There’s a new dating trend that could leave you with a number of harmful sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Everyone likes hopping on a viral new trend, especially when it comes to the dating world in 2024, but your healthcould be at risk if you try this new festive-themed dating trend.
We’ve heard of ‘sledging’ before, but unlike that, which is more to do with social media, this one could lead to you getting gonorrhea or syphilis if you aren’t careful.
A moment of spontaneity in the sheets could cost you dearly (Getty Stock Photo)
It’s called ‘snowmanning’ and don’t be fooled by the name, as it involves a form of ghosting, though only after spending a night in bed together.
What is snowmanning?
Snowmanning gets its friendly-sounding name from the idea of your interest in someone ‘melting away’ in the space of a day, though a recent survey says that 20 percent of Brits have been on the receiving end of it.
This, as well as 80 percent of UK residents admitting to having unprotected sex, could unfortunately lead to an increase in STIs, say experts.
One of these professionals, Dr Crystal Wyllie, at Asda Online Doctor, spoke to The Daily Mail, warned people that those who ‘snowman’ are gone from your life before exchanging contact details.
The trend could leave you with a world of problems, but there’s a simple solution (Getty Stock Photo)
It means they could be passing on an STI from previous flings with no way to contact them, spreading it further.
The medical professional has urged people to use contraception, or take STI tests to stay on the safe side.
How does Christmas change our dating habits?
A poll from the publication revealed of 2,000 Brits, over a third admitted to having casual sex during Christmas week, with 21 percent saying they were ignored the next day.
26 percent of them meet up with a former flame from their past, while 26 percent look for a hookup at work or on a night out.
Worryingly, 15 percent admitted to making impulsive decisions about sex while drinking, which could lead to unplanned pregnancies and possibly STIs from these spontaneous sexcapades.
Dr Wyllie explained: “December is a time of celebration and connection, but it’s important to stay informed about sexual health.
“Planning ahead with contraception, or accessing support after unplanned sexual activity, is key to enjoying the festive season while staying safe.”
This comes at the same time of the decline in condom use, as data reveals that 401,800 STI cases were diagnosed in England last year, an increase of a third from 2020.
You might be left with no way to get in contact with the person that ‘snowmanned’ you (Getty Stock Photo)
Though some say it’s due to a change in trends post-lockdown, with condomless sex surging in popularity, STIs are no joke, and can lead to serious health issues if left untreated.
Chronic pain or pelvic inflammatory disease are a possibility, while STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea can even lead to infertility.
Syphilis could result in neurological or cardiovascular issues as well.
What should you do if you think you might have an STI?
The NHS advises Brits to wait 14 days after a risky sexual encounter before testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, though if you’re testing for syphilis or HIV, you should wait four weeks, giving pathogens time to reach detectable levels.
Though they can be easy to treat, you should pay attention to symptoms before getting tested, such as discharge, itchiness, a burning feeling when you pee, and bleeding after sex.
They highlight that wearing a condom is the best way to protect yourself from STIs.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Photos
Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships, Dating trends, Community.
Finding out that your partner has slept with your best friend is the stuff of nightmares and something I don’t think anyone would wish upon even their greatest of enemies.
But it is something that sadly happens, with people left devastated over the level of trust that has been broken by two of the closest people in their life.
Not only do you feel like you have lost your partner who you could have been planning your life with (or planned if you’ve the likes of children and a mortgage tying you together), but your relationship with one of the closest confidants outside of your relationship has been shattered.
Louanne Ward is an expert in matchmaking and dating, with the Australian taking to social media on a regular basis to offer her best tips and tricks when it comes to finding the right person while also making sure you aren’t being played.
In one recent clip, Ward told people to ‘get out now’ if their significant other says one particular line that gets her alarm bells ringing. The advice is subtle, but so is the language used, so it is worth paying attention.
Now in an Instagram video this week, Ward has issued six warning signs when it comes to your mates and your partner getting a little too close.
“Ever feel like your best friend is a little TOO interested in your partner? Some behaviours are harmless, but others might suggest you have a problem brewing,” she writes.
Taking the side of your partner too much
The first warning sign for Ward is your friend taking the side of your partner a little too much and too quickly.
If your partner cheats on you it often happens with someone you know (Getty Stock Images)
She explains: “You’re venting about a small argument or frustration, and instead of supporting you, they defend your partner. Constantly taking their side without offering you the normal support they would.”
