Special Coverage: Sex and Relationships

Honeytrap Lies and Women Spies

Rosie White, American Sexuality Magazine. November 21, 2008.
Female spies have been the subject of cultural fascination since Mata Hari, but the realities they face are quite different from fiction.

From the blogs

Maddow Fails to Question Huckabee On His Recent Anti-Gay Statements. Update: Maddow Responds

by Ali Frick, Think Progress

When contacted by ThinkProgress, Rachel Maddow explained her reasons for avoiding the subject of gay rights with Huckabee.

Update on H8: Supreme Court to Hear Challenges

by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

The court will also determine whether the 18,000 marriages between same-sex couples will be rendered null by Prop 8.

Lavender Flu Strikes: 'I Can’t Come Into Work Today, I Feel Really Gay …'

by Lisa Derrick, Firedoglake

National Day Without a Gay has been called for December 10, International Human Right Day.

Yes on 8 Spending Forces Layoffs at Focus on the Family

by Lisa Derrick, Firedoglake

James Dobson's Focus on the Family is poised to announce major layoffs.

Wanda Sykes Rallies Against H8: 'I'm Proud to Be Gay'

by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

From the Las Vegas Prop 8 protest.

Thousands Rally Nationwide for Marriage Equality

by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress

LGBT rights advocates, organized by Join the Impact, turned out in eight countries, 50 states, and 300 cities in support of marriage equality

Former G&R Guitarist Slash Shreds in Support of Gay Marriage

by Lisa Derrick, Firedoglake

Guitarist Slash and his wife Perla Ferrar send out this message in support of marriage rights.

Proposition 8 and the Linguistic Fight Against Intolerance

by Beau Friedlander, Air America Media

The passage of the bigoted same-sex marriage act in California revealed the "No on Prop 8" campaign's need for better framing.

El Coyote: An LA Restaurant Gets Negative Attention Because of Prop 8

by Lisa Derrick, Firedoglake

Mormon manager's faith overrides "love" for customers and workers.

A Sexual Rights Agenda

by Marty Klein, Sexual Intelligence

Here's what Obama should do to protect sexual rights.

Don't Take Relationship Advice From Facebook

Amelia, The Frisky. November 20, 2008.
According to the Facebook ads surrounding my profile, I'm in dire need of a relationship and a diet. My male friends get no such advice.

Why Prop 8 Passed in California: The Myth of the Black/Gay Divide

Sherry Wolf, CounterPunch. November 18, 2008.
Institutionalized homophobia in American society is definitely a white monopoly.

Why Sarah Palin Fired up the Public's Sexual Imagination

Susannah Breslin, The Frisky. November 14, 2008.
From her hairstyle to her politics, America remains obsessed with the female politician who seemingly came out of nowhere.

The Thrill of the Bar Hook-Up

Josey Vogels, My Messy Bedroom. November 13, 2008.
What exactly do people get out of cruising for inebriated strangers in bars?

Does Overexposure to Sex Make Us Jaded?

Greta Christina, Greta Christina's Blog. November 13, 2008.
No. It rids us of our puritanical discomfort with healthy expressions of sexuality.

What Obama Should Do About Sex Ed

William Smith, RH Reality Check. November 12, 2008.
Obama has the chance to help empower young people to make responsible, smart decisions about sex.

Election Results Are Bittersweet for Gays

Deb Price, AlterNet. November 11, 2008.
In a reminder that time always sides with those fighting for equality, a majority of young people voted against the gay marriage ban in California.

Sex Parties Helped Me Overcome My Intimacy Issues

Stephanie Auteri, The Frisky. November 7, 2008.
Lately my libido levels had been low and intimacy with my husband was suffering. Was I really about to masturbate in public?

Why the Prop 8 Gay Marriage Ban Won

Richard Kim, The Nation. November 6, 2008.
The Christian right outmaneuvered gay rights activists when it came to reaching out to California's huge minority populations.

Gay Marriage Ban Looks to Have Passed in California, but Is It Legal?

Karen Ocamb, AlterNet. November 6, 2008.
Lawyers and marriage equality proponents are calling Proposition 8 illegal, and they may have good legal ground to stand on.

How Prop. 8 Could Dismantle My Marriage

Thanh Ngo, New America Media. November 5, 2008.
The passage of Prop 8 means my partner Andrew and I will be legal strangers once again. He will no longer be my husband.

