The best sex and relationship stories of 2023
It’s been a big year for sex, from relationship hard launches to the “whoring twenties” and inflationships. Not to mention break-up sex and erotic hypnosis. Do we have your attention? Go on, you know you want to…
Erotic hypnosis: “It’s just tying someone up without rope”
Ever heard of it? Neither had we, until writer Brit Dawson delved into the mysterious, sometimes murky world of erotic hypnosis. It is, apparently, a fairly niche and satisfying way to intensify sexual experiences in a BDSM context (when done safely and, of course, consensually).
Read more here.
What your favourite sex position says about you
We'd call this one doggy x missionary – kinky but also intimate
Shy and uncertain on dates, but self-assured and experimental in bed? Into hyper-specific positions? Or is it good old missionary all the way? Sex educator and intimacy expert Gigi Engle tells us why and how people’s sexual style can hint at their true personality, whichever category they might fall into.
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Dating a terrible texter? Here’s how to handle it
We’ve all been there – either on the receiving end of terrible texting, or as an offender. Either way, waiting a little too long to text back is a well-known relationship power play that can induce genuine anxiety. Whether you should change your ways or simply sack that person off is a delicate balancing act. Brit Dawson advises.
Read more here.
Why break-up sex is so good
Just look at these two for goodness' sake
It’s no secret that sex with an ex can be really fun and really hot, especially when you kind of hate each other. And even though most people can agree it’s usually a Bad Idea™, plenty of us still do it. Why be mature and never speak again when you can agonisingly drag things out for months, eh?
Read more here.
The whoring twenties: are we having more reckless sex?
Rumours of a so-called “sex recession” have been swirling around for a while now, many of them claiming that young people are having less sex, as Gen Z conservatism rises. Saying that, our STI results have increased dramatically – which points to more testing, sure, but also a proclivity for having more reckless sex altogether.
Read more here.
Why don’t straight men talk to each other about dating?
Paul Mescal and Joe Alwyn possibly talking about their recent break-ups. Who can say...
Women love dissecting the ins-and-outs of each other’s sex lives. Men? Generally, not so much. This lack of openness can be put down to a few things, writes Brit Dawson: namely wanting to avoid coming across as overly “laddy” and general awkwardness. Who’d have thought it?
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The kinkiest fetishes, ranked by a sex worker
Why sex on MDMA can be a total flop
Ah, the infamous “pilly willy”. While ecstasy, for some, is a sex-enhancing drug, sometimes it can have the complete opposite effect. Simon Doherty writes about a rise in reports of erectile dysfunction in young men and what this could come down to – including chronic use of some drugs, would you believe.
Read more here.
So, you’re in an inflationship…
In the spring issue of THE FACE, we published a long-read about the cost of loving crisis, speaking to young couples who’d rushed the milestone of moving in together as a way to reduce bills, rather than actually being ready. Turns out this can have a catastrophic impact on your relationship and mental well-being, compounding the negative effects of an economic system that’s in serious crisis. Sigh.
Read more here.
Welcome to the era of the relationship hard launch
People want to know who you’re having sex with, not who you’re taking out for dinner, according to writer Magdalene Taylor. She’s, right, too – Emily Ratajkowski and comedian Eric André nearly broke the internet with that viral hard launch Instagram post, which did way more than a coy photo of a faceless body across the dinner table ever has. Let’s hope for more of this in 2024.
Read more here.
