As the right wages war on surgeries and hormones for trans people, Sextras investigates the hypocrisy at the heart of the gender-affirming-care debate, and consults experts on the lifesaving power of accepting and loving your body, no matter your gender identity

We’ve all been there: a niggling in your stomach, feeling skittish, and that overwhelming feeling of fatigue. But is it stress or your period? 

Between the public transport rush to work, slogging through the hours of nine to five, and trying to maintain a social life while, oh yeah, keeping yourself alive, if you manage to catch a breath to acknowledge these feelings, it can be easy to attribute them to either your hormones or the anxiety of life. 

Always wanted to be the kind of girl who’s outwardly unproblematic, but leaves the function early to go home and bitch about everyone in her journal? Daniella Parete Clarke consults therapists, writers and people who have filled countless Moleskines to find out how it’s done. Starting from scratch can feel daunting, but there are plenty of ways to engage in the practice. After consulting a range of experts and seasoned journal-keepers, Sextras has compiled a comprehensive guide, with tips and insights to help first-timers.  

Does the secret to wellness lie in the stars? According to the ancient beliefs and intuitive rituals of astro-skincare, it does. Charlie Elizabeth gave it a try and aligned her wellness routine to her star sign to see if it really can improve self-care

As the ‘saddest day of the year’ is upon us, Lucy Sarret has compiled what to do to beat the January blues.

With cases of syphilis on the rise in the UK, Lucy Sarret breaks down everything you need to know about the STI

Women are no stranger to the moon controlling their anatomy, so Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse spoke to Samantha Regrave, author of the upcoming book Flow, to learn how we can sync our self-care routine with the moon’s cycles

You know the saying - wrap it before you tap it. But which wrapper you choose can actually have a huge impact on your body, according to MyBliss founder Mo Barrier.

The editorial team at Sextras on what’s in and out in the world of wellness, from reading to REM cycles, and saying bye-bye to beloved acrylics

Summer has brought us her delightful long days, heralding in plans for picnics and banishing my seasonal depression - thank god! But in the absence of the winter blues, a new problem has reared its head; what I call the ‘late night lonelies’.

If you were born female, the chances are you’ve used some kind of hormonal contraception in your life. Whether it’s the pill, injection, coil or rod, the ways to prevent pregnancy hormonally are endless for women so why isn’t there the same for men? Alice Wade explores the trials and tribulations of male contraception research and where we are currently at with it.

Though we love to talk about sex, Gen Z aren’t so good at actually putting their money where their mouths are, betwixt the sheets. But while our lust is low, the same can’t be said for our rates of STIs which have gone up by a quarter in the last year. Alice Wade speaks to Dr Malik to find out why we’re more infected, despite the dry spell.

We’re told we all need an average of eight hours sleep a night but with hormones, periods, and statistically fewer free hours, it’s likely that actually women need more sleep. Alice Wade talks to experts to understand.