HOW COOL IS TODAY’S COMIC? Oh my god, so cool.
Thank you so much to my lovely, smart, talented friends Dr. Emily Nagoski and R.Stevens for teaming up to create this super science-y guest strip! You should definitely go check out more of their work– hit up R.Steven’s Diesel Sweeties for more pixel comics with wit and sass; head over to sex educator Dr. Emily Nagoski’s The Dirty Normal for more brilliant articles and essays about the science of sex and anything else that relates to the world of sexual stuff.
On a related note, Dr. Nagoski is, at this very moment writing a (currently untitled) book about the science of women’s sexual wellbeing, to be published, tentatively, in time for Valentine’s Day 2015 by Simon & Schuster, and I’m drawing all the dirty pictures for it. Oh yeah. You read that right. And I. am. STOKED.
AND! in FURTHER EXCITING NEWS regarding teaming up with the above-mentioned people:
Topatoco and I have joined forces to bring you THE ANAL SAFETY SNAILS T-SHIRT.
Yes! YOU asked for it (Well, multiple people did, maybe not you specifically. BUT YOU STILL GET TO REAP THE REWARDS.), and we have listened! This tasteful design tells the world to go slow and gives a clandestine wink to any other Oh Joy, Sex Toy fans out there that you enjoy the same reading material.
(If this is your introduction to the Anal Safety Snails, now is the perfect opportunity to go back through our archives and acquaint yourself with our unofficial mascot: from their introduction in our Fleshlight review, to their second manifestation in our coverage of nJoy Pure Plugs, to their most recent starring role in our strip on Butt Sex)
Science of Desire by Dr. Emily Nagoski & R.Stevens, published November 5, 2013 on https://www.ohjoysextoy.com/scienceofdesire
With a blue color scheme and a simplified, pixilated style like a video game from the 90s, Dr. Emily Nagoski appears next to R. Stevens. The good doctor is a cis white woman with short curly blue hair, glasses, black dress, and a stylish short blue scarf draped around her neck. R. Stevens is a black haired, be-spectacled white cis man with stubble and a blue jean jacket over a black shirt.
"I'm Dr. Emily Nagoski," Dr. Emily Nagoski waves to us. "and this is my romantic euphemism R. Stevens and we're here to tell you about-"
Over a floating brain surrounded by hearts, the title reads, "The Secret Brain Science of Desire"
She continues, "Mostly when people are taught about sexual response, they learn about: Masters and Johnson"
R. Stevens helpfully holds up a diagram labeled Masters and Johnson that shows a line inclining upwards to the right, plateaus, shoots STRAIGHT up, shoots back down, and then declines at a slope.
"or Kaplan" Nagoski's voice over continues, next to another diagram showing three arrows pointing at the tail end of the other to form the classic recycling symbol arrow-triangle. On arrow each is labeled Desire, Arousal, and Orgasm.
With the two diagrams in the background, Nagoski goes on to explain, "Both are useful descriptions of what people experience during sexual response. But what I'm gonna teach you today is the brain mechanism that generates sexual response."
Page 2
"Allow me to introduce you to the: Dual Control Model" She proudly presents. "Your sexual response system, like every other domain of your central nervous system, is made up of a partnership of inhibition and activation: Brakes and gas."
The page is now split vertically down the middle, with a brain and genitals straddling that line. There is a line leading straight down from the brain to connect to the cloud icon labeled "Genitals" that has lots of little motion lines and electric bolts pinging around it. On the left side of the brainstem line there are arrows pointing downwards from the brain to the genitals, and on the right side of the line are arrows pointing upwards from the genitals to the brain.
On the left side of the page, the narration explains, "The sexual Excitation System (SES) notices all the sexually relevant information in the environment."
A big blue button labeled "TURN ON!" floats over the thought balloon of a person wearing overalls, a t-shirt, and has their hair pulled back with a headband, leaving a cluster of dreads framing their face. The person looks excitedly at the other person who is on the right hand side of the page. We'll get to that person later.
Our overalls-wearing person is thinking of the list:
"Partner smell.
Partner appearance.
Pleasant genital sensations.
Seeing or hearing other people having sex.
Partner makes you feel special.
Making up after a fight.
Novelty.
Trusting your partner.
New love."
The narration elaborates, "Everything you see, hear, touch, taste, smell or imagine that send signals to your genitals to say 'TURN ON' "
Over to the righthand side of the page, the narration begins afresh with, "Your Sexual Inhibition System (SIS) is the brake, it notices all the very good reasons not to be turned on right now."
A stop sign shape labeled "TURN OFF!" floats above the thought balloon of a worried, bearded person who has shoulder-length hair and wears a black t-shirt. The person thinks:
"Body image.
Trauma history.
Sleep deprivation.
Relationship conflict.
Reputation.
Unwanted pregnancy/STIs.
Depression.anxiety/stress* [A caption further down clarifies, "*For 10-20% of people, stress INcreases desire. People vary."]
Performance anxiety.
Feeling obligated."
The narration follows up with, "Everything you see, hear, touch, taste, smell or imagine that could be a potential threat."
Page 3
"The process of becoming aroused is the process of turning ON the ons and turning OFF the offs." Explains Dr. Nagoski.
A caption hovers over two arrows that are balancing on a scale, reading "Your level of arousal at any moment is the balance of your brakes and gas-"
One arrow on the scale is pointing up and labeled S.E.S [the gas] and the other pointing down labeled S.I.S. [the brakes]"
"Most people think that difficulties with desire and arousal can be solved by adding more stimulation to the gas pedal." Nagoski says, gesturing at the words written on the blackboard behind her, which include "Costumes, toys, donuts, aphrodisiacs, pharmaceuticals, role play, erotica, romance, sleep, no-strings affection, trust, donuts [yes, a second time], a good cry, relaxation, yoga, physical activity." She continues, "Research has shown that it's much more likely you need less activation to the brakes."
Now tastefully topless (though scarf still in place) in a bathtub with a coyly smirking R., Emily concludes, "For most people, the single best predicator of sexual well-being is overall well-being. The calmer and happier your whole brain is, the better your sex life will be."
Transcribed by Erika Moen July 30, 2024