Teen pregnancy rates, nationwide, have dropped between 1990 and 2004, according to a report recently released by the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control). Abortions also dropped by 24 percent during this time period, perhaps indicating that comprehensive sex education has had the desired effect on teen sexual activity and behaviors.

Unfortunately, the optimistic 2004 stats were offset by a preliminary CDC report on 2006 births, which showed an increase in the number of teen pregnancies for the first-time in 14 years. And in one Massachusetts school, the news is even more depressing.

In the past year, the teen pregnancy rate at Gloucester High School has more than quadrupled, with 17 young women pregnant. What’s more, many of the girls view this as a good thing. It is part of a “pregnancy pact,” in which many girls, all under 16, pledged to get pregnant and raise their children together.

The breaking-news article published in Time reported that several students requested multiple pregnancy tests this spring and, according to the school principle, “Some girls seemed more upset when they weren’t pregnant than when they were.”

When school officials and the high school clinic’s medical director advocated dispensing oral contraceptives without parental consent, however, they faced opposition from many people in the predominantly-Catholic community.

The big question: How will birth control pills help stop pregnancy if teenage girls are actually trying to get pregnant? Maybe “comprehensive sex ed curriculum” should be expanded to include spending 24 hours a day, every day for a week or more, with a colicky infant.

On a serious note, if teen pregnancy is, in fact, on the rise, and the 2006 numbers were not just an odd peak in an otherwise downward trend, what’s the real solution?

The wedding season now seems to last year-round (much to the chagrin of the unhappily un-wed!) but the archetype of the “June bride” persists. This June was extra special for hundreds of gay and lesbian couples in California, when more than 1,500 partners wed on June 17 after the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage.

California is only the second state (Massachusetts was first) to legalize same-sex marriage. But the battle continues, with 48 states to go. Additionally, an initiative on California’s November ballot could supersede the law by amending the state’s Constitution so it recognizes only marriages between opposite sex partners as valid.

Arguments against same-sex marriages are impassioned on both sides. Marriage is one way to pledge your undying love to your spouse, and also show the world that you are a team: united in love, committed partners.

Engaged couples often hear people say, “Everything changes when you get married.” In my experience, and from what I’ve heard from friends, this isn’t true—and yet, it is!

Marriage will not fix problems in a relationship, and it can make existing problems seem even larger. The toad doesn’t turn into Prince Charming. Many couples who have lived together prior to marriage, however, do notice a subtle shift in their lives and their ways of thinking.

I don’t want to say that co-habitating couples aren’t committed to each other. I was committed to my now-husband for five excellent years before we decided to tie the knot. But it is different. Only those who’ve been there can understand.

Why shouldn’t same sex couples be allowed to experience this same “wedded bliss” (for lack of a better term?) There are religious arguments, and I don’t want to minimize their impact, although I may point to the constitutional amendment that separates church (religious beliefs) from state.

Marriage is a function of the government and state; that’s why marriages can be performed by a judge at city hall. Couples aren’t required to marry in a church—that’s a choice—but couples must have a government-issued marriage license.

Unfortunately, there’s more to it than religious beliefs. And marriage is about a lot more than the mushy stuff I mentioned earlier. It comes down to, as a mentor of mine once said, “following the money trail.”

Marriage is about love, passion and commitment. Sadly, (and unromantically), it’s also about health care, social security benefits and tax breaks.

In spite of dozens of reports claiming “there is no social security crisis,” Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson recently admitted in a CNNmoney.com article that Social Security is “financially unsustainable.”

What happens when you take a system already on the brink of bankruptcy and add thousands more people, now eligible for spousal benefits, into the mix?

I am not implying that same-sex marriages occur purely for the financial benefits. I know straight couples who got married because it was a sound financial decision when one partner was without health care. I know many more couples, gay and straight, who have married for more conventional reasons—love, commitment, raising children.

