2007's Top 10 Sex and Relationships Stories

By AlterNet Staff, AlterNet. Posted December 12, 2007.

Millions of readers come to AlterNet every month to devour our content -- hundreds of articles, essays, investigations, blogs, satire and personal revelations each week -- from our own writers and from dozens of the top sources across the Web. We bring you the best of the independent press. That adds up to a lot of words. And invariably, you, our readers like some articles more than others.

Some of our content literally explodes with popularity, ending up being Dugg, or appearing on Reddit and being shot around the internet in thousands of links. So now as we are approaching the end of the year, we are cataloging just what turned you on or made you angry, or told you something you never knew or thought of before. Those articles you pondered and sent to your friends, colleagues or grandmother, who is finally on email now.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will provide you a veritable smorgasbord of the best of the best from AlterNet. The most popular enviro stories, the best on human rights, our top videos, your favorite books of the year, the articles that helped you understand how messed up the economy is, how horrible the war in Iraq is still. We'll give you stories about the drug war, the articles you discussed the most, and much more. Stay tuned because virtually every day until the end of the year, when we present the most popular overall articles of 2007, we'll give you a list for your enjoyment and edification. Today we kick the whole thing off with some fun -- the year's best and most popular articles about sex and relationships. Enjoy!

Top 10 Sex and Relationships Stories of 2007

10. Is Open Marriage the Modern Couple's Answer to Infidelity?
By Joslyn Matthews, Sirens Magazine
Why does open marriage work for some married couples and destroy others? The answer could be that for it to work, you need to be in an extremely healthy relationship.

9. Don't Look Gay: Why American Men Are Afraid of Intimacy With Each Other
By John Ibson, American Sexuality Magazine
Why do adolescent boys often leave empty seats between each other when they go to the movies? It's a product of the culture of male homophobia in America which pushes men to avoid intimacy and gay stereotypes.

8. Why Men Should Be Included in Abortion Discussion
By Courtney E. Martin, AlterNet
Locking men out of conversations about abortion often comes at a great expense.

7. Is Monogomy Natural?
By Anneli Rufus, AlterNet
A lifetime of love versus a quick roll with a stranger. It's funny how we can have two seemingly opposite urges at the same time.

6. The Deeper Meaning in the Republican Sex Scandals
By Susie Bright, SusieBright.com
Another two gay-bashing, Klan-loving, pulpit-slurping Republicans have disgraced themselves. But there is much more we can learn from the improprieties of David Vitter and Bob Allen.

5. Can Women Separate Love and Sex?
By Jennifer Armstrong, Sirens Magazine
Sex, like eating, is a biological drive, and you will lose your mind if you repress it for too long. But some women stave off the need much longer than others.

4. The Sexual Self-Interest of the Cuckolded Wife
By Susie Bright, SusieBright.com
How does Suzanne Craig, wife of the outed senator, stand next to her liar of a husband at a press conference and not hurl her guts?

3. Do Women Enjoy Chocolate More Than Sex?
By Danielle Egan, The Tyee
Author Joan Sewell says so in her new autobiography where she embraces her low libido. The media have hailed her book as "brilliant," but scientific literature disagrees with her theory.

2. Is Pornography Really Harmful?
By Michael Bader and Vivian Dent, AlterNet
In response to Robert Jensen's controversial book, Getting Off, two clinical psychologists debate the intersection of violence and sexual fantasy.

1. Pornography and the End of Masculinity
By Don Hazen, AlterNet
Mainstream porn has come up with more ways than ever to humiliate and degrade women. Why, then, is porn more popular? Includes an excerpt from Robert Jensen's new book, Getting Off.

See more stories tagged with: sex, abortion, masculinity, porn, relationships, sexuality, open marriage, monogamy, larry craig, intimacy, fidelity, infidelity, republican sex scandals

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