Defining sexuality

» A closer look at what makes one form of sexuality different from another

: gender that you identify as,

: ries MacDonald :

So has always been

a hot-button topic for our

generation. How we define

ourselves “in the bedroom”

is a very complex part of our

identity, and as we go through

the motions, attempting to

make sense of our various

forms of desire, we run into

the problematic issue of labels.

Gone are the days of homo and

hetero being the only sexualities :

you had to choose from, but

as we come into a greater

social understanding of what

sexuality is, we are also given

a far broader spectrum that we

need to understand in order to

navigate the treacherous waters

of human companionship.

To help with that, I have

formulated a very limited

list of varying sexualities

and what defines them.
Starting with the very

basic, we have homo- and

heterosexuality. Though |

trust everyone is aware of

what these two terms mean,

for posterity I shall reiterate:

heterosexuality refers to

being solely sexually attracted

to someone of the opposite

while homosexuality refers to
being exclusively attracted to

: people of the same gender.

Bisexuality is the term

: used to describe someone

: who is attracted to both men

: and women, while pan- or

: omnisexuals are attracted to

: all genders. Though this may
: sound the same, it isn’t. All

: genders refers not to just men
: and women, but to people

: who are gender ambiguous

: or who identify as opposite

of their biological or birth

: sex. Pansexuals don’t factor

: gender into sexual attraction,
: where omnisexuals do pay

: attention to a person’s gender,
: but are attracted to people of
: all genders. Omnisexuality

: also refers to a very specific

: psychology regarding sexual
: intimacy in some instances.

: Omnisexuals tend to

: disassociate sex from love,

: meaning that they may have

: multiple sexual partners,

: but only one significant

: other. That isn’t to accuse

: omnisexuals of being more

: likely to be unfaithful or

: incapable of maintaining a

: monogamous relationship—
: many will do it out of respect
: for their significant other.

Moving on, there is also

: asexuality, which is used to

: describe someone who does not
: feel sexual attraction towards :
: people of any gender. Asexuality :
: isnot used to describe people —:
: who are incapable of having

? sex, just those who are not

: motivated to do so. Asexuals

: are perfectly capable of sexual

: performance, and may—if

: they so choose—have sex on

: occasion. This does not exclude
: them from being asexual,

: or alter their sexuality in

: any way. Demisexuality is a

: fairly complex sexuality that

: almost eliminates physical

: attraction. Instead, demisexuals :
: only feel sexual attraction

: once they have formed an

: emotional relationship

: with another person. This

: emotional relationship can

: be platonic initially, but

: then evolve into a romantic

: and/or sexual relationship.

: Oftentimes demisexuals will

: mistake their lack of sexual

: attraction as being a form

: of asexuality, only to find

: out later when a prosperous

: emotional relationship occurs,
: that that is not the case.

Similar to demisexuality,

: sapiosexuality doesn’t involve
: physical attraction upon

 

: first initiation. Sapiosexuals
: are primarily attracted to

: intelligence or people they

: perceive as being intelligent.
: This means that sexual

: attraction only occurs after a
: pre-existing relationship has
: formed. Unlike demisexuals,
: this relationship doesn’t need
: to be very far progressed.

: Instead a simple favourable

: impression can be enough.

To be honest, I could go

Image via thinkstock

: on and on. There are plenty of

: sexualities out there to describe
: almost any form of desire you

: could imagine or feel. The trick
: is to wade through everything

: that is unrelated to find

: something you feel comfortable
: using to describe yourself. In

: the end, all of these various

: words are just labels to better

: help you formulate your identity
: and find a companion best

? suited to your unique existence.

 

Beauty on a Budget

» NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk

Lauren Kelly

 

hen it comes to eye

makeup, few products
are as versatile as the NYX
Jumbo Eye Pencil in the colour
Milk. An opaque, creamy
white, the colour can be used
simply as a white eye shadow
pencil, but itis more commonly :
used as an eyeshadow primer
and face highlighter. This
makes this inexpensive
product a very useful tool
for your makeup arsenal.

As an eyeshadow primer,
it can be drawn on and lightly
blended for a bold base that
greatly improves bright- and
light-coloured eye-shadows.
For a softer look, blend out the
product more before applying
your eyeshadow. I performed a
test, comparing the eye pencil
to popular eyeshadow primer
Urban Decay Primer Potion.
The shadows applied over
Milk were both more vivid
due to the white-toned base,
and they had better staying
power after a hot shower
and by the end of the day. To

: brighten your eyes after you've
: applied your makeup, you can
: also use it on your waterline.

: This will help your eyes look

: wider, and more awake.

i isasa highlighter. You can

: blend the product out to

: highlight your inner eyes,

: brows, cheekbones, nose ridge,
: cupid’s bow, and whatever else
: you would like to emphasize.

: It can even be applied over

: dark circles as a base for

: powder foundation. This

: will help counter act those

: bruised tones, and better hide
: them beneath concealer and/

: or foundation. As I said, this

: product is incredibly versatile!

: at London Drugs and Funk

: N Frost, and the Jumbo Eye

: Pencils sell for $6-7 each.

: If you like the formula, it

: also comes in over 20 other

: colours with a wide range of
: options. The deep, metallic

: red tones of Rust and Bronze
: are perfect colours for bold

: fall and winter looks, and the
: brown tones of French Fries

: and Sparkle Nude are great for
: neutral, everyday makeup.

Another way to use Milk

Before a shower

You can find NYX products

After a shower

 

Photos by Lauren Kelly