All of the photographs in this NSFW Sunday are courtesy of photographer Maggie West, from her forthcoming book 23, and have been used with permission. (Read more about Maggie West below.) The inclusion of a photograph here should not be interpreted as an assertion of the model’s gender identity or sexual orientation. If you’re a photographer or model and think your work would be a good fit for NSFW Sunday, please email carolyn at autostraddle dot com.
Welcome to NSFW Sunday!
+ Having sex can make you feel smug for up to two days, according to a new study:
“You probably don’t need science to tell you that sex can make you feel happy. A new study, however, suggests that the good vibes that hit you in the moment may continue long after you’ve caught your breath. Researchers at Florida State University found that a single romp can keep couples feeling sexually satisfied for up to 48 hours […]
Over the two-week period, subjects reported doing the deed an average of four days. Interestingly, Meltzer and her team found that having sex wasn’t only linked with sexual satisfaction on the day it went down, but that people felt gratified for a full 48 hours post-coitus. The effect was consistent even after accounting for age, gender, relationship length, sex frequency, and personality traits.”
+ How will you sext with the new emojis?
+ At Oh Joy Sex Toy, Erika Moen reviewed the Tiger.
+ Sometimes you end up with a relationship capsule wardrobe.
+ NPR says polyamory is having a cultural moment.
+ “It’s on all of us to intentionally create a healthy culture around sexuality and relationships,” writes Katie Klabusich in a review of American Hookup (also reviewed at Autostraddle) at the Establishment:
“Can sex — even casual sex — actually be devoid of meaning? And more importantly, should it be?
Wade invokes the feelings of hearing your morning alarm, having your first sips of coffee, and other moments categorized as mundane; if we can feel something smelling a flower or indulging in comfort food, why would a sexual encounter be immune to emotion? I have realized over time that I wasn’t defective for wanting even casual sexual encounters to have meaning — even if that meaning was “just” fun, release, and temporary connection.”
Pair with Alana Massey’s “Against Chill.”
+ The photos in this week’s NSFW Sunday are by Maggie West, a Los Angeles-based photographer who specializes in experimental lighting technique. All are from 23, West’s second photo book coming April 26, which features 23 cis and trans women and men, essays about contemporary sexulity from Gaby Dunn, Arisce Wanzer, Christopher Zeischegg and Darcie Wilder, and is an exploration of gender and sexuality. “I wanted to do a nude book that explored gender and sexuality in less binary way. While looking at a lot of existing nude books, I felt that many of the subjects in were being depicted in very stereotypical ways (very feminine women, extremely masculine men, etc.). With 23, I wanted to create a nude book that felt more contemporary and was inclusive to all gender and sexual identities,” she told Autostraddle. “I believe that sexuality exists on a spectrum and if you are making a book or photo series about sexuality, it seems kind of absurd not to include members of the LGBTQ community.”
And on what she hopes for the future of queer representation, West says:
“I hope in the future we see more representation of queer people in the media. So often when we see love or sex depicted in advertising or on television, it is done in such a heteronormative way. Going forward, I hope we see a more diverse portrayals of love, sex and gender.”
West’s first book, KISS, featured beautiful technicolor photos of queer and straight couples kissing. You might also recognize her portraits of LA-based artists, models, and musicians from Stand: A Benefit for Planned Parenthood. 23 launches April 26.
Find West on instagram, twitter, or at her website.
