Stefanie on Twitter: @ecosexuality
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