How erotic is the art of belly dance? Is it used for seduction, or is it instead an expressive medium for the dancer’s emotions and aesthetics? Or can it be both? Dancers from Bloomington, Indiana interviewed in Bloom magazine (link to the article as pdf) argue that the dancer’s sexiness is a byproduct of being confident, graceful, and strong. The dance is sensual, but much of the sexiness is in the eye of the beholder…which, really, is the case with most aspects of sex appeal, isn’t it? Continue Reading →
Body Image
Recent posts
Video Review: The Big Butt Book by Dian Hanson (Taschen) – NSFW
Although the title is “The Big Butt Book”, there are in fact butts of many different sizes in this book – some quite small and others voluptuous (such as the butts of Buffie the Body, Coco, and the Watermelon Woman). Taschen is known for beautifully designed books and a line of “sexy” books – for example, books about penises, legs, and breasts – so it’s only natural, I suppose, that they finally paid tribute to the female derriere. Continue Reading →
FatGirlSlim From Bliss
Today I got an email offering 30% off of fatgirl products from bliss spa (the spa that’s at so many W hotels). Curious, I clicked and found 3 products: fatgirlscrub, fatgirlsleep and fatgirlslim. Were there not a “slim” version and were they not all about getting rid of cellulite, the term “fatgirl” could have been used in a positive, affirming, take-back-the-meaning-of-the-ugly-ways-this-phrase-is-often-used kind of way. But as it is, the term just sounds mean. Could this be why they have to put these products on such a super sale to try to sell them? Continue Reading →
Britney Spears Retouched & Untouched Candies Photos
I admire celebrities who give people a peek into how their photos get so drastically retouched. This is especially key, I think, for people who are role models – whether they like it or not – for young women or men who want to look like them. Letting people see what’s real and what’s not about their bodies can help to give a more realistic view of the world and what is or is not possible (or typical) in terms of bodies. Take these before/after retouching photos of Britney Spears. In the untouched version, she looks like a healthy woman who is in shape but has a little cellulite (like most women). Continue Reading →
When it is okay (or not okay) to be naked around your children?
Some time ago I was interviewed for an article about how different parents handle the issue of letting their children see them naked. As you know, there’s quite a diversity even with American culture. Some families are very comfortable with the naked human body and parents and children of all ages may walk around inside the home naked. The Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell family (including daughter Kate Hudson) have been open about their comfort with nudity, for example. But not all families are comfortable with family nudity – and some are, but only under certain circumstances (like boys seeing their dad naked or girls seeing their mom naked). Continue Reading →
Muffin top = not good for sex lives
Okay, now this is bad. While playing Scrabulous on Facebook, I saw this ad that one could click on to "learn how you can shrink your waist." And the ad is for a muffin top (e.g., fat sticking out over the top of one’s jeans). Why make women feel bad about their "muffin top" the way men feel bad about their "beer bellies"? Yes, women have abdominal fat but that is a good thing when it comes to health and fertility (at least in small amounts, anyway). Plus, when fashion transitioned from high rise pants to low rise pants a few years ago, suddenly many more millions of women who would have never previously known the muffin top effect suddenly were experiencing it. Continue Reading →
Premature ejaculation and orgasm = R&B Love?
This video nails it all: the realities of sex. Premature ejaculation, (faking) orgasm, male body image, comfortable penetration, having to wake up early in the morning. And it’s all set to music!
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Knicker picker wants to help you buy lingerie
Knicker Picker allows you to choose a model and then "dress her" with lingerie so that you can see what it might look like on you. It’s a great idea except that the three models are all pretty slender… it would be good to have a wider range of body types available. Perhaps as they move out of Beta, they will go in that direction. Continue Reading →
Kinsey Confidential podcast: breast obsession
In this podcast, I answer a question from a Kinsey Confidential reader who wants to know what to do with a partner who is obsessed with her breasts. [Above image via this site.]
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MSP Question & Answer: Massage
Question:
Two of us (a man and a woman) are going to give a third (a woman) a full body massage for Valentine’s Day. We have both given massages before, but never together. Do you have any recommendations on “logistics” (for lack of a better word) so that we are not working at cross-purposes while massaging? I’m afraid if we each do an arm at the same time, our touches may be so different that it pulls her (figuratively) in two different directions, and that neither becomes relaxing. Any advice? Continue Reading →