Always sitting close to your partner
The second is about where they position themselves in a social situation. And surprise surprise, it’s near your significant other.
“In group settings, notice if they always end up right beside your partner, sitting close, standing nearby, making a point to stay physically close,” Ward says.
Too much enthusiasm
Being a bit too enthusiastic could well be a red flag, with Ward saying: “They might laugh a little too hard or long at your partner’s jokes, or prompt them to share stories and offer opinions. When you go to contribute the light is quickly shone back on them making you feel left out.”
Acts of service
A fourth major issue is something Ward calls the ‘little acts of service’.
Unforgivable behaviour (Getty Stock Images)
“Ever notice how they fill your partner’s drink while forgetting to fill yours, fetch things, or do small favours just for them? These gestures may look innocent but reflex actions should never be ignored,” she explains.
Over-the-top compliments
Ward also warns about over-the-top compliments and being a little too interested in your partner during general conversations.
“They compliment your partner in front of you about what they are wearing or how good they look. And your constantly hearing ‘you’re so lucky to have them’,” she explains. “When you catch up they seem overly interested in what you’re partner is doing and the conversation keeps coming back to them.”
On their own, Ward says you really have no reason to worry. But if you notice them clustering, and becoming more frequent, it could spell trouble.
Partner denying any issues
You should also be ‘really worried’, Ward says, when you bring it up to your partner and they completely deny noticing anything.
“Here’s the truth: everyone knows when someone is giving them special attention,” she says.
“If your partner brushes it off, says you’re imagining it, or dismisses your feelings, that’s a MAJOR red flag. More than 50 percent of cheating happens with someone close to you.”
Featured Image Credit: Instagram / louanneward / Getty Stock Images
Topics: Dating trends, Sex and Relationships, Community, Australia
After a watch of Love Actually, The Holiday or whatever film gets your romance going, you and your partner might be planning to get naughty before the real big guy comes.
Sure, you might think you’ve got the gift of being a top sh**gerin the sack, but it turns out you’re more likely to land yourself in hospital at Christmas.
Yep, doctors at Ludwig Maximilian University in Germany say there’s a significant increase in broken penises during the festive season.
I mean, imagine the embarrassment – you’d be the topic of conversation round the Christmas dinner table for years to come if you end up in A&E with a snapped d**k.
It’s serious though, obviously, with doctors telling Metro that the ‘forceful bending of the erect penis during aggressive sexual intercourse featuring unusual sexual positions’ could destroy your very merry Christmas vibe.
Apparently, an ‘audible crack’ followed by severe pain are the key signs of a penile fracture.
And it apparently sees a whopping 43 percent increase in commonality during the festive season.
Getty stock Image
In your attempt to spice things up like a lovely mulled wine, perhaps you’re planning to try out the ‘Santa Straddle’ position.
But like the doctors say, it has the potential to ‘snap’ a person’s manhood. Festive.
Either way, after a stressful few hours of family arguments, some fun sex with your partner might help let off some steam.
Ok, so as recommended by Bustle, this ‘Santa straddle’ sees the partner with the penis laying on their back, with one leg bent. The other can then climb aboard, facing away in the reverse cowgirl position.
Straddling their thigh, they then slide up and down – almost like going down the chimney.
It’s said to be one of the best positions for female orgasm, as well as allowing one of you to lay back in a food coma.
Oh, and the Santa Straddle might need a decent helping of lube to get going.
Getty stock Image
But while you’re doing this, just be careful as that’s how injuries happen. Although, don’t be fooled, as no actual bones are harmed in a penile fracture.
Medical director Dr Earim told Metro: “Now let’s begin by correcting one common misconception, ‘boners’ don’t actually contain any bones.
“Your penis consists of three cylindrical tubes. Two of these are sponge-like tissues that expand and become rigid with blood to produce an erection (the corpus cavernosum).
“When this tears or breaks, it causes a penile fracture, with the blood inside the erection leaking out into other areas of the penis.”
The NHS says that penile fractures require emergency surgical treatment.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Photo
Topics: Christmas, Sex and Relationships, Health
A study examining the behaviours of so-called ‘red pill guys’ has revealed the common warning signs which suggest you could be dating one.
Originally a plot device from 1999 sci-fi classic The Matrix, taking the red pill has since become a saying which has been co-opted by online communities that share toxic views regarding women and relationships.
