Luke Kennard’s thoughtful piece on straight male authors avoiding writing about sex is well taken (Too hot to handle? Why it’s time for straight male authors to rediscover sex, 12 April). We should welcome more literary courage. But the more urgent conversation isn’t in the pages of fiction – it’s happening (or failing to happen) on dating apps, in classrooms and at parties.
Research shows that we need to rethink sexual pleasure in research, healthcare and society. There is growing evidence on the bidirectional links between sexual function and mental health. Yet many young people are not equipped by their teachers or parents with honest, embodied knowledge about sex and pleasure, let alone that of their partners.
