The Happy Trail

To say that Beyoncé Knowles is one of the most influential women in pop culture today is an understatement. In 2013 so far she has performed arguably the most spectacular Super Bowl half-time performance in history, been on the cover of almost every major magazine, released a documentary, become spokeswoman for Pepsi and started her world tour, “The Mrs. Carter Show.” Commercial popularity and economic success often comes with scrutiny, however, especially when it involves female celebrities’ own views on women’s rights. Recently, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry stated they...

The stigma against women’s sexuality is staggering. Despite great strides that have been made toward visibility and acceptance for queer and sexually empowered women, gay women are often pegged as “fake” or are accused of betraying their fellow lesbians if they decide they like men, too. Consider, for instance, a hypothetical freshman girl: she comes to school for the first time, unsure of her place in this tight-knit campus community. How will she be seen by others? The allure of labeling herself in order to feel more connected to her...

Menstruation, or the process of shedding the uterine lining, occurs on a monthly basis in women from the time they hit puberty to the time they go through menopause, with the exception of the months they are pregnant and/or breast-feeding. Though, it should be acknowledged that women are not the only ones who menstruate. Trans-men and people who are facing gender dysphoria—when a person is not content with the sex he or she was assigned at birth—also menstruate. Every single day, people are menstruating all around the world, so you’d...

Cunt. It’s a pretty powerful word, but maybe not for the reasons you might think. For those of you who saw the Vagina Monologues, cunt is a word that’s being reclaimed by a lot of people who are tired of a word that is historically associated with female power being twisted into something shameful and derogatory. Contrary to what you might think, cunt doesn’t just mean “vagina,” though. There’s a rich history to the word that would make all those people who’ve ever used it as a putdown blush if...

Breast cancer research gets the greatest amount of funding per death and new case of any form of cancer, including the most common form of cancer in the United States, lung cancer. Much of this funding “success” has to do with how well the breast cancer awareness message has been branded. Possibly the most successful breast cancer awareness campaign is the Pink Ribbon Campaign, credited with making a light, peachy pink synonymous with cancer research. Since 1991, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has been using the ubiquitous pink...

Slut-shaming is most frequently defined as the act of criticizing a woman for being sexual, whether it is in reference to her wardrobe, sexual escapades or even just her opinions on sex and sexuality. Slut-shaming occurs when someone tries to degrade a woman for behaving outside of outdated societal social norms. Unfortunately, although women are the most prominent targets, anyone can be the victim of slut-shaming, no matter gender or sexual orientation. Although we may not notice or choose to acknowledge it, slut-shaming happens all around the world every day....

On Sunday, March 4, researchers announced that a Mississippi toddler has become the first child to ever be functionally cured of HIV, giving hope to many HIV- and AIDS-infected people worldwide that a cure to this seemingly incurable virus may be on the horizon. Typically, pregnant women in the United States are tested for HIV as a routine part of prenatal care so that those who are diagnosed can receive proper treatment in order to decrease the chances of their child inheriting the virus. The mother of this child, however,...

Feeling good about yourself is really the foundation for any kind of success, and it’s most certainly one of the most crucial parts of a fantastic sex life. When you respect yourself, other people will respect you, too. When you are capable of making your own decisions, you’re less likely to do something you’ll regret tomorrow. This is where enthusiastic consent (a phrase I hope we’re all familiar with on this liberal artsy sex-positive campus) comes in—you should never, ever feel guilted or pressured or obligated to make sexytimes with...

By GIRTH BROOKS The prostate. Most of us have heard of it. It is refered to in many tantra writings as the “sacred gate.” Sometimes known as the elusive “male g-spot,” the prostate opens up many doors for sexual stimulation in males. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about the prostate. Before we delve into these misunderstandings and techniques in how to stimulate the prostate, we must first figure out exactly what the hell this mysterious gland is in the first place. The prostate is located just under the...

At birth, the penis comes with an extra inch or two of skin that covers the glans (the head of the penis) when flaccid. This is the foreskin, a contentious debate in Penile Politics these days. Many individuals at birth, or other times, undergo circumcision to remove the foreskin from the penis, leaving the glans open when both flaccid and erect. There are those who value circumcision is as a tradition in both religious and cultural contexts. It is common in America, while many Europeans are, as they say, “uncut.”...

By HARRY SASSCROTCH Pubic Hair.  It’s one of the few aspects of sex that is ever given really serious thought.  Yet we see it all the time (don’t act like you’ve never seen it in the shower). Not only do we see our own set of pubes (or even a lack thereof), many are constantly barraged with images from porn or elsewhere. Jokes are made about shaving it, porn stars have them specifically trimmed or waxed, even celebrities advocate the latest beauty trends about it! First things first, everyone’s pubes...

Well, it’s nearly 2 a.m. You finally finished your essay. You’re a little stressed and ready to get some sleep. But as you’re browsing the web one last time before heading to bed, something catches your eye. So you type in the url of your favorite porn site, unzip your pants, and relieve a little bit of that “stress” before finally hitting the hay. Porn is easy, right? Porn is simple? Porn is cool. But let’s be honest here, porn is pretty controversial, too. Researchers are in a constant battle...