Love + Sex Archives

af+

How to Find Local Kink Community and Also How to Hire a Sex Worker

“There’re contingencies of queer freaks everywhere, sometimes it just takes a little more effort.”

Vanessa

Sep 22, 2022

a close up of a butt wearing lacey underwear and hands holding a leather strap

sex

Things I Do To Feel Submissive Even Though My Partner Isn’t Super Dominant

There’s room for ‘incompatibilities’ if we find mutually supportive ways to manage them.

Summer Tao —

Jan 4, 2024

you need help

someone writing BYE XX in lipstick on a mirror

breakups

You Need Help: I’m Not Sure I Want To Be Friends With My Ex

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to lean into your gut feeling.

Em Win —

Jan 2, 2024

two women leaning in toward each other supportively

dating

How To Support a Sex Partner With an Eating Disorder

I now have three years of recovery and a wonderful girlfriend by my side. I think I’m ready to talk about ways we can support our partners who have eating…

Summer Tao —

Dec 28, 2023

trans lesbian sex

condoms, lube, soap, wipes, and an arm holding out a canvas bag

sex

I’m a Trans Woman, and This Is What’s in My Sex Bag

I have the profound misfortune of being a germaphobe who is very into anal sex.

Summer Tao —

Dec 26, 2023

dogs

you need help

dating

You Need Help: Wanting To Move In Together but Unsure About Sharing Bed With Dog

“My girlfriend has a super sweet lab mix who I love dearly, but I’m very new to the concept of sleeping with a dog in the bed. I thought they…

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya —

Dec 19, 2023

Untethered

breakups

Untethered: Ghosts of Friendships Past

I’m, famously, not a stranger to mixing ghosts and all things horror in with the holidays.

Nico —

Dec 14, 2023

divorce

Three illustrations of a Black woman with short hair and earrings, behind a sheet of broken glass.

first person

The Unexpected Loneliness of Getting Divorced

I wondered if my friends were afraid that the honesty it takes to face that a relationship needs to end might be contagious. If they stood too close to me,…

Jálynn Castleman —

Dec 14, 2023

#affiliatemarketing

two women at a holiday market on a date having hot cocoa

holigays

10 Budget Friendly Holigay Dates

We can’t all vacation to a ski chalet to drink hot cocoa and enter their gingerbread house contest for a weekend! Here are some cheaper alternatives to capture some romantic…

Em Win —

Dec 13, 2023

Featured Archive

SURPRISE ME WITH AN ARCHIVE ARTICLE

featured

Roundtables

Is it Okay To Write an Apology Letter To an Ex? 10 Queers Weigh In

The concept of the Breakup Apology Letter is a controversial one! Where do you land?

the team

a person putting together a letter for an ex

breakups

featured

Roundtables

What’s a Normal Human Behavior That Gives You the Ick?

Listen, did we have a little TOO MUCH FUN ranting about our various icks? Maybe so. And now you can have some fun with us, too, delving into the various…

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya —

Jun 28, 2025

featured

fullscreen

Working Girls: Luxury Escort Charlie Levine on the Rise of Women Clients In Sex Work

“Women are so socialized — successfully or not — to be objects of desire, not subjects of desire, on a sexual marketplace.”

Riese —

May 15, 2025

featured

Our Sex/Life

The Mid-30s Divorcées Who Once Built a Sex Throne

From the friend zone to the throne room, a tale as old as time.

Sex/Life —

May 13, 2025

featured

polyamory

12 Queers on Where We Fall on the Polyamory/Monogamy Scale

Monogamy and polyamory exist on a spectrum and often aren’t fixed black-and-white categories.

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya —

May 10, 2025

SURPRISE ME WITH AN ARCHIVE ARTICLE

Become a Member

Become a Member to support queer journalism

What You Get:

EXCLUSIVE AF+ CONTENT

AD-FREE READING EXPERIENCE

PRINT MAGAZINE DELIVERED QUARTERLY

LEARN MORE

Become a Member

Become a Member to support queer journalism

EXCLUSIVE AF+ CONTENT

AD-FREE READING EXPERIENCE

PRINT MAGAZINE DELIVERED QUARTERLY

LEARN MORE

Don’t want to see ads? Join AF+

Account

About Autostraddle

Love + Sex

af+

How to Find Local Kink Community and Also How to Hire a Sex Worker

Things I Do To Feel Submissive Even Though My Partner Isn’t Super Dominant

You Need Help: I’m Not Sure I Want To Be Friends With My Ex

How To Support a Sex Partner With an Eating Disorder

I’m a Trans Woman, and This Is What’s in My Sex Bag

You Need Help: Wanting To Move In Together but Unsure About Sharing Bed With Dog

Untethered: Ghosts of Friendships Past

The Unexpected Loneliness of Getting Divorced

10 Budget Friendly Holigay Dates

Featured Archive

Is it Okay To Write an Apology Letter To an Ex? 10 Queers Weigh In

What’s a Normal Human Behavior That Gives You the Ick?

Working Girls: Luxury Escort Charlie Levine on the Rise of Women Clients In Sex Work

The Mid-30s Divorcées Who Once Built a Sex Throne

12 Queers on Where We Fall on the Polyamory/Monogamy Scale

Become a Member

What You Get:

Become a Member

Account Account

Love + Sex

af+

How to Find Local Kink Community and Also How to Hire a Sex Worker

Join Our Newsletter

Join Our Newsletter

Featured Archive

Is it Okay To Write an Apology Letter To an Ex? 10 Queers Weigh In

What’s a Normal Human Behavior That Gives You the Ick?

Working Girls: Luxury Escort Charlie Levine on the Rise of Women Clients In Sex Work

The Mid-30s Divorcées Who Once Built a Sex Throne

12 Queers on Where We Fall on the Polyamory/Monogamy Scale

Become a Member

What You Get:

Become a Member

Account