Similarly, asking your partner what they like or telling your partner what you want to do is a great way to make discussions around consent sexy. “Make consent part of your dirty talk,” Mourikis suggests. a b Clarke, Victoria. (2010). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Psychology. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521700184. OCLC 1031490912.

Try looking at yourself in the mirror and make it a point to find a new positive about yourself each day. [6] X Research source Romance. Do you and your partner have the same definition of romance? Is it missing? How can you reignite it? How can romance set the stage for sexual intimacy? Marrazzo, Jeanne M.; Stine, Kathleen; Wald, Anna (2003). "Prevalence and risk factors for infection with herpes simplex virus type-1 and -2 among lesbians". Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 30 (12): 890–895. doi: 10.1097/01.OLQ.0000091151.52656.E5. PMID 14646636. S2CID 22148830. Richters, Juliet; Prestage, Garrett; Schneider, Karen; Clayton, Stevie (2010). "Do women use dental dams? Safer sex practices of lesbians and other women who have sex with women". Sexual Health. 7 (2): 165–9. doi: 10.1071/sh09072. ISSN 1448-5028. PMID 20465981. a b c d Lehmiller, Justin J. (2017-12-26). The psychology of human sexuality (Seconded.). Hoboken, NJ. ISBN 9781119164715. OCLC 992433913. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link)Only latex and polyurethane condoms protect against STIs and HIV. Polyurethane condoms may break more easily than latex. Use a condom any time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. [2] X Research source A dental dam is a latex barrier that you can use when performing oral sex with a female partner. It can help prevent the spread of STIs and HIV. [3] X Research source While condoms may not be applicable to many WSW sexual encounters, they are still useful when sex toys are involved. Toys that are shared between partners can spread pathogens even when cleaned. The use of condoms in addition to thorough cleaning can help reduce the risk of transmission via sex toys. [26] Bryan shares that there’s real value to showing gratitude to your partner, and yourself, after sex.

a b Badenes-Ribera, Laura; Bonilla-Campos, Amparo; Frias-Navarro, Dolores; Pons-Salvador, Gemma; Monterde-i-Bort, Hector (2015-05-27). "Intimate Partner Violence in Self-Identified Lesbians". Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. 17 (3): 284–297. doi: 10.1177/1524838015584363. ISSN 1524-8380. PMID 26018210. S2CID 206737985. Haavio-Mannila, E., & Kontula, O. (1997). Correlates of increased sexual satisfaction. Archives of sexual behavior, 26(4), 399-419 Intimate partner violence (IPV) encompasses any form of abuse, such as physical or psychological abuse, stalking, or sexual violence, perpetrated by an intimate partner. [36] WSW are more likely than heterosexual women to have suffered IPV of any form from their partner, with bisexual women having a higher prevalence than lesbian women. [37] Bisexual women are twice as likely as heterosexual women to experience stalking or intimate partner rape. [36] Omission from research studies [ edit ] Through solo sex, you can explore what feels good in your body, [and] thank your body for all it does for you, [by] being your own pleasure advocate,” Mourikis explains. It can be difficult to draw robust and wide reaching conclusions about WSW, since many studies fail to specifically include this group. [38] [39] Little scholarly research is done on WSW relative to other sexual minority groups. [25] Research on sexual health is generally about pregnancy and heterosexual sex, with the needs of WSW largely ignored. [18] Studies on intimate partner violence often fail to report the sex of the perpetrator or the sexual orientation of the victim, making it difficult to study the prevalence in WSW communities. [37] See also [ edit ]Instead of prescribing to this singular idea of sex, Mourikis suggests adopting a new definition: sex, she stresses, should be “any physical, mental, emotional or spiritual experience that is pleasurable and erotic.” Love the body you're in. Feeling self-conscious or embarrassed of your body can make sex needlessly uncomfortable. If you struggle with body image issues that are negatively affecting your sex life, then make it a priority to rectify what you can and accept what you cannot. Accepting your body is key to a happy self and the first step to better sex life. When you’re trying to tell how aroused a sexual partner is, listen to their words, don’t assume based on what their body is doing,” Mourikis advises.

Even if you’re in the house on a rainy Tuesday, wearing something that makes you feel empowered” is a great way to “embrace that side of you”. Time. Are you setting aside enough time for sexual intimacy? If not, what can you do to change things? How can you make sexual intimacy a priority? Think about how you and your partner can support each other to help create time and energy for sex. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report: Cases of HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2006. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved on January 9, 2009. Consider more cuddling, a sensual massage, self-stimulation, oral sex or using a vibrator — depending on what interests you. Talk about what you like, what you don't like and what you'd like to try. Set a time limit. Avoid overwhelming each other with a lengthy talk. By devoting 15-minute conversations to the topic, you might find it easier to stay within your emotional comfort zones.McNair, Ruth (2005). "Risks and prevention of sexually transmissible infections among women who have sex with women". Sexual Health. 2 (4): 209–17. doi: 10.1071/sh04046. ISSN 1448-5028. PMID 16402667. Many doctors consider sex between women to have negligible risk for transmission of STIs [4] and fail to offer any information on prevention of STI transmission for sex involving two women. [16] Although lesbians have a lower risk of contracting STIs than their heterosexual and bisexual counterparts, [17] the risk still exists. [18] Additionally, most WSW have had sex with men at some point in their lifetime, which significantly increases the risk of infection. [19] Yearly pelvic exams are encouraged for WSW to contain the complications of STIs. [17] Safe sex [ edit ] Admit your discomfort. If you feel anxious, say so. Opening up about your concerns might help you start the conversation. Tell your partner if you feel shy about discussing what you want, and ask for reassurance that your partner is open to the conversation. Special Populations - 2010 STD Treatment Guidelines". CDC. Archived from the original on 2015-07-21 . Retrieved 2015-06-23. Wondering how to be better in bed? While there is no one definition of what “ good sex” looks like, there are a number of tips that may improve the enjoyment of your sex life.