All Posts – Page 239

Two things: ETO show and Xhamster

Super-quick two things this week, because I am currently nursing a gigantic hangover, and then I have to rush out. Good news first, then a weird thing. Ready? Let’s go.

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The sex robots debate: we can do better

Yesterday, Deborah Orr wrote in the Guardian about ‘creepy’ sex robots. She began with a statement from Noel Sharkey – a robotics professor at Sheffield Uni – who earlier in the week had terrified people by claiming that one day people might lose their virginities to robots. Shock! Horror! Misery! Woe! Another way to perpetuate the myth of virginity as a valuable jewel which people must save to give to someone special!

Deborah questioned this, which is good, but she then launched in to a lot of the same disappointing fearmongering about sex tech that I’ve seen before. Let’s have a look. And then a rant.

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Guest blog: Threesome advice I picked up on 3nder

I’ve wanted to publish something about 3nder for a really long time, so I was delighted when Jenny Guérin got in touch to say she was working on a piece about threesome advice – based on her dates with couples on 3nder. 3nder is a hook-up app which allows you to create a profile as either a couple or a single person. A dating app, essentially, but for threesomes.

It’s been incredibly popular, because it’s a great app and because (in my opinion) many more traditional dating apps are bizarrely prudish about what they can be used for. Tinder, for instance, got really angry when Vanity Fair called it a hook-up app. Yet bizarrely – and to my mind misguidedly – Tinder is suing 3nder and demanding it be shut down, because ‘users might get confused.’ Way to crush the little guy, Tinder! And look like a complete dick! And prevent people from meeting for threesomes! Blergh. I’ll write more on this soon.

For now, though, I’m delighted to welcome Jenny (follow her on Twitter here and check out her blog), who’s got some great threesome advice that she picked up – all courtesy of 3nder.

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Guest blog: The love story between me and my breasts

I’m so excited about this week’s guest blog, because it’s a gorgeous exploration of the relationship between the guest blogger and her body, specifically her breasts. Please welcome Jannette Davies, from Scarlet Ladies Talk.

Jannette co-founded Scarlet Ladies in February 2015, and together with her co-founder Sarah Beilfuss, she runs events where women can openly discuss and explore their sexuality and bodies – and dispel a few myths along the way. Their events have got lots of people talking, and they sound like a lot of fun. Their next event is Body Bliss – a day-long retreat in London aimed at helping you explore – and hopefully fall in love with – your body.

Her story is personal, funny and relatable: all the things I like best.

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‘The Sex Factor’ by Xhamster: what the actual fuck

This post includes discussion of coercion and non-consent. If you give a shit about spoilers, it also contains details of episodes 2 and 3 of SexFactor. 

It’s a reality show in which wannabe porn stars compete to complete challenges which include anything from sultry poses to full-on fucking: of course I have watched ‘Sex Factor’. I usually avoid Xhamster, but this show has had a huge amount of press attention, so I couldn’t really not.

And I have very, very, VERY strong feelings about it.

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