BY Lux Alptraum
July 23, 2008
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1 Comment

Magazine sex columns tend to be a little, well, predictable. If they’re not Q&A advice columns (and when are they not?), they’re collections of broadly applied, often less than useful sex tips. Which is truly sad: as we’ve said before, sex is a complex, fascinating topic that effects so many aspects of the world around us. Reducing it to “10 Blowjob Tips!” and “How To Have An Orgasm Every Time!” is cheating ourselves of a rich, fascinating discussion (to say the very least).

That may change, however: The Nation recently launched its very own sex column, penned by JoAnn Wypijewski. “Carnal Knowledge” tracks sex and sexuality as it interacts with politics. As the inaugural column explains:

Why sex? Like sports and art, sex elaborates, in its expressions and rituals, what it means to be human. Market culture understands this, which is why we have advertising and Paris Hilton. The right understands it, which is why we have porno crackdowns and anti-gay marriage initiatives. Even religious fundamentalists, with their advice columns on “How to Strip for Your Husband,” recognize that there’s more to life than sin, fear and elections; a little mind-blowing sex takes the edge off and is as good an argument for the existence of God as anything. Most acutely, gay liberationists and pro-sex feminists have long understood that sex, religion, economics, power and freedom aren’t discrete little categories; they’re of a piece. Accordingly, “Carnal Knowledge” will explore sex as desire, as work, as play, as the screen against which America projects its fantasies and fears.

We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. We’re excited to see where this goes.

[Via The Frisky]