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weekly dispatches by maude® on modern intimacy through the arts, culture, science, and relationships.

MODERN INTIMACY™
when love has a time limit.
Culture
when love has a time limit.

Will Gluck's latest film One Night Only is proof that stories about doomed lovers endure, even if their relationships don't.

why certain voices sound sexy.
Culture
why certain voices sound sexy.

From pitch to pacing, here’s why the right voice can turn an ordinary conversation into something much more interesting.

the sensual benefits of a cold shower.
Culture
the sensual benefits of a cold shower.

Cold showers are often associated with discipline or a quick wake-up call. But there's a growing movement that looks at them through a different lens—one that views a cold rinse as an intentional, ...

why are we having less sex?
Culture
why are we having less sex?

Sex is discussed more openly than ever, so why are we keeping our pants on?

a cozy history of showering with company.
History
a cozy history of showering with company.

Hygiene is important, being social is important — what could therefore be a better idea than showering with a pal?

Sex Diaries: An Exclusive Excerpt by Alyssa Shelasky
In Partnership with
Culture
Sex Diaries: An Exclusive Excerpt by Alyssa Shelasky

For decades, New York magazine's Sex Diaries have offered an intimate look into the private lives of strangers, revealing the many ways people navigate relationships, desire, and connection. Now, t...

rock hard art.
Culture
rock hard art.

The artist who immortalized rock stars’ penises.

are couples actually swinging?
Culture
are couples actually swinging?

From suburban key parties to modern relationship culture, the story behind America’s most misunderstood sexual subculture.

the golden age of personal ads.
History
the golden age of personal ads.

Long before algorithms matched us with potential partners and dating apps turned attraction into a scroll, people were placing tiny advertisements in newspapers hoping to find love, companionship, ...

history's most arousing artworks.
History
history's most arousing artworks.

A tour through 500 years of erotica in art.

the eroticism of interior design through the years.
Design
the eroticism of interior design through the years.

Desire has always had a floor plan. Interior design has always been about more than where the sofa goes. Every era has had its own idea of what makes a space feel sensual. Sometimes it was velvet d...

Mutual shaving as foreplay.
Relationships
Mutual shaving as foreplay.

Can shared grooming deepen sensual bonds?

in the best light.
Design
in the best light.

The history of mood lighting, and how we learned to set the stage for intimacy.

Can your bedroom decor actually get you in the mood?
Design
Can your bedroom decor actually get you in the mood?

Ranking bedroom decor ideas to create the ultimate intimate space.

Is Sex Good For Your Skin?
health
Is Sex Good For Your Skin?

Maybe they're born with it, maybe it’s orgasm. 

maudern movies: a summer affair.
Film
maudern movies: a summer affair.

These films capture that particular season: sun-drenched escapes, poolside encounters, seaside romances, and the quiet tension that builds when people linger a little longer than planned.

A history of Hollywood and body hair.
History
A history of Hollywood and body hair.

Body hair has been embraced, rejected, removed and recreated by Hollywood over the years.

on pheromones and pheromone parties.
Culture
on pheromones and pheromone parties.

A case for the pheromone party.

the intimacy of sweat.
sex education
the intimacy of sweat.

There’s something about summer that makes us want to be touched. Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s the humidity. Maybe it’s the fact that everything feels easier to shed. Clothes. Inhibitions. Expect...

that's amore.
Film
that's amore.

Our favorite films that celebrate la dolce vita.

a case for getting busy in the bathroom.
health
a case for getting busy in the bathroom.

The tub might be the best place for a next-level tête-à-tête. 

a handy guide to shower sex.
Living
a handy guide to shower sex.

Everything you need to know before getting it on whilst bathing. 

the science behind having a type.
Relationships
the science behind having a type.

That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, either.

What a surgeon general’s firing had to do with condoms.
History
What a surgeon general’s firing had to do with condoms.

Joycelyn Elders and the fight for sex education.

Sex Education in America.
History
Sex Education in America.

How the birds and bees have transformed over time.

a case for outdoor sex.
Living
a case for outdoor sex.

When the mood strikes in a less-than-conventional location.

erotic activism: how queer desire fuels social change.
Culture
erotic activism: how queer desire fuels social change.

When we talk about activism, most people picture protests, petitions, and policy change. But there’s another kind of activism that’s just as powerful — it’s intimate, it’s electric, and it’s rooted...

america’s love affair with sex in cars.
Culture
america’s love affair with sex in cars.

Shut up and drive.

the dangers of beach sex.
Living
the dangers of beach sex.

It’s not all sunshine and orgasms.

in bed with the government.
History
in bed with the government.

The surprising history of laws that follow us into the bedroom.