The Happy Trail

Love is sometimes crazy. Sex is sometimes confusing. However, the disjointed hit-or-miss nature of good and bad in such relationships may actually have a common underlying factor at play: oxytocin. In understanding this neural hormone which has captivated the scientific community in recent decades, we may become more in tune with ourselves, others and our relationships to each other. And have better sex  to boot! Oxytocin is a social hormone released with eye contact, physical touch, social interaction and, as implied, sex. It is a primary regulator of trust, empathy,...

An increasing number of people have been discovering that monogamy is not their ideal relationship structure. Some may feel that their sweetheart lives too far away for either party to be getting everything they need and/or want out of the relationship. Others might find themselves attracted to more than one person and want to explore those attractions ethically and with the consent of everyone involved. Still others might find that they want to focus the bulk of their energies on themselves, but still want to engage in meaningful relationships that...

Genital piercings have been a longstanding taboo in American society. As a result many myths and assumptions exist about piercings themselves as well as the bodies of those to whom they belong. While they may not be for everyone, many of those who have decided to partake in piercing their privates have found euphoria with increased sensation to their already sensitive areas. But every piercing has its critics, so here are a few commonly cited facts and falsehoods about getting your goodies blinged out. Typical piercings for someone with a...

All too often­—through media, government regulation or percieved “social norms”—people get the message that their sexuality is wrong, weird or somehow deviant. Only by bringing awareness to real sexual experience, both bad and good, can individuals prove that sexuality is more personal and diverse than has been previously thought. Advertisements, movies and TV shows give women the impression that they should either be sexual objects, existing for the aesthetic pleasure of others, or that they should be virginal and sexless. Men receive equally limiting prescriptions for their sexuality: that they...

Many of us have been there before: something or someone new and exciting comes along and all of a sudden we’re entranced. There’s a natural attraction to newness and uniqueness. However, when does this attraction veer away from simple exploration of those who are different from us and enter into the danger zone of sexually exoticizing others? The traditional script for the start of a relationship in which one or both members exoticizes the other begins with a simple thought of “I’ve never been with (insert difference here) before, I...

Modern concepts of gender are expanding at an increasing rate to include people who do not feel comfortable as exclusively “female” or “male.” Germany recently added “X” as a third gender option on birth certificates, and Sweden introduced the gender neutral pronoun “hen” around 1960. In order for notions of non-binary gender to be fully embraced, though, we must develop a vocabulary to talk about it with depth and complexity. People unfamiliar with trans*, third gender and genderless identities may feel confused or even threatened when it comes to speaking...

According to a recent study by Comparative Legal Services, unreasonable behavior has outranked adultery as the most common reason cited as grounds for divorce in the United States. By tracking and analyzing the reasons couples divorced since the 1970s, this study pointed towards a remarkable change in attitudes in American culture towards a possible greater acceptance for adultery in relationships. While some may consider this a sign that the family unit is all but dissolved, others, including a burgeoning group of family therapists, see adultery as an opportunity for a...

The Happy Trail wants to know! If you're a guy, were you circumcised at birth or not at all? How does this affect your self identity. Let us know in the poll below or leave a comment! Men: How do you feel about circumcision? (polls)...

The male condom is possibly one of the most commonly used and misused form of birth control in any sexual act involving male genitalia. Many who use the male condom tend to do so due to its affordability, effectiveness in the protection against STIs and pregnancy as well as the fact that this concrete barrier against potential disaster is ubiquitous among drug stores, super markets and around college campuses such as our own (check out CHWS if you want some for free!). While I could spend an entire article talking...

Japan has had its fair share of crises over the last couple of years. In 2001, they saw an earthquake, a tsunami and a radioactive meltdown. But experts are warning of a new, slower crisis that we need to be on the lookout for in Japan. Young people aren’t having sex. Journalists, economists and psychologists have been looking for an explanation of the country’s population decline for some time. According to The Guardian, 2012 saw fewer babies born in Japan than any other year on record! (It was also the...

As the school year picks up steam, things tend to get hotter and heavier. Have you thought about what you or your partner might be carrying around with you besides textbooks? STDs (or STIs, as the two are interchangeable) are real and alive on college campuses. Just last year, there were eleven reported cases of chlamydia at Puget Sound according to the Center for Health and Wellness (CHWS). Getting and STD test is simple and can save you anxiety and, quite possibly, your life. While there is no single test...

It’s really bothersome that “virginity” is still such a profound measure of worth for so many people, regardless of whether virginity is “pure” or “uncool.” The whole notion of “virginity” is silly anyway. Why is “having your cherry popped” (more on how that’s a complete fallacy later) with penis-in-vagina sex so much more significant than any other sexual act? Virginity is, in fact, a concept that arose several thousand years ago in societies where women were seen as property to be bought or traded. Forbidding women from engaging penis-in-vagina (PIV)...