THE SEX ISSUE 

The Sex Issue returns to highlight pleasure and intimacy at a time when autonomy is routinely challenged.

The Chronicle published its first Sex Issue more than a decade ago as a supplement to the weekly print issue. Over the years, the issue has taken new forms and covered topics related to health, queer identity, sex work and beyond. 

The Sex Issue creates space for reporting that may not fit into our daily coverage — indispensable stories about bodies and their role in identity and personal freedom.

The moment demands it: bodies are a political battleground. 

Whether through abortion bans, overpolicing and aggressive immigration enforcement in Black and Brown communities, or restrictions on gender-affirming care, marginalized people are frequently put in positions where their right to exist freely in their bodies is questioned.

In politically and socially contentious times such as these, embracing one’s own body for pleasure and positive emotional connection becomes a radical act.

Columbia is a diverse institution that attracts students of any gender, sexual orientation, ability and culture. The Sex Issue highlights the ways these students are empowered by their bodies, while also exploring the unique challenges today’s political atmosphere places on their intimate pursuits. 

Even in times of crisis, sex and romance are a part of everyday student life.

Regardless of how central sex is to an individual’s life, everyone lives in a body that is shaped by policy, culture and power. As you engage with our coverage, we invite you to consider the ways you use yours to experience desire, build community, resist constraint and express your individuality.

Copy edited by Venus Tapang