In the film, taking the red pill allows Neo to wake up from the matrix and learn the uncomfortable truth about the world whereas in men’s rights communities the term is used to denote ‘waking up’ to the idea that the modern world is created for the benefit of women.
The term originates from 1999 sci-fi classic The Matrix (Getty Stock Image)
Various studies on the rising usage of the term have been conducted in recent years, with a recent study – published in the journal Personal Relationships – looking at how people who subscribe to the ‘Red Pill’ theory link to the ‘Dark Triad’ (DT) personality traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy.
Conducting the study via a series of interviews with women who are active on the Reddit community r/TheBluePill, which seeks to critique ideas shared by Red Pill communities, the authors spoke to six women between the ages of 20 to 38 who’d experienced relationships with ‘Red Pill men’.
Here are the four similarities found in each of the women’s experiences.
The similarities were as follows: relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances and DT-associated behaviours.
The study was conducted from interviews with six women (Getty Stock Images)
Commonalities among the six women included a tactic referred to as ‘love bombing’ which sees a partner seek to gain control over a partner through the use of excessive affection and attention. The women added this tactic was also used as a method to speed up the pace at which the relationship moved.
The study also revealed that sex was a key priority for the men in these relationships, with several of the women feeling ‘pressured’ to conform to their partners’ expectations.
Emotional manipulation was also a common feature in the relationships, with tactics such as ‘coaxing’ or ‘guilt tripping’ used by Red Pill men to manipulate their partners.
“TRP men consistently displayed self-interest and willingness to use manipulation to meet their needs, portraying themselves to their partners and the world as successful while callously disregarding partners’ emotions in their pursuit of sex or social desirability,” the study noted.
The four warning signs included relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances and Dark Triad-associated behaviours (Getty Stock Image)
The final common theme between the men was a preoccupation with image, including looks, social status and outward appearances.
Several of the women who took part in the study noted their partners’ preoccupation with showcasing career achievements in order to appear more outwardly attractive – a trait which is found in DT personality types.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Dating trends
With the bank holiday on the horizon, you might have a little extra time to spend with your partner.
So, thinking of that, now maybe seems like a good time to try out something new,? You know, like a spicy bit of extra-curricular.
And thankfully, there’s plenty of dating and relationship trends to try out. Because amid those not so nice ones, there’s a rather naughty one – the good kind.
But you might want to make sure the washing machine is ready for this one as the popular ‘sploshing’ is about to get messy.
It was previously reported the hashtag of ‘sploshing’ had racked up over a whopping seven million views on TikTok in a year with active communities across Instagram, Reddit and X.
So, in explaining what on earth this (rather wet-sounding) word means, let’s go back to basics.
It’s not the cleanest thing. (Getty Stock Photo)
Psychologist at Onward and Outward Center for Inclusive Therapy and Wellness, Lana Holmes says the term ‘splosh’ first gained traction back in 1989.
This was because of a magazine of the same name (Splosh!) that covered the trend but also other types of fetishes – mostly those classed as wet and messy (WAM).
And it later transitioned into a video production site, gaining more and more popularity over the years.
Now, let’s get down and messy, here’s what it actually is. Sploshing is ‘a fetish in which people derive sexual arousal and pleasure from being covered in food products and beverages’.
Holmes adds: “For some people, it’s very pleasurable, as well as liberating.”
Ayesha Hussain, co-creator of Pass The Porn and founder of The Violet, also explains: “There are aspects of the mouth being a vessel that are inherently sexual.
One for the foodies? (Getty stock)
“It opens, it’s moist, and when you get aroused, your mouth opens more and gets more lubricated.”
If sploshing sounds like your kind of thing, you can really start where you want and when you want. “It can be anything: spaghetti, cucumbers, chocolate, etc,” Ayesha says.
“Watch every movement, taste every smell, imagine their saliva accumulating, and go from there!”
Kink educator Darla Delour told Glamour: “It’s not about using vegetables as dildos, nor is it adding a splash of whipped cream to your body to spice things up in the bedroom.” She says that sploshing is basically just getting excited about seeing or playing with a lot of food in a sexual context.
As always, it’s important not to kink shame people just because you might not be into it. As long as it’s consensual, legal and not breaking any major ethical boundaries, then it’s fair game.
If this sounds like a decent use of your BBQ leftovers, then off you go.
