When someone enthusiastically describes the deep connection they experience during penetrative sex, I totally understand why that type of intimacy is so powerful for them, and I can relate based on my own experiences. However, I find that the empathy and understanding are not always mutual. When I describe the deep intimacy I experience from outercourse, or non-penetrative sex, it […]
Exploring the Roots The “Calamus” section in Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is named after the calamus plant (Acorus calamus), also known as “sweet flag,” which grows in wetlands and is similar to a cat-tail. Many scholars and critics have noted that the floral spadix has a decidedly phallic appearance, but of greater significance to Whitman were the plant’s “pink-tinged […]
Several years ago, I realized that I prefer non-penetrative sex. There are a few exceptions to this, and I do occasionally explore my boundaries in this area, but most of the time I have zero interest in penetration, especially anal. Many men find this baffling because they can’t fathom the concept of sex without penetration. Others scoff at non-penetrative sex […]
Happy National Coming Out Day! Today is also my Re-Coming Out Day! I almost did this two years ago, but I wasn’t ready yet. Today is a big day for me. Thank you for being a part of it! Today, I am proud to come out as queer, but I am affectionately calling it “Queer, Version 2.0,” the revised and […]
Welcome to the first entry in the “Playing With Myself” series, in which I review single-player games and toys that I enjoy. (I also can’t resist a masturbation pun.) I’ve been interested in writing game reviews for a while, and I thought it would be fun to do something a little different from my usual content. My interest in gaming […]
I just got home from seeing the new live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid on opening day (May 26). I invited a family member to join me, but they changed their mind and didn’t want to go, so I had a solo movie date. And I’m so glad I did, because it was absolutely wonderful. In the weeks leading up […]
“Song of Myself” has long served as a sort of scripture for me, especially this particular section. I have quoted it many times all over social media. Whenever the demons of doubt cast their shadows on me, Whitman’s lyrical sermons have frequently offered me comfort and inspiration. Whitman viewed both the natural world and the human world with a sense […]
Dear Cockmonger: I will be 70 next month. I usually need to use a Viagra or a vacuum pump system in order to get an erection, but I still enjoy masturbating, even when I’m soft. Have you ever done an article on masturbating, aging, and lack of body function? Would love to see something on that topic. Dear Reader: Thank […]
A few years ago, I planned on creating a video called “The Journey of the Fool’s Penis,” which was to be an exploration of the Fool’s Journey through the Jean Noblet Tarot. The video never came to fruition, but the idea—and that particular card—stuck with me. The Jean Noblet Tarot was published around 1650 and is usually considered the first […]
Happy Pride Month! Let’s celebrate with a book review! The Satyr’s Kiss: Queer Men, Sex Magic & Modern Witchcraft was released exactly one month ago, and I bought it as a birthday present for myself. I’ve been very excited about this book since its author, Storm Faerywolf, first announced it last year. A gay Witchcraft book that doesn’t shy away […]
In the early 1880s, the painter Thomas Eakins took numerous photographs of nude models as figure studies for his curriculum at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This collection of photos is commonly known as “The Naked Series.” People of different ages and body types were represented, including Eakins himself and several of his students. Many of the models […]
The invention of photography has given us the ability to take snapshots of real bodies in real time. People have been taking nude photographs since the invention of the daguerreotype in the 1830s. Erotic photos were very clandestine throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, although not as rare as we like to think. Our forebears were doing the same […]
Many people refer to sex as “making love,” but this is often applied exclusively to couples. Solo sex should also be considered “making love” to one’s self, yet many men still think of masturbation as just an itch they need to scratch because they’re horny. Even among masturbation enthusiasts, there is often a disconnection between the penis and the heart. […]
We live in a fast-paced, high-stress society full of distractions. Technology has allowed everyone to be tuned in to everything at any given moment. Our attention spans are shorter than ever, and our consumption of media has become increasingly rapid. We are always pulled into the latest thing: news stories, politics, mindless entertainment. This information overload can take a toll […]