Call me naïve, idealistic, or a hopeless romantic, but I think it’s a shame that the beauty and sanctity of marriage has to be sullied by financial concerns, and that same-sex couples should be denied a beautiful way to demonstrate their undying love and commitment. Take that to the bank.

My pulse slams heavy in my head – never has a choice seemed so obvious yet so *scary*. I watch her turn on the water and rinse her hair, and when she finishes I take a deep breath and walk across the room towards her stall.

Her face lights up as she sees me coming. She turns her body to face me, and as soon as I get close her hands catch my arms and she pulls me to her. She brings her mouth to my ear and speaks softly.

“Do you really think I haven’t noticed how you look at me?” She’s got her body all folded into mine, somehow, with her leg pressed firmly between mine.

“You’re hungry for me. I can see it all over you.” I moan – her tone is stern and scolding, but with a playful edge. Her breath is heavy on my ear and now her lips are grazing along the nape of my neck, kissing tenderly.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” She whispers, making me jump as I am startled out of the blissful state in which I had been floating. I move my lips, but nothing really comes out – perhaps a squeak or a small sigh. She stops her kisses and slowly, deliberately sinks her teeth into that spot where my neck curves to meet my shoulder. I groan, long and low.

“You’re not talking, but your body is. It’s telling me you like what I’m doing.” Her leg is pressing up into me now, applying pressure on my sex, lifting me up slightly on my tip toes. I am off balance just enough to sway slightly, grinding onto her leg as I do. Her lips kiss up my neck and then meet mine. On my lips, she is hard and forceful, and I feel like I am melting in her wake; like my own lips are made of wax, softening and accommodating her strong, warm and passionate kiss. I’m locked in-between the force of her thigh pressing me upwards and the force of her lips pressing down on me…

She breaks our lip embrace suddenly, and releases the tension in her leg. I am dropped from her trap and I immediately miss it. I lean in to try and find her lips again with mine, but she’s on my neck again, nibbling and biting the nape, following my moans of ecstasy as they guided her towards the back of my neck. She turns me around with her hands, and instructs me to lean against the wall for support.

I place my hands on the shower wall and look up into the spray that is cascading down upon us. I feel Tammy at my back, caressing up and down my back with her soft hands. I try – once, twice – to turn around and touch her, but she keeps pushing me back into this position – facing the shower. Finally, she comes in close, wrapping my body with hers and returns to the kisses on my neck. This time, however, she’s discovered that bites at the base of my neck/top of my back make me quiver, so she’s sinking her teeth into me as well – oh so gently, but with ever increasing force. I moan appreciatively and mumble that I love it, and she bites harder.

Her hands start to roam again – one ends up tangled in my hair, the other trails down my back and towards my inner thigh. She bites again as she pulls at my hair, drawing a moan from me as my face is pulled into the shower stream. I feel the spattering of the lukewarm water hitting my cheeks and eyelids as her other hand finally find its way into the folds between my legs, slicing in deeper and deeper till she’s buried into my sex, making me drip as her fingers dance inside of me…

Red is a sex blogger that’s been at it since early 2004. Her work can be found at http://www.redsneakerdiaries.com, where she writes flash fiction about kink and all things sexy, reviews sex products, answers questions, and attempts to uncover the science behind sex. Her work has been featured on Playboy Radio and numerous sex blog and/or information websites. Red can be reached at redsneakerdiary@hotmail.com.

We recently talked about foot fetishes in this blog. Compared to some of the activities people engage in for sexual gratification, toes are pretty tame!

What are some of the more unusual fetishes?

