Respark Blogs

Viewing Consent Beyond the Courtroom

This article mentions sexual assault. It’s time we rethink consent and open the door for a more complex conversation surrounding the words “yes” and “no.”  The words “yes” in the bedroom can mean a myriad of things:  “Yes, I want to have sex with you because I’m horny.”  “Yes, I want to have sex with…

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Caesarians and Reprogenetics: A Post-Roe Exploration

Since the Dobbs decision overturned the previous precedent, motherhood in the United States has begun to shift meanings. The concept and practice of motherhood is now more reliant on and reminiscent of power structures than ever before. If we take this a step further to focus on power dynamics outside of and in relation to…

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Painful Intercourse: Insight into the Unspoken Barriers to Pleasure

Dyspareunia or painful intercourse, is a term used to describe barriers to penetrative sex that result from pain in the vulva, vagina, uterus, or pelvic region. This pain can come as a product of many alterations in the body including infection, pain conditions, muscle contractions, dryness, allergies, and fluctuations in hormones. According to the Cleveland…

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Erotic Things That Aren’t Erotic: Engaging the Senses

Engaging the Senses: Erotic Things That Aren’t Erotic

Sensuality, by definition alone, goes deeper than just sex. In thinking about some things that might feel erotic but don’t include nudity and sexual behavior, here are some SHA tips for engaging all of the senses: Engaging the senses: SIGHT Sight may be the most obvious of the bunch, so let’s get it out of…

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Pleasure Activism: Book Review and Recommendation

adrienne maree brown’s 2019 book Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good surrounds the radical notion that experiencing pleasure under the current power regimes is inherently a revolutionary act. This is a fascinating concept to me because it builds joy into the activism landscape, meaning that to create sustainable change for all, we need to…

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Take a Deep Breath For Me: The Role of Breath During Sex 

Take a Deep Breath For Me: The Role of Breath During Sex 

Role of Breath During Sex: Are you breathing wrong? Telling you to breathe during sex seems like common sense and something that should naturally happen. Everyone breathes during sex (even those interested in erotic asphyxiation), but what if I told you that you were breathing wrong during sex? Breathing plays a huge role in the…

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Period Equity. Period.

With the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, attacks on women’s bodily autonomy and rights have become less thinly veiled. As this is not the only issue at stake, it is necessary and urgent to consider other injustices women face under current and future federal and state legislation. Specifically, the struggle for period equity is…

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The Sex Cleanse: A Reset on Your Sex Life

What is a Sex Cleanse? A sex cleanse is a temporary departure from the sexual routine that partners may fall into. It’s a break from certain sexual practices or from sex entirely, but not from the relationship itself. It’s like hitting the reset button on your sex life. A sex cleanse calls for a deeper…

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A Discussion on Donating Your Eggs

Egg donations are something I’ve heard thrown around most of my life. Things along the lines of “I don’t want kids, I’m just gonna donate my eggs,” or “if I am ever strapped for cash, I’ll just donate my eggs.” I always found these statements very interesting, as it always sounded like no big deal,…

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Learning Your Arousal Type

You’ve learned about the 5 love languages and the way they can translate into your relationship, but have you heard about arousal types? Doctor of Human Sexuality Emily Morse goes into detail about these on her podcast Sex With Emily (which I totally recommend to everyone and everyone). Love languages and arousal types are both…

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