NSRC: National Sexuality Resource Center

American Sexuality 

Rape in America & the Polanski case

Rape in America & the Polanski case

He was indicted for felonies related to sexual battery. He admitted guilt. Still, many believe Polanski’s sex with a 13-year-old wasn't “rape-rape.”

read >

Sex:Positions

Sex and Silence

It’s fair to say that most people leave their sexuality at the door when they go to worship. Organized religion and sex have had an uneasy relationship. Generally, religion has either ignored human sexuality, treated it with suspicion or discomfort, or made people feel guilty about it.

Confusion about Religion & Abortion Rights

Statistics and surveys can be useful, but they can also be misconstrued and lead to incorrect conclusions. A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life is a case in point. A lot of news stories have been published about the study, stating that support for access to legal abortion is weakening among mainline Protestants...

Do The Math

I love Barack Obama. I love him for many reasons. But right now, I’m speaking as a sexuality educator.  I love that he regularly mentioned lesbian and gay people during the campaign . . .

Read

Common Claims: Polanski and Rape in Early America

In September 2009 director Roman Polanski was detained in Switzerland for extradition to the United States. He was to face a sexual assault-related conviction, from which he’d run away three decades earlier. A plethora of news reports followed. Movie stars, politicians, legal experts, bloggers, and other commentators took sides.

Big Booty Beauty and the New Sexual Aesthetic

My American friends dreamed of bigger breasts;  the Cuban women in my family stressed the value of a bounteous derrière

Single and Happy

Much of the conventional wisdom about people who are single is either grossly exaggerated or just plain wrong. The place of singles in society and the significance of getting married have changed dramatically over the past decades.

Lectures & Speeches

See video

Talk About 'Risky Lessons' Part I

Students and faculty of NSRC's Summer Institute 2009 discuss Jessica's Fields innovative research and book Risky Lessons: Sex Education and Social Inequality. With Fields, Amy Sueyoshi, and Christopher White.Watch: Talk About 'Risky Lessons' Part IIWatch: Talk About 'Risky Lessons' Part III

See video

Sex, Faith and HIV

When it comes to fighting HIV, we have yet to make real connections in the faith community says Bishop Yvette Flunder.

See video

Champions of Sexual Literacy '08, Part 3

What do Dr. Ruth, marriage equality advocate Shannon Price Minter and former Surgeon General David Satcher have in common? They're all 2008 Champions of Sexual Literacy. Every year, NSRC recognizes leadership, courage and vision in the field of sexuality at an entertaining event designed to support our work and amplify the outstanding achievements

About American Sexuality

At American Sexuality we believe sex is more than just an act. We uncover, analyze, explain, and discuss facets of sexuality that mainstream media has overlooked. Smart, engaging, and always a bit controversial, our articles and multimedia pieces will get you thinking and talking about sex in new and broader ways. American Sexuality is published by San Francisco State University’s National Sexuality Resource Center.