• Balloon fetishists, called Looners, are sexually stimulated by balloons. Some enjoy inflating or popping them, while others enjoy the look, colors, smell, sound movement or the tactile sensations, comparing it to skin.
• Introduced to the mainstream recently by the viral video, Two Girls, One Cup, Coprophilia is a fetish involving sexual pleasure from feces—rubbing it on oneself while masturbating, pooping on a partner, etc. I don’t want to pass judgment, but it’s hard for me to get through this segment without gagging, although it does remind me of a scene in a certain movie—and our next fetish.
• First introduced in Team America and now featured on Broadway in Avenue Q, it’s hard to tell whether “puppet porn” is a fetish or just a pop-culture phenomenon. One of the attractions, I’m sure, is seeing puppets engage in acts on stage and film that would qualify as hard-core porn if they were performed by actual human beings. For instance, Team America was the first R-rated film to include a Cleveland Steamer. But hey, they’re puppets. It’s okay.
• If puppets don’t turn you on, you may try Hentai, or X-rated Japanese animation. What’s not to love about large-breasted, doe-eyed, barely legal babes in short skirts—even if they are cartoons?
• I never knew “casting” was a sexual fetish, so I’m adding it to this list, although, compared to some of the other activities listed, it is downright tame. Called “casters,” these fetishists enjoy looking at casts on people or being constrained by casts themselves.
  “For my husband, it’s a variation of the foot fetish. Others like arms and such,” says “CastBitch,” who runs www.castbitch.com. “For some, it’s the feeling of not being able to move, like bondage. For others, it is the attention; they are getting away with something secret.” CB first discovered the fetish when she found links to Web sites and photos on her husband’s computer. “He about fell out of his chair when I told him, ‘Let’s try it!’”

That, of course, is every fetishist’s dream—to have a partner willing to engage in their fetish with them.

What should you do if a partner approaches you, wanting to try something unusual in the bedroom? If it’s not something that completely turns you off, give it a shot.

One of the great things about sharing a fetish with your partner is the intimacy it evokes. Since most fetishists are not very open and public about their turn-ons, you are sharing something very special, just between you and your partner.

China + sex revolution are hot buzz words lately, with topics about China’s sex-culture flooding the internet. Once controversial subjects like promiscuity, homosexuality, prostitution, AIDS, abortion, pornography and masturbation would have be taboo in China. They are now the focus of passionate public debate. One documentary, China’s Sexual Revolution (2007) that first aired on CBC takes a covert look as the slumbering giant’s libido awakens.

The documentary opens with a scene of young people necking in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, only two decades after the massacre. This liberalization of a new sexual freedom is the result of various determining factors including modernization, urbanization, China’s “one child policy”, women’s liberation, and a half a century of Maoist sexual repression and conform.

Chairman Mao—leader of the PRC from 1949 until his death in 1976—was mainly responsible for making sex a taboo. Under Mao’s dictatorship, it became mandatory for everyone to wear the unisex Mao suits which concealed a women’s curves and transformed lovers into androgynous comrades. Sex was to be performed as a reproductive duty only. Citizen’s private lives were also extremely restricted, resulting in loveless, sexless marriages.

Shortly after Mao’s death, the “one child policy” was introduced in China in 1979 as a form of “population control” in an attempt to alleviate social and environmental problems. This policy has had distinct effects on China’s social structure. It liberated women from their reproductive responsibility allowing them to pursue higher education and careers. However, it has resulted in an unbalanced ratio of men to women, with an estimated population of 30 million more men to women by 2020.

China now has the fastest growing sex trade in the world with roughly 10-20 million sex workers. Schoolgirls are being lured into the sex trade at karaoke clubs, while prostitution is widespread in bars, beauty salons, brothels and concubine villages. An AIDS epidemic is sweeping the nation as well, with approximately 200 people infected daily, and an estimated 10 million people to be infected by 2010. According to the China Family Planning Association premarital sex, pregnancy and abortions are all on the rise, especially among high school girls. Many educators have blamed outdated sex education, with people uninformed about birth control. Xu Tianming, the president of China Sexology Society, says that sexual ignorance outnumbers illiteracy.

Leading sexologists, like Pan Suiming, from the Sex Museum near Shanghai where visitors can view 1500 artifacts from China’s 9000 years of sexual history. Liu also shows his collection at Hong Kong’s first nude photo contest to take place and soft-core porn to be published in magazines. This is just the latest sign that sex is infiltrating the mainstream media. And, although the government is trying to eliminate online porn, much of it still falls through the cracks.

