Dear readers,

I always look forward to our annual Sex Issue. This issue allows us as writers to have open and honest conversations about sex and sexuality, and allows you, our readers, to share in these stories and join us in our effort to destigmatize these topics.

I have noticed a shift in recent years when it comes to how we talk about sex, specifically on the Internet. There is a certain discomfort with people expressing sexual desire, a move away from liberation and a return to shame. Whether it’s BookTokers up in arms over the prevalence of erotic fiction, the over-sanitization of cinema, or the infuriating censorship of certain words online simply to appease advertisers, I often worry about the direction we are headed in terms of how we are being conditioned to talk — and even think — about sex.

Sex, specifically sex for the purpose of pleasure, is part of what makes us human. The things we enjoy or don’t enjoy are part of what makes us who we are. The same can be said for those who are not interested in having sex at all. What matters is that we respect each other’s choices, and avoid telling other people, especially women, what they should or should not do.

I personally do not want to go back to a world where talking about sex is viewed as something taboo. The more we lean into this kind of thinking, the harder it will be to have frank conversations about important topics such as sexual health, sexual orientation, sexual violence and reproductive rights.

I hope this issue inspires discussion and reminds you that there is no shame in talking about sex.

Sincerely,

Hannah Theodore