The Happy Trail

The sun is finally breaking through a dank, dark winter here at Puget Sound, and don’t you all look radiant. All over campus, hair is shining, eyes are twinkling and carefree smiles are breaking out more naturally and more often. The vibe has grown noticeably happier in the past month—not to mention hornier. What is it about spring that makes us suddenly realize how ridiculously good-looking, funny and smooth we all are? I’m not just waxing here: “Spring fever” is a legit phenomenon that has even been featured on WebMD....

by DD WOOD Big-breasted compatriots, it’s time to ditch the over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders. Although bras can be cute, or even beautiful, the harsh reality is that they are rarely comfortable. For A and B cups, the solution is simple; ditch the gear. But for us larger laden ladies, leaving our breast friends unsupported doesn’t seem like a viable option. But what if we could change that? All that bra burning of the 70’s seems to have fallen by the wayside. Many women feel that they would be violating a social code, regardless...

Dance is an incredibly powerful action. Sometimes, in the midst of our crazy lives, we forget to take time to dance. Sometimes, even when we’re in the position to dance, we get self-conscious and forget to let go, be ourselves and let the movement permeate our beings. This, in my opinion, is a tragedy. It’s also important to remember that while dancing can be sexy, it doesn’t have to be about sex. I recently surveyed a few students and alumni and asked them about their relationships with dancing, why they...

I would like to share some reflections gathered over the last three and a half years in regards to small-school hookup and dating culture. At small schools, or in small communities, it’s easy to build a reputation. This can be good or bad. A small community can hold people accountable to their actions. One example of this is Peer Allies. In the last three years they have grown into a recognizable and widely effective force on campus in fighting sexual assault due in part to the ability to engage a...

The intersection of alcohol and consent on college campuses is a complicated issue. Many students are undoubtedly consuming alcohol, and a lot of these students are also engaging in sexual activity. Whether it’s a coincidence or because they feel the need for “liquid courage” in order to initiate a sexual encounter, students are engaging in sex under the influence. How should a person navigate a situation where both booze and libido are in play? The answer is not immediately obvious, and with good reason. As Bebe La Grua, an officer...

Masturbation is a common practice. In a survey run by the Journal of Sexual Medicine, by the age of 16-17 over half of males and about a quarter of females in the sample size said they had masturbated at least once in the past month. In the Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, one study of a sample of undergraduate college students said that 98 percent of men and 44 percent of women reported having ever masturbated. But when was the last time you remember having a conversation about it...

It’s quite well-known that female hormonal birth control, particularly oral contraceptives, can often have some undesirable side effects. Mood swings, weight gain, tacky discharge and decreased (or more rarely, increased) libido are all commonly cited concerns. Fortunately, with so many brands of birth control available, many women are able to fine tune their baby-blocking hormonal cocktail to minimize these side effects. Others are content to tolerate them in favor of eliminating risk or simply enjoying more spontaneous, intimate sex without need for a condom. For many women, hormonal birth control...

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, hundreds of students piled into Schneebeck Concert Hall for the consent workshop put on by Babeland, a sex toy shop in Seattle that focuses on personal empowerment and community education. Several campus groups hosted the event, including WIXEN (a club focusing on women’s intersectionality, empowerment and narratives), Student Actitivities, SIRGE (a leadership position that advances sexuality issues, relationships, and gender education) and Greek Life. As part of an effort to introduce more sex positive education into Greek Life, all sorority and fraternity members were required to...

“:)” “Hey so what’s your story?” “You are really cute. Like in a genuine way not a tinder way” “Hi! You’re really cute. We should hang out sometime!” “So I sort of have a crush on (you)?” “Steven Hawking, me, Hitler. You have to choose. Mary one, kill one, fuck one. Go!” “Hey ms tinderella!” “You look like you need some love” “Woah, yes please.” “I want to blow in ya butthole and make your ears wiggle!” “I want to be on you” “I fuck you” In November, a friend...

Earlier this month, tech giant Facebook changed how its users are able to identify in terms of their gender. As of Feb. 13, users in the U.S. are now able to identify as one of 58 various options including the traditionally used male and female. Some of the most recent examples include identities such as Cis, Trans*, Genderqueer, Pangender and Twospirit. Users are also now able to select which pronouns they wish to use. This means that instead of the typical ‘he’ or ‘she’, people can now be referred to...

Tinder, an app that pairs you with others, has been touted as a revolution in the modern dating scene. Let us know your thoughts about it below: Do you or have you used Tinder, the dating app? (polls) Why do you use Tinder? (polls) Which gender do you identify as? (polls)...

In his most recent performance-art project, Heather Cassils spent 20 minutes attacking a 2,000lb clay sculpture in the darkness with only the occasional flash of a camera to illuminate his work. The piece, which was recently named as the winner of a 2013 MOTHA (Museum of Transgender Hirstory & Art) Art Award, was meant, amongst other things, to draw attention to the disproportionate levels of physical violence experienced by trans* and genderqueer people worldwide. Cassils uses extreme physical training to shape the body, much like he shaped the sculpture with...