Muzi Mei is a sex blogger who became an instant celebrity in 2003 when she posted audio erotica of her own lovemaking on her blog. The podcast was downloaded by more than 50,000 people at once, crashing the server. She has since become a role model and characterizes the sexual attitudes of contemporary Chinese women.

There is no doubt that China is undergoing a sexual revolution. But, they still have a long way to go as far as public education. While 60-70% of Chinese have had pre-marital sex, only 20% of the men know where to find the clitoris and just 50% of the women have ever experienced an orgasm. One thing, however is for certain: Sex—China’s great taboo—is back out in the open.

Domina Doll is a sex writer who writes articles and reviews for various magazines, zines and adult toy stores. Visit her sexuality blog CherryBoxxx at http://cherryboxxx.blogspot.com/.

Did you ever want to know exactly what turns your lover on—based on their sun sign? Let the first-ever Vibrator.com Erotic Astrology Guide help you.

Aries (March 21 – April 19): Fiery Aries, the Ram, takes charge in the bedroom. Let him have his way with you and you’ll win his heart. Be prepared for anything at all if you hook up with this impulsive lover. Wildly flirtatious, your Aries partner may start a fight simply for the sake of hot make-up sex.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Turn the sweet and seductive Taurus partner on with sexy photos of yourself. Hide them in their briefcase so they can anticipate the romantic tryst. Once you turn on your “bullish” lover, be prepared for an all-night love affair.

Gemini (May 21 – June 21): Satisfy the “Twins” with a little role-playing. Changeable Geminis are never quite themselves; take that to the extreme by dressing up and acting out a character skit to appeal to their darker side.

Cancer (June 22 – July 22): Soft and romantic, the Cancerian lover is a homebody at heart. Enjoy the dance of seduction, luxurious foreplay, and a main attraction that will be lengthy and full of love. If you’re lucky enough to catch “a Crab” (the sign, silly!) count your blessings and stock up on lube.

Leo (July 23 – August 22): The Lion wants his ego, as well as his luscious mane (and other body parts) stroked gently. Pure exhibitionist, open window blinds will make the Leo lover puff out his chest with pride and make love to you with even more slow, sensual intensity.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22): The reserved, uber-organized Virgo is used to going “by the book.” But why shouldn’t that book be the Kama Sutra? A change in position, location, or your usual repertoire is sure to rock your Virgo lover’s socks.

Libra (September 23 – October 22): Charm your Libra lady with lusty tales or share your innermost fantasies. Lavish her with attention and you will have a lover for life. Libras, too, have an intense desire to please, and want to make sure they are giving their lover the best of the best.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): Give these sexy signs what they want, when they want it, and they’ll do the same for you. Passionate, self-confident and vivacious, Scorpios love to deliver pleasure to their partners, and are skilled lovers with all the tricks to do so. But only if you “do them” first.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Looking for adventure? The Sagittarius is ready. Dig out that 12-inch dildo, the handcuffs and the oil – Sagittarians are always seeking something different to quench their lusty libidos. They’ll respect straight talk in bed, and when it comes time for action, be ready to anything!

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): The earthy Capricorn seeks love as much as white-hot sex. You’re best foregoing the toys and flashy lingerie; impress your Capricorn lover with tenderness and passion. That’s doesn’t mean they’re boring! On the contrary, the frisky Sea Goat, inspired by the right partner, can carry you to new heights of ecstasy.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): Fun-loving yet passionate Aquarius is the sign most likely to engage in a threesome—with her best friend or yours! While Aquarians can easily separate sex from love, they also believe in love-making as a natural expression of friendship. Besides, Aquarians have so much passion to share, there’s more than enough to go around.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Ironically, the “Fish” has quite a foot fetish. Make him wiggle by sucking his toes—or let him suck yours. Not surprisingly, the Pisces also loves water play. Why not try a tryst in the hot tub and introduce some toys? After all, Pisceans want nothing more than to please their lovers, fulfilling their every fantasy.

