A lot of people are really scared of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They’re the bogeyman of the bedroom; the sneaky bugs that are just waiting to get you every time you have sex. But the reality of most STIs is very different from what most sex ed and late-night Googling would have you believe.

Whether you’re using sex toys with a partner or solo (to celebrate the fact that May is Masturbation Month), or both, you’ve probably wondered at some point whether they’re actually clean. Like clean-clean. We went straight to the source, the iconic sex educator and owner/founder of Spectrum Boutique, Zoë Ligon, to find out.*

We’ve been pretty clear about how we feel about most New Year’s resolutions around here, but we do make an exception for resolutions that have to do with prioritizing your own pleasure. So here are our top 7 ways to have the best sex of your life in the new year.

Tuesday is Election Day. Which means you can turn those dead inside vibes into straight boss bitchiness in four simple steps and fulfill your civic duty along the way.