The Happy Trail

Positioned at number 11 on the Hot 100 Billboard Charts, Usher’s hit song “I Don’t Mind” features rapper Juicy J as Usher serenades a stripper. “Shawty I don’t mind/ If you dance on a pole, it don’t make you a ho,” Usher croons on the chorus, proceeding to inform his romantic interest that, “long as you comin’ home, girl, I don’t mind.” The remainder of the song follows suit, with Usher describing the workplace circumstances of his partner and dismissing the notion that his partner’s profession implies  promiscuity. In an...

“Who’s to say that love needs to be soft and gentle?” Truer words were never spoken. This is just one of the memorable quotes from our kinky film of the week. This week we will take a look at the sado-masochistic office romance portrayed in the 2002 film Secretary, adapted from the short story in Mary Gaitskill’s 1988 book Bad Behavior. The film, directed by Steven Shainberg, follows Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young woman who comes from a neurotic family and suffers from an illness of self-mutilation, and Mr....

After the release of the highly anticipated film 50 Shades of Grey, we here at the Happy Trail want to recognize other films that have pushed kinky boundaries in the theater. For the next four weeks, I will be dedicating my articles to reviews of groundbreaking movies that are known for their portrayals of kinky delights. Sorry Christian and Anastasia, your antics won’t be included in this series. This week’s movie will give tribute to the French book-turned-film Histoire d’O (or Story of O). In the 1975 adaptation of Pauline...

First released to the public on July 29, 2014, the pop anthem “Bang Bang,” featuring the talents of English singer-songwriter Jessie J, American singer Ariana Grande and American rapper and singer-songwriter Nicki Minaj, has gained enormous critical and commercial success. The song debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, while the song peaked at number six on the American Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. Critics and fans alike lauded Minaj’s rapid-fire rap. They gave acclaim to the...

For many college students, the concept of sex toys is not a revolutionary one. While not necessarily a passtime that many flaunt, the use of sex toys—either for masturbatory purposes or for use with others—would not be considered unprecedented to many of us. When discussing sex toys, the main image that comes to mind for many college students is the dildo. But where did the dildo come from, and why does it dominate our imaginations so? The oldest known dildo is a siltstone 20-centimeter phallus from the Upper Palaeolithic period...

So, is the bush back en vogue? Whether it’s style, statement or just pure laziness, it would seem that the beaver got its fur back. In 2000, when the episode of “Sex and the City” entitled “Sex and Another City” aired where Carrie Bradshaw got her first below-the-belt wax from the Russian esthetician, a trend was sparked: the bald vajayjay. Women began spending upwards of 60 dollars on Brazilian waxes to clear their landing strips. There is even an option for men, the Manzilian. The hairless mons also inspired other...

Polygamy: (n.) the state or practice of being married to more than one person at the same time Polyamory: (n.) the state or practice of having more than one open romantic relationship at a time Comparing the definitions of these two words, there seems to be little difference other than the word “marriage” and the words “open relationship”. Asking any person on the street, they would likely say that there was little to no difference between these two concepts. A likely response would be “Don’t they both mean being allowed...

The holiday season is a joyous time. With it comes a flurry of fun and, of course, food. Around this time people have been known to pack on a few pounds. A little extra weight can mean major stress for those owning a mirror. Body image is something many of us struggle with, as there is increasing pressure to look a certain way. Even those aware of the damaging standards that the media pushes face the same problem of insecurity; just because we know the standard is unobtainable does not...