We recently came across an artist who is just perfect for Vibrator.com! Her name is Marcie, and she’s got a slammin’ dance track called “I Can’t Stop My Vibrator.”

Listen to her tracks here: http://www.myspace.com/webmarcie

And download here: https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/114873/cant_stop_my

We’ll be thinking of Marcie next time we’re out at the club!

Marcie is an Internationally Renowned Singer/Songwriter and Recording Artist with releases on various Major Electronic labels like Robbins, System Recordings, Flashover, Deepblue, Shah Music, Real Music, and more. Her tunes have had the support of likes of Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, Oakenfold, Above & Beyond, Dave Pearce, Markus Schulz, DJ Shah, Solarstone, Gabriel & Dresden, and Aly & Fila. Marcie writes and performs in multiple genres such as Trance, House, Eurodance, Pop, and Rock, and has charted in the Top 30 worldwide. She currently resides in Boston, and her releases are available at all major record retailers.

Marcie is the producer and creator of “Marcie presents Behind The Lyric”, a show that explores the stories behind the lyrics of EDM. The show airs on Major stations like DI.FM and ETN.FM, and features interviews with well known Singer/Songwriters.

It was a lonely morning in the pool. Most mornings were these days - the summer was wrapping up and people were spending more time outdoors, less time indoors. That suited me fine; I liked to swim without distractions. So did Tammy. It had been her and I doing the morning swim for weeks, with rare random others. We’d never spoke and I never saw her in the change room, but I always saw her in the pool.

Today when I finished my swim, she was still going. I went to the locker room and grabbed my shampoo and headed for the shower. This pool has just a one room shower facility (women only of course!), but with a few semi-private stalls. I pulled off my suit, hung it over the bar by my shower head and turned on the stream to a lukewarm temperature. As I worked some shampoo though my hair, I closed my eyes and sigh. The water feels great; I imagine it rinsing the pool off of me as I rinse my hair clean.

I open my eyes and looked out from under the stream of water. I am not alone in this pool shower room anymore – Tammy is standing across from me. She’s naked, her blue bathing suit draped over the railing beside her shower’s spot. The water streams down her body; she melts into it as it runs in rivulets across her curves. Her skin shimmers bronze in the steam of the shower, and she sparkles as she releases the tight binding holding back her chestnut hair. Her nipples look like marshmallows.

Realizing I’m staring, I sheepishly smile at her, and she smiles back. She doesn’t seem phased so I just assume she didn’t see me ogling – perhaps I’d been subtle in my absentminded way, or perhaps she hadn’t been paying attention. I force my attention back onto the ritual of cleaning post swim – it’s so not appropriate to start leering at fellow shower mates, no matter how hot they are…

I open my eyes and she’s looking at me. She smiles as I meet her eyes and she takes the opportunity to call for my attention

“Can I bother you for some shampoo?”

I catch my voice in my throat – I croak out a “Sure, no problem” as I hold the green squeeze bottle out towards her. She floats towards me – like and angel gliding through the mist. Her hand snakes out and reaches for the bottle – he fingers collide with mine. Electricity sparks through the air – we both feel it, there’s no denying that. Yet I pretend I don’t know that she felt what I felt, and she pretends something similar. Our eyes meet but I break the eye contact very quickly. I sigh and lean back as she pops the shampoo bottle top and squeezes some into her hand. She smiles again and leans into me, presumably to place the bottle on a small shelf just off to my side. As her body comes close to mine, everything seems to slow down. I’m standing so still, afraid that if I move or if I even breathe, I might break the spell. She’s so close to me, I just want to press my body onto hers, to let our curves fit together in a soapy mess…

And then she pulls back, raising her hand to run the shampoo into her hair. She smiles as she walks – not back to her shower, but to one of the semi private stalls.

This is a big moment for me, I am paralyzed with indecision. Sure the stall is pretty private, and well shielded from the entry to the room, but it’s still a public shower room!

