It's 2024 and so much about sexuality and intimacy can still feel opaque. We can blame it on subpar sex-ed or social taboos – and we'd be right. So if you're looking to fill in the gaps around your understanding of pleasure, relationships, desire, power dynamics, sexual health and much more, we thought we'd round up our most-trusted voices on the subject. These are the sex therapists, sexologists and intimacy specialists we turn to. Whether that's for a helpful infographic or in-person therapy, you're sure to find resources that answer your questions and enrich your sexual wellbeing.
Emily Nagoski
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Emily Nagoski has been a sex educator since the 90s. Her bestselling book Come As You Are simplified existing science around women's desire, where Nagoski notably described the dual control model of sexual response as a "car with an accelerator and brakes". She's warm, generous and non-judgmental – necessary requirements when consulting people on their sex lives. If you're in a couple, her latest book Come Together explores how to maintain a fulfilling sex life over time. Otherwise, you can consume her ideas and teachings via Instagram, through her newsletter Confidence & Joy which has over 30,000 subscribers, or her TED lectures.
Laura Miano
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Laura Miano is a Melbourne-based sexologist, writer, and the co-owner of sex toy concept store Posmo. With an empathy-first approach, she creates a safe space to discuss sexual concerns and explore ways to improve your sex life, even if it doesn't fit traditional norms. She offers workshops, therapy and consults on career advice. If you're in Melbourne and looking for a sex therapist who's open and inclusive, Laura Miano could be a good fit.
Chantelle Otten
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Chantelle Otten is a respected sexologist based in Melbourne on a mission to improve her client's and follower's sexual self esteem. She's also an ambassador for Bumble, Love Honey and Kerastase. In September 2021, Otten became an author with her first book, The Best Sex Ed You Never Had, which endeavours to fill the gaps of our own knowledge around sex. Read an excerpt from the book on how to raise sexual concerns with your partner here.
Georgia Grace
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You may know Georgia Grace as the co-founder and in-house sex expert of Normal, or by her helpful infographics on Instagram, or even her appearances on Abbie Chatfield's It's A Lot podcast. She stands to normalise conversations around intimacy, sex and relationships, and does so with a shame-free, trauma-informed approach. Georgia Grace is also an expert in somatic sexology and as a queer woman, is committed to providing a LGBTQIA+ inclusive and safe space during her sessions.
Queer Sex Therapy
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Through her Instagram and TikTok handle @queersextherapy, Casey Tanner begins conversations with her audience of 300,000 followers about how to foster healthy relationships and satisfying sex lives. Offering trusted advice, Tanner's accounts are shame-free spaces where she shares practical tools, ideas and approaches. Tanner is also the founder and CEO of The Expansive Group, a gender and sex therapy start-up that serves over 500 LGBTQIA+ clients annually, and you can find more of her insights via her podcast Safe Word or her upcoming book Feel It All which hits bookshelves on May 14 this year.
Kamil Lewis
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The other half of the Safe Word podcast, Kamil Lewis has a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology and approaches sex therapy through an intersectional lens. No topic is off limits and Lewis engages on everything from performance to pain to sex work and non-monogamy, with a commitment to removing shame and highlight pleasure instead.
Selina Nguyen
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A queer relationship and sex therapist based on Gadigal land, Selina Nguyen's guidance stands out for its light-hearted, playful approach. Between graphics on aftercare, sex ruts and intimacy through a neurodivergent lens, you'll find a host of memes and candid yet nuanced thoughts. It's rigorous information but served up with humour. We like their style.
My Friend in Sex Ed
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With a Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education under her belt and a Masters of Sexology on the way, Niamh Mannion is settling into a niche of sex therapy where disability and sexuality rights meet. A fierce advocate for both, Mannion shares information and statistics on her socials along with book recommendations in a bid to expand our understandings of sexuality and intimacy.
Images: @gspot._ @sexwith_sel @kamil.lewis @chantelle_otten_sexologist