Surprising Last Minute Religious Rallies for Both Sides of CA's Proposition 8

Karen Ocamb, AlterNet. November 3, 2008.
The final push both for and against California's proposition 8 to terminate marriage rights for gay couples was made by various religious groups.

Census Ignores Same-Sex Couples

Deb Price, AlterNet. November 3, 2008.
Lawmakers need data that tell truthful stories about America's diverse households -- yet another reason DOMA needs to get wheeled to the curb.

Marriage Equality Hangs in the Balance: Prop. 8 in a Dead Heat

Karen Ocamb, AlterNet. November 1, 2008.
This weekend's call to action from religious leaders to prevent the "destruction of Western civilization" could help push equality foes to victory.

Why African Americans Should Oppose California's Proposition 8

Sikivu Hutchinson, AlterNet. October 31, 2008.
Voting for Prop 8 is a betrayal of civil rights principles and a hypocritical denial of some of the real crises that imperil black families.

How the Economy Is Affecting Your Sex Life

Vanessa Richmond, The Tyee. October 30, 2008.
Softening up, going down, losing firmness -- it seems sex and the economy have more in common than language.

Proposition K: Changing the Landscape for Sex Workers

Sienna Baskin, Melissa Ditmore, RH Reality Check. October 29, 2008.
The passage of San Francisco's Proposition K would be a critical first step toward reducing sex workers' vulnerability to violence.

Why Straight People Need to Get into the Fight for Marriage Equality

Joshua Holland, AlterNet. October 28, 2008.
Pragmatism doesn't mean leaving your core principles at the door.

The Great Porn Misunderstanding: Pornography Is Mostly About Fantasy, Not Reality

Michael Bader, AlterNet. October 28, 2008.
A response to Robert Jensen's recent AlterNet article, "Porn's Dirty, Dangerous Secret."

Northeast States Take the Lead in the Battle for Gay Rights

Deb Price, AlterNet. October 27, 2008.
Connecticut just legalized same-sex marriage. The next marriage-celebration fireworks will likely be set off in New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

Sarah Palin on Sex Ed

Emily Douglas, RH Reality Check. October 24, 2008.
The Alaska Governor seemingly reverses her stance on sex education.

Caveman Sex: How Evolutionary Psych Pushes Sexist Stereotypes

Martha McCaughey, American Sexuality Magazine. October 24, 2008.
The watered-down evolutionary psychology prevalent in pop culture enables some men to rationalize sexist double standards about relationships.

Why Relationship Sex Is Boring

Esther Perel, Huffington Post. October 22, 2008.
The very things that nurture love -- comfort, stability, safety -- can extinguish sexual desire.

The Mormon Church Is Leading the Fight Against Gay Marriage in California

Ray Ring, High Country News. October 22, 2008.
California's Prop. 8 has exploded into an expensive, extensive battle between religious conservatives and gay rights advocates.

Porn's Dirty, Dangerous Secret

Robert Jensen, Last Exit. October 21, 2008.
There are a finite number of ways that human bodies can fit together. So pornmakers resort to sexualizing degradation to stay "cutting edge."

Obama vs. McCain: Progressive Voter Guide to Sex and Relationship Issues

AlterNet. October 17, 2008.
A guide to how Obama and McCain compare on gay marriage, LGBT adoption and sex education.

What's It Like Being a Sex Writer?

The Frisky. October 17, 2008.
Sex writer Lux Alptraum talks about why sex -- and writing about it -- will never be boring.

Sex Economy Goes Limp

JoAnn Wypijewski, The Nation. October 17, 2008.
Lesson from the crash: for the rich, happiness used to be an expensive erection away. Now, everybody's fucked.

"Do-Me" Feminism and the Rise of Raunch

Andi Zeilser, Seal Press. October 16, 2008.
Promoting pleasure for women has been difficult, thanks to a pop culture view of female sexuality riddled with moralism and classic double standards.

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CSC

The Center for Sex & Culture promotes sex education, advocacy and research, helping advance progressive perspectives on sexuality. The center offers classes and workshops on sexual issues.

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The Center for Positive Sexuality (CPS) arms teens with the information they need to take care of their sexual health. CPS also aims to facilitate dialogue on condom availability and sex education in schools.

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The Prostitutes' Education Network (PEN) is an information service about legislative and cultural issues that impact prostitutes and other sex workers. PEN is a valuable resource for sex workers and activists/educators who study issues of decriminalization, human rights in the context of prostitution, and violence against prostitutes.