She turns to look at me, her eyes asking the obvious – care to take this further?

Red is a sex blogger that’s been at it since early 2004. Her work can be found at http://www.redsneakerdiaries.com, where she writes flash fiction about kink and all things sexy, reviews sex products, answers questions, and attempts to uncover the science behind sex. Her work has been featured on Playboy Radio and numerous sex blog and/or information websites. Red can be reached at redsneakerdiary@hotmail.com.

Decades ago, fetishists would be incarcerated in asylums for their disorders. Considering the true meaning of the word, that’s not surprising.

A “fetish,” according to its clinical definition, is a sexual disorder where a person cannot get aroused without a particular object, body part, fantasy or behavior. The person may fantasize obsessively about his fetish, sometimes to the exclusion of normal social behavior. That doesn’t sound like fun, does it?

In recent years, though, the word has evolved to encompass many types of unusual, and even some not-so-unusual, sexual behaviors. If you enjoy an activity or appreciate the beauty in a particular body part, but don’t need it during every sexual encounter to get aroused, a so-called “fetish” can be quite fun to explore.
A foot fetish is a common, “mainstream” fetish, if you will. It’s quite easy to see the sensual attraction to feet. After all, what’s not to love about smooth, pampered soles, finely polished toenails, the sensual arc of a woman’s foot and, of course, sexy and powerful stiletto heels? (Just writing this makes me yearn for a pedicure!)

Beach season brings plenty for a foot fetishist to feast upon and enjoy. (And is it just a coincidence that a thong describes a sexy piece of clothing worn in two separate places? Or that low-cut shoes create sensual and revealing “toe cleavage?”)
According to the principles of Reflexology, the foot contains powerful nerve endings that can elicit amazing physical and even sexual responses. Performed by certified reflexologists, it can also treat ailments and diseases.

But you don’t have to be a pro to give a relaxing, sensual foot massage. You may want to study reflexology charts to learn what parts of the foot correspond with different parts of the body. Other than that, a little massage oil and a firm but gentle touch will have your lady swooning.

Approach from the top of the foot, or even her calf, and work your way down, if your lady proves to be too ticklish down there at first. Warm up her feet, too, with some rapid rubbing.

From a simple massage, foot play can progress to even more sensual, playful and arousing experiences. Try toe-sucking, or even a foot job. (Yes, that is exactly what it sounds like.) If you ask your partner to pull on silky stockings, you’ll like the feel of her toes and feet all over your body; you may even be ready to come by the time she gets to the main attraction.
Now, looking at it that way, is a fetish really all that bad?

Does size really matter?

I don’t know about you, but to me, what a guy does with what he has is far more important than how well endowed he is. Of course there are always the extremes such as being too small or too big to even get inside the action, but beyond that, size means nothing to me.

In fact, I appreciate the kind of man who doesn’t think that his sexual prowess is directly linked to a statistical measurement of girth or length. You know the type: in the heat of passion, he whips out a tape measure to “prove” that it really is as long as he’s been telling you.

Like you care! After all, his magnificent magnitude then shriveled right before your eyes, along with every last bit of your sexual excitement. The moment is ruined, the turn-on is gone, and for what purpose? To boost his ego… nothing more, nothing less.

Besides, any man who thinks that he can truly satisfy a woman with just the length of his penis has another thing coming. I want a man who knows how to use the core of his being and every breath he takes to satisfy me. After all, sex isn’t superficial or just a purely physical experience, especially for a woman!

Sexual experiences are about personality and character, creativity and vulnerability, taking chances and expanding boundaries. Besides, in today’s world, there are a plethora of nifty toys to expand on what a guy has and add to his arsenal of love. He can enlarge in girth and/or magnitude, sustain longer, add vibration and rotation with or without knobby beads to heighten your intensity and his, or just about anything else you can imagine!

But at its core, sex is about who a man is on the inside, not what he has tucked away inside his pants. In the end, the old adage really is true: it’s not how big he is but what he does with what he has that really matters.