Laura McGuire
Dr. Laura McGuire (they/them or she/her) is a nationally recognized sexuality educator, trauma-informed specialist, and inclusion consultant. Dr. McGuire earned their bachelor's degree in social sciences from Thomas Edison State University and their graduate degrees in educational leadership for change from Fielding Graduate University. Dr. McGuire's doctoral dissertation, entitled “Seen but Not Heard: Pathways to Improve Inclusion of LGBT Persons and Sexual Trauma Survivors in Sexual Health Education,” examined the marginalization of sexual minorities within health education on a global scale.
Dr. McGuire is a certified full-spectrum doula, professional teacher, a certified sexual health educator, and a vinyasa yoga instructor. In 2015, they served as the first Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program Manager at the University of Houston, and in 2017, they became the first Victim Advocate/Prevention Educator at the US Merchant Marine Academy.
They are a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), Society of Professional Consultants, and is a member of numerous boards and committees. They are a graduate of The National Leaders Council and are currently a fellow with the Institute for Social Innovation where they are researching sexual medicine competency in provider care. Dr. McGuire lives in the United States, where they work as a full-time consultant at The National Center for Equity and Agency.
Articles by Laura McGuire
Creating Cultures of Consent: A Guide for Parents and Educators
Have you talked to your kids about consent? Whatever the answer, read this book excerpt from Creating Cultures of Consent: A Guide for...
Slip Sliding Away: Glycerin in Lube
Is glycerin in lube a bad thing? It's often listed as something to avoid when it comes to making sexy times more slippery, but why is that?
How Does Libido Even Work?
The term 'libido' is tossed around a lot, but do you really know what it means? And what do you if you aren't happy with yours?
Kink My Words: Gender Neutrality in BDSM
How do words like 'Master' or 'sissy' fit with the idea of gender neutrality and inclusivity in BDSM? Should gendered language be a thing...
6 Sex Myths We All Need to Stop Spreading
Sex myths—we've all heard them, maybe even unconsciously spread them. But they need to stop. Here are six sex myths...and the truth!
Disability and Sexuality: Desiring, Not Fetishizing
Disability and sexuality are rarely approached in the same breath in the mainstream. Here's why that's the wrong approach!
The Top 5 Sex Ed Questions I Hear All the Time
Got sex ed questions? You aren’t alone and there is great information out there, so keep asking.
How Mindfulness Can Help Boost Your Sex Life
Mindfulness is more than a buzz word. Learn how to use mindfulness practices to make your sex life sing!
Kinky or Vanilla: Who Draws the Line?
Are you kinky or vanilla? How did you come to that conclusion and why? Here's what the experts say.
The World-Changing Kink Community
The kink community has historically raised awareness about social justice issues. It's not all just fun and games!
Why We All Need Sex Ed (Even Adults!)
Sex education is important at every step in our lives, not just in our youths. Here's how sex ed helps us discover and grow our sexuality...
How to Teach Your Kids Sex Education at Home
How does one teach sex education to their children? Here are four tips for making sex education homeschooling a positive and productive...
Am I Queer Enough?
Every year, around Pride, I hear the same question: Do I belong at Pride? Should I consider myself queer? Here's why only you get to decide...
Navigating Pride as an Ally
Here are three ways to be a present and an active ally that enhances Pride instead of detracting from it.
How Sex Toys Can Help You Reclaim Your Sexuality After Assault
By utilizing tools such as masturbation and sex toys survivors can define what sexuality and bodily agency look
Why Everyone Deserves Lube
Lube is a wonderful tool for increasing pleasure and safety in any form of sex and for people of any gender. Here's why.
How to Be a Trauma-Informed Sex Partner
Being a trauma-informed sexual partner isn’t just about interacting with people who have openly disclosed trauma. It is the mindset we need...
How to Tell Your Doctor You're Kinky
Many kinksters avoid coming out to their healthcare providers, from physicians to therapists, because they either think it's none of their...
Why Sex Work Is Not Desperation
As a sex counselor, I often hear male clients in particular, comment that they don’t need the services of sex workers and won’t pay for...
Premature Ejaculation: It's a Thing You Don't Have to Feel Bad About
The idea being that to be a great lover, if you have a penis, the goal is to hold off on orgasming as long as possible. The longer a man...
Three Tips for Being Brave in the Bedroom
If sex is so enshrouded in shame and vulnerability and openness such an essential part of the experience, what can one possibly do to...
Sex Toy Review: Womanizer Duo
This unique dual-stimulation vibrator is beautiful, easy to use and oh-so-effective.
Kinky Isn't a Competition
Whether you are a longtime member of the kink world or a newbie just exploring, you may have noticed something somewhat concerning. Kink...
3 Summer Time Body Love Tips and Tricks
Loving your body is a choice, no matter what you're wearing. Here's how to embrace summer - and a positive self-image.
Can You Be Religious and Kinky?
Can being kinky and a person of faith co-exist? We take a look at religion in the kink community.
How to Stop Hating Valentine's Day
If your relationship status makes you hate Valentine's day, consider reclaiming it for yourself.
How to Add the Holidays to Your Kink Play
Take some inspiration from the holiday season to dip your toe in the kink pool.
Single During the Holidays? Cuffing Season Do's and Don'ts
Feeling like you need to be coupled during the holidays? Here's how to navigate those feelings.
Why Aren't There Pussy Pics?
If you've never sent, received or even heard of someone receive a picture of a partner's vulva, well, there's a reason for that.
Is Your Relationship Unhealthy or Abusive? Knowing When to Get Help and Get Out
There are different types of abuse that can be present in a relationship. Here's how to spot some of the differences so that you can get...
What Consent Looks and Feels Like
Consent is sexy, mandatory and needed and every age and every stage of a relationship. Here's what the real deal should look like.
Culture and Consent: The Things We Have to Unlearn to Get It Right
Why changing the culture around consent will involve un-learning everything we have previously been taught.
A Short History of Sexual Consent
Consent may have its roots in the kink community. Learn more about the history behind the movement.
Sexual Health: Why It May Not Mean What You Think It Does (and Why That's a Good Thing)
Sexual health is part of your overall health, but the definition may not fit with many people's assumptions. Here's what it means and why...
Q&A by Laura McGuire
How do we stay connected in a time of anxiety?
Times of crisis, of any kind, can create intense reactions to everyday scenarios and heighten our emotional needs. The tricky part is that...
I've never been able to orgasm through sex with my partner, but I'm afraid to tell them. What should I do?
Orgasming with a partner is something that movies and social narratives tell us is oh so easy, when, in fact, it poses and a continual...
How can I last longer in bed?
Lasting longer in bed is something that many people with penises feel concerned about. They think that to please their partner and be a...
I'm interested in becoming a sex educator. Where do I begin?
Congratulations on realizing that sex education is part of the work you want to do to make the world a better place! I remember being...
Top surgery has caused me to lose feeling in my erogenous zones. What can I do?
Loss of sensation after any surgery is common and equally disheartening if not traumatic. We often hear from our doctors that it is a...
