Sex – The Orbital

7Jan

By Emma HollyNo Comments

Opinion

No, I Haven’t Finished Yet

You didn’t orgasm, and now they’re rolling away from you. Their chest is heaving, and you aren’t all that out of breath. You get that sinking feeling that you’re done now. There’s a stickiness in between your legs and a heaviness in your chest, and you can’t articulate that deep discomfort you’re feeling. Maybe you did. Maybe it was the best sex of your life, but they’re already getting up and heading to the bathroom without you. It makes sense; they’re cleaning themselves up, but you feel rejected. Instead, you hug your legs to your chest and call yourself over-sensitive. Sex is a three-part story: the build-up, the act, and the aftermath. We know how the build-up goes; a coy dance that ends in people deciding that this, this is good. Sex itself, the climax of this performance. It’...

Sexuality, Movember, and Spiking in Sports

1Feb

By Lee MillerNo Comments

Features, Sports & Socs

Sexuality, Movember, and Spiking in Sports

Photo by Jeffrey F Lin via Unsplash I interviewed three anonymous members of sports societies to determine their stances on sexuality in sport, Movember and spiking in a bid to see how sports can tie these topics together. Sports have a huge voice to be heard, especially when the topics at hand require vocal stances. Speaking openly on such is the first step to provide an increased awareness, with the conclusive aim to positively affect these subject matters. Sexuality in sport On the 27th of October, Josh Cavallo marked a significant breakthrough for gay footballers, powerfully coming out as gay. He became the first footballer in a top flight division to do so. This raised awareness of the LGBT+ side of football; for many years light has not shone amongst this side o...

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! Top tips for a comfortable uni experience

31Jan

By Jessica WattsNo Comments

Lifestyle

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! Top tips for a comfortable uni experience

For many, this article might seem like a toe-curling embarrassment to read. The title alone might have been enough to bring a flush to your cheeks or you might feel the need to slam this page closed to protect yourself from the prudish judgement of nosey passers-by. Whatever it got you thinking is absolutely fine, but sex is everywhere, whether you choose to partake or not. At uni, sex is such a hot topic, to the point where it may feel as though ‘everyone and their nan’ is ‘doing it’, but don’t forget that not everybody has sex, not everybody wants sex, and not everyone is ready for sex at the exact same time. We’re all humans, figuring it out as we go along. Virgin or sex-veteran, it doesn’t matter; what matters is how comfortable you feel in yourself and around other people. If you ...

31Jan

By Madelaine GrayNo Comments

News, Opinion

A Litany of Insults

Why women never seem to win in the world of casual sex. Modern society has undeniably done a lot for the rights of the ‘fairer sex’. The right to vote, first and foremost. The right to own property. The right to open a bank account, to work outside the home, to enter any career we may choose. And of course, the sexual revolution went some way to reducing stigma around premarital sex, decentring the myth of virginal purity. With that came the right to choose – in the form of access to birth control, as well as freedom to terminate unwanted (or unviable) pregnancies. Despite all of this, it is clear to many that in contemporary sexual culture, the odds are still strictly not in our favour. There is a litany of insults directed at women, and the way they choose to navigate the world...

31Jan

By Max FlemingNo Comments

News, Opinion

Are Bisexual People Greedy?

Max Fleming on why we need to consider love as a spectrum. The Bisexual community is often misunderstood by those in the LGBTQIA+ community and heterosexual folk alike. The spectrum of love that Bisexuals feel isn’t often brought to the attention of others and so hides in plain sight, perpetuating loneliness and isolation. The simple answer to the question ‘Are Bisexuals Greedy?’ is no. We are not greedy; we are not disloyal. We are not recognised for who we are. The easiest way to describe the feeling of being Bisexual is to liken it to a spectrum. On one side, you have an interest in one sex, and an interest in another sex on the other side. For example, some Bisexual men might lean towards other men. This does not mean that they are ‘gayer’. They simply have a preference ...

31Jan

By Elena-Teodora ChiujdeaNo Comments

News, Opinion

The Taboo of Virginity

University through the Eyes of a Virgin Over the years, a stigma has been attached to virginity. Whilst the 1960s praised the idea of innocence and purity, particularly amongst women, we now feed off sexual empowerment and diversity. Yet, we still live with this irrational thought: ‘I must be the only virgin on campus’. Not true. We are the generation that is having less and less sex; 18.9% of 18 to 24-year-olds were sexually inactive in the early 2000s whilst in 2018 it was reported that 30% of students and young adults were not having sex. So, isn’t virginity amongst students more normal than abnormal? Why are we avoiding sex like the plague when we are such a sexually aware generation? The logical answer might be the Covid-19 pandemic that forced students to live at home l...

31Jan

By Cecilia Munoz FernandezNo Comments

News, Opinion

The Journey to Self Love

Surely we have all heard the myth about how you can’t love somebody else if you don’t love yourself. As much as self-love is something everyone needs to work on, healthy relationships can actually become a solid foundation for your journey towards self-love. When in a romantic relationship where there is good communication, genuine friendship and companionship, intimacy, sex and affection can become a source of confidence and reassurance. When it comes to sex or intimacy a majority of people find it hard to be naked in front of their partners, it is very common to feel uncomfortable with nakedness for a variety of reasons (like traumatic experiences, purity culture, beauty standards and body dysmorphia) that usually come in hand in hand. Healing your relationship with your body a...

31Jan

By Jessica CopelandNo Comments

Science & Technology

Sex on the Brain

Sex is one of those topics that has a presence in so many aspects of our society – talked about on chat shows and in magazines; joked about at comedy nights and, if you’ve had the pleasure of the British education system, briefly and uncomfortably taught to you. But beyond the physical act, how many people actually understand what’s happening to their body - and their mind - during sex? Our biological desire to have sex is driven by chemical changes; in men the primary influence comes from the somewhat synonymous testosterone, while in women things are a little more complicated. Before Sex Before sex the limbic system in the brain activates. This is the region responsible for physical drives and some aspects of emotional processing, such as innate emotions like fear and aggressio...

21Mar

By Chloe HillNo Comments

Lifestyle

Let’s get it on

Seeing as February is the month of Valentine’s Day, we thought it would be rude not to discuss sex in all of its glory. From opinions on BDSM, to tips for spicing up a long-distance relationship, find out four people’s ultimate desires in the bedroom. Introducing: Bi-Babe Describes sex life as: “fulfilling, romantic and exciting” First time: I was 15, he was 19. Lasted about 3 minutes. Wasn’t a big deal. Little Miss Curious Describes sex life as: “up for experimentation” First time: a complete mess. No one knew what they were doing. 100% would not recommend. Luscious Lesbian Describes sex life as a “sensual, romantic, emotional and passionate experience” First time: In a club bathroom toilet, in Thailand. Daddy Lover Describes sex life as: ‘slutty by straight stand...

9Jan

By Holly FeenyNo Comments

Lifestyle

Please, Just Use a Condom

Fertility app Natural Cycles is described on its website as “an effective, natural method of contraception.” It is essentially a smartphone app, for which users pay £5.99 monthly or £39.99 annually to access, along with their own oral basal thermometer. The user takes their temperature every morning and inputs the reading into the app. Along with information about the individual’s menstrual cycle, it decrees whether that day is ‘green’ (i.e. you are presumed not to be fertile, and are safe to have unprotected sex) or ‘red’ (i.e. you are presumed to be fertile, and should either abstain from sex or use additional protection). It is marketed both to help those who want to get pregnant soon, and those who wish to prevent pregnancy. The main issue with this app’s method is its reliance on tem...